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Sessional work:  Working with families in East Perthshire

Closing date:  Wednesday 8th January 2020

This is an opportunity to do a small amount of sessional work for Outside the Box.

  • From January – to end of April 2020
  • 60-80 hours sessional work over this period
  • £20 per hour, plus transport and other costs in the area as agreed in advance.

This is not a contract of employment.

Download Job Description in PDF form

Background

The role will be part of the wider project Peer Support for Families.  Work on this project has included:

  • Working with Grandparents who balance work with caring responsibilities to develop supports
  • Queer Families to set up parenting peer support groups and share experiences
  • Mums Wellbeing at Work develops an understanding of good wellbeing practice in the workplace to support mums in their access to work.
  • Each strand of work will inform our Circles of Support learning resource, which will share learning and sign post families to meaningful support networks.
  • There is more about this project and other work we do on our website: otbds.org

We want to explore what families who have a child with disabilities or additional support needs would find helpful.

  • This will then be part of our planning for development work over the coming year or so.
  • It is part of our working alongside other voluntary organisations and other partners in Perth and Kinross.
  • It may also be part of making the case for a pilot project to take on suggestions that people make for activities that will provide peer support or other direct support for families.

We are focusing the work around Dunkeld and the eastern parts of Perth and Kinross. Initial conversations show that families in this area are struggling to reach services based in surrounding areas and want something that is local that reflects their situations and preferences.

Tasks

Your tasks will be:

  • Talking to parents and perhaps members of the wider family such as grandparents and siblings, and where appropriate to the children involved.
  • Exploring their priorities and their ideas on what would make life easier for the family
  • Exploring how they might want to be involved in taking things forward, either over the next year.
  • Working alongside members of the Outside the Box team to reflect on what you have identified and how this could be taken forward
  • Reporting on what you have heard by the end of March. This should be in a form that works for OTB planning and for feeding back to families and other people in the local area.

About the person we need

You will have relevant experience of structuring conversations to gain an understanding of people’s experiences and views and in recording conversations to gather a sound evidence base. This should be underpinned by a good understanding of the situations facing families in these circumstances.

You will be available to do this work in between your other commitments and able to meet families at times that are convenient to them.

You have experience of working as part of a small team and of planning and completing work with colleagues within agreed timescales.

You are able to drive and have access to a car.

You will report to Jill Keegan, Community Development Adviser responsible for overall project delivery and reporting. You can speak directly to Jill if you have any concerns arising from conversations.

We do not expect this work to need PVG membership, as it does not involve spending time alone with children or with other vulnerable people.   You will be aware and responsible on related issues, and work in ways that keep everyone safe, and will work to established good practice as set out in the Outside the Box policies and handbook.

You are working on a self-employed basis and take responsibly for National Insurance, tax and pension arrangements.

We have a small office at the Dunkeld Co-working space and you will be able to use this as a base for this work.

 How to apply

  • Provide a 2 page overview outlining your skills and experience relevant to this work.
  • This can include personal, community experience as well as paid work.
  • A note of your availability, such as dates and times when you have other commitments.
  • The names and contacts of 2 people who know you relevant to this work who will provide a reference for you.
  • Please provide your contact details, application overview and references in one document and send to jill.k@otbds.org

Please respond by the Wednesday 8th January 2020.

If you have any queries about this role please contact Jill Keegan on 07841015949 or jill.k@otbds.org

We may not be around so much over 23 December to 6 January.

We aim to meet applicants before we make a decision.