Project Worker, Extension Youth Service, Dublin

Contract: Permanent Contract, Full Time 

Location: George's Hill, Dublin 7 

The Extension Service is a Youth Service & Drop-in centre and is often the first point of contact homeless young people make when accessing homeless services. We are a stable place for young people, providing them with basic essentials like food, showers and laundry facilities. In addition, we are a 'place of change' whereby young people are engaged in individual and group settings to create a pathway out of homelessness as quickly as possible. 

What you will do:

• To work within the overall policies and procedures of Focus Ireland, inclusive of Health and Safety Policy and ensure their implementation
• To provide a safe, welcoming environment for young people aged 16-25 that are out of home/or at risk, including the provision of basic physical care and support within the day service.
• To establish trusting relationships especially with young people who are living on the streets or in temporary accommodation and who are unattached or out-of-home and engage them in work that enables them to move to a more stable lifestyle.
• To develop methods, structures and relationships to support the young person with their individual housing, welfare rights and entitlements and to access move on accommodation.  
• To facilitate group work that is both educative and fun, utilising non-formal education methodologies.
• To provide Advice, Information and Guidance as a prevention or in response to being out of home. 
• To develop and maintain professional links with other agencies and services that may offer services to young people. Assisting in the coordination of services for the young people
• To accompany and provide support to young people on appointments to other services i.e. doctors, counsellors, court etc and to provide support to young people whilst in custody and to supervise young people on outside activities
• To be responsible for keeping up to date casework records, daily logs and written assessments. Inputting information on the Focus Ireland Database.
• To assist with practical tasks essential for the running of the project
• To work a flexible rota to include evenings and weekends to meet the objectives of the service. 
• In conjunction with your Line Manager continuously develop the role to ensure that all tasks are being undertaken in an effective and appropriate manner to meet the strategic aims and objectives of the Focus Ireland.
• In consultation, to undertake any other responsibilities and duties as may be reasonably assigned by the Team Leader, Manager, Head of Youth Services, or Director of Services.  

 What you will need:

• A Third Level qualification at degree level in the area of social care i.e. youth work, social studies, addiction, psychology etc
• Direct experience in the youth work/social care field working with disadvantaged young people.
• A strong knowledge of issues affecting young people out-of-home and their impact on young people and their physical, emotional, and psychological development.
• Relevant experience of dealing with high risk and challenging behaviour.
• Relevant experience of working in a team which shares a common goal.
• Computer literate.

Ideally: 

• Knowledge of the National Quality Standards Framework for Youth Work 2011.
• An awareness of child protection issues and ways of responding appropriately to any concerns.

Focus Ireland is an equal opportunities employer