School Completion Programme (SCP) Coordinator

Location: Cabinteely SCP is based in the Shankill/Loughlinstown/Ballybrack area. The project’s cluster schools include Scoil Mhuire NS, St. Columbanus NS, St. John’s NS, Scoil Cholmcille Senior and Junior, St. Laurence College and Cabinteely Community school.

Salary: Youth Reach Coordinator Scale and based on experience
Contract: 1 Year (to cover a career break) Full-time, 35 hours per week
Reporting to: Local Management Committee (LMC)

About the School Completion Programme (SCP)

The School Completion Programme (SCP) is funded by the Department of Education and administered by Tusla under the Tusla Education Support Service (TESS). The programme aims to positively impact the attendance, participation, and retention of children and young people in primary and post-primary schools, with a particular focus on those at risk of early school leaving. The SCP works with schools to provide targeted supports to children and young people to improve educational outcomes.

We are currently seeking a Coordinator to lead and manage the SCP team for the Cabinteely School Completion Programme.

Role Overview

As the SCP Coordinator, you will be responsible for managing the overall delivery of the programme. You will work closely with school principals, teachers, care teams, Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Coordinators, and Educational Welfare Officers to develop, implement, and monitor interventions aimed at supporting students at risk of educational disadvantage. Your role will include overseeing the delivery of in-school, out-of-school, after-school, and holiday programmes for targeted students, leading the SCP team, and ensuring that the programme runs efficiently and effectively in line with the retention plan.

Key Responsibilities:

Programme Coordination and Delivery

• Develop and implement the SCP plan in collaboration with the Local Management Committee (LMC).
• Organise and facilitate in-school, after-school, out-of-school, and holiday programmes for targeted children and young people.
• Lead and manage the SCP team, providing support and supervision to ensure effective delivery of the programme.
• Work closely with school staff to identify students in need of support and plan appropriate interventions using the SCP Intake Framework.
• Deliver one-on-one and group interventions to students at both primary and post-primary levels to support their attendance, participation, and retention in school.

Planning, Reporting, and Monitoring

• Prepare and monitor the annual retention plan, ensuring it aligns with SCP objectives.
• Track and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, compiling comprehensive reports on programme successes, challenges, and developments.
• Oversee programme expenditure, maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring the programme operates within its budget.
• Prepare reports for the LMC and cooperate with Tusla for the evaluation and audit of the programme.

Networking and Collaboration

• Build and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders, including school staff, parents, local agencies, and voluntary services.
• Attend Care Team and Attendance meetings in schools as required.
• Collaborate with statutory and voluntary services to maximise support for targeted students.

Essential Requirements:

• Level 8 Degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. education, youth/community work, psychology, social care).
• Minimum 2 years’ experience working with children and young people at risk of early school leaving.
• Strong experience in managing a team and supporting staff.
• Proven ability to manage and coordinate programmes, with experience in budget management.
• Knowledge of the Irish education system and early school leaving factors.
• Proficiency in ICT (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and social media).
• Full clean driving licence and access to your own transport.

Key Skills and Attributes:

• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Strong communication, organisational, and report-writing abilities.
• Ability to work proactively and manage workload independently in a high-pressure environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with students, parents, school staff, and external agencies.
• Commitment to supporting children and young people’s engagement with education and personal development.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and school holidays as needed.

Additional Information:

• Garda Vetting: Required due to the nature of the work.
• References: Two references required before commencing the role.
• Medical: The successful candidate may need to undergo a pre-employment medical.
• Travel: Some domestic travel within Ireland may be required. Travel and expenses will be covered in line with employment rates.

How to Apply:

To apply for this position, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role to the Chairperson at cabscpapply@gmail.com no later than 4pm on Friday 30th September 2024. Interviews to take place during the 2nd week of October 2024