We are looking for a fully qualified senior youth worker to fulfil the role of Team Leader for Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. The post is part of an innovative national initiative to reduce inequalities and support young people who have been involved in exploitation, violence, and knife crime. The role of Team Leader is a completely new post to the youth work department in Leeds Teaching Hospitals (LTHT).

The post advertised has a key leadership and management role at a senior level and will provide specialist skills and expert knowledge to lead the organisation, delivery and implementation of all Youth Work services and strategy for patients aged 11-25 years across LTHT. You will lead, manage, and continue to develop the largest hospital-based Youth Work service in the country and further develop the Navigator project across LTHT and with our external partners. You will provide a first-class service that incorporates a wide range of engagement activities to enable young people to develop cognitive, social, and emotional skills throughout the illness trajectory, and to offer peer group support across all specialties. Some of this work will involve working shifts and weekends on a rota basis.

Expected Shortlisting Date

13/09/2024

Planned Interview Date

20/09/2024

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to work on a strategic and operational level in leading and managing the Youth Work Service and Navigator project across LTHT (under the Youth Work umbrella). This will also involve working with regional and national partners, developing our community outreach engagement programme as well as with young people aged 11-25 years who may be involved in antisocial behaviour, violence, gangs, or illegal activity. The role will require shift work including twilight and weekends on a rota basis.

This is a secondment role that is funded until 31st March 2025, it is anticipated that further funding will be sought moving forward. It is expected that applicants will have good experience in having worked with hard to engage young people to achieve positive outcomes and staff management experience. Individuals applying for this post should also be willing and able to work autonomously to actively engage young people in the hospital setting, going the extra mile to locate and engage service users.

About us

The A and E Navigators is a relatively new service aimed at supporting young people who have been victims of serious youth violence, coming through the hospital system.

Our team of professionally qualified youth workers, aim to engage and support the hard-to-reach young people to positively improve outcomes for these individuals.

Our hospital-based youth service is aimed at supporting young people with long term chronic health conditions.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Team Leader for the LTHT Youth Work Service & Navigator project has a key leadership and management role at a senior level and will provide specialist skills and expert knowledge to lead the organisation, delivery and implementation of all Youth Work services and strategy for patients aged 11-25 years across Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.

To lead, manage and continue to develop the largest hospital-based Youth Work service in the country and further develop the Navigator project across LTHT and with external partners. Provide a first-class service that incorporates a wide range of engagement activities to enable young people to develop cognitive, social, and emotional skills throughout the illness trajectory, and to offer peer group support across all specialties.

The Team Leader will work on a strategic and operational level across the trust to support the implementation of young person friendly, developmentally appropriate youth services for young people. To develop best practice guidelines for the care of young people at LTHT in collaboration with the Lead Nurse for Transition.

To develop, scope and realise the development of Youth Work related projects, which includes a Youth Work outreach service to ensure all patients within age range (with a particular focus on 16-17 year-olds in adult care) are needs assessed, and appropriately signposted to services supporting their social, emotional, vocational, and educational needs alongside their health care.

The post holder will lead on recruitment and retention of all Youth Work posts, manage the Navigator and Youth Work budget, support services in writing business cases for new posts, seek external fundraising opportunities and work collaboratively with the hospital charity.

To lead, develop and facilitate an education programme for all members of staff to highlight the unique needs of young people with long term health conditions and ensure staff are appropriately equipped to support them.

The post holder will provide leadership, management, and professional supervision to the band 6 senior youth workers. They will provide line management, one to one support and advice.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Adheres to National Occupational Standards (2020) for Youth Work as set out by the National Youth Agency.

Ensure an outstanding and equitable Youth Work Service is provided across Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.

Develops specialised individualised programs of youth work intervention.

Ensure all documentation related to the planning and recording of Youth Work intervention is accurate, accountable, and defensible.

Ensure that the Youth Service, within all clinical specialities, contributes to quality indicators such as the Department of Health 'You're Welcome' criteria.

Ensure the use of formalised risk assessments via service level agreement with Leeds City Council's EVOLVE system are adhered to.

Ensure that all staff are aware and adhere to the Trust's adverse incident reporting system (DATIX).

Promote and embed an evidence-based culture within Youth Services.

Ensure the skills, knowledge, and resources to deliver effective Youth Work services are identified and available within the department.

Ensure that the inter-professional approach to care is developed whilst patient and carer contributions are encouraged and acknowledged.

Promote innovative practice within the provision of youth work services.

Contribute to the development of effective clinical governance systems and structures, ensuring Youth Work representation as appropriate.

Be responsible for the adherence to the LTHT Lone Worker Policy for all Youth Work staff.

Ensure that Child protection and vulnerable adult legislation is adhered to by staff.

Produce quarterly reports to the Home Office in relation to Navigator, to the Children and Young Person board in relation to youth work services and an annual report to the LTHT trust board which will include an evaluation and audit of youth services across LTHT.

Lead the ongoing development of the hospital Youth Forum, support and input to patient & public involvement projects and consultations. Support the Trust to obtain user views regarding the service.

Ensure that there is a clearly defined platform for patient experience feedback, and this is utilised to understand patient need and guide service development.

Maintain a safe working environment.

The Band 7 Team Leader for the Youth Service will be aware of budget restraints both for staff and equipment.

Actively promote the philosophy and vision of the role, regionally and nationally.

Develop good working relationships with a range of professionals involved in the care of children and young people and their families locally and regionally as required.

Demonstrate self-motivation, and the ability to work under own initiative and without direct supervision, being accountable for own actions as lead expert in the field of youth work.

Attend Leeds Children's hospital board meetings as required to present a quarterly report.

Represent LTHT through attendance and presentation at relevant local, national, and international conferences/forums.

Provide a positive role model to staff.

Is an integral part of the senior team within Leeds Children's Hospital.

Delegate and empower staff without abdicating overall, continuing responsibility.

Raise concerns with regards to risk, danger, malpractice, or wrongdoing by following the LTHT Whistleblowing policy and supporting processes.

Provide a professional lead and role model to Youth Work staff.

Lead on the recruitment and retention of Youth Work staff.

Ensure an outstanding and equitable Youth Service is provided across Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust.

Liaise closely with speciality service leads regarding the provision of Youth Work.

Attend strategy meetings, case conferences and MDT meetings as required.

Support the LTHT Transition strategy by attendance at the transition steering group meetings.

Is proactive in research and service evaluation, disseminating findings to the appropriate forums.

Undertake audits as required.

Education and Training

Provide training and education for learners and other relevant staff members

Provides a structured education /training package for Youth Work students

Support the Young Person's Staff Champion Network as required.

Actively participate in the development of own personal development plan and performance review

Provide education and training to children, young people and their families or carers as required.

Keep up to date with developments, advances within the specialty.

Promote the importance of Youth Work to all professionals including students and new staff members.

Leadership and Management

Lead by example and act as a professional and positive role model for all staff, young people/service users, parents/carers and the public at all times taking responsibility for your own professional development.

Lead, co-ordinate, organise and prioritise your own work and the work of the team on a day-to-day basis. Provide leadership that promotes best patient outcomes.

Provide leadership oversight on the use of Youth Work areas within the Trust (e.g.Place 2be, Youth Work and Navigator offices etc).

Providing clinical leadership and line management of staff ensuring the delivery of the highest professional standards through staff development and individual performance appraisal/review.

Role model standards of care and expected behaviour through participation in direct patient interactions.

Maintain personal standards of conduct and behaviour, which are consistent with the Leeds Way and the Trust codes of conduct.

Actively contribute, lead and support agreed developments within Youth Work services and implementation of change.

Lead Youth Work staff to develop pro-active communication strategies for young people, relatives, and Multi-disciplinary Team (MDT) members, internal and external.

Identify and address training and education required to meet service and patient needs through appraisal and Personal Development Plans (PDP's).

Support the implementation of human resource policies within the service and develop a positive performance culture that celebrates successes and takes steps to manage poor performance in line with Human Resources (HR) policies.

Promote the Youth Work contribution to the Multi0disciplinary Team within the Trust.

Provides expert specialist advice and support regarding Youth Work across the wider Trust and where appropriate to external partners.

Clinical Governance:

Practice according to the professional code of conduct laid down by the National Youth Agency in National Occupational Standards (2020).

Practice and comply with the Trust's Clinical Governance Strategy.

Ensure health and safety, infection control and security regulations are adhered to.

Maintain Youth Work equipment and resources. Ensure all equipment meets Health and Safety and Infection Control standards.

Participate in risk assessments and formulating policies and guidelines.

Investigate and respond to complex events/incidents including accidents, complaints, untoward incidents, and other significant events.

Produce and implement policy and practice guidelines specific to youth work leading timely review and changes where appropriate.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• The development of adolescents and the effects of hospitalisation on it
• Significant post qualification experience at a manager level, managing a service or equivalent youth work experience within a health or community setting.
• Experience of managing and leading a team, service development and or change management.
• Insight into effects of hospitalisation/illness on the young person, family and peers, the development of young people and the development of youth services.
• Experience in managing budgets.
• Experience in recruitment and retention of staff.
• Experience in fundraising.

Desirable

• Working in a healthcare setting.
• Experience of supporting young people through Transition from paediatric services to adult-led services.
• Familiar with Ready Steady Go and/or tools for Transition.

Skills & Behaviours

Essential

• Leadership skills.
• Able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Young people focused.
• Committed to working with young people and their families.
• Insight into the pressure experienced by adolescents and young people
• An affinity with young people and sense of humour.
• Ability to motivate and inspire a team through change.
• Advanced communication skills.
• Teaching and assessment skills.
• Organisational skills.
• Time management skills.
• Change management skills.
• Team player.
• Conflict management.
• Ability to manage stress and own emotions.

Desirable

• Uses initiative to
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