Micheal OReilly

Key Roles and Responsibilities Overall Responsibility

Youth Worker – Engage Project, New Lodge, Belfast

As a Youth Worker on the Engage Project, my role was to support and engage young people within the New Lodge community, providing positive opportunities for personal development, social interaction, education and community participation. The role focused on building trusted relationships with young people, encouraging positive decision-making and helping young people develop the skills, confidence and resilience required to reach their potential.

• Youth Engagement and Relationship Building
• Develop positive, professional and trusting relationships with young people.
  Engage with young people who may be socially isolated, disengaged from education or experiencing barriers to participation.
  Provide a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment where young people feel respected, listened to and valued.
  Encourage young people to participate in youth work programmes, activities and community initiatives.
  Maintain regular communication with young people and respond appropriately to their individual needs and circumstances.
  
• Planning and Delivering Youth Work Programmes
• Plan, organise and deliver structured youth work sessions and activities.
  Develop activities based around young people's interests, needs and identified areas for development.
  Deliver a mixture of recreational, educational, sporting, cultural and personal-development activities.
  Encourage participation, teamwork, communication and leadership through group activities.
  Adapt activities to ensure they remain accessible and engaging for young people with different abilities and needs.
  
• Personal Development and Life Skills
• Support young people to develop confidence, self-esteem, resilience and independence.
  Encourage young people to identify their strengths, interests and future aspirations.
  Help young people develop communication, teamwork, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
  Encourage positive attitudes towards education, employment, training and personal development.
  Provide informal learning opportunities that complement young people's formal education.
  
• Supporting Positive Choices and Behaviour
• Encourage young people to make positive and informed decisions.
  Challenge inappropriate or harmful behaviour appropriately while maintaining positive relationships.
  Promote respect, responsibility, tolerance and positive relationships between young people.
  Support young people to understand the consequences of their actions and develop strategies for managing difficult situations.
  Act as a positive role model and demonstrate appropriate behaviour, communication and decision-making.
  
• Community Engagement
• Encourage young people to become more involved in their local community.
  Support community-based projects and activities that give young people opportunities to contribute positively to their area.
  Promote young people's sense of belonging, responsibility and ownership within the community.
  Help challenge negative perceptions of young people by highlighting their skills, achievements and positive contributions.
  Work with community organisations and local partners to create opportunities for young people.
  
• Sport, Recreation and Positive Activities
• Organise and participate in sporting and recreational activities as a means of engaging young people.
  Use sport and physical activity to promote teamwork, discipline, confidence and healthy lifestyles.
  Provide alternatives to negative or risky activities by creating accessible and enjoyable opportunities for young people.
  Encourage young people to develop new interests and skills through structured activities and group programmes.
  
• Safeguarding and Young People's Welfare
• Maintain a strong awareness of safeguarding responsibilities when working with young people.
  Follow organisational safeguarding policies, procedures and reporting requirements.
  Identify and respond appropriately to concerns relating to young people's welfare.
  Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
  Recognise when a young person may require additional support and refer concerns through the appropriate channels.
  
• One-to-One Support
• Provided informal one-to-one support and guidance to young people. Listen to young people's concerns and provide appropriate encouragement and signposting. Support young people experiencing difficulties at home, in education, within relationships or within the wider community, within the limits of the Youth Worker role. Encourage young people to access relevant specialist services or additional support when appropriate.
• Teamwork and Partnership Working
• Work effectively as part of the Engage Project team.
  Communicate with colleagues and relevant partner organisations regarding youth work activities and young people's needs.
  Contribute to meetings, planning sessions and reviews of youth work provision.
  Develop positive working relationships with community organisations, schools, families and other relevant stakeholders where appropriate.
  Contribute to a coordinated approach to supporting young people.
  
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Record Keeping
• Maintain appropriate records of youth work activities and engagement.
  Record participation, progress and outcomes in line with organisational procedures.
  Contribute to monitoring and evaluation requirements associated with the project and its funding.
  Reflect on activities and use feedback from young people to improve future provision.
  Provide evidence of young people's participation, development and achievements.
  

Engaged, supported and empowered young people, helping them to recognise their potential and providing positive opportunities for personal, social and community development.

Created meaningful relationships with young people through the Engage Project, provided positive alternatives and activities, promoted personal development, and encouraged young people to become more confident, responsible, and active community members.

Outlined roles and responsibilities within the team

Disability Support Worker – 174 Disability Project, North Belfast

Worked as a Youth Support Worker supporting young people with disabilities and additional support needs through a range of inclusive, social, recreational and personal-development activities. The role focused on providing person-centred support, promoting independence and confidence, encouraging participation and ensuring young people had meaningful opportunities to develop their skills and relationships in a safe and supportive environment.

• Built positive, trusting and professional relationships with young people, creating an environment where they felt safe, respected and valued.
• Provided person-centred support based on each young person's individual needs, abilities, interests and preferences.
• Planned and delivered inclusive recreational, social, sporting and developmental activities.
• Adapted activities and approaches to enable young people with varying abilities and support needs to participate fully.
• Supported young people with communication, social interaction, teamwork and relationship-building.
• Encouraged young people to make choices, express their opinions and take an active role in decisions affecting their participation.
• Promoted independence by supporting young people to develop confidence and take responsibility for appropriate tasks and activities.
• Provided individual support where required, responding sensitively to each young person's circumstances and level of need.
• Encouraged participation in community-based activities and opportunities that promoted inclusion and reduced social isolation.
• Used sport, recreation and group activities to develop confidence, cooperation, communication and social skills.
• Identified individual strengths and encouraged young people to develop new interests, skills and positive experiences.
• Maintained professional boundaries while developing consistent and supportive relationships with young people.
• Followed safeguarding, health and safety, confidentiality and organisational policies and procedures.
• Recognised concerns relating to young people's welfare and reported or escalated these appropriately.
• Worked effectively as part of a team, communicating appropriately with colleagues, families and other professionals where required.
• Assisted with monitoring participation, progress and individual outcomes and contributed to relevant records and evaluations.
• Increased young people's confidence, self-esteem and willingness to participate in activities and group settings.
• Supported young people to develop greater independence, choice and decision-making skills.
• Enabled young people with disabilities to participate in activities that were adapted to their individual abilities and needs.
• Helped young people develop stronger communication, social and interpersonal skills.
• Created opportunities for young people to develop friendships and positive relationships with their peers.
• Supported young people to overcome barriers to participation and experience new activities and environments.
• Contributed to reducing social isolation by providing regular opportunities for meaningful social interaction and community participation.
• Encouraged young people to recognise strengths, fostering a greater sense of achievement and personal capability.
• Promoted an inclusive environment, enabling participation, contribution, and recognition of individual needs.
• Developed strong relationships with young people that enabled consistent, reliable and responsive support.
• Contributed to enhanced overall wellbeing, social inclusion, and quality of life for young people in the project.

Roles & Responsibilities Outcomes Achieved

Youth Support Worker – Big Lottery Project, New Lodge, Belfast

Worked as a Youth Support Worker on a community-based youth programme supporting three key groups of young people within the New Lodge area: young people affected by poverty, young people with disabilities/additional support needs, and young people from newcomer families.

• Built positive, trusting and professional relationships with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds and circumstances.
• Planned and delivered inclusive youth work sessions, recreational activities, sports, educational programmes and personal development opportunities.
• Provided targeted support to young people experiencing barriers associated with poverty, disability, social exclusion and integration into a new community.
• Adapted activities and approaches to meet individual needs, abilities, interests and levels of engagement.
• Facilitated positive participation in group activities, enhancing young people's confidence, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Provided informal one-to-one support, guidance and signposting where young people required additional assistance.
• Promoted inclusion, equality, respect and positive relationships between young people from different backgrounds.
• Supported young people from newcomer families to develop connections within the local community and increase their sense of belonging.
• Used sport, recreation and group activities to promote teamwork, confidence, physical wellbeing and positive social interaction.
• Encouraged young people to identify their strengths, develop aspirations and make positive choices about their education, relationships and future.
• Maintained appropriate safeguarding, professional boundaries, confidentiality and organisational procedures.
• Worked collaboratively with colleagues, community organisations and other relevant services to support young people's needs.
• Monitored participation and progress and contributed to project records, evaluations and reporting requirements.
• Successfully engaged young people who were experiencing barriers to participation and encouraged sustained involvement in positive youth activities.
• Improved young people's confidence, communication, teamwork and ability to participate positively within groups.
• Designed inclusive opportunities for young people of diverse abilities and backgrounds to participate together.
• Supported young people affected by poverty to access positive recreational, educational and personal development opportunities.
• Increased opportunities for young people with disabilities/additional needs to participate in social, recreational and community activities.
• Helped young people from newcomer families build relationships, develop connections and feel more included within the local community.
• Encouraged young people to develop greater confidence, independence and responsibility.
• Delivered structured activities and consistent youth support, providing positive alternatives to social isolation and disengagement.
• Strengthened young people's connection with their local community and encouraged greater participation in community life.

Contributed to a safe, supportive and inclusive youth work environment in which young people felt listened to, respected and valued.

Outreach & Detached Youth Worker – John Paul II Youth Club Ardoyne, North Belfast

Worked as an Outreach and Detached Youth Worker within the Ardoyne community, engaging directly with young people in their own environments and community spaces. The role focused on building trusting relationships with young people who may be difficult to reach through traditional youth services, identifying their needs and concerns, providing informal support and guidance, and creating pathways towards positive activities, personal development and community participation.

• Delivered outreach and detached youth work within local streets, community spaces, parks and other areas where young people naturally congregated.
• Proactively engaged with young people who were not accessing traditional youth services or structured programmes.
• Built consistent, positive and professional relationships with young people through regular informal contact.
• Used informal conversations and relationship-based youth work to identify young people's interests, needs, concerns and aspirations.
• Provided a listening ear and appropriate support around issues affecting young people's lives, within the boundaries of the youth worker role.
• Encouraged young people to make positive choices and consider the consequences of their decisions and behaviour.
• Promoted positive alternatives to anti-social behaviour, reducing social isolation and increasing community engagement.
• Supported young people to access local youth services, education, training, employment opportunities, sport and recreational activities.
• Signposted and referred young people to appropriate specialist services and community organisations when additional support was required.
• Responded appropriately to safeguarding concerns and followed organisational safeguarding, confidentiality and reporting procedures.
• Managed challenging situations calmly and professionally while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
• Promoted respect, tolerance, positive relationships and responsible behaviour within the community.
• Encouraged young people to participate in community activities, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and responsibility.
• Organised and supported informal and structured activities designed to engage young people and develop positive relationships.
• Worked collaboratively with other youth workers, community organisations and relevant agencies to provide coordinated support.
• Maintained appropriate records of engagement, identified needs, referrals and outcomes in accordance with organisational procedures.
• Contributed to identifying emerging issues affecting young people within the local community and communicated these appropriately to the wider youth work team.

• Successfully engaged young people who were hard to reach or disengaged from traditional youth services.
• Developed strong relationships based on trust, consistency and mutual respect, creating opportunities for meaningful youth work interventions.
• Increased young people's awareness of available youth services, activities, support networks and positive opportunities.
• Supported young people to make more positive choices and consider alternative pathways to negative or risky behaviours.
• Helped young people develop greater confidence in communicating their concerns, needs and aspirations.
• Increased participation in positive recreational, sporting, educational and community-based activities.
• Provided early support and signposting to young people who may otherwise have struggled to access appropriate services.
• Contributed to reducing social isolation and increasing young people's connection with positive adults, peers and community resources.
• Helped identify emerging concerns and issues affecting young people and contributed to appropriate early intervention.
• Strengthened communication and partnership working between young people, youth services and the wider community.
• Contributed to a safer environment for young people through consistent engagement, relationship-building, and proactive preventative youth work.