Play Development Deputy Site Leader

Salary: Band 6 - £24,148 - £27,852 (pro rata)

Permanent

Posts available (please detail in your application which post you are applying for):

• 37 hours per week
• 30 hours per week on an annualised contracted hours basis - working around 23 hours per week term time and 37 hours per week during school holidays

The role requires minimal leave to be taken in school holidays and therefore we allow at a maximum five consecutive days to be taken in the school summer holidays, and a further five days which can be taken in separate denominations within other school holiday periods.

The role involves evening, weekend, and bank holiday working within a 6-day rota Mon - Sat.

The Service:

The Play and Youth Service has six adventure playgrounds and four youth clubs, with additional youth projects in the city. The best way to learn about the service is to visit our PYC (Play, Youth & Communities) website - https://www.pycportsmouth.co.uk/

What is the role?

You will be the Play Development Deputy Site Leader based in one of PCC's 6 adventures playgrounds (APG), deputising for the Play Development Site Leader which can includes supervising a small team and ensuring that both health and safety and safeguarding procedures are adhered to. The Play Development Deputy Site Leader is part of a team of permanent and casual staff employed to:

• provide opportunities for and enable quality play experiences in line with the playwork principles
• understanding of the importance of play and risk in play for children and young people
• encourage and enable children and young people of differing abilities to play
• engage and communicate with children from varying backgrounds as well as interacting with their parents, building links within the local community and with partner agencies working towards achieving the best outcomes for children.
• intervene appropriately and sensitively to the needs and abilities of children and young people, ensuring safeguarding is paramount
• operate and maintain the playground and play equipment in a safe and satisfactory condition in accordance with PYC's aims and policies
• carry out regular health and safety checks and undertake administrative duties as requested by the Play Development Site Leader
• be a reflective playworker and see new experiences as opportunities to develop new skills
• take on the duties of the Play Development Site Leader in their absence

Please see the full job profile attached here for all details & duties of the role!

Who is the Person?

The following qualities and experience are essential (Please address these qualities in your application):

1. Numeracy, literacy and communication skills, including the ability to use IT systems.
2. Understanding of children and young people’s differing needs and abilities.
3. Ability to work with children face to face in a playful environment.
4. Ability to work in a a physically demanding role, with work predominantly outdoors on the adventure playground.
5. Able to deliver all types of play activities including but not limited to: fire and water play, structure building (self-build), arts and crafts activities, sport activities, creative and imaginative play, gardening and nature based activities and supporting day trips and residential activities.
6. Have a good understanding of structure building (self-build), maintenance and repairs; able to perform inspections of play structures and the playground space, and carry out remedial repairs and ongoing maintenance.
7. Ability to work in a small team; adaptable and self-disciplined in an informal working environment.
8. To be welcoming and approachable to children, young people, parents and other visitors, and to support partnership forming, extending and sustaining relationships in the local community.
9. Able to work under pressure and manage conflict.
10. Commitment to PYC and PCC policies, especially Health and Safety and Safeguarding.
11. Able to work flexibly across the week and able to work on Saturdays and throughout school holidays.

The following would be desirable:

1. A recognised playwork qualification, or equivalent
2. A clean full driving license, with MIDAS.
3. A First Aid qualification

We will be shortlisting & interviewing as & when, as the advert goes along.

When completing the application form, please thoroughly tailor your application to the 'Who is the Person' points with the use of examples from your experience and attach this as a cover letter in the Supporting Documents section. This is really important or you are likely not to be shortlisted. The full job profile is attached here.

We are a disability confident employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible and welcome applications from all areas of society. 

We really appreciate our employees and fully realise they are essential to our success and look to offer an inclusive, supportive working environment where employees can reach their potentials with a healthy work life balance, offering the following rewards:

• A generous pension scheme
• Up to 31 days annual leave per year  (from 2023)+ bank holidays
• A range of retail discounts via our reward portal offering discounts at retailers including IKEA, Currys, Tesco
• Free Access to E