Good Relations And Church Engagement Officer

Job Description

To contribute to the development of Youth Link’s vision and mission through the implementation of the following four work areas which collectively aim to foster peacebuilding, reconciliation, and good relations among young people, the churches and faith-based youth work in Northern Ireland.

Work Area 1: Engage, Empower, and Equip the Next Generation of Peacebuilders ​

1. Focus on equipping young people, youth workers, teachers, and clergy with knowledge and skills to promote good relations and reconciliation. ​
2. Includes the delivery of accredited and non-accredited training, capacity building and development work, that empowers and equips young people and youth workers to engage in good relations work. Train the trainers sessions in the Common Good, Beyond the Walls and Kairos programmes.
3. Addresses sectarianism, racism, and the legacy of the past with young people and leaders in churches and faith-based youth work organisations in Northern Ireland. ​

Work Area 2: Research, Resource Development & Dissemination ​

1. Conducts research to understand young people's perspectives on issues of conflict, reconciliation and good relations. ​
2. Develops resources addressing biblical and theological perspectives of peace and reconciliation, Good Relations and intergenerational impacts of the Troubles.
3. Disseminates findings through focus groups, youth forum, and creative arts approaches.

Work Area 3: Strategic Engagement with Churches and Collaborative Partnerships ​

1. 1. Builds partnerships with faith-based organisations, educators, and community leaders to address the legacy of the past and reconciliation. ​To include work with trustees and church leaders.
   2. Includes attending conferences, presenting work, responding to consultations, and creating alliances with Good relations organisations and International peace organizations.
   3. Promotes the use of shared spaces like churches and schools for community relations work.

Work Area 4: Beyond Our Walls: Global Perspectives on Peace and Reconciliation ​

1. 1. Utilizes global youth work methodologies to connect local issues with global challenges. ​
   2. Focuses on addressing sectarianism, racism, and barriers to inclusion through thematic seminars, training programs, and collaborative projects. ​
   3. Promotes the UBUNTU philosophy of interdependence and togetherness for peace and reconciliation and pursue the common good.

Main Responsibilities:

1. To implement four areas of work as agreed by the Youth Link Council and in keeping with the organisation’s operational plan.
2. Co-ordinate the suite of accredited and non-accredited good relations and peace and reconciliation programmes for young people and youth workers in Northern Ireland.
3. Provide high quality training sessions for educators including teachers and youth workers to enable them to deliver the good relations resources to young people. To deliver workshops and other activities that raise-awareness of the importance of having youth workers equipped to deliver good relations and peace and reconciliation activities.
4. Listen to the voice of young people in relation to their vision of the future and what lessons they can learn from the legacy of the past.
5. To engage in high quality monitoring and evaluation procedures relating to programme outcomes and targets to provide quality assurance for good relations programmes.
6. Engage in research and further resource development to ensure the ‘peace and Reconciliation’ programmes remains contextually relevant and up-to-date within the changing social, economic, environmental and political context, with a particular focus on the impact of the legacy of the Troubles and Brexit on young people.
7. Develop resources for churches and faith based organisations that help to reflect on the biblical perspectives on peace building.
8. Disseminate Youth Link’s research and resources.
9. Strategic engagement and collaborative partnership development with key stakeholders in particular churches, faith-based organisations and leaders in civic society.
10. Develop collaborative models of dialogue and shared reflection with appropriate partners locally and Internationally.
11. Ensure that reports are submitted to the funder, Community Relations Council, as required and participate in events and networking opportunities provided. Ensure that periodic reports are made available to the Youth Link Trustees ensuring report writing responsibilities.
12. Ensure the programme maintains a faith-based understanding of society and reconciliation, the robust testing of values and beliefs, spiritual and holistic human development, good relations skills development, reconciliation skills capacity building and an understanding and appreciation of the principles of equity, diversity and interdependence.
13. Represent Youth Link effectively within and beyond Youth Service and the Churches and promote the services and resources of the organisation.
14. Work within the ethos of Youth Link and embrace the Christian vision of Churches working together to empower and equip leaders in youth work and ministry to build a more peaceful and just world in which young people can flourish.
15. Work as part of a team of staff and volunteers and contribute to the ongoing strategic and operational development of the organisation. 
16. Maintain efficient records, reports and recordings on agreed work programmes and document developmental case studies of best practice; participate in regular supervision meetings, annual appraisals and undertake appropriate in-service training.