Playworker Lead
ROLE: Playworker Lead
SALARY: £3,900 (£19,000 Pro Rata)
CONTRACT TYPE: 7.5 hrs – Sessions Thursday 3:00pm – 6:30pm and Thursday 3:00 – 7:00pm, 10 month contract. (Extension funding dependent)
OPERATIONAL AREA: West of England
LOCATION: The Vench, Lockleaze Youth & Play Space, Romney Avenue, Bristol, BS5 9AN
Groundwork South is committed to transforming people’s lives and places through social, economic and environmental action. In terms of development and delivery of these projects we work across three business themes, Parks & Open Spaces, Youth & Employment and Greener Living & Working.
This is an exciting opportunity to join The Vench’s play team and deliver inclusive, safe, free and exciting play and activities for children, young people and families. We are looking for an experienced playworker to lead our play session on a Thursday and Friday after school.
The Vench is a much-loved adventure playground and community centre in the heart of Lockleaze. For over 45 years we’ve been inspiring imaginative play in a safe, supportive and fun environment to help children and young people learn and grow.
Main Duties
- As playworker lead, to oversee the running of The Vench’s open access sessions and provide guidance, support, encouragement and feedback to other Groundwork staff and volunteers in delivering high quality and diverse play opportunities for children aged 8-13 years, and for younger children attending with their parents (in line with the Playwork Principles).
- To ensure that staff engagement with the playground and its users are proactive and that all the necessary areas of delivery are covered.
- To take responsibility for maintaining our health & safety policies and procedures during the session.
- To facilitate and support children’s self-directed play.
- To introduce ideas and activities and support children’s initiatives that help to create a challenging, stimulating and rich play environment.
- To be responsive to a range of play types, behaviours and experiences and allow children control and autonomy over the content and intent of their play; whilst challenging behaviour in children that impinges on the experience and enjoyment of other children and young people.
- To collaborate with other staff in the planning and running of sessions so that the playground offers a broad range of play and activities, considering the needs and wishes of children, families and the wider community.
- To apply anti discriminatory and anti-oppressive practices at all times and to work in line with Groundwork’s equalities policy.
- To provide a warm, welcoming and inclusive play environment where individuals are valued, and appropriate adaptations are made to maximise all children’s engagement with play.
- To work professionally as part of a team, participating in individual and team reflective playwork practice; supervision; appraisal; professional development; recording; reporting; and contributing to quality improvements as required.
- To contribute to the collection of data, recording information and maintaining records, as needed. For example, daily registers, accident and incident forms etc.
- To actively engage in consultation with the children and encourage participation in and ownership of The Vench.
- To oversee and support the preparation and serving of food.
Apply Now
For more information regarding the post please contact Charley Murrell on 01179 103930.
To apply email your application to Laura Dyke ldyke@groundwork.org.uk
Or post to Groundwork South, Riverside Community Centre, Dickens Road, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 2JY
Closing Date: 23.01.20
Interview Date: Following week
Start Date: ASAP
CVs will not be accepted. No agencies please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please note that we reserve the right to close applications early in the event of a large response.
This post will be subject to an Enhanced Check with Lists from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Groundwork South’s Working with Children & Vulnerable Adults Policy supports staff in putting into practice our commitment to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18.
We are committed to the employment and career development of disabled people. To demonstrate our commitment, we have been awarded the Disability Confident Scheme Symbol, which is awarded by the Employment Service. We guarantee an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the post. If you consider yourself to have a disability and would like to apply under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please complete the Guaranteed Interview Scheme form (at the top of our current vacancies page) and submit this with your application. We shall ensure fairness and equal opportunities throughout our workforce and in-service delivery.
Groundwork South is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We welcome applications from suitably skilled candidates regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, sexuality, religion or age. A copy of our Equality and Diversity policy may also be made available to candidates on request.