Main description of role/job purpose:

• To work with local families who have children under the age of 4 to improve their lives and give them the best possible start in life.
• To develop The Play Gym and Hubert St Kitchen at WomenZone to provide local families with a fantastic opportunity to develop their own learning and understanding around their children’s social, physical and emotional development
• Improving health, social and emotional development and communication of 0 – 3 year olds, and to share lessons from this to promote wider change.

Key responsibilities:

• Assess local needs, develop and implement a plan of activities for children under 4 in consultation with their parents and other similar provisions in Bradford.
• To involve children under 4 through high quality play opportunities delivered by experienced and qualified play workers.
• To develop and launch a community café to integrate with Play gym to educate parents on nutritional needs of their children.
• To support parents through play sessions to bond with their children and learn how to promote their child’s development through play at The Play Gym. 
• Recruiting and training volunteers to enable them to support activities for children.
• To develop a programme of engagement workshops/events/facilitated discussions with parents and other similar provision i.e. Bradford Better Start.
• To develop unique and innovative activities through The Play Gym to engage disadvantaged parents, particularly target those who have complex needs such as domestic abuse and are experiencing debt and poverty. 
• To support women with complex needs by hosting awareness raising workshops with Bradford Better Start and other provisions such as Staying Put, ANAH project and Horton Housing etc. 
• To host and run workshops within The Play Gym and Hubert St Kitchen as part of the structured programme of BSB ‘s activities including Henry, Cook & Eat, Forest school outdoor play and imagine story time workshop
• To deliver physical and wellbeing activities for mothers as well as hosting group activities for mothers and children.                
• To educate and encourage mothers about bonding, personal and language development across the age range of 0-3 years in a safe space
• Deliver awareness programmes for mums and dads with regard to child emotional development and communication skills.
• To identify and invite speakers/professionals to deliver workshops on; supervising tooth brushing and healthy oral hygiene for under 4- Strengthening parental bonds- Improving family diet – reducing sugar and salt- Improving family exercise – linking in with our current Active Families project.
• To facilitate 1-1 and group information, advice advocacy and mentoring sessions around dealing with multiple challenges – e.g. budgeting on a low income, accessing employment, Freedom Project sessions (identifying and addressing domestic abuse)
• To actively seek ways to improve partnership working with other agencies in order to provide seamless and co-ordinated services for under 4 and parents
• To take part in relevant meetings and forums in the area of operation in order to highlight the needs of people participating in the project.

Duties & responsibilities:

• To develop marketing material for the project.
• To represent the project and attend relevant meetings.
• To follow monitoring and evaluation systems provided and produce reports to the funder.
• To undertake such training and professional development opportunities as may arise from time to time.
• To undertake other duties which are appropriate to the nature of the post as required by the line manager from time to time.
• The delivery of this project needs to be within flexible hours.
• Refer cases to relevant authorities.
• Work within the Every Child Matters agenda, and related strategies at national and local level.
• To liaise with and work in partnership with voluntary, statutory and community groups and agencies.
• To attend regular supervision, team meetings and training and maintain own professional practice, identifying own training and development needs.
• To undertake a range of outreach activities via community, schools, home visits, and through other channels.
• To support parents of under 4 to encourage involvement with the project.
• To assist with the promotion and marketing of the project through promotional activities, developing publicity material and use of internet and social media.
• To maintain accurate and up to date records of work undertaken.

Internal Relationships:

• Other members of staff at WomenZone.
• The Management Board.
• Members of the executive committee.

External Relationships:

• Officers of local authority, government departments and other public agencies.
• Members/representative of sports organisations/bodies.
• Members of the public including residents, community groups and other voluntary organisations.

Responsible for:

• Project worker for Hubert St Kitchen, sessional staff and volunteers.

Personal attributes:

• Driving Licence, being prepared to travel within West Yorkshire.
• Practical/Flexible & non-judgmental approach.
• Team player willing to attend regular team meetings.
• Competent use of Information Technology.
• Ability to work under pressure in a demanding voluntary sector organisation.
• Excellent Communication skills, including evaluative recording, planning documents, report writing.
• Willing to undertake evening and weekend work if required.
• Commitment to equal opportunities and to work in an anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive manner.
• Innovative and creative approach to developing solutions and problem solving.

Essential Experience/Qualifications:

• The post holder will have a BA (Honours) degree in relevant field.
• Experience in Project management and development, outreach and collaborative work. 
• An understanding of 0 – 3-year olds emotional needs and need of parental bonding.
• Experience of working within the BAME community.
• At least 2 years’ experience developing and manging projects.
• Planning and delivering work programmes for children.
• Proven track records of partnership building and working to outputs.
• Experience of setting up monitoring and evaluations systems and report writing.
• Good knowledge of the legislation surrounding working within the defined age group of children.

Desirable Experience/Qualities:

• Level 3 qualification (or above) in Health & social care, community studies and willingness to undertake additional training and CPD as required.
• Understanding budgets linked to monitoring and compliance with funding requirements.
• IT experience.

Job Description

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