Head of Youth Work and Mission

Head of Youth Work and Mission

JOB DESCRIPTION

Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Oxygen

Hours: 37.5 hours per week. This role requires flexible working, including some evenings, occasional Saturdays/Sundays, and weekends when running residentials for young people, plus regular shifts at the Oxygen shop.

Salary: £36,000 – £39,000 per annum, plus pension and life cover and cycle to work scheme.

Location: Kingston upon Thames, South West London, with travel across the Boroughs of Kingston and Richmond

Why Join Oxygen?

Oxygen is a well established and respected Charity known for its ability to reach and engage young people in creative and innovative ways.  You will have the opportunity to shape and lead youth work strategy, be part of a dynamic and committed team who love to see young people overcome barriers to their development and discover who they are and who they want to become.

●      Membership of the Senior Management Team

●      The chance to develop innovative programmes tackling issues such as knife crime, mental health and youth unemployment

●      Working within a well-established Christian charity making a tangible difference to young people's lives

Working for Oxygen is fulfilling and rewarding. It gives you experience of working collaboratively with a range of partners, and in a variety of contexts, that will be invaluable to anyone wanting to develop and progress in a career working with young people.

About Oxygen

Oxygen is a dynamic youth organisation based in Kingston upon Thames, South West London. Oxygen began as the vision of a group of young people who wanted to reach out to others to demonstrate their faith and meet their needs. We are supported by over thirty churches across the Boroughs of Kingston and Richmond, and staffed by a team of full and part time employees, volunteers and young apprentices.

We work in partnership with local churches, voluntary agencies and statutory bodies to give young people the support they need to overcome the challenges they face. Through a range of engaging and fun activities, we help young people discover their strengths, values and beliefs, understand their potential and aspirations for the future, and find opportunities to contribute to society through volunteering and serving others. 

Oxygen is a Christian charity which works with young people of all faiths and of none. Oxygen is recognised as a key provider of targeted support for young people, with a strong reputation for reaching those in need and making a real difference in their lives. We start where a young person is at, seeking to understand the world from their perspective and to discover their skills, talents and character. We help them look past immediate challenges towards a more hopeful future, raising aspirations and motivating them to move forward.  We seek to demonstrate that they are cared for and valued and to demonstrate the impact the Christian faith can have upon people’s lives.

We continue to develop engaging and inclusive programmes that promote a sense of belonging to a community which give young people purpose and direction.  We respond to the issues affecting young people today, including mental health, knife crime, youth unemployment, digital youth work, mentoring and youth enterprise, alongside our charity shop on New Malden High Street. This role will give Oxygen the capacity and depth needed to innovate and develop projects that have a proven, positive impact on young people's lives.

Job Summary

As Head of Youth Work and Mission, you will be responsible for the delivery and management of Oxygen's youth work programme, implementing key projects to support young people's development. You will be part of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and will promote the mission, values and Christian faith of Oxygen in all aspects of your work.

Christian Faith — Genuine Occupational Requirement

Because this post leads and promotes Oxygen's Christian mission and outreach to young people, and contributes to maintaining the Christian ethos and culture of the organisation, there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010 for the postholder to be a practising Christian.

Safeguarding

Oxygen is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and satisfactory references.

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