Job Description

We are unable to accept CV's, to apply for this position please visit our website www.nottinghammencap.org.uk/group-activities-coordinator-early-years

Closing date is Sunday 30th November. Interviews will take place week commencing 8th December.

We are recruiting for A Group Activity Coordinator to lead our Saturday groups for children aged 8 -18..

The hours of work are - 18 per week (Saturday with 7.5 hours admin time in the office at Clarence Street)

The roles will focus on leading our early years engagement, developing and delivering sessions for the M8s groups for children aged 8 - 18.

Activities you plan might take place at Clarence Street (Cooking, DJ workshops, sensory play) or community based (trips to the seaside, local parks, cinema) so being able to follow organisation policies and complete administration such as risk assessments is a must. Ensuring people taking part in the sessions are adequately supported is essential too.

The role of the coordinator is varied but ultimately you will be responsible for creating engaging and varied activities for children and young people with learning disabilities while ensuring their safety.

The successful candidate will start in January 2026.

Main purpose of jo

b: Our weekend children and young person social groups form a key part of the Short Breaks service at Nottingham Mencap. Supporting children and young people aged 5 - 24, the successful candidate will take a lead on our weekend groups for the following sessions:

M8s - 3 sessions on a Saturday 9am - 1pm (in-house), 9am - 1pm (Out and About group), 1.45pm - 5.45pm (Mixed),
You will manage the groups and ensure that they run safely, with the correct number of support staff and provide a challenging, progressive service. It is important to maintain a positive relationship with stakeholders and develop the service in a person centred way. The planning of the sessions will reflect this. The sessions will be fun, informative, meet outcomes and teach/ enhance skills.

You will work 1 day each weekend (Saturday) plus some hours between Monday and Friday to ensure close working relationships with the rest of the team. Weekend sessions form a close link with our community work, so this needs to be demonstrated by working closely with our current Befriending Coordinator.

Ensure referrals, queries and concerns are dealt with in an efficient and timely manner. Assist in the enhancement of collaborative working across the organisation and the development of strong professional relationships with potential referrers/ commissioners and partners. Contributing to the strategic development of services to meet future need.

Relationships:

a) Responsible to: Services and Development Manager

b) Responsible for: Supervision of Support Workers and volunteers

c) Liaison with: Befriending Coordinator, Administration team, Finance Manager, Carers, Commissioners

Location:

Based at Clarence Street may be required at any site within reasonable reach of Nottingham City.

Main tasks of job:

1. Ensure that the weekend group provisions are appropriately staffed, fully operational and planned to maximise the participation of the children, young people and adults who attend. Help ensure services meet the targeted outcomes set by Nottinghamshire Adults and Children Services.

2. Maintain a safe environment, including unlocking and locking the building, setting the alarm and the beginning and end of the session.

3. To ensure support staff provide high quality support in all areas of personal, and social need.

4. To directly line manage the support workers and volunteers including involvement in recruitment, induction, probation, supervision, appraisals, and training ensuring all are working in a cohesive and complimentary manner.

5. Support the Services Manager by engaging in recruitment, employment, supervision, and appraisals of workers. In conjunction with the Service Manager participate in the proactive management of annual leave, sickness, absence, and other personnel related issues.

6. To produce rotas to facilitate the day to day running of the service, including cover for sickness and holidays when required.

7. Create, manage, and maintain client management systems to track, monitor and forecast activity, wages, annual leave, and engagements.

8. Support the Services Manager to ensure relevant documentation is completed for internal and external inspection. This may include, but is not confined to, CQC compliant standards, Risk Assessments, supervision, record keeping, Care Plans, assessment records and evaluations of care. Ensure all policy and practice meets regulatory requirements.

9. Ensure that individual and group activities are sensitive to the individual needs of users and that relevant assessments (including risk) have been undertaken and communicated to support workers. Ensure effective communication with others including referrers, social workers, key workers, and carers. Establish effective feedback mechanisms.

10. Ensure the regular involvement and consultation of children, young people, and adults as well as parents and carers in the development of services. Complete annual surveys to track organisational outcomes.

11. Robust implementation of policies and procedures adopted by Nottingham Mencap.

12. To preserve and respect the dignity and privacy of people and their families and observe confidentiality at all times.

13. Keep abreast of new developments in the field of Learning Disabilities. Take specific responsibility for the introduction of specific new services, improvements to current services as required and the cessation of those deemed no longer viable.

14. Embrace a culture of change and improvement. Participate in a range of measures to improve productivity. Maintain a focus on increasing the number and diversity of service users including extending our services to those living within the City of Nottingham area.

15. To proactively liaise with current and potential future funding bodies. Ensure availability of high quality and person-centred services to address the personalisation agenda and attract those seeking a range of support options via personal budgets.

16. Participation in relevant activities and meetings across the organisation and to act as a fully participative member of the senior management team.

17. To participate in out-of-hours working and coving for colleague's sickness and annual leave when required

18. Participation in formal review of support mechanisms on a yearly basis.

19. Work with the wider team to develop and expand M8's and Transition Groups in line with need and hold responsibility for the development of a variety of areas of service provision as agreed with the CEO.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation. This draft job description will be reviewed and amended, as appropriate, with a full review at six months at the end of the probationary period.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Education

Relevant qualifications or equivalent knowledge gained through work-based experience. Essential

Relevant NVQ 4 Desirable

Experience

Relevant experience of working with children and adults with a Learning Disability Essential

Experience of forging strong working relationships with external agencies Desirable

Experience of planning/ creating activities for children or young people with learning disabilities/ autism. Essential

Evidence of delivering positive change and understands the need for continual improvement Essential

Knowledge

Knowledge of current legislation and practice relating to the provision of person-centred services for those with a Learning Disability Essential

A clear understanding of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice Essential

Understanding of the respective roles of voluntary organisations, local authorities, education and health services Desirable

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to relate to people at all levels Essential

Project Management skills, strong organisational and prioritisation skills to ensure commitments are met Essential

Clear and concise communicator Essential

Evidence of ability to plan and manage budgets Desirable

Evidence of the ability to apply rigour and precision to the administrative aspects of the role Essential

Ability to use IT systems to track engagements and contacts with clients and stakeholders. Essential

Personal Attributes

Demonstrates empathy and understanding towards others Essential.

Able to engage and motivate others to effect change Essential

Demonstrates the ability to act autonomously and seek support when required Essential

Take account of your own and others' roles and responsibilities in carrying out and evaluating tasks Essential

Exhibit the ability to uphold the wellbeing of others by utilising fair and consistent approaches Essential

Commitment to the aims of Nottingham Mencap Essential

Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to adapt to new practices Essential

Other

Able to travel regularly between bases and across Nottinghamshire when required Essential

Willing to undertake further training as required and to personally develop new skills and understanding Values Essential

Commitment to the provision of high-quality person-centred support to empower children and young people, particularly those with learning disabilities. Understanding of the importance of choice, control, rights' and empowerment. Essential

Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Pay: 16.64 per hour

Expected hours: 18 per week

Work Location: In person