Play Worker – AR

Carrington Blake Recruitment; London; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A role as a Playworker in the London Borough of Hackney, providing high-quality play activities for children aged 6-15. This position involves outdoor work, offering opportunities for children to engage in safe, stimulating play while enhancing their emotional and physical well-being. Ideal candidates will hold a recognised play qualification and have experience in delivering play activities.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering open access play activities for ages 6-15.
• Understanding of the Playwork Principles and the adventure playwork concepts.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain a safe, exciting environment for children's play.
• Facilitate children's self-directed play and engage effectively with them.
• Plan and deliver varied play activities, including residential trips.

Skills

Understanding of playwork principles

Ability to engage with young people

Health & Safety knowledge

Education

Recognised play qualification (minimum level 2)

Tools

First Aid qualification

Recognised food hygiene qualification

Job description

LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY

POST TITLE: PLAYWORKER – ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND
DIRECTORATE: Children, Adults and Community Health
SERVICE: Young Hackney
LOCATION: Adventure Playground, within the London Borough of Hackney
RESPONSIBLE TO: Play Manager

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
To work towards the achievement of better outcomes for children, young people and families in Hackney by:
● providing a high quality, effective programme of youth and play work for children and young people in Hackney
● giving children and young people opportunities and encouragement to get involved in activities that complement and enhance their physical and emotional well being, and which support their educational attainment and transition to employment
● supporting young people to do things for themselves individually and collectively and to be active participants in their community

The Playworker – Adventure Playground will contribute to the delivery and evaluation of high quality open access play activities delivered through Young Hackney Adventure Playgrounds. They will:

● Create and maintain a safe, creative, and stimulating environment for children’s play where every child feels welcome and is considered important.
● Contribute to the development and delivery of programmes offered by the playground including after school, weekend and holiday provision in accordance with the Playwork Principles.

This is a physically demanding role, with work predominantly outdoors on the adventure playground. You will be expected to deliver activities outdoors all year round and in all weather conditions.

RESPONSIBLE FOR:

PLANNING
● Work with the play team to develop and maintain an exciting, challenging and varied play environment which facilitates the different play types and allows children to continually change and adapt the play space.
● Contribute to the development of a varied programme of term time and holiday play activities which includes onsite and offsite play activities (e.g. residential trips.)
● Attend and participate in team meetings and ensure that you play an active role in the development of the playground.

SERVICE DELIVERY

Direct work with children, young people and their families
● Facilitate and support children’s self-directed play using low intervention and high response methods to create a child led environment.
● Contribute to a range of appropriate creative, stimulating environments and activities which cover the different play types, and reflects the needs of all children.
● Promote and safeguard the welfare of young people in all contexts, with awareness of the risk that may be faced in respect of physical health and emotional well-being, educational attainment, sexual development, CSE, crime and gang activity.
● Engage and build respectful, honest, challenging and supportive relationships with young people, including those who may previously have had little contact with services and may be hard to reach.
● Use observation, reflective practice to assess the play needs of the children attending the playground to inform every aspect of the running of the playground.
Partnerships
● Work with parents/ carers to encourage their appropriate involvement in the playground.
● Work with staff from across the wider children and young people’s workforce to ensure that children and young people’s needs are met.
● Share information about young people with other agencies in order to manage the risks to themselves and others, and promote their welfare in line with the requirements of all relevant legislation.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Hours of work: Term time: Minimum 22.5 hours per week
School holidays: Full time – 36hours per week

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

Essential
Experience of delivering open access play activities for children and young people aged 6 to 15
Recognised play qualification at a minimum level 2
Experience and understanding of the Playwork Principles, the different play types and principles behind adventure playwork
A satisfactory DBS check at enhanced level is required.

Desirable
First Aid qualification
Recognised food hygiene qualification
Experience of structure building in an adventure playground

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

● Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of key agencies working with young people, including their statutory responsibilities.
● Knowledge of the playwork principles, the different types of play and child development in relation to play.
● Knowledge of Health & Safety good practice in play, including provision at an adventure playground.
● Knowledge of risk benefit in relation to play.
● Willingness to undertake structure building and maintenance of structures which will involve working at heights and using a range of tools and power tools.
● Ability to provide a play environment in which children are able to continually change and adapt.
● Ability to engage with and create a rapport and build relationships with young people and parents / carers and families and to deal with complex issues in a sensitive and appropriate manner.
● Ability to organise a range of play activities which extend children’s play and contribute to their enjoyment and healthy development.
● Ability to work with children in a manner which reflects playwork intervention styles to their enjoyment and overall development.
● Ability to take responsibility for own personal playwork development.
● Ability to work with children, young people and their families who present challenging behaviour.

If you are interested in this role please do reach out to me via email or telephone!

[e-mail]

020 753 766 07