Participation and Poverty Worker

Save the Children

Save the Children 15 Richmond Park Belfast BT10 0HB.

17 Jul 2006

Maureen Cullen

jobs-nthireland@savethechildren.org.uk

www.savethechildren.org.uk/northernireland

Save the Children is planning a high profile campaign on UK child poverty to be launched in November 2006. In keeping with our commitment to the participation of children in expressing their views and being involved in decision making, we are seeking to engage children and young people living in poverty in our campaign.

To facilitate this, we are seeking to appoint a Participation and Poverty Worker. A six month post, this is an exciting opportunity to work with some of our most disadvantaged children in developing innovative methods to ensure their voices are central in this high-profile and ambitious campaign.

Job Purpose: To engage with children and young people living in poverty on issues relating to child poverty and to facilitate their participation in Save the Children’s Big Push campaign on UK child poverty.

Key accountabilities

1. To develop contacts with groups of children and young people living in poverty across Northern Ireland and support them in exploring issues affecting them.

2. To facilitate the participation of children and young people living in poverty across Northern Ireland in Save the Children’s Big Push campaign on UK child poverty. This may include interacting with media, producing case studies and facilitating dialogue events with local politicians. It will also involve accompanying young people to events across NI and possibly elsewhere in the UK.

3. To facilitate the participation of children and young people living in poverty across Northern Ireland in Save the Children's research exploring issues affecting them.

4. To comply with Save the Children policy and practice requirements with respect to health and safety, child protection, equal opportunities, code of conduct and other relevant policies and procedure.

5. To perform such other tasks and responsibilities as may be required from time to time in order to ensure the smooth running of the team, the senior management team, cross departmental teams, the department and SC UK.

Essential criteria include:

At least two years’ experience of working with disadvantaged children and young people at a community level in N Ireland.

Ability to engage children and young people in a participative and empowering way to support them to contribute to the campaign on UK child poverty.

Knowledge of organisations and networks of groups working with children and young people across Northern Ireland.

Ability to initiate external contacts and network effectively in order to share information and develop joint working.

Understanding of child protection as it relates to facilitating children and young people talking publicly about sensitive topics.

Understanding of the reality of poverty for children in Northern Ireland.

Commitment to the aims and objectives of an organisation working for social change and active in the promotion of the rights of the child.

Ability to work independently with limited supervision

Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

A full driving licence and access to a car for business use.

An application form and full person specification is attached.
Completed applications should be submitted to:

Save the Children,
15 Richmond Park,
Belfast BT10 0HB.
Alternatively, email
jobs-nthireland@savethechildren.org.uk

Closing date: 5.00 pm on Monday 17 July.

Please note that CVs will not be accepted.

Interviews will be held 21 July 2006

Visit www.savethechildren.org.uk/northernireland to find out more about the work we do.

Our selection processes reflect our commitment to the protection of children from abuse. Our people are as diverse as the challenges we face.