Youth Practitioner - The Harbour

Dorset Council; Weymouth; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in Weymouth is seeking a Youth Practitioner to support children and young people in a safe environment. The role includes flexible hours, evening and weekend work. Candidates will benefit from comprehensive training programs and career progression opportunities. This is ideal for individuals passionate about making a positive impact on young lives.

Benefits

Comprehensive training programs

Local Government Pension Scheme

Flexible working hours

Qualifications

• Ability to achieve QCF level 4 Health and Social Care or equivalent.
• Experience working with children and young people.
• Excellent report writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Support young people through various activities and build strong relationships.
• Work with families and partner agencies to achieve the best outcomes.
• Promote a safe and nurturing environment.

Skills

Resilience in working with children

Good communication

Problem-solving skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

QCF level 4 Health and Social Care or equivalent

Job description

Overview

The priorities for our Dorset children are that they stay in Dorset, which is the best place for them to live, that they are given the best start in life through good care provision and the best education and training opportunities, enabling them to thrive and be the best they can be.

The role of Youth Practitioner 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 work will include some evening, weekend work including sleep-ins for which there is an allowance and bank holidays. We are a flexible employer and would welcome a discussion around a variety of hours to be mutually agreeable.

We operate The Harbour/College House residential home and outreach service for children and young people who have experienced significant trauma and neglect. College House is a home in Weymouth. We are looking for caring, committed and positive individuals to join our supportive team of Youth Practitioners, working within the homes and local community supporting our children and young people to thrive. We will provide you with an extensive induction and training including a level 4 certificate in therapeutic care where required. You will also be given regular supervision and access to some great employee benefits and LGPS pension scheme working for Dorset Council. We encourage applicants to visit us to allow you to get a better sense of who we are, what the job involves and to ask any questions you may have.

Dorset has a comprehensive training programme which supports your professional growth and development. Whether you\'re experienced or just starting out, we will equip you with the skills, confidence, and qualifications to succeed.

We invest in your long-term development with a training offer that’s comprehensive, accredited, and tailored to you:

Professional Qualifications

• fully funded Level 3 Diploma in Childcare or the nationally recognised Level 4 Therapeutic Certificate in Childcare
• support with Maths & English if needed

Core Skills & Induction

• structured onboarding programme to help you settle in
• safeguarding, trauma-informed care, and behaviour management
• first aid and health & safety

Ongoing development

• monthly reflective supervision and peer learning
• access to e-learning, workshops, and specialist courses
• specialist training in therapeutic care and attachment
• deep dive into child development and neurodiversity

Career Progression

• clear routes to Senior Youth Practitioner and Team Leader roles
• leadership programmes, coaching, and mentoring

About The Harbour

At the harbour, we never give up. No matter what, we stick with the child. Our service is designed to wrap around a child’s needs, rather than trying to make them fit around ours. We have an evidence informed approach to risk and we are heavily invested in a supportive working environment, including a whole team development plan above and beyond mandatory requirements. We have a multi-agency integrated through co-location, sharing of learning and tasks. Our children are helped by people who make things happen. Click here to hear more about the The Harbour on Vimeo.

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 which will be sustained. Activities will include introducing children and young people to new environments, sports, arts and leisure as well as supporting them in education training and employment and promoting a clean safe and nurturing home environment in which they can develop skills for independence.

You will form positive relationships with our children, young people and families and together, work productively with families, partner agencies and allocated social workers to identify and achieve the best outcomes for our children. You will work to mend relationships and reunify families when appropriate to do so. You will be aspirational in outlook and flexible in delivery, to promote growth, learning and responsibility. You will be able to work autonomously and as part of a team responding flexibly to dynamic situations. We are aspirational for our staff as well as our children.

You will be joining a supportive and inclusive Council who will provide nurture and invest in you to enable you to thrive in your job. A comprehensive training programme is available in addition to the mandatory training, to enable your professional growth and development.

About You

You will be a kind and caring person with a passion for improving lives, be aspirational in attitude and resilient and flexible in approach.

• 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
• Have problem solving skills
• Be skilled in forming and maintaining relationships with young people
• Have good communication, interpersonal and advocacy skills
• Have an understanding of key childcare legislation
• Have team working skills
• Have skills in inter-agency collaboration
• Have effective IT skills to use the recording systems
• Be willing to undertake training
• Be an excellent role model for children and young people

Further Information

For an informal conversation, please contact Ashlee Price, Deputy Manager, on [email protected] or 01305 225552.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It 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.

We

• 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
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your 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. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible. If you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.