Job Title: Young People’s Circles Coordinator...

JobTitle: YoungPeople’sCirclesCoordinatorLocation: HMP Whatton, Nottinghamshire (will be expected to work across

NottinghamshireandDerbyshire)Reportingto: Lynn Saunders (HMPWhatton)& Professor BelindaWinder (NTU), Safer

LivingFoundationSalaryRange: £25,000-£30,000pa,prorata(dependentonexperience/qualifications)Contract: 0.6, 22.5hrs hours per week; flexible working hours required (12month

contractinthefirstinstance)Salaryscalewillbenegotiatedandagreedatappointmentsubjecttoqualificationsandexperience.Ideallytheapplicantsshouldhaveexperienceandknowledgeofworkingwithyoungpeople,andspecifically,young peoplewho demonstrate sexually challenging behaviour. Detailed induction, required trainingandsupportwillalsobeprovided.Ideally applicants will be able to offer 1 – 2 days for training and handover in W/C 18th or 25thSeptember2017.SaferLivingFoundationOverviewBackgroundThe Safer Living Foundation (SLF) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation established in 2014 as acollaborationbetweenHMPWhatton,NottinghamTrentUniversity,theNationalProbationTrust(EastMidlands) and Nottinghamshire Police. The organisation was initiated by the Governor of HMPWhatton,whofeltthattherewasagapinthe‘throughthegate’careforprisoners,andparticularlyforthemostexcludedgroupofex-prisoners,thoseconvictedofsexualoffences.YoungPeople’sCirclesofSupportandAccountabilityThis is a new project (commenced late 2016), which aims to help young people displaying sexuallyharmfulbehaviourtoreducetheir(re)offendingandlivehealthyprosociallives.BackgroundBasedonthesuccessoftheSLF’sadultCirclesofSupportandAccountability(CoSA),theSLFwantedtobroadentheirCoSAprojecttoreachyoungpeopledisplayingharmfulsexualbehaviour.YoungPeoplewhodisplayharmful sexualbehaviourareadiverseandvulnerablegroupwith researchshowing thatmanywillhavebeenabusedorneglectedthemselves(andarethereforebothvictimandperpetrator).Inaddition,notonlydo theseyoungpeople face thedisadvantagesassociatedwithhavingacriminalcaution or conviction, they face very specific disadvantages associated with the nature of theirproblematic behaviour.We live in a societywhere sexual abuse provokes powerful responseswithincommunitiesandasaresultyoungpeoplewithsexuallyharmfulbehaviourfacetheveryrealpossibility

ofbeing labelled.Thiscan leadto isolationbothsociallyandemotionally (dismissedfrommainstreamschoolorcollege,isolatedfromfriendsandfamilyetc.).Thisisnottobeignored,associalisolationandemotional loneliness are known risk factors for sexual reoffending, meaning these young peoples’problematicbehaviourismorelikelytocontinueandescalate.OurYoungPeople’sCoSAAimsOurYoungPeople’sCirclesprojectaimstoaddressthisbyworkingwiththeseyoungpeoplebeforetheybecome an “adult sex offender”withmultiple victims. Children and adolescents are still developing,bothphysicallyandpsychologically, sowell-targetedearly interventions canbeextremelyeffective intermsofchangingrecidivistattitudesandbehaviour,andso,preventingmorevictims.Our Young People’s Circles project currently works with young people aged 10-21 (who reside inNottinghamshire or Derbyshire)who have been cautioned or convicted of a sexual offence andwhorequire additional support to help improve their emotional well-being and decrease their socialisolation. Young people are referred to the project by agencies already working with them (YouthOffending Teams, Social Care etc). Managed by the Project Coordinator, the young person will besupportedbyaCircleof3-5speciallytrainedvolunteerswhomeetweeklywiththeyoungperson.TheCircleinterventionisbasedinthetheoreticalframeworkofthe‘GoodLivesModel’–awellevidencedstrengthsbasedapproachthatadvocatesforinterventionbeinganactivitythataddstoanindividual’srepertoireofpersonalfunctioning.Volunteerswillthereforedeliveraprosocialinterventionbuildingontheyoungperson’sstrengths, interestsandhobbiestoensuretheirsafeinclusionandintegrationintothecommunity,reducingchancesofsocial isolation,emotional lonelinessandreoffending.Volunteerswillbe involvedwith introducingyoungpeopletocommunityactivities,sportsclubs,artsclubs,musicclubs,helpingwithindependentlivingskillsaswellasreinforcingworkaroundpositiverelationshipsandappropriatesexualbehaviour.ResearchandEvaluationAll trusteesarekeentoevaluateanycharityprojects fromtheoutset,soresearchandevaluationarebuilt intoeachprojectrightfromthestart.Theresearch/evaluationstreamisledbyProfessorBelindaWinder(HeadoftheSexualOffences,CrimeandMisconductResearchUnit(SOCAMRU)atNottinghamTrentUniversity(NTU),withtheassistanceofHelenElliott,RebeccaLievesleyandDrNickBlagden.

JobVacancy–YoungPeople’sCirclesCoordinatorJOBPURPOSETheprimarypurposeoftheYoungPeople’sCirclesCoordinator istodevelopandmaintain,withinthestatutoryframework,theYoungPeople’sCirclesofSupportandAccountabilityProjectforyoungpeoplewhodemonstratesexuallychallengingbehaviours.TheYoungPeople’sCirclesCoordinator is responsible for the recruitment, trainingandsupervisionoftheCirclesvolunteerswhowillworkontheYoungPeople’sCircles.Thepostholderwillbeexpectedtodevelop and maintain effective partnerships with statutory and voluntary agencies. They will beresponsible for the management and supervision of the Circle and volunteers and for coordinatinginformationsharingandaccountabilitybetween theCircleandpartnershipagencies (YouthOffendingTeams,ChildrensSocialCareetc).TheYoungPeople’sCircleCoordinatorwillalsohavetoundertakeanassessment of suitability of potential young people, produce risk assessment regarding the youngpeople and allocate volunteers appropriately, taking into consideration health and safety issues(includingthevulnerabilityoftheyoungpeople).TheYoungPeople’sCircleCoordinatorwillalsobeexpectedtocontribute to theprofessional trainingand consultancy service provided by the project and contribute to the volunteer annual trainingprogramme.Contributionbythesuccessfulapplicantwillbesubjecttoknowledgeandexperienceandspecialisttrainingwillbeprovidedwhererequired.This post of Young People’s Circles Coordinatorwill also be expected to assist with the scoping anddevelopmentofotherprojectsundertakenbytheSaferLivingFoundation.KEYRELATIONSHIPSThe post holder will be linemanaged by the trustees of the Safer Living Foundation, and in particularProfessorBelindaWinder (NTU)andLynnSaunders (GovernorofHMPWhatton).Theywillworkcloselywiththerestofthetrusteesandothermembersofthecharity.Thepostholderwillberequiredtodevelopandmaintainlinkswithprofessionalandfaithgroupsandothervoluntaryandcommunityagenciesintheregion.CirclesarefirstandforemostaboutPublicProtectionandsafercommunities.TheYoungPeople’sCirclesCoordinatorwillbeworkingonbehalfofthecommunityandmustmaintainitsaccountability to thecommunity.Thiswillbedonebysuchmeansasseekingeducationalopportunities,respondingpositivelytomediacontactsandliaisingwithcommunityorganisations.

Thepostholderwillassist theSLFBoardofTrusteesandother teammembers to liaisecloselywith thePublic Protection Unit of theMinistry of Justice and fulfil all reporting requirements, with the relevantstatutoryagenciesworkingundertheMultiAgencyPublicProtectionArrangements(MAPPA).KEYOBJECTIVESOFTHISPOST• Toexplain,promoteanddevelopawarenessof theSafer LivingFoundationand theYoungPeople’s

Circlesof Support andAccountabilityProject among staff in the relevant statutoryagencies inbothNottinghamshire and Derbyshire, particularly police, youth offending teams, the secure estate,Children’sSocialCare,andotherinstitutionsandorganisationsasappropriate.

• To devise and implement appropriate ways of publicising the charity’s work, including the YoungPeoples’CirclesofSupportandAccountabilitysoastorecruitsuitablevolunteers.

• Toscreen,train,supportandsupervisethevolunteerstakingpartinSLFprojectsandensuretheyworkwithinthevolunteerpoliciesandprocedures.

• Toworkwith thestatutoryagencies to identifyandassessyoungpeoplewhodemonstratesexuallychallenging behaviours to take part in Circles and to facilitate the formation andmaintenance of aCircleforeachsuitableyoungperson.

• ToensureeffectivecommunicationlinksareinplaceandmaintainedandtoensurethatprotocolsandServiceLevelAgreementsareadheredto.

• ToassistinthedevelopmentofmethodologiesforevaluationofSLFprojectsandtogatherandcollateinformationneededforsuchevaluation.

• Torecordandmaintaincasefilesandprovideregularreportstoprofessionalsworkingwiththecoremember.

• ToattendlocalMultiAgencyPublicProtectionPanels,SocialCareCoreGroupandStrategyMeetingsandprofessionalmeetingsasappropriate.

OTHERRESPONSIBILITIESThepostholderwillbeleadingtheYoungPeople’sCirclesProjectbutwillalsobeexpectedtoworkinclosepartnershipwiththetrusteeboardandotherstaffmembers.Thewholestaffteamwillbeexpectedtoworkcooperativelyandflexiblysoastoprovideadequatecoverduringabsences.IncommonwithotherstaffemployedwithintheCharity,thepostwillinvolve:• Keepinguptodatewithbroaddevelopmentsinworkrelatedissues.• AttendingCoordinatorforumsandtrainingeventsasorganisedbyCirclesUK,thenationalbody.• Participatinginoutreachandeducationalwork,includingwritingforpublications,undertakingspeaking

engagementsandansweringenquiries.

EXPERIENCEANDSKILLSSOUGHTEssentialCriteria• Relevant professional qualification or experience (newly qualified professional in relevant field

accepted)• KnowledgeoftheYouthJusticeSystemandthemanagementofyoungoffenders• Experienceofworkingwithyoungpeoplewithchallengingbehaviour• KnowledgeofSafeguardingandChildProtectionProcedures• Strong communication skills, including the ability to present ideas clearly, both orally and in

writing,toawidevarietyofpeople• Experienceofdealingwithdifficultpeopleonbothaonetooneandgroupbasis• Confidentandassertiveindividualwiththeabilitytoremaincalmunderpressure• Abilitytoworkeffectivelywithvolunteers• Abilitytocontributetothedevelopmentofnewinitiatives• Abilitytoworkco-operativelyaspartofateam• ComputerliteracyincludingfamiliaritywithWindows,Word,Excelandemail• GoodtimemanagementandadministrationskillsDesirableCriteria• Knowledgeandunderstandingofyoungpeoplewhodemonstratesexuallychallengingbehaviours• Knowledge and understanding of the assessment and treatment of individuals convicted of a

sexualoffence• Experienceofworkingwithyoungoffendersandinparticularyoungpeoplewithsexuallyharmful

behaviour• Experienceofworkingwithandmanagingvolunteers• Experienceofrecruitment• ExperienceinthepreparationanddeliveryoftrainingOTHERINFORMATIONTheProject’smainofficebasewillbewithinHMPWhatton,withprovisionmadeforworkingfromhomeasandwhennecessary.ThereisanadditionalofficeatNottinghamTrentUniversity,andthepostholdermaybeaskedtoworkfromthisbaseattimes.Thepostholderwillbeexpectedtomeetwithcolleaguesin HMP Whatton/Nottingham Trent University at least once a week and to attend monthly teammeetingsplusanyotherteameventsscheduledthroughouttheyear.TheYoungPeople’sCirclesCoordinatorwillneed tohaveadriving licenceanduseofa car. Mileagerateswillbepaid.Someeveningandweekendworkisrequired,forwhichtimeoffinlieushouldbetakenassoonaspossibleinconsultationwiththelinemanager.

The successful candidate will be subject to enhanced prison vetting and an enhanced DBS check –appointmentwillbesubjecttothisbeingcompletedsatisfactorily.Applications should be via CV with a covering letter (outlining how you meet the job requirements) to Lynn Saunders, HMP Whatton, New Lane, Whatton, NG13 9FQ and electronic copies to Lynn Saunders (c/o anne.mcmeekin@hmps.gsi.gov.uk) and Professor Belinda Winder (Belinda.winder@ntu.ac.uk).

Closingdateforapplications:8thSeptember2017

Expecteddateofinterview:11thSeptemberPM/13thSeptemberAM/14thSeptemberPM