Where Everyone Sticks Together

Job Role: Employability Youth Worker Location: WEST Youth Zone, 2 EdCity Walk, London W12 7TF

Contract: Part time, flexible hours (inc. evenings & weekends)
at £14.80 p/h

Reporting to: Employability Coordinator

An @nSideYouth Zone

OPENED APRIL 2024

£5 £5 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

50P ENTRY

£1

BITE CITY HOT MEAL

2000+
OVER 2000
MEMBERS

ABOUT WEST

Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) is a London Borough of wide disparities, with an acute need for youth services. This vast difference between those living in different parts of our borough can lead to radically different life outcomes.

WEST Youth Zone is a vital provision that makes a huge impact on the lives of young people, and on the whole borough, levelling the playing field for our young people.

“WEST” Youth Zone, named Where Everyone Sticks Together by local young people, opened in April 2024. At WEST, we believe all young people in West London should have the opportunity to discover their passion and their purpose and be able to explore where it can take them.

Our Youth Zone is a purpose-built space fizzing with energy and crammed with incredible facilities. Staffed by talented, skilled and dedicated youth workers who truly believe in young people, helping them see what they could achieve, and giving them the skills, confidence and ambition to go for it.

Open 7 days a week, while schools are closed - that’s evenings and weekends, plus all through the school holidays. We offer a safe and active space for young people to flourish in their leisure time, where their interests can be nurtured, and they can grow as individuals. This is a charity that the whole community can be proud of, and you can be part of that journey. We give 8 to 19-year-olds, (and up to 25 for young people with additional needs) affordable access to a broad range of sport, arts and mental health support, and employability services, designed to empower them to lead healthier, positive and more active lives – raising their aspirations for themselves and their community.

THE ROLE

The Employability Youth Worker will assist young people aged 8–25 to develop the confidence, skills and connections needed to progress into education, training and employment.

The role spans early intervention with younger children (ages 8-12), and especially targeted support for young people who are NEET or at risk of disengagement, and practical employability delivery for those preparing for their next steps.

Through project-based learning, group work, mentoring, employer engagement, work experience support and one-to-one interventions, the postholder will help young people build aspiration, develop key life and work skills, and move towards positive destinations.

The role requires a relationship-centred practitioner who can deliver engaging programmes, respond to individual needs, build trust with young people and use data and evaluation tools to track progress and demonstrate impact.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Together with the Club Managers and our Employability Coordinator,

Deliver an employability programme that is engaging, ambitious and responsive to the evolving needs of young people.

Design and facilitate high-quality, age-appropriate sessions that introduce the world of work, build key life and employability skills, and raise aspirations.

Use project-based learning approaches to create practical, creative and real-world learning experiences that develop confidence, teamwork, communication, problem-solving and self-expression.

Deliver targeted programmes for young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), providing tailored support to help them re-engage and move towards positive destinations.

Support young people through one-to-one interventions, offering mentoring, encouragement and practical guidance in line with their individual goals and needs.

Conduct initial assessments to identify young people’s starting points, strengths, barriers and support needs, using this to shape appropriate interventions and progression plans.

Help young people explore their future through goal-setting, reflection, visioning activities and exposure to a wide range of careers, pathways and opportunities.

Support young people to progress into positive destinations, including education, training, employment, volunteering, enterprise and work experience.

Coordinate and support work experience placements, helping young people prepare for placements and make the most of those opportunities.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES CONTINUED...

Build positive relationships with young people, creating a safe, welcoming and motivating environment where they feel supported, challenged and able to grow.

Maintain high standards of behaviour and engagement during sessions by creating a space that is active, inclusive, well-structured and enjoyable.

Work flexibly to meet the needs of all young people, including those who are disadvantaged and those with disabilities or additional needs.

Respond to the needs and interests of young people through high-quality employability activities, mentoring and informal education.

Support and motivate volunteers and sessional staff involved in employability delivery.

Assist with promotional activities, outreach and visits that support the visibility and growth of employability provision at WEST Youth Zone.

Track engagement, monitor outcomes and update progress using monitoring and evaluation tools, including recording case studies and impact stories.

Work collaboratively as an active member of the team, contributing to a positive culture and operating in line with the values and principles of WEST Youth Zone.

Be resourceful, adaptable and able to deliver high-quality activities with initiative, including when working with limited time or equipment.

Promote and safeguard the welfare of young people at all times, remaining alert to safeguarding and child protection concerns and reporting these in line with policy and procedure.

Comply with all policies, procedures and codes of conduct, with particular reference to safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion.

Carry out any other duties, administration and responsibilities reasonably required.

POSITIVE ROLE MODEL TO YOUNG PEOPLE

SELECTION CRITERIA EXPERIENCE

Experience of working with groups of young people ages 8-19, or up to age 25 with a disability or additional needs

Experience of planning and delivering engaging activities, programmes or interventions for young people with positive outcomes

Experience of building positive relationships with young people, including those who may be disengaged or face barriers to participation

Experience of delivering group work, mentoring or one-to-one support with young people

Experience of supporting young people to develop confidence, life skills, employability skills or progression goals

Experience of working with employers, training providers, schools or external partners to create opportunities for young people

Experience of using monitoring, evaluation or data systems to track engagement, progress and outcomes

REQUIREMENT

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Desirable

Desirable

Desirable

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ATTRIBUTES

Ability to deliver high-quality employability, life skills or project-based sessions for young people

Ability to plan and facilitate engaging, age-appropriate activities for young people at different stages of development

Able to plan and evaluate the programme of activities, including production of session plans and evaluations.

Able to communicate effectively with young people, parents, team members and members of the public.

Ability to respond to individual needs and adapt delivery for young people with different starting points, including those with additional needs

Knowledge of health and safety, diversity awareness and safeguarding best practice

Ability to think on your feet, be resourceful and deliver activities with creativity and flexibility

A willingness to work unsociable hours when required

Flexible and a willingness to cover events, holidays and staff absence

Satisfactory DBS clearance and committed to safeguarding children

Understand the principles of working with young people, the issues affecting their lives and knowledge of their needs

REQUIREMENT

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

BENEFITS

FREE GYM ACCESS

DIVERSE TEAM

WORKPLACE PENSION

33 DAYS LEAVE(PRO-RATA)

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, send your CV and application form to recruitment@westyouthzone.org Interviews will be ongoing and applications will close once an offer of employment is made.

WEST Youth Zone are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable groups.

This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

OUR VALUES

An ④nSideYouth Zone

6 - NN -

EXCELLENCE

We encourage ourselves and each other to be the best we can be through continuous learning and improvement, and a focus on finding solutions.

YOUNG PEOPLE FIRST

Young people are at the heart of everything we do, inspiring and challenging us to deliver services that exceed their needs and challenge them to be the best they can be.

RESPECT

We act with honesty and integrity, celebrating diversity across the whole organisation and caring about each other, our young people and the Youth Zone environment.

AMBITION

We are passionate and driven in taking on new challenges, embracing new ideas and exceeding our ambitions for young people, the Youth Zones and our local communities.

COLLABORATION

We cr eate a nd n urtu re str ong, c reativ e part nersh ips, w ork ing to gether to achieve better results and outcomes for young people.