Project Co-ordinator

PACE Training and Social Enterprise is seeking an experienced, organised and motivated Project Co-Ordinator who, as part of a team, will play an important and rewarding role in leading the key-working team in the progression of individuals from their prison or probation experience through to their safe reintegration back into society.

The Project Co-ordinator will oversee the key-working team and key-working process for the PACE training and social enterprise. They will also be undertaking some of key-working tasks themselves. The role will have a strong focus on progressing participants to employment.

As a social enterprise we have a dual mission of (i) supporting people who are distanced from the labour market as a consequence of a criminal conviction—while (ii) operating a commercial business in which participants can gain training, solid work experience, and a reference, that will enable them to transition (back) into the labour market and make a positive contribution to society.

Job Title: Project Co-ordinator

Reports to: Training and Social Enterprise Manager 

Location: Based in Santry, Dublin with responsibility across all Training & Social Enterprise sites.

Working hours: 39 hours a week.

Salary: 40K-45K (DOE)

DUTIES

Point of Contact & Support

• You will be a point of contact between PACE Training and Social Enterprise and prospective participants who have been referred to us by the Probation Service, IASIO or the Irish Prison Service,
  • (i) that are due for release from prison or,
  • (ii) that have completed their sentences or,
  • (iii) that are serving non-custodial sentences such as Community Service.
• With the support of the Management Team and keyworking staff you will be working with complex clients experiencing a range of challenges.
• Your work will involve visits to prisons to meet prospective participants and to conduct assessments.
• You will support participants in securing Community Employment (CE), Tus, WPEP and other employment schemes.
• Work will involve:
  • advocating for participants with State agencies and prospective employers;
  • attending appointments and helping participants set up services such as bank accounts;
  • liaising with Probation Officers
  • meetings with other service providers and
  • adopting creative approaches to finding appropriate resources for participants that take into consideration their unique needs.
• Any other duties as assigned by the Training and Social Enterprise Manager and/or the CEO.

Administration & Reporting

• Ensuring that daily reporting is undertaken accurately and in conjunction with key working staff and production supervisors.
• Ensuring records are created, updated and maintained in a timely and appropriate manner.

Induction & Progression

• Ensuring participants have a suitable progression plan in place.
• Introducing new participants to the social enterprise, its people and its facilities.
• Developing risk management strategies with regard to addiction issues and relapse prevention where appropriate.
• Ensuring participants have an adequate understanding of the organisation, their role in it, and in achieving success in their role.
• Supervising participants when necessary.
• Helping to manage participants’ expectations.
• Monitoring, reviewing and recording participants’ progress against support plans.
• Identifying suitability and availability of career guidance resources.
• Being able to identify opportunities for participants both inside and outside the organisation.
• Ensuring that needs assessments, support plans and risk assessments are carried out effectively and monitored systematically and regularly.
• Undertaking a final assessment of the participants before the support service ceases.

Programme Design and Development

• Designing and implementing innovative training and work experience programmes that will:
  • (i) address the evolving needs of people with complex needs who are exiting prison or serving non-custodial sentences;
  • (ii) optimise participants’ ability to progress with confidence and industry-relevant skills to quality employment and
  • (iii) support participants’ reintegration back into society.
• Working closely with the Workshop Supervisor, the Training & Social Enterprise Assistant Manager, teachers, key workers and other relevant stakeholders on developing programmes and initiatives, and on making improvements to existing programmes and services.
• Identifying opportunities through dovetailing with Probation Service and Prison Service strategies.

Compliance & Policy

• Recording and managing data in compliance with GDPR.
• Becoming familiarwith the organisation’s policies.
• Inputting with the Policy Manager, human resources staff and the management team on policy issues and recommendations.

Promotion & Recruitment

• Playing a leading role in promoting PACE’s Training & Social Enterprise services to encourage a continuous supply of referrals.
• Working effectively with key partners (such as the Probation Service and the Irish Prison Service) on multi-agency programmes or initiatives to identify, secure and provide the optimal supports and opportunities for our participants.
• Undertaking prison visits nationwide to promote our services.
• Developing and nurturing relationships with other organisations (in and outside our sector) to identify complementary resources and opportunities for collaboration.
• Representing PACE and attending, promoting and presenting at events.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

The role requires you to have:

• a minimum Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications {NFQ] in social care, addiction, community work or equivalent.
• a minimum of three years of experience of key working or supporting individuals with complex needs.
• a track record of implementing projects and programmes in a service or community setting
• experience of working with and supporting vulnerable people
• strong interpersonal, team-working, problem-solving and communication skills
• experience in managing incidents in a calm and professional manner
• experience in conducting Risk Management and implementing Risk Management Plans.
• the ability to take direction and complete work as requested and within the specified timeframe.
• a clear understanding of professional boundaries in relation to service users and colleagues from within and outside the service.
• your own transport and full clean driver’s license.

You should be:

• comfortable and enthusiastic about working with people who have a wide range of criminal convictions from age of 16 upwards and be proactive in promoting inclusion, diversity, and belonging, in order to support and cultivate positive employee wellbeing
• discrete and empathic
• willing to attend training as deemed necessary
• flexible to work evenings or weekends when necessary to suit the needs of the participants
• willing to be Garda vetted

DESIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Knowledge of the Irish Prison and Probation Services.
• Experience of working with people with addiction and/or mental health issues
• Experience of working with homeless services and progressing people out of homelessness.
• An awareness and an understanding of the issues that affect people with an offending background.
• Experience using Salesforce (or other CRM) and the Outcome Star.
• A basic knowledge of employment law
• Facilitation skills.
• An interest in sustainability issues.

ABOUT PACE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

PACE Social Enterprise is part of the PACE Organisation, a voluntary sector organisation with a 55-year history of providing services (including prevention programmes and accommodation) for people with criminal convictions. Our programmes are particularly beneficial to supporting people who have served lengthy custodial sentences, in their transition from prison to community-based living and their safe reintegration into society.

Established in 2014, the social enterprise provides training and work experience opportunities—in a real commercial environment—for people who have experienced the Irish prison and/or probation system. Their work experience, in particular, provides participants with industry-ready skills and the opportunity to earn a reference that will help them into mainstream employment and onto a new career trajectory.

We manufacture planters and outdoor furniture in metal and wood at our workshop in Santry. The social enterprise also includes a horticulture site nearby where we propagate and grow plants for our planters.

We are currently developing a furniture upcycling facility that will serve as a model for informing and shaping a more sustainable future for all our businesses and for the organisation as whole.

We also operate a coffee business called the Mug Shot which provides retail and hospitality training and experience.

Additions:

• Pension, upon completing probation
• CPD Continued Professional Development
• Individual Supervision
• EAP Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Health & Wellbeing Initiatives

Send your CV and Cover Letter/Personal Statement outlining your suitability for the post and return to recruitment@paceorganisation.ie by 12 noon, 10th January 2025

Please note: If you have already applied for this position, PACE will be in touch once the new closing date passes.