The Loughborough Junction Action Group (LJAG) is seeking to recruit two sessional play workers to run a Saturday play scheme and a holiday play scheme at the Grove Adventure Playground in Gordon Grove in Loughborough Junction, London SE5 9DT.

We are looking to create a team of workers and volunteers who share our passion for ensuring that children and young people in Loughborough Junction continue to have access to well-run and imaginative outdoor play and nature.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of outdoor adventure play in Loughborough Junction. The playground will be open for supervised play for children ages eight to 15 and for children ages 6 and 7 who are accompanied by a responsible adult.

The playground, which was closed three years ago, has recently been renovated by a group of local volunteers who wish to save the playground from permanent closure. The adventure playground structures are some of the most adventurous in south London. A summer fun day was held which demonstrated strong demand for such a facility from local families.

Applications to include a CV and a covering letter explaining why you want to work at the Grove Adventure Playground  should be sent to the Loughborough Junction Action Group, 25 Loughborough Park, London SW9 8TP or by email to [email protected].

 

Play worker job specification

Job Title:                Play Worker

Location:               Grove Adventure Playground, Gordon Grove, London SE5 9DT

Salary:                     This is a sessional post and will be paid at £12.50 an hour

Reporting to:      Grove Adventure Play Leader.

Responsible for:Working as a team with the Play Leader, one other play worker and volunteers

to help deliver a programme of activities at the Grove Adventure Playground

Hours:                     7 hours per session, 48 weeks a year.

The Saturday play scheme to run throughout the year from 10am to 4pm.

The holiday play scheme to run from 8.30am to 6.30pm for 6 weeks during the summer holidays, 1 week during the autumn half-term, 1  week during the Christmas holiday, 1 week during the spring half term; 2 weeks during the Easter holiday, and 1 week during the summer half-term a total of 12 weeks.

Job description and Person Specification

• To work as part of a team of three – one play leader and two play workers – running a Saturday play scheme and a holiday play scheme at the Grove Adventure Playground.
• To develop a good working relationship with the other workers and volunteers.
• To develop a good working relationship with parents/guardians of the children and young people who come to the playground.
• To ensure that children and young people have the chance to explore a wide range of positive activities and experiences, develop friendships and have fun.
• To help develop policies designed to counter negative behaviour, creating solutions for those involved.
• To help the team involve the children and young people with the planning of activities.
• To help assess the impact of the playground on the children, young people and their parents/carers.
• Assist in keeping a register of all children attending the scheme; this information to include address and telephone number of parent/guardian and an additional emergency telephone number. This information to be kept in a form acceptable under the Data Protection Act 1998.
• Ensure that no photographs or videos are taken of children on the play schemes unless parents have signed a media consent form.
• Understand the procedure for checking the playground equipment at the end of each session and for reporting any defects promptly to the Play Leader so that he/she can swiftly arrange for the fault to be remedied.
• Exclude participants from any playground equipment that has become unsafe.
• Follow LJAG’s child protection policy and keep at hand details of LJAG’s Child Safeguarding trustee.
• Be available to attend the occasional evening meeting to assess the progress of the play scheme.
• To embrace the responsibility of being a positive role model for children and young people.

Qualifications:                    GCSE English Grades A-C.

Early years, childcare, education or play work qualification at NVQ level 2 or above.

Experience:                            At least one year’s experience of working at a supervised play facility.

Has worked with a wide range of children and young people with a range of abilities including disabled children.

Knowledge and                    Up-to-date knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and

Understanding:                   procedures.

Skills:                                         Ability to work well both independently and as a member of a team.

Ability to develop positive and respectful relationships with children and young people and to communicate both verbally and in writing in a manner consistent with their level of understanding, culture and background.

Ability to identify and to help develop effective responses to a range of children and young people’s needs.

Ability to help develop positive responses to challenging behaviour.

Ability to work with the team to develop strong relationships with management, volunteers and parents/guardians.

Good observational skills and the experience to know when and how to intervene in children’s and young people’s play and social interactions.

Excellent time and task management skills