Job Title: Young Wales Development Officer
Reports To: Young Wales Manager
Contract: Fixed term until 31st March 2025 with the possibility of extension
Hours of Work: 21 hours per week
Salary Scale: £34,000 per annum pro rata
Annual Leave: 25 days per annum pro rata
Method of Pay: Salaries are paid directly into staff member's nominated bank account on the 15th of each month
Pension: Children in Wales' employees are automatically enrolled to the Workplace Pension Scheme, but you may choose to opt out.
Place of work: Hybrid working from home or Cardiff office - Cardiff University Social Science Research Park (SPARK), Spark, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK and occasional events across Wales
The deadline for applications is 9am 6th August 2024
Interviews will take place on 12th or 13th August 2024
Main purpose of role:
The Development Officer (Young Wales) alongside colleagues will be responsible for developing and implementing Children in Wales' Cymru Ifanc - Young Wales participation programme, through direct work with a diverse range of children and young people and the practitioners and the organisations that support them, namely:
To inform and enable children and young people to participate effectively and have their views heard by Ministers and policy makers through Young Wales and other participation activity, in order to inform policy and practice development whilst empowering children and young people.
Support the implementation of Article 12 of the UNCRC by gathering the voice of the child to inform policy development.
The main duties and responsibilities:
- To undertake consultation with children and young people, analysing the responses and drafting reports for a range of audiences.
- To provide opportunities for children and young people's effective participation in all devolved Ministerial portfolios in Wales.
- To plan and coordinate meetings, and events for young people throughout Wales.
- Engage with and reach a wide number of children and young people from across Wales as part of the Young Wales consultation activity - recognising the diversity and complexity of the child/young person population across the whole of Wales.
- Develop and provide opportunities for young people to build their capacity to enable them to develop their skills and knowledge, and become effective peer-leaders.
- To develop methods of ensuring that children and young people are able to participate in and contribute to the development of the work.
- To create content for website and social media to engage children and young people and those supporting them, celebrate achievements and disseminate examples of good practice in supporting the effective participation of children and young people.
- Develop partnerships and good working relationships with professionals working across health, education, social care and the third sector to work collaboratively to promote issues and concerns affecting children and young people.
- Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested by the relevant manager in Children in Wales
This list is not exhaustive as there may be other duties and responsibilities, which Children in Wales may require the post-holder to perform from time to time in contributing to the delivery of its activities.
Personal Specification
General
This post is an exciting opportunity to be at the cutting edge of developing children and young people's participation in Wales. You will need to work closely with colleagues in the organisation, with partners in member organisations and external stakeholders to undertake participatory engagement and consultations. Overall, the post holder needs to be able to work flexibly and build on existing and new working relationships to deliver a challenging work programme.
Key Requirements - Essential
- Qualified to graduate level with at least 2 years' experience of working with and supporting children and young people such as within the voluntary sector, local government, social research, youth work, social work, education or formal teaching.
- Experience of planning and delivering original, high-level individual and collaborative programmes, advisory groups or consultations, or focus groups, demonstrating an understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods - specifically methods suitable for engagement and participation of children and young people, ethics and equal opportunities.
- Experience of data collection, analysis and drawing relevant conclusions, preparing and writing high quality papers and reports for both professionals and young people.
- Excellent knowledge of Children's Rights and their practical application.
- Experience of multi-disciplinary working, involving both the statutory and voluntary sectors.
- Ability to work creatively on own initiative and as part of a team, within agreed guidelines with good organisational skills, able to plan and prioritise work to meet deadlines.
- Proven ability to communicate effectively with children and young people, organisations and professionals, individuals and the media using a range of oral, written and other presentational skills.
- Experience of organising meetings, understanding group dynamics, meeting deadlines and moving matters forward to completion.
- Able to show an awareness of, and be sensitive to equal opportunities and anti-racist practice.
- Ability to effectively plan, deliver and coordinate multiple consultations or programmes simultaneously.
- Excellent knowledge of Safeguarding in practice including contextual and digital safeguarding and a commitment to continuous learning and development in this area.