Overview
The Harbour/College House residential home and outreach service for children and young people who have experienced significant trauma and neglect. The role, based in Weymouth, is to ensure a safe and nurturing environment in which children and young people can thrive and develop self-reliance in reaching their potential. The Dorset Council team supports a flexible working pattern, including some evenings, weekends, sleep-ins (with an allowance), and bank holidays.
We are looking for caring, committed and positive individuals to join our supportive team of Youth Practitioners, working within the homes and local community and supporting children and young people to thrive. An extensive induction and training is provided, including a level 4 certificate in therapeutic care where required. Regular supervision and access to employee benefits and the LGPS pension scheme are available.
We encourage applicants to visit us to gain a better sense of who we are, what the job involves and to ask questions.
What You Will Be Doing
You will be passionate and aspirational in supporting young people through a variety of activities which will help you build a strong and resilient relationship with them. Activities include introducing children and young people to new environments, sports, arts and leisure, as well as supporting them in education, training and employment. You will promote a clean, safe and nurturing home environment to help them develop skills for independence.
You will form positive relationships with children, young people and families, and work with families, partner agencies and allocated social workers to identify and achieve the best outcomes. You will help mend relationships and support reunification where appropriate. You will be aspirational, flexible in delivery, and able to work autonomously and as part of a team in dynamic situations. We are aspirational for our staff as well as our children. You will join a supportive and inclusive Council that will nurture and invest in you to thrive in your role. A comprehensive training programme is available in addition to mandatory training to support your professional growth.
About You: You will be kind and caring, with a passion for improving lives; you will be aspirational, resilient and flexible in approach.
Qualifications
* Ability to achieve QCF level 4 Health and Social Care or equivalent
* Numeracy and literacy skills
* Recording and report writing skills
* Experience and resilience working with children and young people
* Ability to work flexibly across a range of settings
* Experience of direct work with families
* Problem solving skills
* Skilled in forming and maintaining relationships with young people
* Good communication, interpersonal and advocacy skills
* Understanding of key childcare legislation
* Team working skills
* Inter-agency collaboration skills
* Effective IT skills to use recording systems
* Willingness to undertake training
* Be an excellent role model for children and young people
Further Information
This is a zero hour role. The post requires significant travel; you must have a vehicle (or suitable transport) available for use as needed. The post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them and will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders. See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.
About Us
At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.
* Provide essential services that support over 380,000 residents
* Work in partnership to make a real difference
* Value every role and the impact it has on our communities
* Support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive
You will be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset and have access to a range of benefits and training opportunities to support personal development and career progression.
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. If you need reasonable adjustments, please let us know on your application. This role is UK-based and requires Right to Work verification as part of the appointment process.
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