Reading for Wellbeing Support Worker
Job Summary
Contract Type:
Fixed Term
Working Pattern:
Part time
Advert Start Date:
03/03/2025
Advert End Date:
Closed for applications on 17/03/2025 12:00
Employment Location:
We work across Dormanstown, Grangetown, Southbank, Kirkleatham and Eston. The post will initially be focused in Southbank.
Further Information
Do you have a love of stories, be they physical or audio books, and find joy in sharing the experience with others? Would you love to provide space and encouragement for adults to access reading materials and improve their confidence in reading for pleasure? Do you want to improve reading opportunities between adults and the children in their care, to support the child’s early language and communication development? Are you kind, compassionate, and thoughtful? If so, this could be a role for you.
This is a one year contract at 14 hours per week (days / times to be confirmed with successful candidate – we work a 7 hour day, with one hour for lunch. This post could be completed in two days or split across the week).
Look at our work https://thriveatfive.org.uk to consider if our mission, vision, values, and approach align with yours.
This post is funded with support from Public Health South Tees and with support from https://readingforwellbeing.org.uk
Job Purpose
The reading for wellbeing support worker is a new, exciting role which aims to support access to, engagement with and the promotion of reading for parents and carers of children from birth to age five to improve the adult’s health and wellbeing.
The support worker will work with parents, carers and their preschool children, supporting reading together sessions. Initially this will include building rapport, choosing books together, modelling positive approaches to reading, and through relationship building to support parents and carers to access reading resources for their own pleasure. The role will also support parents and carers to access other sources of support if needed by signposting to other beneficial places and spaces.
This is an important role in enriching the home learning environment and promoting parental engagement, strengthening parental confidence in both sharing books with their child and in their own journey as a reader.
Salary
The salary for this post, for 14 hours per week is £11,000 (The full time equivalent salary would be £27,500). You will receive 10 days leave.
The role will be delivered in school, libraries, family hubs and health settings.
Most of your time will be working onsite in the community, with some opportunity for home working. Wherever you work you will have access to the team for support.
Role description - what the post holder will do:
• To meet and build relationships with local parents and carers.
• To use books as tools for adults and their children to enjoy shared learning experiences.
• To identify together with parents and carers their current reading skills and confidence, their individual reading needs and hopes.
• To provide 1-1 and group sessions and reading together activities, acting as a model for good practice.
• To signpost parents and carers to the places and spaces that may be beneficial for their health and wellbeing.
• To share and model information, tips and resources which boost parents and carers understanding of child development, attachment, and relationships.
• Work with the communications coordinator to ensure messages parents and carers receive are helpful, clear, and informative.
• Contribute to the development, organisation, and delivery of community events, bringing parents and carers, their children, and services together.
• Work in collaboration with Thrive at Five departments, including evaluation and fundraising to provide insights and learning from the work undertaken. This includes support with monitoring and evaluation, data gathering and feedback.
• Support, and test out innovative ideas, where learning and evaluation suggest we should change our approach. This could be summed up as any other duties relevant to make the role and relationship with parents and carers effective.
Person specification. What requirements postholder needs to have:
• A passion for books and reading.
• A skilled communicator who is engaging, facilitative and kind.
• An understanding of effective early reading approaches, e.g. dialogic reading, and of how to engage adults as readers.
• Experience of collaborating with parents and carers.
• Ability to communicate ideas in a style that supports parents and carers.
• Understanding of early childhood development.
• Awareness of safeguarding and actions to follow where concerns or risks are known.
• Ability to collaborate and engage in teamwork.
• Alignment with our mission, vision, and values.
• Enhanced DBS.
• Ability to travel across locations.
• Willingness to attend training, supervision, and reflective practice sessions.
Application process / Closing date / Interview date and location
Please apply by submitting to Nicki.fee@thriveatfive.org.uk
Your CV (2-page max including name of two referees) and a 500-word supporting statement explaining why you would be a good fit for the role and for our organisation.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview.
Closing date 12 noon on Monday 17th March 2025 at 11.59 pm.
Interviews will take place in person on Wednesday 26th March 2025
Location To be confirmed
Contact details for further information.
To discuss this role please contact Nicki.fee@thriveatfive.org.uk with your availability who is the Early Years Development Lead and line manager for this role.
Please note
This job is closed for applications.