Youth Support Coordinator

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Christie Teenage and Young Adult. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join a team dedicated to improving the lives of Teenagers and Young Adults (TYA) with cancer. The Youth Support Coordinator (YSC) will work with a wide range of Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) colleagues based at the Christie and across the designated hospitals to ensure all TYA patients (aged 16-25) receive age appropriate care, high quality social and emotional support regardless of where they are treated.

Main duties of the job

The role will work closely with both YSC colleagues, other staff across designated hospitals and The Christie to provide co-ordinated support for young people whilst they are having treatment for cancer and up to 2 years after the completion of treatment.

To be successful in this role, you will be required to have a diploma or degree in a relevant qualification such as youth work, psychology, social sciences or play specialism and you will need to be able to demonstrate extensive experience of working with young people.

Working closely with the multi-disciplinary team, you will plan, develop and deliver programmes for young people which will meet their needs and help to support them. You will facilitate activities to bring young people together in the local community and across the North West and will provide 1:1 support for young people where needed.

An ability to work autonomously and be proactive is essential. Empathy, sensitivity and a sense of humour are also some of the key attributes you will bring to this role. The post holder will be expected to work flexibly to meet needs of the service. Some evening and weekend work will be involved and the post holder must be able to drive, have their own car (mileage is paid for travel due to work) and travel across the region on a regular basis.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Care and Support

• Establish effective relationships with young people using age appropriate approaches and communication skills to identify individual’s interests, strengths, areas of concern/need
• Maintain a community-based programme for young people using various social models and motivational approaches that are appropriate to the young person’s physical health and personal preferences
• Use motivational techniques to engage with young people and act as an advocate on their behalf. Assist colleagues in effective communication with young people to achieve this aim
• Work on a one-to-one basis with young people who are being treated in isolation or who do not wish to engage in group activities
• Collaborate with colleagues to identify health and wellbeing issues for patients. Also signpost to age appropriate services, health promotion and awareness materials
• The ability to visit young people and offer support at home or in their local hospital when necessary and appropriate
• Work with the North West YSC team to develop and deliver an annual calendar of events for patients (to include a residential programme) and their families
• Encourage activities to maintain and promote patients link with friends, family and home
• Prepare patients for, and support patients through, invasive and non-evasive medical procedures, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery
• Provide one-to-one support for young people having treatment; both in hospital and at home. Support may be provided by a number of medias; face to face, text, telephone, home visit (where necessary), zoom/MS Teams, website, emails, written information
• To participate in the annual Teenage Cancer Trust residential programme
• Working within the YSC service to maintain constant management of the TYA ‘Facebook’ page and report any concerns to the line manager
• Provide, where necessary and appropriate, support for family members (particularly siblings), partners and friends of young people.

Patient Involvement and advocacy

• Assist in the running of the user/patient feedback activity to ensure young people’s ideas and thoughts are captured and acted upon where possible
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop age-appropriate methods for gaining feedback from young people and supporting their input into developing services.

Education, Research and Audit

• In line with Teenage Cancer Trust reporting requirements, keep records of activity completed on a monthly basis
• Collate and provide information about the outreach YSC service that can be used in the annual YSC report to the charity and the Trust
• Accurately and systematically record work undertaken with young people for Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) information
• Undertake and record structured risk assessments for all organised activities on and off-site liaising with appropriate colleagues to manage risk
• Ensure all necessary consents and medical information requirements are obtained for activities and maintain records safely
• Plan for and utilise Teenage Cancer Trust and The Christie activity funds effectively to ensure maximum benefit from expenditure
• Assist in the orientation of staff and students to the YSC and/or TYA team.

Meetings and networking

• Attend psycho-social and clinical MDT meetings to contribute to coordinated assessment and support, report on work being undertaken with patients, raise any concerns and seek advice
• Feedback to treating teams about young people’s social and emotional well-being
• Develop strong and collaborative professional links with the hospital teams
• Attend relevant meetings regarding The Christie service and Teenage Cancer Trust activity including Regional team meetings and YSC meetings
• Act as an ambassador and advocate for Teenage Cancer Trust. Act as a contact for Teenage Cancer Trust media queries and support patients through the process
• Ensure regular liaison with the regional Teenage Cancer Trust team. Support the regional team with media, fundraising and education activity.

Professional standards and personal 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 boundaries 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
• Actively identify own training needs and where appropriate seek out development opportunities in agreement with line manager. Undertake mandatory and other specific training required to fulfil the role and responsibilities
• Have an active and up to date development plan agreed with the TYA lead nurse alongside agreed objectives with Teenage Cancer Trust. This will include at least an annual personal development review
• Adhere at all times to the Christie values: compassion and respect, quality care and innovation.

JOB DIMENSIONS

Responsibilities for patient and client care

• Assesses, plan, implement and evaluate care and support using specialist knowledge and skills.
• Organises own workload and time in a flexible manner according to patient need
• Maintain a safe working environment.

Freedom to act

• Self motivated with the ability to work under own initiative
• Accountable for own actions
• Appropriately refer to other members of the multidisciplinary team
• Make assessments and decisions within clearly defined policies and protocols.

Communication and working relationships

• Respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role
• Be aware of relevant legislation and policies around information governance and data protection
• Communicate effectively with patient, families, siblings, other services and MDT colleagues
• Be able to use range of communicate methods e.g. oral, written and electronic
• Maintain accurate records including budgets
• Support patients and their families and ensure they receive the required information to enable them to actively participate in decisions about their social and emotional care.
• Continuously work under The Christie values of compassion and respect, quality care and innovation
• Keep electronic diary and relevant systems up to date with regards to who, where and when you are working off site.

Environmental factors

• Ability to effectively deal with working in the often emotive environment of cancer and palliative care
• Required to concentrate, for example, whilst undertaking analysis/report writing, deliver to tight deadlines. However, there are frequent interruptions (e-mail/telephone etc) which will change the focus and priority of the daily workload
• Ability to check documents
• Ability to present and discuss target performance indicators with key stakeholders.

Health and Safety, Risk Management, Safeguarding

• Adhere to Trust safeguarding policies. Record and report any concerns to the Safeguarding Lead and Lead Nurse and/or Clinical Service Manager.
• Accurately complete risk assessments and follow The Christie procedures.

Equality and Diversity

The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.

Physical Effort

There is a frequent requirement for the jobholder to spend a substantial proportion of their working time sitting or standing in a restricted position. There is also an occasional requirement to exert moderate physical effort.

The post holder must be able to work flexibly on regular evenings and occasional weekends. This will include evening and residential work away from the hospital.

Mental Effort

There is a frequent requirement for the jobholder to concentrate where their work pattern may be complex and or unpredictable.

Emotional Effort

The nature of the duties will require the jobholder to be involved in distressing or emotional circumstances and occasional exposure to unpleasant or highly unpleasant working conditions.

Applicant requirements

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.