JOB TITLE: Youth Engagement Coordinator
LOCATION: Dublin with regular travel to Jigsaw sites
REPORTING TO Jigsaw Programme Director
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, full-time
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Youth Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for leading and further developing youth engagement within Headstrong and the Jigsaw Programme. The Youth Engagement Coordinator will support the activities of Headstrong’s Youth Advisory Panel. Working closely with young people, Jigsaw Project Managers, local youth and community engagement staff and others, he/she will ensure that young people have the supports they require to participate in the design, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of youth engagement within Headstrong and Jigsaw.
HEADSTRONG:
Headstrong is Ireland’s National Centre for Youth Mental Health. Set up in 2006, Headstrong is a charitable organisation committed to changing how Ireland thinks about and supports young people’s mental health. Young people are our core focus, but at Headstrong we do far more than support them; we involve them. Direct participation by dedicated young people is central to all three of our programmes: Jigsaw, Research and Engagement. Young people help to enhance our understanding of the challenges they face and, equally importantly, they help us develop creative and appropriate solutions to those issues.
We deliver Jigsaw in ten communities providing direct prevention and early intervention mental health supports to young people aged 12-25 working with the HSE, other mental health services and the broader community to give young people somewhere to turn to and someone to talk to.
We also conduct research to improve our understanding of all aspects of mental health and wellbeing among young people. This research is applied to influence change and improvements in systems that impact on young people’s mental health.
Nationally, we work with a youth advisory panel (YAP) made up of representatives from the local Jigsaw YAPs and others. We also have an adult advisory panel and a range of ambassadors from the worlds of sport and music. Together we work to change the national conversation about mental health from one of stigma and mental illness to one of openness with a focus on minding our mental health, as we do our physical health.
JIGSAW:
Jigsaw is an innovative youth mental health systems change initiative developed by Headstrong; The National Centre for Youth Mental Health that supports young people aged 12-25 to achieve better mental health and wellbeing.
The core objectives of Jigsaw are as follows:
To ensure access to youth friendly, integrated mental health supports when and where young people need them in their community.
To build the confidence and capacity of front line workers/volunteers to promote and support young people’s mental health.
To promote community awareness around youth mental health by enhancing the mental health literacy of the community and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health.
Jigsaw aspires to place the needs and energies of young people and the wider local community at the heart of the thinking and planning of the programme. It aims to integrate and harness the best of mental health expertise and supports for young people that are already available within the community. It also seeks to design and implement innovative, evidence-based programmes, policies and practices so that young people are better able to seek help and support in accessible settings where they feel respected and safe.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Headstrong Youth Advisory Panel and national role
Support the work of Headstrong’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP).
Coordinate the annual Youth Learning Network for YAPs from Headstrong and Jigsaw.
Serve as a bridge between local and national youth participation efforts.
Prepare reports and updates for Headstrong, Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), local Project Managers, and other relevant bodies.
Develop and deliver youth friendly seminars in relation to youth mental health and presentations on youth participations /engagement.
Develop relationships with existing agencies working with youth, in particular other organisations with an interest in youth participation/youth mental health initiatives.
Facilitate focus groups, supporting Headstrong’s aims.
Participate as a member of the Headstrong team at team meetings, project meetings and other forums.
Supervise YAP intern.
Hold responsibility for managing the YAP budget including organising payments and submitting expense claims.
Develop policies/procedures and guidelines to safeguard both the YAP and Headstrong.
Liaise with Director of Clinical Governance to safeguard the health and well-being of YAP members.
Carry out such other duties as may reasonably be requested by Headstrong to assist the development of Headstrong and Jigsaw.
Jigsaw Programme
Co-ordinate a youth engagement strategy within Headstrong and Jigsaw.
Support the development and implementation of local youth engagement strategies in Jigsaw sites.
Work with stakeholders and other relevant partners to create a developmental path for youth engagement.
Develop structures which support the participation of young people across a continuum of engagement and interest.
Facilitate supports which ensure the engagement of seldom heard young people as appropriate to the Jigsaw service.
Work with local Jigsaw structures to provide leadership to facilitate the development of participatory structures for youth engagement.
Ensure local Jigsaw YAP participation on Headstrong’s YAP.
Develop and co-ordinate training for YAP members to support the capacity of the YAP and individual members (e.g. leadership, communication, media skills).
Ensure at all times best practice in child protection and welfare standards are adhered to within the YAP structure.
Contribute to the evaluation of the local YAP activities.
Promote Jigsaw and Headstrong throughout Ireland.
Co-ordinate the youth aspect of needs and resource analysis for any new Jigsaw sites.
Coordinate and facilitate the Jigsaw Learning Network for youth engagement staff.
Support and guide local youth engagement staff.
Provide training to staff on the subject of youth participation.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
The person appointed will be able to demonstrate the following:
Degree or equivalent in community development, education or youth work. Other relevant qualifications will be considered.
Minimum of three years’ experience in co-ordinating, developing and implementing programmes relevant to Youth and Mental Health.
Excellent organisational and time management skills.
Experience applying evidence based practices in working with young people.
Significant resilience, determination and tenacity.
High tolerance for complexity and change.
Ability to work co-operatively as part of a team.
Demonstrate experience of working in a collaborative manner across multiple agencies and sectors.
Experience of group facilitation skills working with young people.
Capacity to work in a mutually respectful and meaningful manner with young people and ability to engage with them on an individual and group basis.
Evidence of a commitment to the principle of equality in engaging young people in participative structures.
Reliability, flexibility and commitment.
The capacity to work both on their own initiative and as part of a small team.
Capacity to work to deadlines.
Excellent communication and IT skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook and use of social media.
Full, clean driving license.
Passionate about working with young people, their mental health and achieving change in Irish society.
This role also requires access to a car as the post requires travel for work and the willingness to work evenings and weekends, as required.
Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience. Factors taken into account in determining an appropriate salary include the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience and qualifications relevant to the job.
Headstrong operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Employees have access to the scheme on successful completion of their six-month probationary period as well as the bike to work scheme and annual travel saver tickets.
Annual leave will be 25 days, exclusive of public holidays.
All Headstrong staff are required to obtain Garda clearance as a condition of their initial and continued employment.
Application is by way of CV and cover letter detailing why you are applying and how you would be suitable for the position, which can be sent via email to recruitment@headstrong.ie.
Your CV and cover letter will be retained for a period of five years. The following documents will also be kept on file; shortlisting panel report, interview panel report and recruitment report.
The closing date for applications is Monday 19th October, 2015 @ 1:00pm.
Interviews will take place on Thursday 22nd October, 2015.
For further information contact recruitment@headstrong.ie or (01) 4727 010.
Headstrong is an Equal Opportunities Employer.