Job Description

Family Support Coordinator (Cheltenham & Tewkesbury)

Across Tewkesbury & Cheltenham

26 hrs/week (Mon-Fri)

Salary 30,296 FTE

This role is important to the development of our service supporting families in the Tewkesbury and Cheltenham Districts and will help us to continue to deliver an impactful volunteering experience and to grow the number of people who volunteer with Home-Start North and West Gloucestershire.

In these tough times, the need for Home-Start support across communities is increasing, and the challenges facing families across Gloucestershire are becoming more complex and often more difficult to overcome. Home-Start North and West Gloucestershire is there for families when they need us, providing valued and impactful support in many ways.

We are committed to helping families with young children through their most challenging times. Our coordinators develop strong and trusting relationships with families, working alongside them to identify their support needs. Due to a promotion and a maternity cover we are recruiting into our team of Family Support Coordinators.

As a Family Coordinator, you will play a vital role as the first person typically in contact with a family seeking support. You will be a skilled communicator, able to build relationships with mums, dads and volunteers from all walks of life and background. The ability to put people at ease and embody Home- Start's ethos of no judgement and real life parenting, are key qualities you will need in the job.

If you're keen to bring your skills, experience and passion for families and volunteering to help us be there for more families when they need us most, we'd love to hear from you.

A bit about us

Home-Start North and West Gloucestershire is a volunteer-based family support charity, supporting families in the Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Forest of Dean districts of Gloucestershire with at least one child under five years old.

We know that it takes a village to raise a child. When people feel isolated and lack support, nurturing a family can feel a real struggle. For far too many, parenting can be a lonely experience. In one recent survey, over half of new parents said they feel lonely.

We provide 1-1 in-home support through our home visiting service. Families are visited by a fully trained volunteer who works with them to raise their self-confidence and their ability to cope in an increasingly pressured society. As well as our home visiting support we provide free antenatal, postnatal, mother's and dad's groups in the community.

Our emphasis is on parents helping parents, so our volunteers are all parents or have parenting experience. Much of the time we provide early help to families before there is a need for statutory interventions or where there are increasing needs. Whatever level of support is required, we aim to make our families' journeys a little easier.

The role

Family coordinators build strong relationships with our families - working with them to identify their needs - match them to a trained volunteer, and regularly review progress. They provide support, supervision and ongoing training to existing volunteers and train new volunteers. Alongside this they support some families of their own.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our small but enthusiastic and supportive staff team. We offer a rewarding and positive work environment, and ongoing opportunities for training and development.

As well as being the first person typically in contact with a family seeking support, you will typically be the first person in contact with people who have signed up to volunteer. You will be responsible for interviewing and nurturing prospective volunteers to ensure they have a rich and rewarding volunteering experience.

A key part of the role is delivering volunteer training, online or in person, including the 8-week 'Preparation' course, and organising enhanced training and appreciation events. You will be a skilled judge of character, to help achieve the all-important 'match' between parents, children, and their Home- Start volunteer.

We provide holistic support to families with young children, for a wide range of needs. Perinatal and infant mental health, parenting, support for the home learning environment, domestic abuse, and supporting families with adult or child disability are all areas in which experience is valuable and you could help to develop our expert support.

Job description

JOB TITLE: REPORTS TO: LOCATION: SALARY: HOURS:

Family Support Coordinator

Senior Family Support Coordinator

Tewkesbury/Cheltenham Gloucestershire (hybrid role)

30,296 (pro-rata)

26hrs with the option to discuss flexible working

Main Responsibilities

Support for families

Receive and evaluate referrals and undertake home assessment visits to determine the needs of families living in the Tewkesbury and Cheltenham Districts.

Provide home visiting help to families where support needs have been identified Review support to families at regular intervals, and at the end of Home-Start support Signpost or introduce families to appropriate support

Provide electronic, written and verbal reports for other agencies, and for funders Represent the charity at multi-agency meetings concerning supported families Undertake designated responsibilities to safeguard and promote children's welfare Assist in the planning and delivery of group support as needed from time to time

Recruiting, training and managing volunteers

Recruit, select and prepare suitable volunteers

Match and introduce volunteers to families

Work with colleagues to deliver the Home-Start preparation course in full and to a high standard to all prospective volunteers

Provide support, supervision and on-going training opportunities for volunteers

Data and impact

Maintain timely, complete and accurate records of family and volunteer's engagement, needs and 'journey of change' within Home-Start's online database

Contribute observations, anonymised quotes and family progress, to support the learning and development of our service, and contribute to Home-Start's fundraising, communications and impact reporting

Working in Partnership

Ensure appropriate liaison with referrers and other professionals

Network within the community; develop strong working relationships with partner organisations to ensure our service is effective and inclusive

Supporting the work of the charity

Contribute to the effective day to day operation of the charity's work in accordance with Home-Start's governing document, Home-Start Standards & Methods of Practice, Home- Start Agreement and Quality Assurance Standards

Maintain high standards of practice in supporting families within the Home-Start model Ensure equality of opportunity, fairness and diversity in all aspects of the charity's work Implement good safeguarding practice in all areas of work

Undertake work to support the strategic management, development, fundraising and marketing of the charity

Support the implementation and review of all Home-Start policies and procedures Comply with the charity's administration, record keeping, monitoring and financial systems

Promote the work of the charity, as required by the Senior Co-ordinator and Operations Manager

Person specification

ESSENTIAL

Education and experience

Good standard of education (GCSE, NVQ level 3 or equivalent) Relevant previous or current employment or voluntary work Experience of working with families

Experience holding a caseload (desirable)

Supporting families and working in partnership

Understanding of the needs of families with young children

Knowledge and ability to support families affected by perinatal mental health issues

Ability to assess the needs and views of children and families who are vulnerable, experiencing stressful situations, and take a practical and flexible approach to providing support

Ability to build positive relationships and communicate sensitively and effectively with adults and children

Knowledge and experience of safeguarding issues

Knowledge of current legislation and policies relating to children and families in the early years

Knowledge of the roles of agencies providing services for children and families, and ability to liaise with them

Managing others

Ability to work as part of a team Supervisory skills

Knowledge of developing and running groups Ability to develop and deliver training

Ability to develop peer support network

Skills

Project coordination and management

Ability to prioritise and undertake planning

Ability to process and collate information, including preparing reports and statistics

Identification of support and learning requirements Engaging and assuring communication

Good written and verbal communication skills Negotiating skills

Use of Office tools like MS word, excel, outlook

Self-management/personal attributes

An aptitude for relationship building and communicating A positive and creative approach to tackling tasks Commitment to good safeguarding practice

Knowledge of and commitment to equal opportunities and anti- discriminatory practice

Understanding of the need for professional confidentiality

Special requirements

Able to work flexibly, some evening or week-end work and occasional residential training

Willingness to access training opportunities Car driver and owner

Eligibility to work in the UK

DESIRABLE

Relevant professional training, for example, Health Visitor, Teacher, Social worker, Child carer

Experience of work in the voluntary sector or as a volunteer

Parenting experience

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: 30,296.00 per year

Expected hours: 26 per week

Benefits:

Company pension On-site parking Sick pay Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Cheltenham GL54 5LL