Children and Young Persons Development Worker - WM Racial Justice Initiative

Children and Young Persons Development Worker - WM Racial Justice Initiative Location: Hybrid, travel across the region

Reports to: Director

Working days and hours: 35 hours per week

Role Status: Fixed Term to 31.12.27

Purpose:

The key purposes of this post are to:

• Support our participating dioceses and their parishes in their identified approaches and routes to addressing racism within church youth groups, children's groups and their work with children and families, enabling young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds to be supported in their discipleship journeys, and
• Work collaboratively with the participating dioceses and their parishes, and facilitate gatherings and other opportunities for sharing experiences, good practice, and learning across church-based youth and children's and families work

Role contextual information:

Our role holder will be able to:

• Understand how racism intersects with youth culture and the diverse ways in which families work
• Work for transformational change within the diverse contexts across the region
• Scope existing children and youth work provision where GMH/UKME communities are engaged across the participating dioceses and identify gaps
• Establish and develop a collaborative programme of activity to meet the aims and outcomes of the Initiative, and work with diocesan children and youth work teams to develop strategies for addressing gaps and connecting need with resources
• Identify and facilitate the sharing of good practice in this field, supporting diverse local contexts
• Effectively connect the learning from youth and children's work into the wider Initiative's board and the diocesan racial justice groups
• Be a good communicator and networker, able to build meaningful relationships across all ages and contexts, and engage with diocesan and parish structures
• Be a good listener able to translate learning into appropriate action

Specific Responsibilities:

• Identify and report on diocesan activities that increase connection with young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds - this is a first priority for this post; completed within the first three months. To do this by:

  • Working collaboratively with our participating dioceses to collect information, data and reporting to the Initiative's Board

• Identify appropriate and available training resources for diocesan youth and children's work around racial justice. To do this by:
  • Working collaboratively with the RJU nationally and the participating dioceses to collect a detailed record of all training used, being developed or delivered
  • Reviewing evidence of evaluating the impact of this training
  • Researching training needs analyses and reviewing outcomes
• Support diocesan teams and seek opportunities where further advice and support may be required. To do this by:
  • Creating and developing supportive and positive working arrangements with each participating diocese and relevant staff/roles
  • Working with diocesan teams to support churches in areas where GMH/UKME backgrounds are the majority to engage with those young people
  • Collaboration with dioceses and local communities to bring opportunities for children's, families and youth leaders to grow networking, skills and confidence
  • Organise and lead events and participate as appropriate
• Scope a regional network of role models and mentors from GMH/UKME backgrounds for young people. To do this by:
  • Developing a needs based approach focused on the lived experience of GMH/UKME young people in church settings
  • Reporting on the feasibility of a mentoring network for GMH/UKME young people
  • Creating a sustainable framework and timeline for delivery of a mentoring network or alternative forms of support in collaboration with participating dioceses
• Curate an annual calendar of relevant activities and events, engaging young people with appropriate (and largely existing) resources. To do this by:
  • Working collaboratively with diocesan communications mechanisms and the WMRJJI communications officer
  • Including events such as Black History Month and Racial Justice Sunday
• Devising and supporting opportunities and events that bring shared learning and experience of racial justice between churches and within dioceses. To do this by:
  • Facilitating the sharing of experiences and expertise about children and young people's experiences
  • Working with children and young people to include their voices, perspectives and experiences in the formation of learning experiences
  • Collecting and curating stories from young people and families among the GME/UKME community in our churches
• Regular reporting on activities, updates and plans. To do this by:
  • Ensuring a regular pattern of updating and reporting, evidence and data as agreed with the Regional Racial Justice Director, Project Manager and Board
  • Working collaboratively with WMRRJI and other regional/diocesan and national church/other data resources
• Being visible and supportive in national and regional networks that grow positive and collaborative relationships. To do this by:
  • Identifying key networks that are priorities or offer potential with the WMRRJI Directors
  • Using such networks as opportunities for personal and professional development
• Championing the highest standards of safeguarding practice within the remit of the role and links to diocesan/local work. To do this by:
  • Ensuring key relationships with diocesan safeguarding teams, linking up with opportunities to promote training, and safer recruitment for employees, volunteers, role models and mentors
• Maintaining high standards of safeguarding practice that supports the flourishing of children and young people in church settings. To do this by:
  • Maintaining up to date safeguarding training
  • Liaising with Diocesan safeguarding teams to stay updated on training and practice
  • Accurately following relevant safeguarding reporting procedures
• General responsibilities:
  • Safeguarding training
  • Data and GDPR training
  • Health and safety

General Requirements:

Due to the nature of this post, the post-holder will need to work within the under represented GMH/UKME communities of the six dioceses, understanding the contexts which individuals of a GMH/UKME background serve in their Christian discipleship, mission and ministry and any barriers which they may face. Therefore there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) under the Equality Act 2010 that the post holder is of a GMH/UKME background and a practicing Christian.

Person Specification:

We are looking for someone who:

• Is supportive of the Church of England, able to work within and navigate its frameworks
• Is passionate about eliminating racism within church youth groups, children's groups and work with children and families
• Can create, develop and share resources and good practice to support the active inclusion of GMH/UKME individuals in leading and receiving young people's work, and support young people of GMH/UKME backgrounds in their discipleship journeys
• Produces clear and well structured written work, including reports
• Can use both qualitative and quantitative data to evidence impact of their work against the required outcomes and outputs of the Initiative
• Has the ability to listen, communicate and be a natural networker who can create meaningful relationships across a variety of levels
• Can arrange and facilitate inspiring events and gatherings to enable the sharing of stories, resources and good practice
• Is an effective team worker, following the Director's reasonable directions regarding duties that support other roles and the overall aims of the Initiative even when the work may be in another colleague's specialist area
• Has the ability to travel the length and breadth of the six dioceses of the project
• Able to work flexibly, is a team player, and can attend occasional evening and weekend activities (Time off in lieu will be given)

Additional information:

• Pension provision - Church of England's Church Worker Pension Scheme - 12% employer contribution
• Annual leave: 25 ordinary leave days, plus all bank/public holidays and 3 days between Christmas and the New Year (7.2 weeks)
• The employing body is the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance
• The West Midlands Racial Justice Initiative is committed to the safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment. The successful postholder will need to provide satisfactory references, receive a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Check (with barred list check) and undertake the relevant training.