Where Everyone Sticks Together

WE ST

An ④nSideYouth Zone

Job Role: Head of Youth Work & Delivery Partnerships

Location: WEST Youth Zone, 2 EdCity Walk, London W12 7TF

Salary: £52-58k (dependent on experience)

Contract: Permanent, Full-time 37.5 hours per week. 5 out of 7 days

Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer

OPENED APRIL 2024

£5

£5 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

50P ENTRY

£1

BITE CITY HOT MEAL

2000+

OVER 2000 MEMBERS

ABOUT WEST

WEST Youth Zone, named Where Everyone Sticks Together by local young people, opened in April 2024 - 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.

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. We are 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.

Hammermith & Fulham is a borough of wide disparities, with an acute need for youth services. This vast difference between those living in different neighbourhoods can lead to radically different life outcomes. Our Youth Zone is a vital provision that will make a huge impact on the lives of young people, and on the whole area, levelling the playing field for our young people.

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. This is a charity that the whole community can be proud of, and you can be part of that journey.

THE ROLE

This is an exciting role with a significant level of autonomy for an ambitious and experienced youth work professional. The Head of Youth Work & Delivery Partnerships will lead and manage a large team of Youth Workers while taking operational responsibility for WEST’s seven-day-aweek universal youth work offer. As the leading provider of universal access youth work in Hammersmith and Fulham, and part of the OnSide network, WEST has a strong reputation and growing impact. The postholder will hold overall responsibility for delivering a vibrant, openaccess Youth Zone for the young people of West London, welcoming up to 200 young people per session.

You will lead the development and delivery of the core youth work provision, including junior, senior and holiday clubs, ensuring high standards of practice and a culture of continuous improvement. You will also ensure the Youth Zone remains a fun, supportive, safe and inclusive environment that attracts and retains young people, helping to raise aspirations and support positive outcomes.

You will be a member of WEST’s Senior Leadership Team, and will work in tandem with the Chief Executive, the Senior Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees to help WEST achieve its goal of delivering lifechanging youth work to young people in West London. As a member of SLT, you will embody the highest standards of professionalism and act as a role model for the culture we wish to create at WEST, and make a focused, measurable contribution to WEST’s overall strategic plan.

POSITIVE ROLE MODEL TO YOUNG PEOPLE

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

STAFFING

To lead and inspire a workforce of up to 60 youth workers, including 10 full-time staff, ensuring high-quality delivery, effective supervision and a positive team culture across all youth work provision

To manage, coach and develop staff and volunteers to achieve their full potential

To lead and motivate the Delivery team to provide an exceptional offer and experience for young people

THE OFFER (PROGRAMME):

Through the Youth Zone Delivery team, to deliver a seven-day-a-week inclusive universal offer for young people within a culture of continuous improvement

To support coordinators and club leads to plan, structure and deliver safe, engaging and effective sessions for young people

To ensure programmes remain current, responsive and aligned to the needs and interests of WEST members

To ensure overall participation, attendance and funded programme outcome targets are consistently achieved

PARTNERSHIPS & STAKEHOLDERS:

To build, lead and maintain strong relationships with external organisations, partners and stakeholders to champion the Youth Zone offer & strengthen community engagement.

To co-design and manage new and existing delivery partnerships to create new opportunities for young people’s development and participation and ensure both variety and quality in the activities available to them.

To work collaboratively with the Communications team to ensure the Youth Zone offer is effectively promoted to young people

To build on WEST’s excellent reputation locally and work with other services such as schools, community groups, health and childrens services, to ensure the maximum number of young people access WEST, especially those who could benefit most from the service.

YOUNG PEOPLE:

To ensure that young people and their ideas actively shape the planning and delivery of activities across the Youth Zone

To establish and maintain high standards of behaviour across the Youth Zone, effectively managing conflict and supporting staff to respond appropriately to challenging behaviour and safeguarding concerns

To ensure young people’s voices are heard and represented within the Senior Leadership Team

LEADERSHIP:

To demonstrate a positive, solutions-focused and proactive approach at all times

To build and maintain senior-level relationships with key partners, stakeholders and supporters in order to secure significant support for the Youth Zone

To provide strategic oversight and operational leadership for open days, targeted youth projects, outreach initiatives and community engagement activities, ensuring programmes are inclusive, impactful and aligned with the Youth Zone’s priorities and the needs of young people

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES CONTINUED...

POLICY, COMPLIANCE AND QUALITY ASSURANCE:

To be a member of the senior safeguarding team and line manage the organisation’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

To comply with all policies and procedures, with particular regard to safeguarding, codes of conduct, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring activities are safe and accessible for all young people, including those delivered alongside partners

To work collaboratively with the Fundraising team to ensure accurate and impactful data capture, demonstrating the reach, outcomes and impact of Youth Zone activities and supporting funding opportunities and reporting requirements

To work within the performance frameworks of both the Youth Zone and OnSide

To collaborate with peers across the OnSide network to share best practice, and make the most of professional development opportunities available to both yourself and your team.

To ensure facilities are maintained to a high standard through effective communication with the support team, ensuring the building remains safe and fit for purpose

To manage budgets effectively as required

To promote a culture of feedback, reflection and continuous improvement, developing systems and procedures to measure performance and demonstrate the impact of the Youth Zone’s delivery

SELECTION CRITERIA

ESSENTIAL

Substantial experience in youth work

Significant experience leading and managing activities, staff and volunteers

Significant experience in safeguarding for example as a DSO, DSL or deputy.

A track record of successful project and budget management

Experience of delivering results through effective team leadership and collaboration

Experience of working with a range of IT systems such as databases, dashboards or CRM

Ability to prioritise workload and manage multiple deadlines while remaining calm under pressure

Educated to degree level in a relevant subject, or equivalent experience

Excellent verbal and written communication, interpersonal, negotiation and relationshipbuilding skills

Ability to relate to and engage young people from all backgrounds

Strong people management and coaching skills, with the ability to both lead and work effectively as part of a team

Strong organisational skills, with a structured yet flexible and responsive approach focused on achieving results

A non-judgemental, open-minded and empathetic approach, with sensitivity to individuals and the wider community

Flexibility to meet the needs of young people

DESIRABLE

A track record of working with external funders

A professional Youth Work qualification

BENEFITS

FREE GYM ACCESS

DIVERSE TEAM

WORKPLACE PENSION

33 DAYS LEAVE (INCLUSIVE OF BANK HOLS)

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Ambitious, results-driven, strategic, creative and a team player

Awareness and empathy of issues affecting young people and disadvantaged communities

Commitment to the Youth Zone’s mission and values

Able to negotiate and balance competing priorities with consideration to ethical implication.

Willingness to work flexibly including evening and weekends when required, and to travel to events in the region and beyond

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, send your CV and a short supporting statement to recruitment@westyouthzone.org with the subject line: Head of Youth Work

Interview process

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

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 create and nurture strong, creative partnerships, working together to achieve better results and outcomes for young people.