Teenage Cancer Trust Teenage/Young Adult Youth Support Coordinator

Job overview

To work as part of the Teenage and Young adult (TYA) cancer service to provide age appropriate activities and support to facilitate cognitive, social and emotional development of young people aged 13-24 years. The role will involve working in a range of paediatric, adult and TYA-specific clinical areas at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, and some non-hospital settings e.g. for peer support activities

Main duties of the job

• Taking referrals from clinical staff and identifying appropriate individual, group and peer-support activities to meet the needs of young people.
• Co-ordinating, and providing diversionary 1:1 and group activities in the hospital setting ensuring they are well-planned, appropriate and safe for all participants.
• Taking the lead on design and organisation of agreed patient group activities outside the hospital setting, with input from paediatric and TYA team colleagues as appropriate to ensure they are well-planned, appropriate and safe for all participants
• Contributing to the design and implementation of programmes to support transition, both in relation to age/development and stages of the cancer care pathway
• Developing age-appropriate methods for involving teenagers and young adults in the evaluation and development of services, taking a key role in supporting their involvement.
• Contributing to the development and use of communication technologies to meet the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer.

This role may include working across hospitals sites within the NHS Trust and may require travel around the region at times.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Supporting young people in hospital

• Establish effective relationships with teenagers and young adults, using age-appropriate approaches and communication skills to identify individual’s interests, strengths, areas of concern/need and help them to participate in positive activity while in hospital.
• Develop a programme of 1:1 and small-group diversionary and supportive activities and enable young people to participate as appropriate to their physical health and personal preferences.
• Use motivational techniques to engage young people in their cancer treatment plan, follow up schedule and self-care. Assist colleagues in effective communication with individual young people to achieve this aim.
• Contribute to information-giving and preparation of young people undergoing medical procedures and accompany them to provide non-clinical support as required.
• Collaborate with colleagues to identify health and wellbeing issues for the patient group and for individuals, and to provide young people with access to age-appropriate awareness and health promotion materials.
• Assist in providing ward environments in which young people feel safe, welcomed, respected and encouraged, and that facilitate supportive social interaction between patients.
• Ensure recreational, craft and other non-medical equipment used by TYAs is maintained for safety and cleaned in line with relevant policies e.g. infection prevention, food hygiene.
• Co-ordinate agreed therapeutic hospital-based activities provided by internal or external agencies e.g. art therapy, music workshops, and liaise with the complementary therapy service.
• Supervise unqualified staff such as play specialist students and volunteers.
• Encourage teenagers and young adults in hospital to maintain their personal routines, independence, education/work and personal interests. Help them keep up their links with family, friends, school or work.
• Attend the relevant ward handover and multidisciplinary meetings to contribute to coordinated assessment and support, report on work being undertaken with patients, raise any concerns and seek advice.
• Contribute to transition programmes for teenagers in the children’s service, working under guidance of clinical staff to help young people develop their understanding of their illness, treatment and self-care needs and supporting successful transfer from child to adult services.
• On the request of clinical colleagues, contribute to the support available for young people attending follow up clinics to identify their concerns and signposting them to sources of appropriate information, advice and support.

Participatory Activities

• Provide opportunities for social interaction, creative expression and informal support with other teenagers and young people with cancer including Look Good, Feel Better’, and accompanying young people as required e.g. Teenage Cancer Trust Find Your Sense of Tumour and Albert Hall events
• Organise and lead a programme of social and support activities out of hospital for teenagers and young adults with cancer living in the Hospital Trust’s catchment area. Provide supported opportunities for friends, partners and siblings in the TYA age group to participate as appropriate.
• Identify organise and promote opportunities for teenagers and young adults with cancer to engage in challenge activities that encourage positive contribution and personal development for example activity weekends and opportunities.
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop age-appropriate methods for gaining feedback from young people and supporting their input into developing services. Report on involvement activities to the appropriate management teams and share the outcomes with patents/families.
• Co-ordinate and contribute to the development of communications technology to facilitate the opportunity for therapeutic support encouraging social interaction and explore options for using internet for patient involvement and feedback.

Record Keeping and Administration

• Maintain records of patient contacts and activities provided. Ensure personal information or observations about individual young people are appropriately shared with colleagues to support multidisciplinary care.
• Record and report all concerns relating to needs assessment or safeguarding children or vulnerable young adults to each Ward Area Manager/Lead Nurses.
• Record any untoward incidents using Trust reporting systems.
• Undertake and record structured risk assessments for all organised activities in and out of the hospital liaising with the appropriate Ward/Lead Nurses and other colleagues as appropriate to manage risk.
• Ensure all necessary consents and medical information requirements are obtained for activities and maintain these records safely.
• Keep records of the referrals, contacts, activity/interventions and outcomes for patients accessing the service and be able to analyse the data to help inform practice
• Contribute to Trust data returns for Teenage Cancer Trust, and provide source data related to YSC activities as requested.
• Plan for and utilise Teenage Cancer Trust activity funds effectively to ensure maximum benefit from expenditure.
• Provide agreed information on request to patients/families who wish to make financial or other donations to support TYA cancer services.
• Ensure records of recreational and technological equipment maintenance are kept according to Trust requirements. Networking
• Develop strong and collaborative professional links with the hospital teams, working particularly closely with representatives and colleagues from other organisations such as the CLIC Sargent staff, including on joint activities and projects where appropriate.
• Act as a contact for Teenage Cancer Trust and other organisations regarding patient participation, and liaise with TYA team to ensure each patient has made an informed choice to participate, with signed consents as required. Support individuals throughout these activities.
• Act as point of contact for Teenage Cancer Trust and other organisations regarding trips, treats, holidays and other opportunities. Liaise with TYA team regarding any such activities as appropriate.
• Be an active member of any adolescent forums, and any other local TYA service development groups as appropriate, taking a lead on projects related to YSC role, agreed with TYA lead Nurse.
• Attend quarterly Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Co-ordinator meetings as a core member of this group.

Personal and Professional Development

• Act at all times in accordance with the National Youth Agency ethical and professional code. Adhere to TYA service guidelines concerning the maintenance of personal and professional boundaries.
• Maintain appropriate professional contact with patients, whether face-to-face or via online systems, telephone, or text.
• Ensure the responsibilities for patient confidentiality are maintained in all contacts with young people, families, friends and any other individuals or organisations.
• Maintain own learning through personal study/reading and attending agreed study days or conferences. Undertake mandatory and other specific training required to fulfil the role and responsibilities.
• Participate in research by outside agencies regarding teenage cancer and adolescent issues.
• Be responsible and proactive in maintaining personal physical safety and emotional wellbeing, utilising supervision and support systems on offer via the Hospital Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust and others.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.