Solas Óg Education Officer

Job Title           Solas Óg Education Officer Reporting to     Solas Óg Coordinator / Head of Service Location             COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service – Modh Eile HouseOur Solas Óg service has an exciting opportunity for a full time role. This is a new role and gives the successful candidate the opportunity to develop in the role. In Solas Óg our focus is on early intervention and education for young people in schools regarding healthy and unhealthy relationships.  Overall ObjectivesCOPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service, provides support to around 600 women and their children each year. Those who use our service are women either at risk from an abusive partner or who have suffered abuse Our role is to provide a safe space for each woman and her children and then to assist her in exploring options and making decisions which will lead to a better life. The Service offering is composed of a number of strands:Refuge – a purpose-built nine-bed refuge. The refuge provides short-term emergency shelter to any woman who is at risk, who is in danger and for whom no other place of safety can immediately be found. The emphasis in refuge is on safety and allowing each woman calm and time to consider her next steps.Outreach – working with women who continue to live in the community in their homes and who do not avail of refuge, whether by appointment or drop-in. COPE Galway offer outreach provision in Galway City and at various locations in Galway County, and most service users opt to engage in this way.Children’s Service – this Domestic Abuse Service offers a dedicated Children’s Service, Solas Óg, working with mothers and children, to manage the impact of abuse and to support in healing and the building of resilience.Accompaniment – women using our Service often seek support in attendance at court, engagement with legal aid or legal support, engagement with other agencies, eg, Intreo, local housing authorities, etc.Training & Awareness – we are committed to addressing the causes of abuse within our community and to challenging the societal norms that can appear to make abuse acceptable. This is done through our Training & Awareness programme, providing training to statutory and voluntary agencies as well as working with schools, colleges and community partners.Research and Innovation – we are committed to understanding the issue of domestic abuse and to developing preventative approaches as well as initiatives that offer better responses to victims. We engage actively with opportunities to grow our expertise through research and innovation.Advocacy – COPE Galway Domestic Abuse Service operates from a rights-based approach, and espousing a principle of empowerment. Our work involves advocating with and for each woman, to advance her own case, in addition to providing a voice for women in respect of shared issues. Key AreasUnder the direction of the Solas Óg Coordinator and Head of Service, you will: Schools work:Deliver our secondary school programme specifically for the junior cycle in relation to Healthy and Unhealthy relationships in line with the current SPHE curriculum, the Junior Cycle Learning Objectives and the objectives of this ServiceLiaise with schools in relation to promoting the programme and booking workshopsSupport the Development officer to develop resources to support the programme such as leaflets and other promotional materialsSupport the Development Officer to monitor and evaluate development of the programme in schools Support to Teachers:Support the Development Officer to develop CPD programmes for teachers both at primary and secondary level in respect of domestic abuse, in line with best practice in continuous professional development for teachersPromote these programmes to secure their accessibility by and acceptability to teachers throughout the Galway areaFacilitate the delivery of these programmes in Galway city and countyReport on the progress in this area Health and SafetyPersonal:Employees are obliged to:Take reasonable care for their own safety, health and welfare, and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.Co-operate with their employer in relation to compliance with statutory requirements under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989.2005Use protective equipment, clothing or other means for securing safety, health and welfareRespect protective clothing and equipment provided for securing the safety, health or welfare of persons arising out of work activitiesReport to management, without delay, any defects in the workplace, plant, equipment or systems of work, which may lead to danger.Ensure that you regularly review and proactively inform yourself of all health and safety and fire safety procedures on an ongoing basis.Be proactive in the area of self-care with regard to identifying any impacts of the work GeneralEnsure that Health and Safety policy and procedures as per the COPE Galway Health and Safety Manual are fully adhered to.Ensure that Health and Safety procedures are understood by workers and residents, and are fully complied with.Liaise as appropriate in respect of the Health and Safety maintenance requirements of the service, meeting agreed response targets.Carry out Health and Safety duties specifically allocated to you. Person Specification We are looking for someone who will work with the Solas Óg coordinator, Development Officer and team to develop the following areas of workFacilitate our school programme for junior cycle students in relation to Healthy and Unhealthy relationships.  This role would suit someone with an educational or youth work background, with experience in the development of learner materials and resources for individual and group learning. We are looking for someone who is creative in thought and design and who can work both alone and within a team and who is committed to our mission.  Essential RequirementsEducationLevel 8 NFQ qualification in a relevant discipline, education, youth work, and or social care ExperienceExperience of working with young people in a group settingExperience of working in the education sector, specifically in the writing and development of learner materials and resources Skills and AbilitiesAn excellent and creative communicatorSkilled in writingTo be both flexible and adaptable in approachAbility to communicate effectively, with colleagues, students, volunteers, and other professional agenciesAn ability to act on one’s own initiative and make decisions, take into account the views and opinions of colleagues, clients and other service providersGood organization skill and diligence in one’s approach to work, to follow through with tasksAn ability to maintain and foster a positive outlook and approachA full clean driving licenseExcellent ICT skillTerms:Contract: 3 year fixed term contractSalary: Point 1 Social Care Worker scaleHours of Work: Full time role is 35 hours per week Annual leave: 24 days Location: Onsite and travel to various schools when requiredBenefits:   Supportive team environment  Career development opportunity Pension scheme Company events and team building  Employee Assistance program Trauma informed Practice approach to all areas within COPE Galway Bike to work scheme