FRS – Youth Worker JOB DESCRIPTION

Reporting to:

Director of Youth, Education and Development

Liaison with:

Principal Rabbi, Cantor, Youth & Education Manager, Chair of Y&E Committee, Executive Director, Director of Spiritual Development, Kindergarten Head teacher, and Synagogue Manager, Y&E Committee members, parent reps and Youth

Educstor. Hours:

30 per week (1,440 hours annually)

Job purpose: The FRS Youth Worker sees their personal relationship with young people as central to their role, and works to develop young people’s relationships with each other, with FRS and with their own Judaism. Actively reaching out to young people and their families, the Youth Worker focusses on each young person’s own potential, and helps them to reach it through engaging in the range of Youth and Education programmes FRS offers. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team of clergy and educators, the Youth Worker initiates and develops new projects, and contributes their own unique perspective to the successful work of the FRS Youth and Education team.

Responsibilities To oversee and lead the Youth Journey, identifying and encouraging young people to take their next steps towards a more engaged and fulfilling relationship with FRS, each other and their own Judaism. This is currently achieved through the following activities, but the Youth Worker is an individual who will identify new opportunities and take the lead in developing this programme. 1. After school clubs – launching and working with children in Reception –school year 6,, ensuring that the programme inspires and engages them with the synagogue and Judaism whilst keeping them safe. The Youth Worker leads a process of continual reassessment of the club’s effectiveness and makes the necessary modifications to fit changing needs of synagogue youth. 2. Summer and winter Schemes. Running the holiday day schemes by recruiting, training and supporting the group of Year 9– 13 madrichim to help lead on the schemes, oversee the tochnit, create publicity and oversee bookings. The

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3. Youth Worker is the first point of contact for families and ensures the safety and welfare of chanichim on our schemes. 4. Residential schemes – Running the residential or sleepover schemes for all age ranges, as appropriate including, but not limited, to Hadracha, Sababa, Donut Weekend, and Mega Weekend. This includes recruiting and developing madrichim, overseeing the programme, promoting the schemes to families and chanichim, drawing up budgets, choosing and liaising with venues and managing the booking process. 5. Tuesday Afternoon Programme (TAP), our B’nei mitzvah programme for school years 6-8 – Recruit and manage madrichim with the aim to help run a smooth and creative ‘Welcome Hour’ for TAP every Tuesday during term time, working with the team to deliver a range of activities during welcome hour to appeal to the range of different needs, and being part of the teaching team. The Youth Worker works with madrichim to ensure the welfare and safety of chanichim during this hour, and teaches as part of the team for the rest of the evening. 6. Be part of Friday Group B’nei Mitsvah programme as appropriate, using this space to develop relationships with young people, and to support them on the bar or bat mitzvah journey and beyond. 7. Madrichim – Recruit, train, and help develop madrichim at various levels (from entry level to more senior) both for their own personal development and toward becoming active leaders in the community, supporting Kochavim, our Reception to year 5 programme, TAP, Residentials, Schemes, after-school Club and other youth programming. The Youth Worker leads Hadracha training at both the residential weekend and follow up days, and updates the Hadracha training Guide. 8. The Youth Worker leads Youth Council and makes sure that the voices of young people are heard across the FRS community 9. Youth & Education Committee – Attend Y&E committee meetings and coordinate with lay representatives in thinking strategically and practically about all youth programming. 10. B’nei Mitzvah Celebration weekend. Support the clergy and Director of YED, by running the annual Celebration weekend ensuring the programme and the communication is appropriate and inspiring.

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11. Teen Provision. Working with Roshim and FRS’ Youth Educator to develop and run one- off social events as well as working with them on hadracha training to help deliver programmes for younger children. 12. International trips. Help run international trips in conjunction with RSY and other synagogues. 13. Working with RSY Netzer. The Youth Worker continues to promote FRS’ relationship with RSY Netzer, through involvement in the RSY Netzer Tzevet, and to ensure that our chanichim make the most of the opportunities to engage with RSY Netzer, and that RSY supports the growth and development of our youth provision. 14. Festival and service support. Work with volunteers and young people to deliver age appropriate activities and services on Shabbat and Chagim. 15. Tikkun Olam. Ensure tikkun olam is woven throughout fabric of youth initiatives at FRS as appropriate for various age levels.

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Person Specification Essential Ability & Experience

Desirable

Demonstrates a creative and inspirational leadership

Can describe own ability to think strategically and implement new ideas.

Experience of leadership in a Jewish youth movement

Demonstrates knowledge of progressive Jewish youth work Active lay or professional involvement in the Jewish community

Good communicator across all age groups and audiences and can demonstrate a proactive and strategic approach to communicating with young people and their families. Models appropriate boundaries in communicating with young people and other key audiences through social media such as Facebook and Twitter. A desire and ability to empower and motivate young people. Ability to identify potential, encourage young people to take on new roles and to develop others though supporting and challenging them An ability to manage and supervise other people’s work. Experience in recruiting and retaining young volunteers Experience in planning events

Experience in creating simple budgets for single events, handling site bookings and setting up booking systems

A willingness to learn from experience and peers A high level of personal motivation and enthusiasm for Jewish youth work and education, and demonstrates an ambitious approach towards youth leadership within a synagogue setting

A desire to pursue a career in youth work in the longer term

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Flexible – willing to work some evenings and weekends Skills required Experienced in Youth work

Strong IT skills, esp on website, Facebook, Twitter, Outlook, Word, Excel, Publisher

Strong Listening Skills

Knowledgeable of Reform Judaism and Hebrew and Jewish terms.

Formal qualifications in the area of Youth Work Working proactively and effectively progressing projects

Personal Qualities Embraces the aims and values of Reform Judaism A calm, confident, supportive and friendly manner The ability to speak to a wide variety of adults and young people in a diplomatic manner Willingness and availability to work on some evenings and weekends Willingness to develop and learn new skills as the work requires A natural warmth and understanding

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