Job title: Gypsy Roma Traveller Outreach worker

Salary: C1 £29,542 - £32,046

Hours: 37 per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Technorth

We are currently recruiting for the following to join our dedicated Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) Team:

Czech/Slovak speaking Family Outreach Worker

Romanian speaking Family Outreach worker

This is a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of families within the GRT communities. We are looking for individuals who are:

Culturally competent and sensitive to the needs of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities
Fluent in Czech/Slovak, Romanian to effectively engage with families
Passionate about outreach, advocacy, and building trust within diverse communities
Committed to promoting inclusion, access to services, and positive outcomes for families

As a Gypsy Roma Traveller Outreach Worker you will thrive on supporting a community who are statistically more likely than others to experience barriers accessing support services. In your family led practice, you will take a strengths based approach, supporting all children and families to stay safe, healthy and reach their full potential. This means that should difficulties arise, you will involve families in decision making to problem solve and be solution focussed in your thinking.

This role involves supporting daily drop in sessions within School and Community settings where you will provide initial advice and guidance to ensure members of the community and services work restoratively together. You will also hold a caseload providing direct family support. This will include a range of parenting support activities, helping families to recognise and understand professional concerns and helping to remove the barriers to working with other key professionals.

As a Family Outreach Worker, you will bring to the role:

Fluency in written and spoken Czech/Slovak and/or Romanian
A good understanding of the challenges faced by the Roma community
A good understanding of cultural sensitivity
Ability to work restoratively applying our High Support High Challenge approach
Flexible approach to provide parenting support in challenging circumstances

This is a challenging but highly rewarding role, based in a small but effective team. Days are varied and the team demonstrate a range of skills and approaches to meet the demands of supporting a community facing ongoing issues around poverty, school attendance, health concerns and navigating the UK systems. The role is effective because we are responsive to our aims in Leeds to provide safe homes for children and reduce families facing poverty.

You can expect to receive regular peer and management support; you will have access to continued professional development and will be joining an established, well respected and nationally recognised team

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

If you would like an informal chat please contact: helen.binns@leeds.gov.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose:

To supervise and lead the development of family outreach city wide within the Gypsy Roma Traveller communities.

To lead on the development of positive respectful and responsive relationships with parent’s carers, and partners to enable children to have the best start in life. To work in an outreach capacity, engaging with the Gypsy Roma Traveller community providing advocacy, information, one to one sessions, group work and support to identify need within the Gypsy Roma Traveller community. To signpost and contribute towards the delivery of services.

Initiate and lead on multi agency work around the Gypsy Roma Traveller communities.

Special Conditions this post is subject to a higher level check with the Disclosure & Barring Service. Please note that a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining employment; this will depend on the circumstances and background to any offence.

Responsibilities:

Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
To participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills
To improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
To work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
To lead and supervise staff in the delivery of family outreach services to Gypsy Roma Traveller families, working in partnership with agencies to deliver the core offer to children and families.
To engage with parents/carers of children of the Gypsy Roma Traveller community’s city wide in a respectful and responsive way.
To encourage their engagement in Childcare/Early Education/ group activities.
To work as part of a multi-agency team to promote cohesive services for families.
To disseminate and promote advocacy, information and advice to parents/carers within the Gypsy Roma Traveller communities within the Leeds Boundaries.
To work in venues within the city and roadside camps to promote the opportunities for Gypsy Roma Traveller children and families.
To lead on the consultation and evaluation of service delivery and ensure that support is given to families within agreed timescales.
To work alongside families with a range of focused services that will support parents with Children. To encourage participation and discussion
To deliver services within the home, trailer or roadside and roadside camps that meet the needs of the individual child/children and families.
To deliver workshops and speak at conferences to add value to the work with Gypsy Roma Traveller children and families.
To disseminate good practice in community-based childcare and support students or visitors from a range of agencies.
To promote the development of children and parents learning through play, communication, language, and literacy
To lead on Safeguarding and promotion of the wellbeing of children whilst providing professional support to parents and workers from other agencies. In line with LAC and Safeguarding Children’s partnership Procedures
To advocate on behalf of parents/carers to support their access to health and benefit advice
To manage the delivery of Early Help and ensure that this is embedded in their everyday practice.
To be a reflective observant practitioner who seeks to improve and extend their and others knowledge taking an active interest in new developments in family support, by attending staff meetings, parents meetings and training opportunities

Qualifications

Relevant Qualifications or experience include

NVQ Level 3 in Childcare, Health, Education, Social Care or Adult Learning Support
CACHE Diploma in Childcare and Education
BTEC National Diploma in Childhood Studies
Certificate in Education
DIP HE in Youth and Community Work
Social work qualification
Health qualification
Foundation Degree in family Support

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities: Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate

Skills Required

Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
Able to communicate effectively with children, parents/ carers and partners working in partnership at all times.
Able to listen to Gypsy Roma Traveller children’s and parent's views, value their experience and empathise to build on their strengths.
To disseminate information and offer advice and advocacy
Able to understand and respond to the range of factors that create stress for Gypsy Roma Traveller children and families through consultation.
A commitment to being a good role model to Gypsy Roma Traveller children and families and other staff members.
Ability to effectively lead and manage own workload. Influencing and persuading other multi agency and professionals to consider alternative views about Gypsy Roma Traveller families and negotiate to reach agreed ways forward.
Ability to motivates families through change and challenging ways of working to meet agreed goals.
A commitment to working in partnership with Gypsy Roma Traveller parents/ carers and partners to negotiate agreed outcomes.
A commitment to early intervention as a means of making a positive difference to the lives of young Gypsy Roma Traveller children through observation and assessment of need.
Ability to provide a stimulating environment for Gypsy Roma Traveller children and families in various settings and throughout the process of transitions.
Ability to work effectively in a multi disciplinary team, alone, within own service sector and other agencies where necessary.
Ability to prepare and present written reports as and when required, and contribute to written text for books and journals
Ability to take responsibility for the quality of work acknowledging mistakes find solutions and learning from the experience.
Able to supervise students and provide training opportunities for Gypsy Roma Traveller parents.
Ability to develop a sensitive approach to the care of families in a multi-cultural environment and to work in an anti-oppressive manner within the service.
Relevant IT skills.

Knowledge Required

knowledge and understanding of those issues which create pressures for families, especially in relation to the Gypsy Roma Traveller communities
A working knowledge of current legislation.
A knowledge of wider context of services and benefits available to children and families

Experience Required

Experience, paid or unpaid working with children and families in a community setting
Experience of working in a culturally diverse environment with parents from minority ethnic communities and vulnerable groups
Experience of working in partnerships with other agencies
Experience of working in close partnerships with parents and carers

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

Committed to continuous improvement.
Ability to understand and observe Leeds City Council Equal Opportunities Policy.
To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development
Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS: It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role. Candidates are not required to meet all the Desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate

Experience Required

Experience in managing staff and students
Experience of speaking to large audiences
Experience of working with Gypsy Roma Traveller Communities
Experience in leading staff training.