It has taught me how to make our Youth Zone more welcoming and more inclusive.
We’d love to show you around a local Youth Zone, allowing you to see for yourself the impact that these centres make. Simply fill in your details below and a member of the team will be in touch to arrange a visit.
Take a Virtual TourWe have incredible employees who are passionate about OnSide and the opportunities Youth Zones offer young people. They know our values and culture, and bring them to life every day through their work. These talented people are central to our ability to succeed, and we invest in their future through focussed professional development.
We created the Talent Academy to provide training and development opportunities for colleagues from OnSide and across the Network and to recognise and develop outstanding performers.
The Talent Academy is something we’re really proud of. It is supported by OnSide and Youth Zone Senior Management and ensures all employees can contribute to the best of their ability, by providing development opportunities that benefit OnSide, individual Youth Zones, and the whole Network.
It has taught me how to make our Youth Zone more welcoming and more inclusive.
The Talent Academy was launched in 2017 to develop excellence across OnSide and the Network. Since then, 500 employees have taken part in over 20 different programmes. As a result of their training and development, we have seen employees progressing to brand new positions in both their Youth Zone and in other Youth Zones in the Network. At OnSide, we encourage and support personal development. Individual needs are discussed, and the Talent Academy provide a bespoke training offer to meet the needs of the OnSide team, with recent training covering unconscious bias, coaching and safeguarding.
Learn more about the Talent Academy’s impactShort masterclasses support our people with specific development areas. Recent masterclasses have covered project management, mental health and street-based youth work. These are run by either the OnSide team or external training providers.
A 12 month programme that develops outstanding performers from across the network who have the leadership potential to progress to the role of Chief Executive or Youth Work Manager. Aspiring Leaders consists of leadership modules, coaching, and a placement in another Youth Zone.
A four month programme created to help develop great people management skills. Aimed at those who are new to line management. The Effective People Manager Programme covers topics including the transition from friend to manager, leadership/management principles and communication. Each participant is matched with mentor to support with their individual needs.
The Youth Work Diploma provides youth workers with the skills and knowledge needed to become a competent and qualified Lead Youth Support Worker. Designed and accredited by the National Youth Agency, the Diploma supports Youth Workers to promote young people’s personal and social development, It enables young people to have a voice, influence and place in their communities and society as a whole.
A series of modules that help Youth Zone Boards to effectively execute their duties as they drive the Youth Zone forward, governing it in accordance with legislation and good practice. Board members gain greater insight into their duties as a trustee, how the Board of a great Youth Zone should operate, how they can best support their Youth Zone and how they can maximise effectiveness in their role.
I’ve been a youth worker for several years and in that time I’ve developed an instinctive understanding for how best to support young people based…
Read moreAnother group of exceptional candidates from across the OnSide network successfully graduated in January 2020 from our Talent Academy, Aspiring Leaders 2019 cohort.
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