Advertised Date: 18 Sep 2024

Closing Date: 03 Oct 2024, 04:00 PM

Leitrim Sports Partnership plays a lead role in the co-ordination, development and delivery of sport and physical activities for the communities of County Leitrim. This role is guided by a Strategic Plan and year on year operational plans. The Sports Partnership encourages and facilitates participation in sport, recreation, and physical activity across all members of the community.
Every day in communities across the country, Sport Ireland through its network of LSPs helps people irrespective of age, gender, disability, or social circumstance to get active. The role of the ESF+ Social Innovation in Sport Officer, employed within the LSPs, will be to use sport and physical activity to foster social inclusion and provide education, inclusion and personal development programmes for people at risk of social exclusion and poverty such as ethnic minorities, youth at risk, persons with disabilities and people from disadvantaged backgrounds throughout the country. All programmes will be developed with an innovation and user-centric focus.

This role is funded by the European Social Fund + (ESF+) Programme 2021 -2027 through Sport Ireland. The ESF+ Programme will support the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights by seeking to:
Candidate Information Booklet – ESF+ Social Innovation in Sport Officer – September 2024
Leitrim County Council Page 2

• Support access to employment for young people and underrepresented groups
• Promote skills and lifelong learning
• Tackle poverty and social exclusion

Sport and Physical Activity will be used as a mechanism to support these principles and the LSPs will be the main drivers on this project locally.
Sport Ireland published its first policy on Diversity and Inclusion in Sport in 2022 which expresses its vision for a sport sector that celebrates diversity, promotes inclusion, and is pro-active in providing opportunities for lifelong participation for everyone. The ESF+ Social Innovation in Sport Officer will work in collaboration with key local and national stakeholders to support the implementation of this policy.
The ESF+ Social Innovation in Sport Officer will support the delivery of Sport4 Empowerment (S4E) Programme. This will involve leading with the delivery of the S4E programme with the objective of fostering active inclusion with a view to promoting equal opportunities, non-discrimination and active participation, and improving employability, in ESF+ target groups and organisations locally. The programmes on this project will be designed, piloted and scaled using design thinking principles.

Education, Training, Experience etc.
Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:
A. hold a Level 8 Qualification (on the National Framework of Qualifications) in any of the following areas – Health, Exercise Science, Physical Activity, Diversity and Inclusion, Social Justice, Community Development, Education or related field
And
have a minimum of 2 years’ relevant experience working with two or more of the target groups and stakeholder engagement.

OR

B.have a minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience working two or more of the target groups and stakeholder engagement

Knowledge & Skills:
✓In-depth knowledge and understanding of the lived experience of two or more target groups.
✓Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) such as report writing, grant applications and interpersonal skills.
✓Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook).
✓Good project management, organisational, stakeholder, and time management skills.
✓An understanding of research and evaluation methods and an appreciation of research integrity and the ethical issues of carrying out research with target populations.
✓Effective team player in the context of a multidisciplinary team.
✓Ability to work under pressure.
✓Health/safety and risk awareness

Desirable Qualifications and Experience:
✓Further Education or Training relevant to the post in relation to physical activity, social integration/inclusion, and D&I.
✓Experience of facilitating physical activity and sports activities with people of differing abilities and/or from underrepresented groups.
✓An Understanding and Experience in the delivery and/or implementation of social innovation/ design of innovation programmes and use of design thinking principles.
✓Knowledge of the sport and physical activity sector and policies.
Other:
✓Demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning.
✓Be prepared to work evenings & weekends when required.
✓Ability to travel efficiently between sites.
✓Must have access to a car and hold a current EU/Irish driving licence.

Notes:

• Candidates must submit copy of educational qualifications as outlined above. Applications received without the necessary documentation will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.
• Candidates must also hold a current valid and unendorsed driving licence in respect of category B vehicles and must advise if this is not the case. A copy of Licence must be submitted with your application