Type of Job
Full-time Paid
Job Location
Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico (on site).
Accommodation is provided in a shared staff house.
Placement
40 hours per week plus 2 full days off
Site Type
Accommodation is provided in a shared staff house.
Reports to:
Mision Mexico Foundation Director
**Our Visión and Focus**:
The Misión México Foundation aims to break cycles of poverty, abuse and inequality; providing opportunities for every child and youth that we care for to succeed.
Through long-term solutions like education, practical and emotional care and community development, we provide tools and opportunities for children and youth to advance in every aspect of their lives, becoming the best that they can be.
Our core focuses are; education and extracurricular activities; safe homes with a family environment; health and wellbeing support; community development, personal development and life skills.
**Role Context**:
Our Youth Transition Program (YTP) is vital to the care and growth of our youth who live in our Mision Mexico
Casa and Youth Transition Houses.
As our YTP has expanded to work 1-1 with more of our youth, there is the
need for more long-term consistency and assistance in our support team.
Our YTP was established in 2014 to enable older youth within the Misión México Home to begin their
transition to semi-independent living, and develop the life skills required to eventually live independently.
Our
YTP works with youth living in our Mision Mexico Casa, aged 14 - 19 years old, and youth living in our off-site
Youth Transition Houses, aged 18 - 21 years old.
The Support Worker works closely with other staff members
in supporting a complex caseload of youth living in our Misión Mexico Casa, aged 14 - 19 years old.
**Duties and Responsibilities**:
Direct Service Delivery and Pastoral Care
- Coordinate and facilitate weekly focus group sessions and activities for youth living in our Misión México Casa.
- Coordinate and facilitate weekly group cooking and budgeting classes for youth aged 14+ living in our Misión Mexico Casa, including shopping for ingredients at a local supermarket.
- Manage Individual Care Plans and development support for youth aged 14+ living in our Misión Mexico Casa.
This includes 1-1 focus work with each youth under the Support Workers caseload.
- Provide supervision for the Youth Transition Houses when the Youth Transition Program Coordinator is on annual leave.
- Work a minimum of one shift per week in the Mision Mexico Casa to help with supervision and activities for the Mision Mexico Casa youth aged 11-18 years.
- Respond appropriately and effectively to day-to-day situations including challenging, trauma-related behaviours.
- Consistently be a positive role model in the Misión Mexico Foundation, whilst maintaining the confidentiality and safety of all our youth.
Administration and Project Management
- Undertake and complete administrative tasks and projects as requested by the Mision Mexico Foundation Director.
- Regularly meet with the YTP support team to discuss program progress and youth development.
- Build and manage local partnerships with organisations and individuals who can assist in workshop delivery and life skill learning.
- Manage and update Individual Care Plans and case files for youth under the Support Workers' caseload, providing monthly updates and quarterly reports to the Mision Mexico Director.
**Essential Criteria**:
- Experience working with youth with backgrounds of trauma and/or disadvantaged backgrounds
- Proven ability to engage positively with youth, whilst maintaining a high level of pastoral care and understanding of boundary setting
- Strong conflict resolution, negotiation and problem solving skills
- Ability to demonstrate patience, consistency, empathy, flexibility, humour, honesty and maturity
- Proven ability to work as part of a team and demonstrate leadership qualities
- Valid 'Working with Children Check' and undergo a Criminal Records Check prior to employment.
Subsequently, staff must report any criminal charges or court appearances.
- A minimum of both conversational Spanish and conversational English, fluent Spanish is preferable
- Experience in basic cooking skills and nutrition knowledge
- Experience in facilitating activities, sports and group work suitable for youth
**Desirable Criteria**:
- Full driving license, with a willingness to drive 12 seater passenger van in Mexico if required
- Experience in facilitating activities and group work suitable for youth
- Sound knowledge and understanding of volunteering issues at an operational level including working with volunteer policies and procedures
- Experience in personnel management and leadership skills in a similar context
**Additional Information**:
The Support Worker will live in a private 2-bedroom apartment, with another Mision Mexico Foundation staff
member.
Apart from secured housing, Mision Mexico Foundation will also offer a monthly local salary, m