Meitheal Mara wishes to recruit a Project Outreach Support Worker to bring together and facilitate a group of migrants and refugees on a boat building project. The position is part-time and for a fixed term (20 hours/week for 4 months). The boat building training will be provided by Meitheal Mara’s Workshop Manager-Trainer, with the Outreach Support Worker providing assistance and back up to the members of the group in their personal progression throughout the project.
Meitheal Mara operates as both an enterprise and a community education centre. It is a busy environment where the traditional skills of boatbuilding, woodcraft and boat handling are used to provide work and training for adults and young people of all ages. The approach is inclusive and based on mutual respect, ensuring that Meitheal Mara is a welcoming and supportive place for workers and learners to train and progress.
In 2018 a group of migrants came to Meitheal Mara to build a boat, which was completed and launched that October. The appointment of the Project Outreach Support Worker will allow us to follow up this initiative and further participation amongst migrants living locally, benefit their health and well-being, and help the participants develop links to promote their integration from the boat building project into the wider community.
The individual appointed will have strong facilitation and group work skills, an understanding of the issues facing migrants and refugees living in Ireland, and relevant work experience in community development, widening participation, and/or social inclusion. The rate of pay is €300/week, the equivalent of €30,420 pa pro rata. The position is funded through a Social Change Grant from The Community Foundation for Ireland. The aim of the grants scheme is to “address mental health issues through innovative, community-based approaches that strive to bring about social, behavioural, attitudinal and cultural change and ultimately improve the mental health of beneficiaries in the target groups” (www.communityfoundation.ie/grants/types-of-grants/social-change-grants).
Main duties:
- Recruit participants for the boat building group and encourage and support their progression and attendance throughout the project.
- Interact with partner and other local organisations and facilitate the participants to link in with local networks/sources of support and advice (eg The Lantern Project, Welcome English, Nasc, CESCA members, Meitheal Mara Men’s Shed, Naomhóga Chorcaí).
- Assist the Workshop Manager-Trainer in the efficient running of the project by helping to prepare the training space, interacting with participants, assisting with team building and in providing a safe and supportive learning environment.
- Work closely with the group to facilitate learners to document their learning, provide motivation and support and a channel for feedback and evaluation.
- Carry out a mid-project and end-of-project evaluation, including qualitative feedback from the participants, skills progression, impact on health and well-being and any indirect benefits/effects. Prepare the final project report for the Meitheal Mara Board and funders.
- Prepare press releases and generate social media coverage on the project.
- Contribute to the documentation of the project overall as a model of good practice for similar work in the future.
The ideal candidate will have/be:
- Experience of supporting people from diverse backgrounds in a community development/social inclusion setting as a paid employee or volunteer.
- A good understanding of the general circumstances of migrants and refugees living in Ireland and the issues they are likely to be facing as individuals.
- Be well-organised with excellent facilitation and presentation skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and listening skills with the ability to motivate and connect participants, develop teams and build relationships.
- Ability to work well both within a strong team-working environment and independently on multiple tasks at the same time.
- Good IT and report writing skills, with a working knowledge common computer/social media applications.
- Relevant qualifications and training.
- Be highly motivated by helping people to progress in their own terms and by the community development ethos of Meitheal Mara.
- Knowledge/an interest in wood work or boat building would be useful.
A full job description is available here: https://meithealmara.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2019-Outreach-Support-Worker-jd.pdf
Applications including a CV and cover letter highlighting relevant experience should be sent to: General Manager, Meitheal Mara, Crosses Green House, Crosses Green, Cork or by email to recruitment@meithealmara.ie.
Closing date for applications is 5pm on Wednesday 31st July, 2019.
The proposed start date is immediately. Meitheal Mara is an equal opportunities employer.
Interviews for those successfully shortlisted are provisionally scheduled for the week starting Tuesday 6th August, 2019.
