Host Family

Organisation: Stadium MK
Salary: 0.00
Location: Milton Keynes
Contract type: Volunteer (Part time)
Closing date: 27 June 2025
Job Description: Job purpose: MK Dons Football Club are looking for host families who can provide a warm and welcoming environment for our Academy Players aged 16-21 living away from home as they continue their football development for the 2024/25 season and beyond.

Role Competencies:

Planning Timescales:
• Accommodation is required six nights a week during the football season from a Sunday evening until Saturday morning. Full time accommodation may be required in some instances.

Decision Making:
• Sharing relevant and appropriate information with Academy staff on scholar behaviour

Impact & Influence:
• Provide a suitable and safe environment with easy access to our training ground facilities located at Woughton on the Green, MK6 3AE and Stadium:MK as well as to MK College, Bletchley Campus, MK3 6DR.

Skill Level:
• Provide high quality, nutritional breakfast and evening meals for the duration of the player’s stay.

Communication:
• Attend induction meeting and CPD as required by the club.
• Report any welfare or safeguarding concerns via the in-house system promptly.
• Maintain consistent communication regarding the young person with personnel from MK Dons Academy.

Budget Management:
• The club pay £20 per night per player and the host should provide an invoice for payment each month.

Lead & Develop:
• Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Include our young people in family life as much as they feel comfortable with.
• Support our young people by teaching them basic independent living and self-care skills such as washing, cooking and cleaning up after themselves.

Operating Parameters:
• Accommodation should be a furnished room which the player will not share with anyone else and where the player can study and relax. It must be a non-smoking household with controlled access to alcohol and parental control on TV and Wi-Fi.

Essential & Desirable Job Criteria:
• Experience and knowledge of working with young people either as a parent, foster parent or professional environment (D)
• An understanding of the emotional impact and well-being challenges that academy/ professional football life may bring. (D)
• Capacity to accommodate more than one player. (D)
• Ability to cope with young person’s flexible schedule throughout the season (E)
• Provide the young person with their own bedroom (E)
• Excellent communication and listening skills and ability to build trusted working relationships. (E)
• Understanding of safeguarding principles and practices (E)
• Child-focused approach. (E)
• Ability to promote and demonstrate anti-discriminatory practice. (E)

MK Dons Football Club is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk and this is endorsed by the club’s board. We are committed to ensuring that any club related activity will be in a safe environment where children, young people and adults at risk are protected from harm or abuse whilst under our care.

All members of the host family household that reside at the address and who are over the age of 16, will be subject to an application process involving an interview, satisfactory references and enhanced DBS checks as well as being asked to complete safeguarding and other relevant training.

There will also be further checks required within the household including proof of gas service along with other health and safety aspects.
Host families will be supported with scheduled visits from Head of Player care and/or safeguarding throughout the season to discuss host family/player needs.

Safeguarding - We are committed to safeguarding and protecting children and young people (CYP) and at-risk Adults (ARA). Our expectation is that you will fully accept your responsibility for the safety and welfare of all CYP and ARA by being fully conversant with all our safeguarding policies and reporting anything that does not appear to be correct. The post may be subject to an enhanced DBS check and yearly self-declarations.

Equality & Diversity – Must be able to demonstrate that equality, diversity and inclusion will be maintained and developed across all programmes and areas of the business.
How to apply: To apply for this role please visit : https://www.stadiummk.com/careers/ If you would like to find out more about the role before applying, please email : careers@stadiummk.com