Vacancy: Senior Youth Engagement Coordinator

EPIC is an independent, non-governmental organisation that advocates for the rights of children and young people in care or with care experience.

Job Purpose

EPIC is seeking an experienced and well-organised Senior Youth Engagement Coordinator to lead its Youth Engagement and Participation Programme and advance the organisation’s Strategic Goals for 2022-2027.

The Senior Youth Engagement Coordinator will lead the Participation Team to support care-experienced children and young people to come together creatively and build a positive, supportive care community. This will involve growing and diversifying EPIC’s Youth Participation Programme and working closely with EPIC’s Youth Councils and Care Community members to develop and implement opportunities for children and young people to have their voices heard on issues related to the care system. The Senior Youth Engagement Coordinator will also work directly with children and young people to inform EPIC’s research and policy work, and public engagement.

Main Duties

 Programme Coordination

• Lead a review of EPIC’s Participation Programme, including structures, policies, and processes, and implement agreed recommendations.
• Plan, design, and implement participation projects in conjunction with EPIC staff, Youth Council Members and external partners.
• Work in partnership with external stakeholders to develop and sustain participation structures for young people in appropriate policy and political fora.
• Record and collate data on participation and youth engagement to measure impact, identify new needs, and develop appropriate responses as required.
• Work in close collaboration with EPIC staff and the EPIC Youth Councils to develop and implement EPIC’s Participation and Engagement strategy and the organisational Strategic Plan.
• Ensure EPIC delivers best practice in youth participation.
• Management of two Participation Officers

Participation Activities

• Develop and support opportunities for children and young people within the wider care community and those who have left care to participate and engage in individual and group projects, research, activities, events, media and campaigns.
• Grow and diversify EPIC’s National Youth Council including the recruitment and support of Council members and the development of relevant structures, policies, and protocols.
• Identify opportunities for training, capacity building and skills development for children and young people that engage with EPIC’s Participation Programme.
• Collaborate with the EPIC Advocacy Service and the Research and Policy Team to ensure children and young people are given opportunities to participate.
• Network and establish strong relationships within the Youth and Community sector and broader civil society to increase awareness of and engagement with EPIC.

Additional Responsibilities

• Contribute to press activities when relevant.
• Participate in team meetings and provide updates and information as required.
• Participate in regular supervision with your line manager.
• Be vigilant to any child protection risks, health and safety risks and data protection risks in the workplace and bring any concerns to designated officers and/or your line-manager.
• Undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time-to-time.

Essential Skills and Experience

*Candidates must have a strong interest in how youth engagement and empowerment advance social and political change.

• Third level qualification in a relevant area such as Youth Work, Community Development, or equivalent.
• A minimum of five years’ experience working with children and young people in youth work /participation/community engagement or similar roles.
• Experience of supervising or managing staff
• Experience of working with and engaging children and young people who are seldom heard.
• Knowledge and understanding of child and youth participation theories and methodologies.
• Experience of strategic partnership and working with a range of stakeholders.
• Proven track record of project/programme development
• Excellent facilitation and written communications skills and an ability to write for and communicate with a variety of audiences including children and young people.
• Proficient IT skills and ability to adapt to new digital tools quickly.
• Willingness to travel between EPIC’s regional offices as required.

  Desirable

• Knowledge of children’s rights and the Irish care system
• Knowledge of youth justice, education, mental health and related systems.
• Experience in social justice campaigning and theory of change methodology
• Experience in: developing training and outreach materials; drafting funding applications; Salesforce or other data management platform; event planning.

Attitude

• Commitment to the values and mission of EPIC
• Collaborative working style while comfortable working on own initiative in a small and busy team.
• Flexibility to carry out evening and weekend work as required.
• Ability to take ownership and manage workload to meet deadlines.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development and keeping up to date on best practice within the child and youth sector.
• Commitment to and understanding of a working environment that promotes equal opportunities and has regard for race and ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, or gender identity and equality.

Please note

EPIC, Empowering People in Care believes in the value of a diverse workforce and encourages applications from people from all ethnic, cultural, religious, and social backgrounds: in particular, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic and LGBTIQ+ people. We also welcome candidates with care experience. We are trying to build a more diverse and representative workplace and environment.

This role will be flexible in line with EPIC’s current hybrid working model – requiring some office-based work and some remote work – within the working hours of the organisation. Occasional evening or weekend work will be required.

It is envisaged that the post-holder will be flexible in using their own initiative to develop the role in line with the objectives and mission of EPIC. The job description attached does not define all responsibilities within the role but offers a detailed overview of the role.

The post holder will also undertake training on Children First (Tusla e-learning programme) and abide at all times by this and by EPIC’s policies on child protection and welfare.

Terms

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), with a six-month probationary period.

Annual leave entitlement of 25 day per annum – in addition to annual leave, the office is closed for one day at Easter and three days at Christmas.

This post will involve travel within Ireland and occasional evening and weekend work. Travel expenses and additional hours will be compensated in accordance with EPIC’s Mileage and TOIL Policies.

Participation in the company pension scheme is matched by a 5% Employer contribution on completion of the probationary period.

All roles within EPIC are subject to Garda Vetting.

Location: Cork, Dublin or Limerick office

Closing Date for applications: Tuesday 13th June 2023 (CoB)

Salary: €45,000.00 to €52,000.00 per annum commensurate with experience.

To apply please send your resume and a cover letter.