Youth Engagement Manager
Fixed Term Contract to June 2025
Job Ref: V515
Part-time: Between 30 – 35 Hours per week (Flexible days/hours)
Salary: Between – £21,429 (£25,000 pro rata) plus attractive employee benefits package
Start date: ASAP
Location: Homebased and Office based – The Melting Pot, Edinburgh
Closing date: Wednesday 7th August 2024 – 5pm
Interview date and Location: Monday 14th August 2024
About Volunteering Matters
At Volunteering Matters we use volunteering’s unique power to bring people together and build stronger, more resilient communities across the UK.
We bring people together to resolve some of society’s most complex issues. From social isolation and loneliness; improving health and wellbeing; building skills, confidence, and opportunity; to ensuring young people can become change makers in their community, the impact that we make is great. And we won’t stop until everyone in the UK has the opportunity to thrive.
People-led and impact driven, we are a national charity that is deeply embedded in local areas across the UK. We operate in five regions: London and the South East; Wales and the West of England; East of England; the Midlands and North West England; and Scotland and North East England. We also have an Employee Volunteering Team with over 25 years’ experience, acting as a broker to provide tailor-made solutions to employers. We turn local knowledge and energy into action and progress, building stronger communities and a better future for all.
This is an exciting time to be joining the team. We’re changing the way we work to meet new ambitions and make sure our impact continues to grow alongside out business.
About the role
Project Scotland, part of the national charity Volunteering Matters, supports young people to get on in life through the power of volunteering. Brighter futures work with pupils (aged 13-16), we offer disadvantaged pupils struggling to engage with the regular school curriculum the opportunity to undertake a volunteering placement as well as the option of having a mentor. We support and empower pupils to gain skills and confidence in a new environment within the wider community, promoting a sense of belonging, whilst extending horizons and aspirations.
We are looking for a talented, dynamic, and compassionate Youth Engagement Manager to join our team in Edinburgh. The right candidate would be someone who can work flexibly and demonstrate an understanding and total commitment to our organisational values.
This role will be working in partnership with St Thomas of Aquins R.C High School, we have been delivering Brighter Futures here for two years and have funding till June 2025.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- To build relationships with secondary school pupils, particularly those on flexible timetables, who have complex and challenging barriers, acting in a non-judgemental way to support them through their Brighter Futures journey
- Consistently role modelling and displaying Volunteering Matters organisational values
- Deliver and develop the Brighter Futures Schools programme within in St Thomas of Aquins R.C High School, meeting ambitious targets and milestones, ensuring all young people engaged achieve positive outcome.
- Provide pre and post volunteering practical and emotional support to each pupil, helping to build their confidence and identify achievable goals as well support the pupil to complete awards and qualifications linked to their volunteering.
- Engaging with current charity partners, not for profit organisations and social enterprises and developing new ones in line with our Best Practice for under 16’s volunteering.
- Develop diverse, high quality and bespoke volunteer placements with third sector partners that reflect the needs and interests of pupils.
- Effective recruitment, selection, training, and ongoing support of a diverse pool of talented and dedicated volunteer mentors from a wide cross-section of the community
- To maintain Volunteering Matters standards around quality and effective Volunteer Management
- To manage all elements of a young person’s experience, from referral to completion of their journey, including managing the match with their mentor.
- To manage the risk assessment, safeguarding, quality assurance and audit processes as appropriate
- Ensure monitoring, impact and evaluation information is collected and that Brighter Futures meets it’s agreed targets, reporting format and schedule.
- Administration tasks including maintaining effective and accessible records, the use of Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and other software such as Canva (use to develop relevant promotional material and information)
Our Values & Way of Working:
In all that we do, we embrace a philosophy of ‘Freedom within a Framework’ and are guided by our values: Empowering, Inclusive, Compassionate, Positive & Straightforward.
Diversity & Inclusion
Volunteering Matters welcomes all applicants and are keen to ensure our team reflects the diversity of the UK and the communities we serve. We encourage applications from disabled, LGBT and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, along with candidates with any protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups.
Disability Confident & Reasonable Adjustments:
We guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role. Please provide evidence in your application, which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required in the “Experience/Skills” section of this advert. To be considered for a guaranteed interview or to discuss any reasonable adjustments during the process, please state this in your application or contact join@volunteeringmatters.org.uk for more information.
We have also committed to the following pledges which positively encompass our recruitment and selection processes and methodology: The Promise, Show The Salary, Salary History.
Benefits
Our employee benefits reflect our culture which is built on an approach of full flexibility with accountability, and designed to let you make your most positive contribution; we offer Flexible Working by Default (re hours & place of work), Unlimited Annual Leave, Employee Pension scheme, Life Assurance, Cycle to Work Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Employee Assistance Programme, enhanced sick and family leave. We are also open to discuss job share applications.
GDPR Statement
If you apply for a role with us, we will retain your contact details including your name, address, email address and phone number to help us manage your application for up to 6 months. We will not use your personal data for any other purpose or share it with any third party. You can contact us at any point to update your personal information or ask us to delete it from our records.
How to apply
Please send a completed Application Form to join@volunteeringmatters.org.uk clearly stating which role you are applying for. There are sections in the form where you can demonstrate how you fulfil the role requirements and also express yourself, what previous relevant achievements you have (both in life and at work), what skills & experience you can offer, and what you believe you can contribute to Volunteering Matters.
Download and complete our Recruitment Monitoring Form Recruitment Monitoring Form
If you would like to have a discussion with the Hiring Manager prior to submitting your application, please request this from join@volunteeringmatters.org.uk
#volunteeringmatters www.volunteeringmatters.org.uk