Senior Targeted Youth Adviser

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda - one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We're immensely proud of our flexible working options.

The Opportunity

Essex is a diverse county with some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country through to highly affluent communities, which gives us a wide variance in life expectancy and quality.

The Senior Targeted Youth Adviser leads a team of Targeted Youth Advisers to deliver the Targeted Youth offer in-depth, planned, one to one and group support, to help young people address specific issues and barriers to education, training and employment including impartial advice and guidance to re-engage in education as well as progression into post 16 opportunities.

The role is key to positioning the Targeted Youth Service in Essex as a relevant offer to key partners and will be responsible for supporting the development of targeted aspects of youth work within a cost recoverable model.,

• Accountable for the operational delivery of high quality impartial, independent support for young people to overcome barriers to access universal services, education or employment



• Responsible for developing delivery plans that provide information, advice and guidance, supportive of the young people's needs, views and aspirations.



• Responsible for the achievement of defined contractual targets in relation to enabling the development of skills in young people, ensuring outcomes are recorded and reporting activities are met



• Provide supervision and practical support to staff. Create, maintain and review accuracy of records in conjunction with DfE IAG guidance and that of external funders, ensuring compliance with Information Sharing Protocols



• Responsible for the effective management of staff to facilitate the process of meeting the needs of young people, reflecting on professional practice to achieve continuous improvement in performance through specific individual and shared targets and objectives defined annually within performance management reviews



• Leading the team to deliver against strategic objectives, continually developing potential new cost recoverable support projects of targeted work.



• Work collaboratively with senior school-based staff, social care, SEND, Youth Offending Service, Housing commercial bodies and stakeholders, to influence the type of interventions delivered to provide wider support to young people, remove barriers to learning, training and employment including promotion of the eight Gatsby benchmarks as set out in the government's careers strategy



• Influencing and negotiating with stakeholders, the level and type of provision, to meet economic and young people's needs and identify and inform gaps in education and training provision



• Responsible for, advocating with parents/carers and other professionals, to achieve the best outcomes for young people



• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework
  
  Possesses a L6 IAG Qualification, Dip CG, QCG or NVQ 6 LDDS or equivalent professional qualification and a proven track record of managing staff and implementing external funded contracts. A broad understanding of the issues affecting young people, barriers to education, opportunities for learning and the services provided by partner agencies is essential. Strong leadership and management skills are also required, which drive a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds, to achieve strategic objectives., Educated to degree level and/or possess IAG L6 Qualification, Dip CG, QCG or NVQ 6 LDDS, or equivalent by experience



• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area including management and leadership



• Builds strong partnerships at senior level, which are influential and collaborative in their nature and engender delivery of joint innovative strategies



• Strong leadership and management skills, which drive a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds, to achieve strategic objectives



• A broad understanding of the issues affecting young people, opportunities for learning and the services provided by partner organisations. Deep knowledge and understanding of the current local offers of support to young people that may facilitate their reintegration. Proven experience of supporting, motivating and aspiring young people on a one to one or group basis into EET opportunities or positive activities



• Experience of the implementation of external funded contracts



• Excellent communication skills with the ability to relate to staff, partner agencies and young people in a purposeful responsive manner and demonstrable knowledge and understanding of their needs. Experience of advocating on behalf of young people with an ability to negotiate with schools, colleges, employers and other agencies



• Flexible approach with excellent time management skills and ability to work creatively in order to respond to staff and young people's needs


To read more about us please visit: Education

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service