Jobs at Guardian in United Kingdom

Key Worker - Young Carers Service

Fixed Term, Full Time

£23,344 to £25,662 per annum

Location: Colchester

Working Style: Community-based worker

Please note this is a fixed term or secondment opportunity for a period of 12 months.

Do you have a passion for working with Young Carers, able to organise and manage your workload, good at communicating and able to work as part of a team?

We are seeking a district based Key Worker to work within our North East Essex quadrant team to support Young Carers (aged 0-18), young adult carers (16-24) and their families. You will provide individualised support in relation to their caring role, to raise achievement and aspirations and to allow them to have the same life chances as their peers.

• Work with Essex young carers and their families to identify priorities, support needs, interventions and goals, developing and implementing strategies for securing these. Using assessment and monitoring to motivate young carers and their families to achieve a shared and mutually agreed support plan/ contract.
• Take up referrals and work with Essex young carers in order to identify, understand and meet their needs, with an emphasis on promoting positive outcomes.
• Work with Essex young carers in line with the agreed model, ensuring that the level of support meets the identified need including one to one support, peer group support, telephone support, advocacy, provision of information, signposting, training opportunities and workshops.
• Promote young carers self-awareness, confidence and encouraging their involvement in the design of their young carers service and supporting them in evaluating the impact of the service upon their own situation.
• Provide targeted outreach and awareness raising activities to other agencies to support the increased identification of Essex young carers including presentations, workshops and events.
• Pro-actively work in partnership with other agencies including educational settings and adult services to ensure ongoing support to young carers, particularly at points of transition and to enable Essex young carers to continue their education, employment or training.
• Support the development and facilitation of Essex young carers networks and forums to ensure that the voice of young carers is heard and that they are in a position to be able to shape and influence the service.
• Ensure that the Essex County Council policies, procedures and practice for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people are implemented.

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent with a relevant professional qualification which is focussed on working with young people (e.g. LDSS, Social work, Youth and Community, Teacher, Careers) or equivalent or demonstrably equivalent experience.
• Experience of working with children and/or young people.
• Ability to take responsibility for lone working and managing calendar/working hours.
• Flexible professional approach to meet needs of young people and service.
• A broad understanding of the issues affecting young carers and young people, opportunities for learning and the services provided by the partner organisations.
• Experience of working with young people on a one to one basis and in groups.
• Excellent communication skills with experience in effective collaborative working with other agencies at a local level.
• Experience of successfully involving young people and families in decision-making processes.

For informal discussion please contact Senior Key Worker Tina McPartland on 07917098306.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we're committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email ami.fosker@essex.gov.uk.