Education Equality Officer Vacancy (£22,000 p/a)
(Updated 19th May 2010)
Click to download the brochure in Word format 
The aim of the post is to ensure effective representation of minority sexual orientation equality issues and equal access to services within Northern Ireland Education.
Job Description
Job Title: Education Equality Officer
Line Manager: TRP Director
Salary: £22,000
Location: TRP, LGBT Centre Belfast
Hours: 35 Hours Per Week
Contract: 2 Year Full Time Post
Holidays: 25 Days p/a Plus Statutory Holidays
Background to the Post
This is an exciting time for people living in Northern Ireland; not only as a result of the ongoing peace process and the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly, but also because of the Review of Public Administration, which impacts on the statutory health, education and local government sectors. The new Assembly and the reduction in the number of agencies, district councils and police command units will provide voluntary agencies, like TRP, to more directly influence social policy.
This is even more exciting time for the lesbian, gay and bi-sexual community (LGB) in NI. The end of the conflict has meant that attention can now be focussed on other communities; to some extent moving away from the traditional single identity view of community background to one that also includes sexual orientation. An ongoing change in attitude within society means that there increasingly is a better understanding, recognition and acceptance of diversity in sexual orientation and the inequalities that have resulted from hetero-sexism and homophobia.
Aim of Post
To establish and/or develop effective working relationships with the Department of Education, Education and Library Boards, the Youth Council for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People; the Northern Ireland anti-Bullying Forum; the new Education and Skills Authority and the new Statutory Advisory forum to the Department of Education to ensure effective representation of minority sexual orientation equality issues and equal access to services.
Objectives
- To lobby for the extension of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act to cover schools in Northern Ireland;
- To increase awareness of issues relating to young lesbian, gay and bisexual people within education environments;
- To ensure representation of issue relating to young LGB people with education environments on key bodies such as the Northern Ireland Anti Bullying Forum;
- To establish and/or develop, in partnership with key partners as listed above, policies and protocols to ensure that relevant support measures are developed to support LGB people within education environments;
- To work in partnership with the Education Training Officer in the development and promotion of key policies
- Provide guidance to education authorities on ensuring equality of opportunity for LGB people within education environments; and
- To lobby for the introduction of minority sexual orientation training and guidance for teachers, school counsellors and other key people within education environments.
Essential Qualifications & Experience
This position requires the ability to work at a senior level with the statutory sector, professional education bodies, education service providers and LGBT organisations on strategies and initiatives to improve education environments for LGB people.
Experience, capacity and skills to work across this broad range of stakeholders is a key requirement. Direct experience in the field of education or LGB issues is not essential.
Candidates should have the following experiences and skills:
Experience and Knowledge
- Have demonstrable experience working with and influencing senior policy makers, policy implementers and service providers;
- Have a track record in achieving change in policy and practice;
- Have skills and experience in building alliances and working effectively in consortiums to achieve change;
- Have experience in strategic planning, work planning and project management;
- Have some experience of dealing with the media; and
- Have an understanding of key issues relating to homophobia and hetero-sexism.
Competencies
- Be a highly motivated, ambitious, proactive and innovative person who enjoys taking on big challenges;
- Be strategic and pragmatic, with an ability to effectively influence policy change;
- Be comfortable working outside a traditional business setting and routine;
- Be orientated towards continually learning, developing, adapting and improving;
- Have strong communication skills, oral, written and presentational, with experience of communicating at senior levels; and
- Have a commitment to equality, social inclusion and advocacy.
Desirable Experience and Competencies
- Experience of working in the LGBT Sector as a volunteer or paid member of staff;
General
The Rainbow Project and Cara-Friend require all posts within our organisations to carry a degree of flexibility in their execution of duties in order to assist the development of the organisation. The above job description should not be viewed as an exhaustive list as other tasks may need to be undertaken as directed by the line manager.
For further information or an application pack, click on the job title, download the job brochures, email finance@rainbow-project.org or phone Pat Nairn on 028 9031 9030.
