Woodspring Children and Young People Social Prescribing Link Worker

North Somerset Council; Weston-super-Mare; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A local governing body in the UK seeks a dedicated and experienced Children and Young People Social Prescribing Link Worker. This role involves connecting children and young people with health and wellbeing resources, managing referrals, and collaborating with local agencies to enhance community support. Essential qualifications include a level 3 qualification in a relevant field and experience in health promotion. Flexible working arrangements available.

Benefits

Competitive salary and benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Local Government Pension

Opportunities for professional development

Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• Educated to a minimum of level 3 in a relevant health, education, wellbeing or youth related qualification.
• Experience in health promotion in public health or voluntary and community context.
• Ability to support children and young people in a non-judgemental way.

Responsibilities

• Receive referrals, assessing need for social prescribing for children and young people.
• Manage and prioritize a caseload effectively.
• Work collaboratively with local agencies and stakeholders to deliver interventions.

Skills

Empathy

Active listening

Communication skills

Organizational skills

IT skills

Education

Level 3 qualification in health, education or related field

Job description

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Children and Young People Social Prescribing Link Worker to join our Family Wellbeing team. The Family Wellbeing team are responsible for supporting the early help offer within North Somerset.

In this role, you will respond to the needs of children and young people who are registered with GP practices in the Woodspring area (Gordano Valley, Tyntesfield and Mendip Vale Primary Care Networks), particularly those that are missing or not in education, via the implementation of a children and young people’s social prescribing model. You will connect children and young people to a broad range of activities, groups, services and interventions in their local area in a timely and effective way for practical and emotional support. Led by the wants and needs of the young people themselves, this postholder will increase young person’s active involvement with their local communities, enabling them to take control of their health, wellbeing and lives whilst also reducing health inequalities using a holistic approach.

You will also support existing groups to be accessible and sustainable and help young people to start new groups, working collaboratively with all local partners and being responsible for building and maintaining strong relationships with statutory services, children centres / family hubs, community groups, youth organisations and other stakeholders – including practice staff at Woodspring GP surgeries.

Key Responsibilities

• Receive referrals, identifying children and young people that would benefit from social prescribing, after they have been assessed by a GP, health professional, or via North Somerset Council’s Front Door.
• Effectively manage and prioritise a caseload of participants, ensuring ambitious performance targets and project objectives are met.
• Liaise and work with a range of agencies within and outside North Somerset Council, to deliver effective intervention packages. This includes local VCSE organisations, community groups, children centres and family hubs.
• Be a positive role model and challenge attitudes and behaviours placed on young people.
• Empower participants (and their families) to maximise the control they have over their lives through enabling them to assess their own abilities, identify goals, take charge of decisions which affect them and improve their ability to self-care. This will involve co‑producing action plans and facilitating their follow‑through.

This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Valid driving licence and own transport, or be able to provide alternative, suitable method of travel is an essential condition for this role.

Work Style

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

Flexible Worker

• 2–3 days in the office
• Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
• Training is provided to help balance work‑life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in‑office days for collaboration.

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about empowering children and young people to take control of their health and wellbeing, and who possesses the following skills and experience:

Essential Criteria

• Educated to a minimum of level 3 in a relevant health, education, wellbeing or youth related qualification.
• Experience of promoting health and wellbeing in education, health care, social care, public health or a voluntary and community context.
• Passion, empathy and desire to support children and young people to lead healthier, happier lives and to motivate others to reach their full potential.
• Ability to listen to and empathise with children and young people and provide person-centred support in a non‑judgemental way, respecting lifestyles and diversity and inspiring trust and confidence.
• Confidence in having difficult conversations, particularly in mental health, anxiety or self‑harmful behaviours and ability to use motivational interviewing.
• Experience of the change process and eliciting and maintaining changes in behaviours.
• Experience of implementing monitoring, evaluation systems and capturing the child/young person’s voice.
• Ability to develop and maintain partnerships with a range of professionals and stakeholders, promoting collaborative working and finding creative solutions to community issues.
• Excellent IT skills, including word processing, spreadsheets, email, web research.
• Understanding of protocols and legislation regarding confidentiality and data protection.
• Ability to work independently and proactively on own initiative and to work flexibly and enthusiastically as a valued member of a team.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to complete administration tasks effectively and efficiently and to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative including when under pressure and meeting deadlines.
• Willingness to undertake any other duties commensurate with this post as well as working outside normal office hours and across multiple sites.

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Local Government Pension
• Opportunities for professional development
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
• Dedicated in‑house Wellbeing Team
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

How to Apply

If you share our vision and values and are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Laura Brain, Supporting Families Team Leader, at [e-mail] or 07386963285.

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Date: Wednesday 29 January 2025.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.