Rainbow Parents Carers Forum is a support group and independent voice for parent/carers with a child/young person with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), based in Nottinghamshire. Our mission is to support and empower families to be heard and achieve better outcomes. We are run by parents for parents and provide a network for peer support, signposting, inclusive activities and engagement.
Role/Main Responsibilities
- Work alongside our Trustees and Chief Executive Officer to deliver against our annual plan.
- Ensure the effective day-to-day operation of Rainbow PCF.
- Organise and deliver our programme of activities, events and support, including occasional evenings and 1 Saturday per month.
- Lead a small sessional play team including volunteers, ensuring the organisation complies with all statutory obligations and internal policies and procedures.
- Oversee the signposting of families requesting support to relevant statutory and other support services.
- Develop and maintain relationships with partner organisations.
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Personal experience of children or young people with SEND as a parent carer or experienced practitioner with an understanding of the challenges faced.
- Experience of navigating the SEND system either personally or through experience of supporting families in this area, particularly, the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Care Act 2014.
- Ability to work as part of a team, with excellent organisational, communication and interpersonal skills, including presentation skills.
- Ability to manage meetings, facilitate groups and deliver training.
- Experience of working on projects which require close attention to detail with the ability to collate, interpret and manage statistical data and records in line with current monitoring and reporting requirements.
- Experience in dealing with sensitive and confidential information and an understanding of safeguarding and GDPR.
- High level of computer literacy including use of the full Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word and Power Point) and Google Drive plus experience of drafting communications for e-mails, bulletins and other written communications for internal and external use.
- Able to demonstrate effective practice, delivering equality and a person-centred, non-judgemental approach with diverse families and young people.
- Prepared to work flexibly to meet the needs of the project including occasional evenings and 1 Saturday a month.
- Hold a current clean driving licence, access to a car and be able to travel when required.
- Commitment to ongoing personal professional development and a willingness to develop new skills including leadership and become involved in new areas of work.
Desirable criteria
- Educated to degree level or equivalent.
- Demonstrable understanding of engaging families, utilising creative approaches including face to face, virtual contact and social media.
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the context and impact of local and national policy implementation and service development on families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
- Ability to work positively with a range of service providers including, education, health and social care to influence and achieve change.
- Experience of recruiting, training and supervising volunteers including young people with SEND.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: £19,885.71 per year
Work Location: In person
