Part-Time Reading Heroes Coordinator
Job Description
We are looking for a highly organised coordinator with strong interpersonal skills to join our Reading Heroes team. This role is responsible for coordinating the Reading Heroes project, which promotes the benefits of 1-2-1 reading by matching Care Experienced children with trained volunteers. The Reading Heroes Coordinator recruits these volunteers and offers regular, specific support from the setting up of a placement, through the 6-month reading journey, and as a reading placement ends. The Reading Heroes Coordinator is also responsible for the handling of referrals and contact between referral partners, regular contact with carers, and the promotion of Reading Heroes legacy events, to keep our participants engaged in Shared Reading. The project aims to develop child confidence, self-esteem, improved relationships with reading and reading for pleasure.
What else can we offer you?
- Flexible Working Options including home working
- A chance to personally experience the wellbeing benefits of Shared Reading – we do lots of reading in the workplace and you’ll have the opportunity to visit our community groups and train in Shared Reading if you’d like to lead one yoursel
- Generous holiday entitlement
- Beautiful Head Office location at Calderstones Mansion House, in the middle of
Calderstones Park. Here you can benefit from walking meetings in one of Liverpool’s largest parks and staff discounts in our café and ice cream parlour - Great colleagues – You’ll be working with a whole range of supportive, creative
colleagues.
Key Responsibilities
- Recruiting and supporting volunteers on our children’s projects. This includes
being responsible for the recruitment, induction, training, monitoring and regular review of volunteers who are reading with Care Experienced Children and Young People. - To treat each child we work with as an individual and find creative, person-centered solutions to any issues that arise.
- To approach emotional and challenging situations with empathy, self-awareness
and emotional resilience. - Able to demonstrate good knowledge and a deep connection with literature to be
able to advise and support volunteers on suitable reading material for their
sessions. - Communicating project information regularly in person, on the phone and via
email with volunteers, children, young people and their careers. Responding to
information requests from local authorities and other referral partners and liaise
about referrals and ongoing placements. - Supporting manager to identify, build and maintain strong working relationships with referral partners that include local authorities and other groups such as adoption support and kinship carers.
- Real commitment to and understanding of the importance of meeting agreed
targets and KPI’s: EG. Meet agreed number of children reading and volunteers
supported. - Ensuring that all processes relating to record keeping, data protection,
safeguarding, and quality monitoring are consistently applied and are in line with best practice in the sector. - Working with the evaluation team to ensure all aspects of Reading Heroes activity across the project are adequately monitored and evaluated.
- Coordinate and deliver a series of lively and enjoyable events for the young
people involved in the project. - Ordering books for participants and volunteers and maintaining accurate records.
- Supporting the report writing / bid writing processes as required.
- Managing the hybrid of Zoom and in-person Reading Heroes placements,
ensuring volunteers and carers receive correct Zoom links in good time, and
ensuring Risk Assessments are carried out for in-person placements.
Person Specification
- Able to use IT to ensure work is completed efficiently and effectively (E)
- Able to work with children who may require additional support (E)
- Able to demonstrate safeguarding knowledge and complete appropriate enhanced DBS checks (E)
- Able to initiate and implement change (E)
- A good communicator with great speaking, listening and writing skills (E)
- Able to make and maintain appropriate relationships with stakeholders (E)
- Confident in dealing with challenging behaviours, distressing situations and
vulnerable people (E) - Self-motivated and able to work unsupervised (E)
- Experience of managing volunteers in a variety of different settings (D)
- Shares our ethos and values (E)
- UK driving license and access to a vehicle (E)
- Understanding and experience of The Reader’s Shared Reading model (D)
This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive. It is issued as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility. You will be expected to carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in line with your main duties and changing priorities of the organisation.
How to Apply
If you’re inspired by our mission, are looking for a new challenge, and want to work for aforward-thinking organisation at a really interesting time, we’d love to hear from you. To learn more about The Reader please visit https://www.thereader.org.uk/job/reading-heroes-coordinator/ to download our recruitment pack and send completed application forms to laurakershaw@thereader.org.uk104 total views, 0 today