Community Development & Engagement - Parenting Focus (Aberdeenshire)

We have an exciting opportunity to join our team. We are now accepting applications for our Community and Engagement Team Members - Parenting Focus. This role will be responsible for engaging with parents with experience of care and the people and professionals that are in direct contact with expectant and new parents with care experience.

Closing date for applications is 12pm on Monday, 9th December. We are recruiting for one full-time post (37.5 hours per week) in Aberdeenshire with a salary of £28,000 per annum. This post will be located in Scotland. Previous applicants need not apply.

Please see below for more details about this opportunity to join our team.

Role

The Team Member will be responsible for our work in Aberdeenshire supporting parents who have been impacted by care. Our aim is to reach all expectant and new parents with care experience in Scotland and ensure they are aware of what is being offered through The Village and our other Why Not communities. The Team Member will use a variety of approaches, communication methods and platforms to maximise engagement, including both in person and digital options. This particular team member role will have a specific geographical focus and lead to developing links and engaging parents in identified locations. The Team member will work closely with statutory sector and health staff, as well as voluntary sector groups to build knowledge of our work and identify and engage with parents. The team member will work closely with the peer mentoring lead, supporting recruitment of peer mentors within the specified area.

The Team Member will work alongside The Village Team members creating a welcoming environment within The Village, creating material to share, leading group activities and developing positive trusting relationships with individual parents. The team member with others will look to develop self-assessment prompts which can be used by parents to help them recognise what areas they may wish support and to measure their own progress in different areas. The team member will engage groups of parents with different support needs, including but not limited to:

Pregnancy planning and newly pregnant parents; Parents of toddlers and preschoolers; Parents whose children are no longer in their care; Kinship parents

Using a coaching style approach, Team Members will be available to answer individual questions and offer individual support to the parents. Any support offered will be directed by the parents, at a pace that is comfortable for them.

Goals will be identified and agreed allowing the parent to be in control of all interactions but encouraging the parent to recognise their own strengths and areas where they would like to strengthen. Team Member will aim to empower the parent, recognising strengths and developing confidence through sharing and encouraging learning and reflecting on experiences.

Team Members will work together to create the positive online environment offering information which will be helpful for parents and parents to be, including podcasts, blogs, and parenting education through storytelling. There will be a focus on recognising any specific needs of parents who have experienced care, including the stigma that can be experienced, however, will also recognise the shared needs of all parents and the processes and systems encountered by all.

Opportunities will be created through events and facilitated groups for parents to increase their social and support networks.

Team Members will contribute to team development through active participation in team meetings, peer supervision and continuing professional development opportunities.

Team members will support the development of the peer mentoring scheme and support peer mentors within their role.

The role will be mainly home-based, but there will be a monthly team meeting and occasional engagement events across Scotland.

There will be regular travel within the identified location, building connections and promoting our work. There may be a requirement for occasional evening or weekend work to suit specific project needs.

Line Management and professional development

Team Members will be line managed by the Why Not Trust, Community and Engagement Lead.

The team members will contribute to regular peer supervision and reflections sessions to ensure there is a cohesiveness as a team and clear understanding of strategic priorities.

The team members will take part in regular CPD events, responding to emerging themes and recognising individual needs.

A robust induction process will be offered.

Team members behaviour will be led by the principles of The Why Not Trust.

Person Spec

The role will be suited to someone who has an interest in supporting and developing others, using a coaching approach. Someone who has experience of engaging parents in positive ways and engaging with professionals to promote projects. Someone who perhaps has experience in an early years setting/role and experience in developing new services or projects.

We welcome applications from people with lived experience or understanding of lived experience, including potential impact of stigma, judgement and discrimination.