Job description
Our Youth and Play Workers will play a pivotal role in the Children, Young People and Families team, working as a core team of practitioners to ensure the smooth running of our programmes and services. In this role you will be part of a small and dynamic team which delivers a wide range of programmes and activities, both from Tulse Hill Adventure Playground and within local schools. The work of the Children, Young People and Families team is diverse and varied. Our current services include open access adventure play and youth activities at our Adventure Playground, school holiday programmes with off-site trips and activities, coaching in local schools, a Young Leaders programme offering paid work experience to young people, and working together with our youth partnerships Building Young Brixton and Lambeth Peer Action Collective.
We are experiencing an exciting time of development for the team and are currently looking to recruit four Youth and Play Workers. To support our range of children and young people, our team will be made up of specialist Youth Workers and Play Workers bringing in relevant skills and experience. Whilst you will work across all of our Children, Young People and Families services you will have a specific focus:
As a Youth Worker you will:
• Focus on supporting our secondary age cohort
• Plan and run appropriate activities
• Provide structured interventions to support vulnerable young people
• Work with referral partners to provide additional support and activities
As a Play Worker you will:
• Focus on our primary age cohort
• Use your knowledge of Playwork Principles to plan and run engaging activities
• Foster relationships with families and local primary schools
Both roles will include an element of mentoring, relevant training will be provided to give you the necessary skills to deliver this.
Please specify in your supporting statement which specialism you would like to be considered for and outline your experience in this area.
To be successful in this role, you will act as a trusted practitioner in all our service delivery, advocating for children’s right to play throughout our programmes. You will work as part of the team on the delivery and planning of all sessions, ensuring that the children’s and young people’s ideas are central to the construction of a varied and engaging play environment. You will understand the wide-ranging challenges facing young people and will be flexible in adjusting your practice to meet these needs.
Benefits of working at High Trees
- 35 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays and 3 Christmas days) rising by 1 day each year after 2 years’ service (capped at an additional 8 days)
- Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave after 2 years’ service
- Save money off a new bike with the Cycle to Work scheme
- Up to 7% contribution to the staff pension scheme
- 24/7 Employee Support Line
- Clear pay structure with yearly increments (based on performance)
- Annual Staff away day
- Premium eye-care vouchers through Specsavers and season ticket loans