The Men’s Development Network is recruiting for:
Part-time contracted sessional Facilitators for MEND Programmes in South Tipperary (Clonmel), Carlow/Kilkenny (Carlow), Laois/Offaly (Portlaoise), Kildare (Newbridge), Wexford and Wicklow areas.
Contract Brief: Facilitation (assessment, one-to-one and co-facilitated group sessions) of the CHOICES Programme for male perpetrators of domestic abuse under contract to the Men’s Development Network (of which MEND is a project), funded by the Department of Justice and Equality. This will include appropriate (limited) administrative work and accountability to the MEND Area Coordinator. This work will run parallel with an integrated Partner Support Service. Work is dependent on sufficient referrals to the Programme.
Description of Work and paid time involved.
Assessment and One-to-One
Men referred or self-referred to the Mend Programme are Assessed for Risk and Suitability usually 2 x 1 ½ hour sessions. If found suitable they have up to 7max one-to-one pre-group sessions, each of 1 hour’s duration. As a facilitator you will schedule these sessions directly with the men allocated to you by the Mend Local Area Coordinator.
Group Work
Following pre-group one-to-one’s the men will join a weekly rolling group programme, this involves ½ hour preparation beforehand, two hour group session and ½ hour’s debrief afterwards. So, 3 hours in total once a week. You will be part of a mixed gender team of 3 facilitators.
Other work-related meetings.
Monthly Clinical Supervision in group 1 – 1 ½ hours in duration
Monthly Risk Management meetings 1 hour’s duration
Practice Supervision in group once every two months 1 hour’s duration
There may be occasional Team meetings outside of these regular meetings
Ethos of approach: The MEND Programme aims to work in a supportive, respectful and challenging way with men to hold them accountable for their violence and abusive behaviour towards their partners/ex-partners, to bring about an end to this behaviour and to foster more caring and respectful ways of relating. The programmes use a mix of psycho-educational tools, exercises, role-play etc. as well as engaging with live material as it emerges. The Facilitators are expected to work with a therapeutic sensibility that will deepen the work of the group and maximise the men’s motivation to change that is rooted in each man’s developing ethical framework. The group sessions are videoed for the purpose of training and practice supervision.
Qualification: We are looking for people, in these locations, who have a counselling qualification or equivalent and experience facilitating groups would be of benefit.
Training: A combination of Shadowing with more experienced facilitators plus completion of the Carlow Institute of Technology’s Certificate in Facilitating Domestic Violence Intervention Programmes with Men. This is a Level 8 Special Purpose Award 10 credits and is a combination of online and residential training and will be provided by the Men’s Network.
To apply send a Covering Letter and current Curriculum Vitae to: john@mensnetwork.ie or post to John Doyle, MEND c/o Men’s Development Network, 49 O Connell St. Waterford X91 E866.
Closing Date for receipt of Applications: 5pm Tuesday 8th June 2021
Interviews to take place in Waterford, Thursday 17th and in Carlow, Friday 18th June 2021.
For further information, phone John at 087 2311786 and see www.mensnetwork.ie
