Job Description

Apply via our website and submit an application to the designated recruitment email address using the supplied application form

LGBTQ+ Youth Outreach Practitioner

Responsible to: CEO

Hours: Full time 37 hours

Salary: 28,000

Based: Fenny Stratford and hybrid working

Contract: Fixed term for 1 year (extension subject to funding)

Closing Date: Wednesday 4th June

Interview Date: Friday 13th June

Context

Q:alliance provides support, information and representation for the LGBTQ+ people who live, work and play in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas. We have detailed knowledge of the issues and challenges that organisations and individuals face locally.

It's our goal to create more safe spaces and resources to ensure the LGBTQ+ community is well represented and supported.

Scope

This established role will engage the LGBTQ+ Schools Partnership Forum (Milton Keynes) to plan, deliver and evaluate educational programmes for young people and manage a 1:1 caseload of support for LGBTQ+ young people across schools, colleges, and youth services in Milton Keynes. You will develop and implement training to upskill teachers, education staff and youth workers. Working collaboratively with all partners to ensure safe spaces for young LGBTQ+ people across diverse settings with particular focus on increasing resilience, wellbeing, and mental health of LGBTQ+ youth communities.

You will work closely with our youth work team and CEO to determine targets for outreach, engagement, and effective monitoring systems to ensure robust reporting.

Main Responsibilities

Networking - Strengthen the LGBTQ+ Schools Partnership Forum, supporting teachers, education staff and youth workers to access resources, implement inclusive learning environments and provide support for LGBTQ+ young people in their settings. Coordinate meetings with the network to update on shifting needs, priorities, and situations in a local and national context.

Data capture and intelligence - Support Q;alliance's commitment to sustaining a contemporary data and monitoring mechanism, guaranteeing we can deliver thorough evaluations of our services and competent feedback to our funders and stakeholders on the efficacy of our work. Analyse local intelligence directly from LGBTQ+ youth communities and use this to co-produce plans with young people to ensure our youth services are engaging and meeting needs.

Support, information and empowerment - develop and implement resources for 1:1 education and resilience work with LGBTQ+ young people, provide support for young people in crisis, ensuring effective signposting to relevant services and collaboration with parents, guardians, teachers and education staff where appropriate.

Innovation - work with the CEO, LGBTQ+ Schools Partnership Forum and young people to innovate a schools accreditation system that will acknowledge and cultivate schools' competence to provide safe spaces and support for LGBTQ+ young people.

Stakeholder and community engagement - Work with Communications and Engagement Manager to plan outreach activities in line with Engagement Plan and communicate with youth communities in line with our Communications Strategy. Forge and support enduring relationships with key partners, strengthening our commitment to building an alliance of cross-sector compassionate advocates for the LGBTQ+ community in its diverse forms.

Education - Plan, develop and deliver positive and engaging classroom workshops and school assemblies to a wide range of young people, ensuring key messages are inclusive of diverse perspectives, including those from black and minoritized communities.

Training - Develop and deliver training for teachers, education staff and youth workers with the aim of improving the wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth communities and the capacity of those with the power to assist in this endeavour.

Skills and Experience

Expertise

Vast experience working with and supporting young people

Experience of developing and sustaining a network

Proficiency in authoring innovative education and training packages, delivery, and evaluation

Knowledge of the challenges affecting young LGBTQ+ people

Knowledge of issues affecting young people's mental health and the skills required to build resilience

Excellent planning, organisation and administrative skills

Expertise in safeguarding young people, ensuring welfare of all by following policy and procedures in relation to recognising, recording, and responding to safeguarding concerns and liaising with the Designated Safeguarding Lead

Ability to observe strict confidentiality at all times with respect to matters concerning young people and the schools, colleges and youth settings in which you support through your role in the developing network

Capable to respond to a young person in crisis and establish the right tools and resources to assist them

Communication

A high standard of written English, including an ability to write thorough reports, make referrals to partner agencies, maintain outreach files, and record minutes of forum meetings

An engaging and charismatic public speaking style with the ability to adapt delivery style dependent on context and audience

Ability to adopt a positive constructive language style when talking to young people 1:1

Confidence to communicate with relatives, guardians, social workers and related professionals or advocates of young people

Knowledge and proficiency in social media and a recognition of the role it plays in young people's lives

Behaviours

Skills in forming constructive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels

Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of professional boundaries when working with young people and the importance of consistency

Passionate about equality, the rights of LGBTQ+ people and neurodiversity.

Evident desire to improve service delivery using co-production initiatives with young people

An ability to listen with empathy and act compassionately

Competence to work on own initiative and demonstrate innovation and creative problem solving

Model conduct essential for successful teams, such as reliability, honesty and courage

Desirable

Qualifications in youth work, teaching or mental health support

Data, monitoring, and impact training, including up to date GDPR certificate (2 years)

LGBTQ+ lived experience

Other

Full driving license and use of own vehicle

Ability to work flexibly, with occasional evening and weekend working

Commitment to further personal development and training

Please note: Enhanced DBS is required for this role

What you'll bring to the team

You will serve as the first point of contact for schools, colleges and youth settings. You will chair a dynamic network of school and college leads and empower team members with the information you have gained so that we can better respond to the needs of LGBTQ+ young people, including how this may relate to securing vital funds for services. You will help our youth workers understand the impact education has on the lives of our youth communities, whilst championing the good work of teachers and education staff who are trailblazers. You will ensure continuity of support between school, Q:Hub (our youth support space) and our other youth service provisions.

The LGBTQ+ Youth Outreach Practitioner will have responsibility for the following documents.

Youth engagement subdivision of the Engagement Plan (Comms and Engagement Manager responsibility for wider plan)

Contact Evaluation forms/data capture

Monthly Outreach Report

Youth Participation Policy

Resource library pertaining to our work with young people

LGBTQ+ Schools Partnership Forum minutes (approx. 6 meetings per year)

Apply via our website and submit an application to the designated recruitment email address using the supplied application form.

Enquiries about this post from candidates can be directed to the Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Hill jenn@qalliance.org.uk

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

Pay: 28,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Additional leave Bereavement leave Casual dress Company pension Flexitime Free parking On-site parking Sick pay Work from home
Schedule:

Monday to Friday Weekend availability
Application question(s):

Have you acknowledged that you must apply via our website and complete an application form? CVs will not be accepted on this occasion.
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Milton Keynes MK2 2DD

Application deadline: 04/06/2025