SOS+ Embedded Mentor

St Giles' SOS+ Project delivers early intervention work in educational settings, through preventative sessions on violence, vulnerability and exploitation. Utilising a 'whole school' approach combining sessions to children, their parents and professions, as well as 1:1 mentoring, SOS+ aims to:

• Prevent young people becoming involved in serious youth violence and criminal activity by demystifying gang culture and educating them about the harsh realities of knife crime and prison life.


• Impart real tools that young people can utilise to make better informed decisions and to avoid negative lifestyle choices.


• Endorse the benefits of education


• Equip parents and professionals with the knowledge, understanding and tools to help safeguard their young people


Our award-winning approach puts trained staff with lived experience at the heart of the solution. Having previously been involved in gangs, crime and street life; they are imbued with a passion and collective desire to ensure the young people they work with do not make the same mistakes they once did. This approach allows for pro-social modelling and our staff use their lived experience to offer an alternative to the 'street' narrative. It has proven successful where more conventional approaches have failed.

Last year we delivered 1054 sessions across the country reaching 86,195 children and young people. We also have extensive experience in delivering professionals training and have delivered to police forces, teachers and other government bodies on strategies for tackling gang activity and serious youth violence., As an embedded SOS+ Mentor & Groupwork Facilitator you will be based in two secondary schools and one Pupil Referral Unit offering intensive one-to-one mentoring to young people who have been identified by their education setting as needing targeted support. You will also deliver training sessions for groups of children and young people on the risks associated with all aspects of gang involvement, exploitation and violence. You will

Through group work and one-to-one sessions, you will ensure children and young people are equipped to think critically, assess risk and make better life choices. The resulting mindset shift and confidence makes them more resilient to the risks of becoming involved in gangs, exploitation and violence.

You will work closely with each education setting to prioritise safeguarding and contribute to a shared aim of reducing exclusions, reduce risky behaviour and raise aspirations. To ensure a 'whole school' approach, your role will also include delivering awareness raising sessions to parents/carers and other professionals.

Key Deliverables

• To work in an embedded setting in schools and/or PRUs.


• To establish positive and professional relationships with the children, young people and professional.


• To build trust and create a safe space for children and young people in which to explore challenging and potentially traumatic issues and topics.


• To promote the value of lifestyle changes to children and young people accessing the service.


• To facilitate group sessions and interactive workshops to children and young people on all aspects of gang involvement, violence and exploitation.


• To provide 1:1 mentoring to young people referred to you by the education settings in which you are embedded.


• To deliver 1:1 mentoring sessions that tackle mentees perceptions of gang involvement, violence and exploitation, encouraging them to develop a positive self-identity, healthy relationships, to feel safe and to raise their aspirations.


• To maintain accurate records of 1:1 mentoring work, session work and data collection.


• To develop and maintain professional relationships with staff and safeguarding leads within each education setting that you are embedded.


• To contribute to multi-agency meetings, utilising expertise around lived experience and local knowledge.


• To assist with providing monitoring information and the evaluation of the project.


• To plan and organise time to allow time for assisting team members at the same time as managing own caseload.


• To conduct inductions and develop new staff, using performance management tools to flag up development needs to Manager as and when they arise.


• To represent the organisation externally as required. This includes the ability to embed yourself and work collaboratively with the partner schools and PRUs, adapting to their culture where relevant.


• To comply with relevant safeguarding policies of the provision(s) and St Giles Trust. Ensuring that all systems are in place to protect the confidentiality of clients who use the service, and appropriate disclosure procedures are followed.


• To attend and engage positively with training as required.


• To implement the policies and procedures of St Giles Trust.


• To carry out any other similar duties as required, including providing support to other St Giles Trust Projects when needed.


What we are looking for from you - Person Specification

When completing your application form please address the points marked with (A) set out below., What we will do to support you in this role

• We will provide the following resources to assist in the successful achievement of the responsibilities outlined above:


• On-going and targeted learning and development that will support and enable you to deliver the role to a high standard;


• A full induction;


• Continuous support and supervision including reflective practice and clinical supervision to develop your learning and skills as a practitioner.


• As an organisation that works with children and adults at risk we are committed to safeguarding, protecting and promoting the safety of our clients and successful applicants will be subject to an enhanced DBS.
  
  Personal experience of the criminal justice system, or lived experience of the issues facing this client group (i.e. involved in gangs or knife crime). (A)


• Experience of working positively with socially excluded children and young people able to engage successfully despite 'challenging' behaviour. (A)


• Experience of delivering sessions to groups of young people.


• Some experience of working in an embedded setting in schools, PRUs or alternative education provision - or willingness to learn and take on such a role. (A)


• Proven experience of working in a high intensity environment, being self-motivating, with an ability to effectively manage your own wellbeing., To have a relevant qualification to a good standard or be willing to work towards one., Knowledge of the issues facing this client group, such as gangs, knife crime, social exclusion and isolation, child criminal exploitation, adverse childhood experiences and trauma. (A)


• Knowledge of and commitment to safeguarding practices and policies, and an ability to promote safeguarding among vulnerable clients and colleagues. (A)


• Knowledge of anti-discriminatory working practices, and the implications of both within the working environment.


• Practical application of diversity awareness and unconscious bias in employment.


Skills & Abilities

• Ability to confidently speak in front of large groups delivering key messages, following a session plan and hitting learning objectives. (A)


• Ability to coach/mentor colleagues, supervise volunteers or support workers and induct new team members.


• The ability to use monitoring systems to record all aspects of the work, including action plans, outcomes and session data on a day-to-day basis.


• Strong IT skills including proven experience of using Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook in a similar work environment.


• Ability to work alongside teachers and other professionals in the schools in which you are embedded, professionally representing St Giles Trust


• Ability to be a positive role model, demonstrating the virtues of a crime-free life to young people. (A)


Attitude

• Personal and professional integrity.


• Commitment to consultative & collaborative ways of working.


• Commitment to and understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries.
  
  St Giles Trust is a Charity helping people facing severe disadvantage to find jobs, homes and the right support they need. We help them to become positive contributors to local communities and wider society. We passionately believe everybody is capable of changing their lives. Our mission is to help our clients achieve this through offering support from someone who has been there. Our peer-led services form the backbone of our work.
  
  In return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous leave allowance, staff pension, flexible working, a mentoring programme, an advice and counselling service, season ticket loan and much more.