Career Guidance Education & Employment Facilitator

Purpose of the Post

To support and improve meaningful education, training, and employment opportunities of young people through the Oberstown Careers Portal Platform.

To support young people to achieve positive outcomes through holistic, client-centred education, employment, and vocational interventions.

To empower young people to take responsibility for their life choices and explore future career directions to build self-efficacy.

Work directly with young people in the care of Oberstown, their families, as well as internal and external professionals and agencies, in the provision of services to support the care and development of the young person and their re-integration into the community.

Support the ongoing development, implementation, and research of the Oberstown Careers Portal Platform.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Act as an education and employment support worker to the young people in the care of Oberstown.

• Network and collaborate with professionals and other colleagues to enhance the educational experience of young people whilst resident in Oberstown and following discharge.

• Work in partnership with colleagues and other professionals to meet the social, emotional, educational, training, employment, health, and mental health needs of young people transitioning from Oberstown.

• Work in partnership with the family, aftercare services, and organisations to support the young people to access meaningful educational, training, and employment opportunities.

• Provide ongoing support and assessment of needs for young people as part of the journey through care, the placement planning process, and transitioning from Oberstown.

• Develop an individualised and realistic career path plan with the young people with the aim of securing education, training, or employment post release and support them to set out goals in achieving this.

• Responsible for tracking and recording the progress of the young person’s career skills development. This includes supporting the young person to develop an individualised skills portfolio to demonstrate evidence.

• Promote positive initiatives and pathways for young people in the areas of education, training, and employment.

• Facilitate group work that promotes careers education, planning, and development.

• Support the young people to build their confidence in preparing for the world of employment, including interview skills and developing a CV.

• Integrate and embed the Oberstown Careers Portal Platform as a key component of the programme of care for young people in Oberstown.

• Engage in continuous professional development and attend events to support the role in terms of holistic career guidance provision.

• Remain up to date with current thinking and practice relevant to your role.

• Assist in the development of new projects for young people based on their unique needs.

• Provide and attend, when required, reports at placement planning meetings.

• Liaise with existing education and training programmes in a variety of settings to support and provide progression placement for young people.

• Canvass and network with appropriate organisations, employers, education and training providers to provide meaningful opportunities for the young people.

• Develop employer networks and a directory of placement opportunities.

• Provide follow-up support to employers and young people placed in work settings.

• Collate and gather data and generate reports to support all projects.

• Carry out duties in line with the Oberstown Children Detention Campus policies and procedures, in particular the Safeguarding and Children First policies.

• Complete and maintain administrative records relating to children and young people.

• Promote positive outcomes for children and young people in areas of staying safe, being healthy, developing life and career skills, enjoying and achieving, and making a positive contribution to their own wellbeing.

• Act as a positive role model for the young people.

• Work in accordance with the Children’s Rights Policy Framework, 12 Rules, and CEHOP Models of Care.

• Work in accordance with all campus-wide policies and procedures, such as care, human resources, health and safety, operating, etc.

• Assist in the development and implementation of the Oberstown Strategic Plan.

• Other duties commensurate with the level of responsibility that may be assigned from time to time.

The above is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post, which may be assigned to him or her from time to time, and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

For any queries or more information on this role, please contact the Human Resources department at recruitmentmail@oberstown.com

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Qualifications

Essential Criteria

Applicants must, by the closing date of application, have the following:

• Be registered in the Social Care Workers Register maintained by the Social Care Workers Registration Board maintained by CORU, or

• Hold a CORU approved Social Care Worker qualification and have applied for CORU registration (evidence of application will be necessary), or

• Be eligible for registration in the Social Care Workers Register maintained by the Social Care Workers Registration Board maintained by CORU (evidence of application will be necessary).

• Hold one of the following qualifications and be committed to a pathway towards Social Care education:

Youth and Community Work qualification

BA (Hons) Youth and Community Development

BA (Hons) Psychology

Addiction Studies (Level 7)

BA (Hons) Counselling and Addiction Studies

Disability Diploma (Primary Care)

Degree in Social Science (minimum Level 7)

• Have the requisite knowledge and ability (including a high standard of suitability and ability) for the proper discharge of the duties of office.

Oberstown will support successful candidates appointed as social care workers to attain a social care qualification in the future which will enable the opportunity for future career progression.

Desirable Criteria

• Hold a Level 8 Adult Guidance, Theory and Practice qualification or equivalent or working towards it.

• An understanding of the Irish Education System.

• A general knowledge of the Oberstown Career Portal Platform.

• Ability to work under your own initiative in the provision of care of young people.

Competencies

Candidates must be able to demonstrate clearly at interview that they possess the full range of competencies as set out below:

Professional Knowledge and Experience

Demonstrate:

• Experience of working in a regulated environment.

• Excellent numeracy skills.

• Ability to work in a systemic and process-driven environment.

Communications and Interpersonal Skills

Demonstrate:

• Good communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to present information in a clear and concise manner.

• Strong written communication skills.

• Ability to adapt communication style as required.

Problem Solving and Decision Making

Demonstrate:

• Flexibility, problem solving, and initiative skills including the ability to adapt to change.

• The ability to appropriately analyse and interpret information, develop solutions, and contribute to decisions quickly and accurately as appropriate.

• The ability to recognise when it is appropriate to refer decisions to a higher level of management.

Team Working

Demonstrate:

• The ability to work as part of a team and to establish a good working relationship with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

• The ability to work independently on own initiative and as part of a team.

• The capacity for management responsibility and initiative.

• Leadership potential and strong team skills.

Driving Licence

Successful candidates will be required to hold a current full clean Driving Licence – Category B, prior to commencement of employment.

Health

A candidate must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the position and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service, which will include sporting and leisure activities as well as an ability to be fully involved in physical restraints where necessary (training will be provided).

Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Age

Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he or she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act 2004). A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 67 years of age.

Communication

Candidates must have a good command of the English language.

Principal Conditions of Service

General

The appointment is made under Section 180 of the Children (Amendment) Act 2015.

Salary

The current salary for the position (effective 1 February 2026) is as follows:

Personal Pension Contribution rate: €37,555 to €73,237 per annum pro rata for part time contracts. Secure Unit Allowance of €2,729.49 pro rata per annum.

This rate will apply where the appointee is newly recruited to the civil or public service or is an existing civil or public servant appointed on or after 6 April 1995 and is required to make a personal pension contribution.

A different rate may apply where the appointee is a civil or public servant recruited before 6 April 1995 and who is not required to make a personal pension contribution.

Important notes relating to salary:

Candidates should note that entry will be at the minimum of the scale and will not be subject to negotiation. The rate of total remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy as applying to public servants generally.

Subject to satisfactory performance, increments may be awarded in line with current Government policy.

Tenure and Probation

The appointment will be made as a whole-time permanent position in the Public Service.

The individual must serve a probationary period of 9 months.

Should the appointee’s services be unsatisfactory as regards health, conduct, or efficiency generally during the probationary period, the position may be terminated at any time by the Board of Management.

Location

Oberstown Children Detention Campus is located in Lusk, County Dublin.

Hours of Attendance

Hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount to not less than 39 hours per week. The successful candidate will be required to work such additional hours from time to time as may be reasonable and necessary for the proper performance of his or her duties, subject to the limits set down in the working time regulations. The rate of remuneration payable covers any extra attendance liability that may arise from time to time.

Annual Leave

In addition to the usual public holidays, the annual leave for this position is 23 working days, pro rata for 2026.

Sick Leave

Pay during properly certified sick absence, provided there is no evidence of permanent disability for service, will apply on a pro rata basis, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme.