Library Services Officer (Children & Families)

Job Summary

Please note that this position is temporary. Salary will be pro-rated for part-time hours.

East Dunbartonshire Leisure & Culture Trust’s (EDLCT) Libraries Service is an effective and ambitious team which offers a great range of reading and informal learning activities for children, young people and families within a library context.

We are looking for someone who will co-lead our children & families team, overseeing and developing our activities; ideally with experience of working with older children/young teenagers with a focus on technology and science, coding and gaming.

There are two part-time Children & Families officer posts, which together will:

• Ensure that practice, policy and culture all support the highest standards of safeguarding
• Promote an inclusive, nurturing and accessible range of services for children & families, both within the team and across all our libraries and staff
• Develop effective activities which support families and promote reading and literacy; sometimes delivering activities directly
• Identify the groups and communities who would benefit most from our support
• Maintain existing partnerships locally and nationally (eg with schools, early years settings, national agencies) and develop new partnerships which benefit our communities
• Maintain and develop our stock and activities, promoting reading for pleasure and learning, particularly with communities who would benefit most from our support
• Ensure our book stock and other resources are effective and appropriate
• Oversee training needs, health and safety arrangements and expenditure
• Keep informed of national policy, developments and best practice in engaging with children, young people and families, and apply that knowledge to improve and develop our service and activities

The successful candidate should be able to evidence success in:

• Developing, organising and delivering engaging, inclusive and accessible reader development and learning activities
• training and supporting frontline staff to deliver activities,
• working in a team,
• establishing and developing partnership working

You will have an enthusiasm for encouraging a love of books, a sense of curiosity and practical information skills with children across all ages, as well as excellent organisational and communication skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure in a busy environment. You will have skills and experience in delivering activities for children and families across all ages, and ideally familiar with national programmes (eg CodeClub).

You should have a SVQ3 or similar in a relevant discipline and/or equivalent experience. You will have good ICT skills, with a knowledge of digital and assistive technologies.

The post will involve working across library and community venues throughout East Dunbartonshire. There will be a requirement for occasional weekend and evening work as well as lone working.

If you would like to discuss this post further please contact John Harding (Library Service Team Leader): John.Harding@eastdunbartonshire.gov.uk.

EDLCT is committed to ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion, and eliminating unlawful discrimination. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from suitably qualified people of all backgrounds.

Charter of Commitment

The commitment by East Dunbartonshire Council to job applicants is as follows:

• Individuals will be treated in a polite, friendly and welcoming manner.

• Equalities monitoring will be conducted to ensure a fair and equitable process with screening being carried out to anonymise sensitive information such as age, gender and disability.

• The information that we receive will be treated in confidence and with discretion. Only the relevant HR representative/team and the relevant service will see the application form.

• We will encourage and welcome applications from applicants under the disability symbol. Where the essential criteria are met an interview will be offered to those applying under the disability symbol.

• We will be pleased to make any reasonable adjustments to ensure accessibility at the interview.

• We will advise you within reasonable time after the closing date if you have not met the interview criteria. (Normally within 4 weeks)

• We will advise you of meeting the criteria for interview normally within 3 weeks.

• We will advise you if you have been successful or unsuccessful at the interview stage as soon as practically possible.

PVG / Disclosure Scotland

The following criteria applies to all roles within East Dunbartonshire Council where PVG/Disclosure checks are essential criteria.

Where the post you are applying for is considered a Regulated Role under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020, successful candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme, or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check, prior to confirmation of employment being made by East Dunbartonshire Council.

Please note, successful candidates will be expected to meet the cost of the relevant check which will be deducted from the successful candidate’s first salary payment. Successful candidates who withdraw their application after the check process has started will be invoiced for the cost of the check.

In specific circumstances the payment could be deducted in instalments from an employee’s wages following commencement of employment. Approval in such circumstances will be made by the HR &OD Manager.

Should an employee leave in advance of the payment being deducted, the full amount will be deducted from the employee’s final salary.

The criteria outlined above will apply to existing employees of East Dunbartonshire Council who apply for roles for which a PVG/Disclosure check is required.

Website

www.edlc.co.uk