Job Description for New Futures Facilitator

Ireland’s national organisation for people parenting alone, sharing parenting and separating, is recruiting a New Futures Facilitator. One Family’s vision is that every family in Ireland will be cherished equally, and will enjoy the social, financial and legal equality to create their own positive future.

One Family Programmes Service

The One Family Programmes Service provides adult employability programmes to people parenting alone or sharing parenting. The service aims to develop and provide a range of best practice programmes that empower parents to move into education or work.

One Family’s New Steps programme is a 6-week parenting support and self-development programme. New Steps can be taken as a stand-alone programme and is also designed as an introductory course into our New Futures programme.

The New Futures Employability Programme is a 16 week, innovative, motivational, manualised, bridging programme based on evidence-informed practice for supporting people distant from the labour market.

One Family’s employability and education programmes are part supported by funding received under the Gender Equality Activity of the European Social Fund (ESF) Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (‘PEIL’) and the Employment and Social Innovation Programme (EaSI). The Gender Equality Activity aims to promote social inclusion and combat discrimination in the labour market. The Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme aims to promote a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, combating social exclusion, poverty, and improving working conditions.

We commenced delivery of New Steps and New Futures via online delivery from September 2020. We further enhanced and adapted the programme for online delivery to include facilitated Zoom classes, purpose built online learning platform and online wraparound supports & key working.

New Futures Facilitator

This post will provide the right applicant with the opportunity to work as part of a dynamic and exciting project, providing group training and support to women detached from the labour market. The project aims to support people parenting alone or sharing parenting through our flagship New Futures Employability programme and assist them in accessing further education, training and employment.

This post has responsibility for the weekly delivery of facilitated group sessions via Zoom and learners will also engage weekly in self-directed online learning on our course platform. The successful applicant will work closely with, and be supported by, the New Futures Project Co-Ordinator and Programmes Manager throughout the project.

Job Description

Responsibilities will include:

  • Work in a group setting with learners throughout their period of engagement with the New Futures Employability Programme
  • Provide training programmes with all due professional care and skill
  • To facilitate and support participants to complete the programmes successfully
  • To maintain accurate records and ensure that all attendance, log sheets & other required documentation are completed
  • Complete session plans, timetables and reviews in conjunction with the Programmes team
  • Develop or adapt new programme content, as required
  • Provide weekly feedback on sessions to the New Futures Co-ordinator
  • Liaise with the One Family Programmes Team around the progression and support needs of clients including the wrap-around services of Counselling & Parenting
  • Liaise with our Educational Technologist to ensure our online platform has relevant and engaging content that complements the live facilitated classes
  • To assist in the retention of learners
  • To oversee correction of assignments and assessments, offering feedback to learners

Other

  • To attend all required staff meetings, trainings and development days
  • Participate in supervision and reviews with your line manager
  • Participate in peer support
  • To undertake other areas of work where necessary or as requested

The New Futures Facilitator in One Family will be responsible to the One Family Programmes Manager and the New Futures Project Co-Ordinator daily and will be subject to all the policies and procedures of One Family. The job description of the New Futures Facilitator is designed in response to a strategic planning process and is subject to change in line with the overall strategic goals of the organization.

Person Specification – suitable candidates will have the following:

  • Have a third level or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline e.g. Social Care, Psychology, Education, Life/Career Coaching or similar
  • Have excellent IT skills and experience of supporting clients online
  • Have extensive experience in group facilitation and client support
  • Have excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills and professional boundaries
  • Active listening skills
  • Have interest in and experience of working with a socially excluded client group in a progression focused way
  • Have a strong client-focused perspective
  • Knowledge of education providers in Ireland, education progression routes, the employment market and skill development opportunities
  • Ability to manage sensitive information and issues including child protection and domestic violence
  • Be enthusiastic, motivated and innovative
  • Be a self-starter with the ability to work in a team
  • Be well-organized with good attention to detail

Although not essential, ideal candidates would also:

  • Experience/ training in the area of coaching, mentoring or adult education guidance
  • Have experience in working with one-parent families
  • Have experience of working in the Irish voluntary/community sector

Further Details

This is a fixed term (until 28th February 2024), part-time post of 15 hours per week on an annual salary of € 34,034 pro rata (€14,586 for 15 hours). Flexibility regarding hours of work is essential to meet the needs of our clients.

This post is subject to a 6-month probationary period. The role can be based remotely, but the successful candidate must be able to attend One Family’s offices in Smithfield, Dublin 7, when required. A panel may be formed as a result of this recruitment process, from which current and future vacancies may be filled for this or other funded projects within the Programmes service.

A cover letter and CV addressing the role and the required competencies as outlined above should be emailed to Valerie Maher, Programmes & Information Manager, One Family at: info@onefamily.ie.

Closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday July 1st, 2022. It is anticipated that first and second round interviews will take place shortly after this date.

One Family is an equal opportunities employer

This project is part supported by the Irish Government, European Union and the European Social Fund as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion & Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020 and the Employment & Social Innovation Programme (EaSI) 2021-2027