Bluestar Project Associate Trainer/Accreditor

Job description

Job responsibilities

Reports to- Bluestar Project Directors

Hours -Flexible

Rate -£450 per day + expenses

Location -Flexible with regular travel across UK

Contract-Open Ended

Bluestar Training

The Bluestar Pre-Trial Training Programme is a day-long in-person course which includes an overview of our national research (Keeping Secrets) and key principles from the CPS Pre-Trial Therapy Guidance. This evidence-based interactive course provides practical examples and skill-share opportunities that will equip attendees with knowledge, experience, and resources to deliver a pre-trial therapy and support services according to the Bluestar National Best Practice Standards. The course is multi-agency training designed to support the professional agencies supporting victims and families within the criminal justice process regardless of offence type. This includes: all therapy services (statutory, voluntary), advocacy services and specialist services (e.g., ISVA, IDVA), social services, the Police, CPS and Judiciary. The course supports services supporting victims of any age.

Bluestar Accreditation

The Bluestar Pre-Trial Accreditation is a three-day programme to assess an organisations readiness to deliver pre-trial therapy and support service users through a case note request as part of an investigative process.

This interactive three-day onsite evaluation can be offered as an assessment to meet the Bluestar Accreditation Standards or as a supportive process that will equip organisations with knowledge and resources to deliver a pre-trial therapy and support service according to the Bluestar National Best Practice Standards. The programme includes a desktop audit of policy and practice, a case note audit, and interviews with staff, service users and partner organisations. The accreditation is designed to support organisations delivering pre-trial therapy to victims and families within the criminal justice process regardless of offence type.

Bluestar offers two accreditation pathways:

• Bluestar Accreditation Assessment organisations are assessed and provided with an Accreditation, where the standards are met. Where gaps are identified the organisation has three months to complete a small number of outstanding actions.
• Working Towards Bluestar Accreditation this three-day supportive process enables organisations to work through the accreditation pack with the assessor and access resources, expertise, and support to work towards the accreditation standards. Further time will be required for the assessor to return to undertake the Accreditation Assessment within six months of the date of Working Towards Accreditation.

The Accreditation Standards have been generated from our National Research and includes feedback from victims and survivors about their experiences of pre-trial therapy services and the criminal justice system.

Associate Role Profile

In-depth knowledge of the CPS Guidelines, and experience either managing/developing pre-trial therapy processes or delivery of frontline pre-trial services is essential. A working knowledge of supporting those who have experienced domestic or sexual abuse is essential as is some previous training experience. This experience does not need to have been in a role that exclusively deals with survivors of domestic or sexual abuse, there are a range of sectors that would be a beneficial addition to our training pool including (but not limited to) mental health, probation, substance misuse, diverse community work and human resources casework, working with perpetrators.

Working as an Associate

Being a Bluestar Associate is flexible and can fit around employment or other commitments you may have. You will be paid for the sessions you deliver for us and be supported by our training team with IT, logistics and accessing the course content. It is a great opportunity to be part of the work we do in transforming the response to pre-trial therapy and support services.

We will agree the frequency that you wish to deliver training and whether you would also like to be trained to deliver the accreditation programme. We are anticipating this will be a popular training programme and are seeking 5-10 associate trainers to meet the potential demand from over 400 specialist voluntary sector and health providers. We are aiming to find Associates around England and Wales so that we can support providers across the country. We will ask you to confirm six months of available dates that you can deliver training.

Our day rate is £450 per day. Please note we cannot employ any associate trainers directly. We can either:

a) Contract with your employer who will receive the funding towards cost of your salary, or

b) Contract you directly through a Limited Company.

Expenses will be reimbursed including:

• Travel costs to the venue
• Overnight stay if required - up to £100/night
• Meal allowances for coffees and lunch/dinner - up to £50/day

How to Apply

To join Bluestar as an associate we follow a three-stage process to get to know you, and for you to get to know us:

• Submit an expression of interest and your CV (with references) explaining your relevant experience and why you would like to join Bluestar as an Associate Trainer (aim for no more than 500 words) - to bluestarproject@the-green-house@org.uk
• Meet the Bluestar Team Gemma Halliwell or Emma Harewood will meet you for an online interview
• Observation of applicant delivering another training course online or in person

If successful in your application to join Bluestar as an Associate Trainer, we will invite you as a guest to join a Bluestar training day to learn the course and observe the trainers. This is a great opportunity to attend the course for free, observe typical questions asked by the audience and ask your own clarifying questions. You will then be supported and assessed while delivering a Bluestar training day alongside an existing trainer, before starting to deliver courses alone. The deadline for Applications is:

25th May 2023

We will be in touch on the 1st of June with outcomes for candidates. Interviews will be held on the 8th of June. Associates wishing to progress to become an assessor for the Accreditation process, will be invited to join an Accreditation and work alongside an existing assessor before undertaking their own assessments.

If you would like to find out more, please contact Gemma Halliwell or Emma Harewood at bluestarproject@the-green-house.org.uk

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Skills, knowledge, and experience:
• 1. An understanding of CPS policy as it relates to victims of crime
• 2. Experience as a practitioner/manager in either the voluntary or statutory sector working (sexual violence, domestic abuse, advocacy, police, CPS) working with victims of crime where trauma has been experienced in relation to that crime e.g., sexual violence, domestic abuse
• Training and presentation:
• 1.Outstanding training, communication, and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal experience of online training would be desirable
• 2.Experience of delivering training, including having researched and developed high-quality training/facilitation materials

Desirable

• Skills, knowledge, and experience:
• 1. Knowledge of the sexual violence, domestic abuse sector including legal systems, child protection and advocacy options available to victims
• 2. An understanding of public protection arrangements, the provision of policing, health and social care, and of multi-agency/partnership working, in the UK
• 3. Completion of the Bluestar Project Pre-Trial Training Course/Accreditation
• Training and presentation:
• 1.Experience of delivering accredited training and assessment including having a recognised training qualification
• 2. Experience of writing and presenting information of a high calibre, formally and informally, to a range of audiences
• 3. Direct experience of making presentations to other agencies sexual violence/domestic abuse, criminal justice/family law and multi-agency work

People and other skills

Essential

• 1. Very good facilitation skills including an ability to lead a discussion to constructive conclusion and the ability to provide feedback and communicate potential ways forward in a way that provides positive motivation for the audience
• 2. Sound project management skills, including taking responsibility for and reporting on key operational and financial deliverables
• 3. Sound IT skills (eg Word, PowerPoint and Excel), including use of technology for communication with a geographically dispersed team
• 4. Experience of working with diverse communities
• 5. Ability and willingness to work independently, travel as required, manage own time and prioritise effectively whilst also working as part of a team

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

The Green House

Address

45 Thomas Street

St. Pauls

Bristol

BS2 9LJ

Employer's website

https://www.the-green-house.org.uk (Opens in a new tab)