Carer Support Manager Jobs

At Makespace, our mission is to revive, repurpose and transform empty and underused spaces across Oxfordshire into affordable, community-driven places. We are committed to nurturing connection and support for social enterprises, creatives, makers and fostering a more inclusive and connected local economy.

Our agenda is spatial justice - we believe everyone has the right to safe, affordable, secure and beautiful spaces in which to work, organise and celebrate. We use meanwhile as a lever to unlock spaces, and as a catalyst to bring about long-term, community place-based renewal, building towards community ownership.

The Advocacy and Communications Director will lead Makespace’s advocacy and external communications, to influence systemic change across the community/social enterprise sector and deliver transformational, multi-generational change in line with our strategy. The role will deepen engagement with local and national partners and stakeholders, building on the success of Makespace’s neighbourhood level projects as the organisation moves into the next phase of development. A key part of the role is translating the learning and impact from our hub spaces into compelling advocacy and communications campaigns.

This role is a new position designed to strengthen our senior leadership team, working closely with the Executive Director and Operations Director to guide the strategic direction of the organisation.

We are a local Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation, run by and for Deaf and Disabled people and carers in Bromley and neighbouring Boroughs.

We have a vision of a world where Disabled people are able to live their lives independently, in the way they choose, participating fully in society and enjoying equity and respect for diversity.

Our mission is to enable Deaf and Disabled people and carers in Bromley and neighbouring Boroughs to fully understand our rights, develop collective pride and build skills and experience in self-advocacy and strong civic participation. We believe this will allow Disabled people to lead in challenging discrimination in Bromley and beyond, breaking down barriers to independence, choice and equity. 

Our aims are:

• To support Disabled people to get our voices heard and to influence change locally.
• To campaign for an inclusive and accessible society.
• To support, develop and celebrate Disabled people’s skills and leadership.

Our current services include:

• Peer-led Forums - opportunities to voice your experiences, discuss ways to challenge barriers to inclusion and independence and influence local services. 

• Disability Pride - annual events to showcase Disabled talent, celebrate our lived experience and help break down stigma attached to Disability.

• Supported volunteering - person-centred support for volunteers to increase their skills, confidence and experience. 

As Volunteer Coordinator, you will lead on recruiting, supervising, supporting and developing volunteers, drawing on your own lived experience of Disability to provide a positive role model. 

Position: Volunteer Coordinator

Responsible to: Deputy CEO

Location: Role may involve some working from home on occasion, but majority of the hours will be supporting volunteers in our office in Anerley, plus attending face to face meetings and events in Bromley Borough and occasionally in London. 

Hours: 14 hours per week (part-time), around volunteer availability and access needs.

Salary: £27,000 per year pro rata to 14 hours per week

Annual leave: 5.6 weeks per year including bank holidays, pro rata

Pension: Statutory opt in rules applied to all our jobs

How to apply: Please either fill in the application form or send in a CV that is updated for this role. Whichever you do, your application form or CV must have an additional supporting statement that tells us how you meet the criteria in the person specification. 

Interviews will take place at our Anerley office on Thursday 21st November. 

Closing date: Sunday 10th November 2024.

What you will do:

• Proactively look for opportunities to recruit volunteers with lived experience of Disability, by promoting our volunteering opportunities across the borough, supporting stalls at community events and contributing articles celebrating volunteer achievements in our monthly newsletter and on our social media.
• Respond promptly to enquiries about volunteering, engage with individuals to encourage them to volunteer and interview potential volunteers to identify their strengths, interests, development and support needs. 
• Support volunteers to successfully undertake a programme of induction training, agree ongoing task plans for each volunteer to monitor progress, carry out regular one to one meetinghs with volunteers and providing practical support for volunteers to deliver specific tasks and mini projects.
• Co-ordinate regular volunteer team meetings, review volunteer management policies and procedures, take a lead on initiatives such as volunteers week events and volunteer fayres and keep up-to-date records about volunteers and individual progress.

This job is for you if:

• You have personal lived experience of Disability.
• You have a strong local presence within Bromley Borough.
• You are highly motivated and practical, with a 'can-do' approach to work.
• You have excellent people skills, with experience of motivating others and helping them to overcome barriers to reach their potential.
• You have experience of delivering work to meet targets.

Are you passionate about the difference that the right advocacy, at the right time, can make to families? Are you an experienced leader in the voluntary sector? Do you have an excellent understanding of how to innovate and scale digital, telephone and community-based services? If so, then we would love to hear from you.

Applications close at: 9 a.m. Friday 22nd November 2024

Location: Hybrid / London office with regular UK travel

About Contact

At Contact, we provide vital information, advice and support to parent carers with disabled children, across all four nations of the UK. Last year, we reached 413,000 families, helping parents to navigate the health, social care, education and welfare systems.

Parents tell us that our support has increased their confidence, helped them feel less alone, and made a huge difference to the support they receive. Our family finance support alone, on average, increases family incomes by £5,918 per year.

About the role

This is an exciting time for Contact. We are embarking on a new strategy, with an aim to end the battle parent carers face when accessing help and support for their family.

As a critical member of the Executive team, you will play a central part in delivering on that aim, and help Contact to grow our reach, profile and impact for families across the UK.

In this role, you will lead a team of 40 and handle a budget of £2 million, including our core contract with the Department for Education to deliver a national helpline.

Who we are looking for

You will have the vision to bring together our digital-first information and advice services and tailored community support into a joined-up offer for families.

You will bring a track record in delivering change and scale, to help us grow our reach and innovate our delivery, so that our services are sustainable for the long-term.

You will have excellent judgment, equally able to seize opportunities for partnership and funding, and to carefully manage risk.

Please click 'Apply via website’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the job description and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Friday 22nd November 2024.

Are you passionate about inspiring others to make a difference? We are looking for a Community Relationship Fundraiser to join our Income Generation team at the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association. Fundraising plays a crucial role in sustaining and advancing our care services and research collaborations within the Association. This support is essential for helping people living with and affected by MND.

You will play a key role in supporting fundraisers, helping them to reach their goals while building lasting connections with our charity. Ensuring income to the Association and lifetime value is maximised. Meeting agreed income and expenditure budgets to deliver high standards of supporter care and maximising the return on investment of fundraising activities will be an essential part of your role.

Providing essential guidance and support to fundraisers within your area, your focus will be on ensuring supporters feel valued and engaged, helping them to maximise their fundraising potential. You will achieve this through effective communication across various channels, including phone, email, and face-to-face interactions. By building strong relationships, you'll also help to increase their fundraising impact, introducing them to other opportunities within the charity and offering tailored advice.

Collaboration is key in this position. You will work closely with internal teams to create the best possible fundraising experience. By signposting to local volunteering branches and groups, you will help increase the overall value of community fundraising efforts.

You'll work closely with our wider team to maintain accurate records in the CRM system, ensuring consistency and high standards of supporter care. Keeping funds on track and received within the right timescales will also be a key part of your role. You will ensure that all funds raised are received promptly and in compliance with legal and internal guidelines.

Location: Home-based. Option to work on a hybrid-basis from the Northampton office is available.

What are we looking for?

A background in fundraising or sales and account management. You should have experience in coaching and motivating others, helping them to achieve their fundraising targets.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. You will need to connect with supporters through various channels, fostering an inclusive environment that respects diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Your ability to understand and relate to the motivations of our fundraisers will be crucial.

Resilience and flexibility are important as you adapt to changing circumstances. You should also be skilled in time management, able to prioritise your workload and manage competing priorities effectively. If you are passionate about inspiring others and making a positive impact, we would love to hear from you.

For full role responsibilities please view the job description located within the Candidate Pack.

Our Benefits

• 28 days holiday, rising to 33 days after 5 years' service, plus Bank Holidays
• Access to UK Healthcare which includes reimbursement for dental appointments, eyecare, Health & Wellbeing screening and therapies
• Access to a 24/7 phone and video GP Service
• Life assurance
• Confidential counselling helplines
• Salary sacrifice schemes to include: Cycle to work & Buy and sell annual leave
• BenefitHub which offers lifestyle discounts and offers on everyday shopping
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Opportunities for training and personal development
• Hybrid working

About Us

Our vision is a world free from MND. Our mission is to improve care and support for people with MND, their families and carers. We fund and promote research that leads to new understanding and treatments and brings us closer to a cure for MND. The Association also campaigns and raises awareness so the needs of people with MND, and everyone who cares for them, are recognised, and addressed by wider society.

We are committed to equality and value diversity. We are working hard to remove perceived and actual barriers to participation for people with and affected by MND, current and future staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.

We guarantee interviews for disabled applicants that meet the requirements of the role as part of our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Adverts may be closed early, or interviews arranged once sufficient applications are received. Early applications are encouraged.

Sponsorship: If you require sponsorship for this role, you must clearly declare this with/on your application form so that we can consider whether you meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship, either as a skilled worker or new entrant.

DBS: Depending on the nature of your role you may be required to complete a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Reasonable Adjustments and Alternative Applications: Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview please contact us for support.

To provide an inclusive application process, we are open to receiving alternative applications from candidates who may find it difficult to complete our online form.

Recruitment Agencies: We work hard to fill our roles directly and request that recruitment agencies do not contact us in relation to this role.

Are you passionate about making a difference? We are looking for a Regional Relationship Fundraiser to join our team and help drive vital income generation for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association. Working from home, you'll support local businesses, individuals, and groups, empowering them to raise funds for a cause that truly matters.

In this role, you will develop, manage, and deliver fundraising activities within your region. From organising community and local business events to supporting volunteers, you will be responsible for creating meaningful and lasting relationships with fundraisers. Your role will be to ensure that all supporters feel valued and appreciated, while helping to maximise the income generated for the charity.

A key part of your work will involve delivering fantastic supporter care. You will guide fundraisers through their bespoke journey, offering personalised support via meetings, phone calls, and emails, helping them feel connected and inspired to continue their efforts. You'll also collaborate with our volunteering branches and groups to help them grow their local fundraising activities, ensuring they have all the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

Accuracy and organisation are key in this role, as you will manage records in our CRM system and ensure all funds are received promptly and correctly. Ensuring all fundraiser activities meet the law, best practice guidelines and internal policies.

You'll also play an active role in public events, representing the charity, delivering presentations, and participating in local media interviews on behalf of the Association.

If you're a proactive and motivated individual with a passion for community engagement, we'd love to hear from you. Join us in supporting a vital cause and helping to create lasting change.


What are we looking for?

Experience in community fundraising or relationship management. You will need to be passionate about inspiring and supporting others to achieve their fundraising goals. You will have the ability to motivate and coach people, helping them feel confident and valued throughout their journey.

Strong communication skills are essential, both written and verbal, as you'll be engaging with a wide range of supporters. We're looking for someone who is empathetic, able to understand and relate to different motivations, and who can build personalised relationships.

You should be familiar with CRM systems and GDPR guidelines, with a keen eye for detail to ensure accuracy in all interactions. Flexibility and resilience are key, as you'll need to adapt to changing situations while staying motivated. A full clean driving licence and the ability to work some evenings and weekends are also required.

For full role responsibilities please view the job description located within the Candidate Pack.

Our Benefits

• 28 days holiday, rising to 33 days after 5 years' service, plus Bank Holidays
• Access to UK Healthcare which includes reimbursement for dental appointments, eyecare, Health & Wellbeing screening and therapies
• Access to a 24/7 phone and video GP Service
• Life assurance
• Confidential counselling helplines
• Salary sacrifice schemes to include: Cycle to work & Buy and sell annual leave
• BenefitHub which offers lifestyle discounts and offers on everyday shopping
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Opportunities for training and personal development
• Hybrid working

About Us

Our vision is a world free from MND. Our mission is to improve care and support for people with MND, their families and carers. We fund and promote research that leads to new understanding and treatments and brings us closer to a cure for MND. The Association also campaigns and raises awareness so the needs of people with MND, and everyone who cares for them, are recognised, and addressed by wider society.

We are committed to equality and value diversity. We are working hard to remove perceived and actual barriers to participation for people with and affected by MND, current and future staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.

We guarantee interviews for disabled applicants that meet the requirements of the role as part of our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Adverts may be closed early, or interviews arranged once sufficient applications are received. Early applications are encouraged.

Sponsorship: If you require sponsorship for this role, you must clearly declare this with/on your application form so that we can consider whether you meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship, either as a skilled worker or new entrant.

DBS: Depending on the nature of your role you may be required to complete a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Reasonable Adjustments and Alternative Applications: Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview please contact us for support.

To provide an inclusive application process, we are open to receiving alternative applications from candidates who may find it difficult to complete our online form.

Recruitment Agencies: We work hard to fill our roles directly and request that recruitment agencies do not contact us in relation to this role.

We’re looking for someone with a track record of engaging families and a passion for supporting people to make informed health decisions. You’ll be a clear communicator and a good listener. You’ll work across our team, alongside our Information and Advice Worker, and potentially engage some of our volunteers. You’ll also bring in Parent Champions and lead sub-contracted work with a local community partner to help us reach residents in community languages. You’ll help us hear and collect resident stories. The information you collect will be reported to decision-makers responsible for health and care services. 

You’ll enjoy working as part of a team committed to improving health and care services and access for Islington residents. You may have lived experience as a parent/guardian/carer of a child and/or be from a minoritised community.

Approach Social Work (formerly known as the Frontline programme)

Designed and delivered by social work charity Frontline, we teach social work differently. By blending learning and practice, what you discover in theory is eased into real-life settings, supervised by a social worker. Gaining your postgraduate diploma within 12 months, will be the first step in your life-changing career.

You’ll learn how to connect with children, young people, parents and carers. How to gain all important trust, so a family opens their door to you again. You’ll gain the technical knowledge and build on your relational skills. We’ll give you the time and support to develop your approach, with confidence. 

You earn while you learn, and once you gain your qualification you’ll step right into a job. And through our Frontline Fellowship, you’ll join a network of peers intent on transforming social work practice in England.

Be part of something bigger. Join the next generation of social workers.

What’s in it for you?

• Earn as you learn with a salary of up to £34,000 from year two.  
• Qualify as a social worker and complete a fully funded master's degree. 
• Get high-quality training and supervision from experienced social workers, academics and coaches in a rich, supportive environment. 
• Become part of the Frontline Fellowship and receive ongoing support and training throughout your career.

What to expect as a trainee social worker

Year 1:

• Start with five weeks of intense online study, including five in-person sessions, led by experts in social work theory.
• Begin your 12-month placement in a local council social work team, where you'll work closely with fellow trainees and an experienced social worker. You'll gradually take on more responsibility in supporting children and families.
• Qualify as a social worker by the end of your first year.

Year 2:

• Manage your own caseload, building on your skills and confidence.
• Engage in ongoing study to further develop your professional abilities.
• Receive continued support from Frontline tutors, your employer and fellow trainees.

Year 3:

• Conduct a research project and complete the academic credits needed for your fully-funded social work master's degree.
• Receive leadership coaching to enhance your professional capabilities.

Who we’re looking for 

We are looking for your potential to become an outstanding children’s social worker and leader, empowering families to achieve positive change. No specific experience is required to apply. We value diverse perspectives and experiences and a commitment to advocating for the communities’ social workers serve. We're dedicated to fostering diversity in our programme and supporting applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.

You will also meet the following criteria: 

• Have at least a 2.2 (predicted or obtained) in an undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent) 
• Have obtained GCSE English Language at Grade C/4 or above (or approved equivalent qualification) 
• Possess the right to work and study in the UK (including access to public funds) for the duration of the programme (until September 2028) 
• Be resident in England by the time the programme commences 
• Not be a qualified social worker

Be part of something bigger. Join the next generation of social workers.

Barnardo's are commissioned to deliver the services in the Children and Family Centres in Warwickshire in partnership with a wide variety of agencies offering activities to children, young people and parents/carers. Rugby Children and Family Centres are recruiting for an Early Years lead to oversee and line manage the Early Years and Children and Young People's workers who deliver a range of services including 1:1 support, groups activities and courses. Our work is all about making the biggest impact during the journey of a child's life.

 The service aims to offer sessions during the day, after school and on weekends.

The Early Years Lead will have responsibility for developing the timetables for the 3 centres and all our outreach sites in Rugby, allocating staff to sessions; promoting the Children and Family Centres with partner agencies including nurseries and schools, and also identifying potential partners to offer new services to families. The EY Lead will also liaise closely with the admin team to promote services via social media and with the Volunteer Co-ordinator for the recruitment and allocation of volunteers to activities. 

This post requires a good knowledge and understanding of the EYFS and child development. Experience of working with the 5-19 yr age groups (up to 25yrs for SEND) would also be an advantage. 

We are looking to appoint an experienced Lead. This is a busy and varied role where you will be required to work autonomously and as part of a team to deliver a range of services within the community. You will help to:

•  Offer fun and engaging activities to support children to develop positive social and emotional skills.
• Build positive relationships with parents/ carers.
• Hold sometimes difficult/ challenging conversations with parents.
• Offer advice and support, or signpost and refer parents to the most appropriate service.
• Support Service to deliver offer to support KPIs

The postholder will be required to be flexible to work across the Rugby Borough locality, as outreach work is a significant and regular part of the EYs team's work, an ability to travel throughout the locality to meet the requirements of the role is essential.

Additional Information:

Please include as much relevant detail in your application to demonstrate how you fulfil the requirements of our job role, as outlined above and in the Job Description/Personal Specification.Experience can be from previous employment, education, training, volunteering etc. Please refer to the job description, person specification and role addendum when completing your application.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

Fundraising Lead

We’re looking for an experienced Fundraising Lead to join an important charity that exists to help Surrey’s unpaid carers, aged 5-95 to help people feel more in control of their lives and less alone.
 

Position: Fundraising Lead

Location: Burpham, Surrey

Hours: Part-time, 30 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £25,875 for 30 hours per week, full-time equivalent salary is £31,051

Closing date: 11th November 2024

About the role:

The Fundraising Lead will be responsible for building and maintaining corporate partnerships that increase income and diversify funding. The post holder’s primary focus will be community organisations, businesses and other bodies.

You will support the organisation to deliver services and support for unpaid carers. You will be engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, and drive fundraising efforts, community engagement, gifts-in-kind, volunteer engagement and awareness raising.

Key areas of responsibility include:  

• Develop a partnership engagement strategy that raises the profile of the organisation.
• Identify, cultivate, and maintain relationships with community and corporate partners that support fundraising, gifts-in-kind and volunteer engagement.
• Act as the primary point of contact for community and corporate partners.
• Explore and promote opportunities for sponsorship, donations and corporate giving.
• Support fundraising events and activities undertaken by community and corporate partners, groups and individuals.
• Support the finance manager in developing and writing bids and grant applications for projects.
• Organise community outreach events, workshops, and information sessions to build relationships and encourage support.
• Represent the charity at networking events, conferences, and community forums to develop partnerships and promote the organisation.

About you:

This new position, reporting to the Marketing Manager, requires a dynamic self-starter with excellent communication and networking skills, capable of developing relationships.

Key skills required for this role:

• Experience working in community engagement, business development, or similar roles.
• Experience in identifying, supporting and growing relationships with corporate partners and/or community groups
• Experience organising events and engagement activities.
• Knowledge of developing stakeholder engagement plans/strategies (preferably in the not-for-profit or charitable sectors).
• Confident in delivering engaging presentations and activities to diverse groups of stakeholders.
• An innovative approach to engaging partners and stakeholders with a willingness to try new initiatives.
• An ability to work independently and manage own time, priorities and workload.

About the organisation:

The employer has a vision ‘that every unpaid carer in Surrey is heard, valued and supported.’ We are a committed, local charity determined to make a difference to young and adult carers across Surrey.

Our values are Focus, Inclusion, Respect and Excellence.  By keeping to our values, we can provide an innovative, high quality and compassionate service to carers in every community in Surrey, making a real difference to their wellbeing.

We offer our staff a friendly, supportive, flexible workplace and are committed to welcoming applicants from a wide range of backgrounds as well as supporting staff who have their own caring responsibilities. To this end, we offer staff a week's paid carers leave.  We also provide a generous holiday entitlement, starting at 28 days plus bank holidays, an employee assistance programme, a pension and opportunities for development and training.

You may also have experience in areas such as: Head of Corporate Fundraising, Corporate Partnerships, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Corporate Partnerships Officer, Corporate Partnerships Fundraising, Fundraising, Fundraising Manager, Fundraisers, Major Donor, Philanthropy, Income Generation Manager, Income Generation, Sales Executive, Sales

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

We are looking for a Welfare Benefits Specialist, with excellent knowledge of the Welfare Benefits System, to join our Greenwich Mental Health Hub. The successful candidate will be required to oversee the management of a Benefits Support Volunteer team and work closely with our partners at Bridge Support and Oxleas NHS across the local mental health service.

You should have experience of providing detailed/complex benefits advice, supporting individuals, and of working with people with mental health problems.

You will be a key person in maintaining quality within service delivery and maintaining clear communication and representation with clinical teams and team leaders.

Successful applicants will be expected to undergo an Enhanced Level Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Closing date: Sunday 17th November (11:59pm)

Likely interview date: Week beginning 25th November

About Us

SEL Mind supports people with mental health problems and dementia in the boroughs of Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. We are proud of our diverse workforce and know that our organisation is made stronger by the variety of backgrounds, experience, and ideas within it. We promote a culture of inclusion and representation, and are working hard to build a workforce that even better reflects the communities we support.

SEL Mind is somewhere that you can be your authentic self without fear of discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, gender, age, lived experience of mental health problems or anything else that’s part of who you are.

Read more about staff benefits and why staff love working here on our website.

Approach Social Work (formerly known as the Frontline programme)

Designed and delivered by social work charity Frontline, we teach social work differently. By blending learning and practice, what you discover in theory is eased into real-life settings, supervised by a social worker. Gaining your postgraduate diploma within 12 months, will be the first step in your life-changing career.

You’ll learn how to connect with children, young people, parents and carers. How to gain all important trust, so a family opens their door to you again. You’ll gain the technical knowledge and build on your relational skills. We’ll give you the time and support to develop your approach, with confidence. 

You earn while you learn, and once you gain your qualification you’ll step right into a job. And through our Frontline Fellowship, you’ll join a network of peers intent on transforming social work practice in England.

Be part of something bigger. Join the next generation of social workers.

What’s in it for you?

• Earn as you learn with a salary of up to £34,000 from year two.  
• Qualify as a social worker and complete a fully funded master's degree. 
• Get high-quality training and supervision from experienced social workers, academics and coaches in a rich, supportive environment. 
• Become part of the Frontline Fellowship and receive ongoing support and training throughout your career.

What to expect as a trainee social worker

Year 1:

• Start with five weeks of intense online study, including five in-person sessions, led by experts in social work theory.
• Begin your 12-month placement in a local council social work team, where you'll work closely with fellow trainees and an experienced social worker. You'll gradually take on more responsibility in supporting children and families.
• Qualify as a social worker by the end of your first year.

Year 2:

• Manage your own caseload, building on your skills and confidence.
• Engage in ongoing study to further develop your professional abilities.
• Receive continued support from Frontline tutors, your employer and fellow trainees.

Year 3:

• Conduct a research project and complete the academic credits needed for your fully-funded social work master's degree.
• Receive leadership coaching to enhance your professional capabilities.

Who we’re looking for 

We are looking for your potential to become an outstanding children’s social worker and leader, empowering families to achieve positive change. No specific experience is required to apply. We value diverse perspectives and experiences and a commitment to advocating for the communities’ social workers serve. We're dedicated to fostering diversity in our programme and supporting applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.

You will also meet the following criteria: 

• Have at least a 2.2 (predicted or obtained) in an undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent) 
• Have obtained GCSE English Language at Grade C/4 or above (or approved equivalent qualification) 
• Possess the right to work and study in the UK (including access to public funds) for the duration of the programme (until September 2028) 
• Be resident in England by the time the programme commences 
• Not be a qualified social worker

Be part of something bigger. Join the next generation of social workers.

This is an exciting role that will support the delivery of holistic adult learning programmes at the Centre. The post holder will support vulnerable women to access, refer and sign post them to local statutory and non-statutory services, provide translation support, benefit advice and one to one advice and guidance to help improve their quality of life.

Reading Community Learning Centre is a passionate, women-centred independent charity which provides education and support for migrant, refugee and asylum- seeking women from minority ethnic communities who may be unable to access more mainstream services because of the educational, social or cultural barriers they face.

We are currently looking for an experienced, friendly, empathetic, and motivated woman with a good understanding of minority ethnic community issues to work in Reading, based in a community educational setting. We are looking for applicants to work 14 hrs per week who can fluently speak in a second language preferably in one of the following the following: Arabic, Chinese, Bengali, Nepali, Hindi/ Urdu or Pashto or Tigrinya. Out of term time the role allows for hybrid working.

This post is also open to term time only working hours and full time in which case the salary band would change accordingly.

The Community Link Worker is accountable to the Centre Manager for:

1.  Outreach to identify service users/ learners and their needs.

2.  Working alongside service users/learners to motivate them to take action to improve their mental/physical health and access appropriate resources and services to meet their needs to improve their quality of life

3.  Liaising and developing appropriate partnerships with community groups and other relevant organisations for referrals and signposting

This role will require excellent communication skills, good mental health and wellbeing promotion knowledge and experience of working with diverse communities.

Essential Skills/Requirements

• An understanding of issues affecting the ethnic minority migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women
• Empower service users to take action to improve or sustain their quality of life based on what matters to them and their individual strengths to improve their mental/physical health and their lives.  This can involve connecting people to community groups and agencies for practical and emotional support.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally.
• Capable of maintaining appropriate written records.
• Awareness of confidentiality and data protection.
• To be able to work on your own initiative as well as part of a team.
• Awareness of health and safety issues for others and self.
• A caring and empathetic nature
• Awareness of equalities legislation.
• A good knowledge of safeguarding adults at risk - Understanding of the issues underlying vulnerability and socio-economic wellbeing.
• A knowledge of local statutory and non-statutory services to signpost service users. 
• Ability to use IT software packages e.g., spreadsheets, word processing, Outlook and PowerPoint
• A clear criminal record check.

This post is open only to women - section 7 (2) of 1975 Sex Discrimination Act applies.

Approach Social Work (formerly known as the Frontline programme)

Designed and delivered by social work charity Frontline, we teach social work differently. By blending learning and practice, what you discover in theory is eased into real-life settings, supervised by a social worker. Gaining your postgraduate diploma within 12 months, will be the first step in your life-changing career.

You’ll learn how to connect with children, young people, parents and carers. How to gain all important trust, so a family opens their door to you again. You’ll gain the technical knowledge and build on your relational skills. We’ll give you the time and support to develop your approach, with confidence. 

You earn while you learn, and once you gain your qualification you’ll step right into a job. And through our Frontline Fellowship, you’ll join a network of peers intent on transforming social work practice in England.

Be part of something bigger. Join the next generation of social workers.

What’s in it for you?

• Earn as you learn with a salary of up to £34,000 from year two.  
• Qualify as a social worker and complete a fully funded master's degree. 
• Get high-quality training and supervision from experienced social workers, academics and coaches in a rich, supportive environment. 
• Become part of the Frontline Fellowship and receive ongoing support and training throughout your career.

What to expect as a trainee social worker

Year 1:

• Start with five weeks of intense online study, including five in-person sessions, led by experts in social work theory.
• Begin your 12-month placement in a local council social work team, where you'll work closely with fellow trainees and an experienced social worker. You'll gradually take on more responsibility in supporting children and families.
• Qualify as a social worker by the end of your first year.

Year 2:

• Manage your own caseload, building on your skills and confidence.
• Engage in ongoing study to further develop your professional abilities.
• Receive continued support from Frontline tutors, your employer and fellow trainees.

Year 3:

• Conduct a research project and complete the academic credits needed for your fully-funded social work master's degree.
• Receive leadership coaching to enhance your professional capabilities.

Who we’re looking for 

We are looking for your potential to become an outstanding children’s social worker and leader, empowering families to achieve positive change. No specific experience is required to apply. We value diverse perspectives and experiences and a commitment to advocating for the communities’ social workers serve. We're dedicated to fostering diversity in our programme and supporting applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.

You will also meet the following criteria: 

• Have at least a 2.2 (predicted or obtained) in an undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent) 
• Have obtained GCSE English Language at Grade C/4 or above (or approved equivalent qualification) 
• Possess the right to work and study in the UK (including access to public funds) for the duration of the programme (until September 2028) 
• Be resident in England by the time the programme commences 
• Not be a qualified social worker

Be part of something bigger. Join the next generation of social workers.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Team Leader to work as part of our Advocacy Team.

We are looking for someone who has experience of supervising staff or volunteers and would like to move into a Supervising Advocate role

This position will be split between two services, 4 days at "Wandsworth and Richmond" and the remaining day at "South London and Maudsley"

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

Advocacy is having someone by your side, and on your side, when you want to be more involved in decisions about your care, treatment and living arrangements. An advocate can stand by you, and stand up for you, when important decisions are being made about your care, treatment and the way you live your life. They can help you understand your rights and options, and then support you in expressing your views and wishes to the relevant services. They can also speak up on your behalf if that’s what you want. People often work with an advocate when they’re going through some kind of assessment or review of their care or treatment.

How you will make a difference

As well as providing independent advocacy and holding a caseload, I will provide line management to a team of multi-disciplinary advocates within the service. I will provide leadership and management support to that team and be accountable for motivating them to deliver a high-quality service, whilst working to maintain the Advocacy Quality Performance Mark standards. I will support advocates to be accountable for managing the day-to-day delivery of advocacy to their clients, ensuring they take responsibility for managing their caseload and delivering positive outcomes for clients accessing the service. I will lead the team to ensure Rethink CARES is embedded in the service and in the delivery of the service to ensure a positive working culture is maintained.

I will work with the following people and teams
 • All staff and volunteers within the service
 • Service users and user groups
 • Community partners and voluntary sector groups
 • Strategic partners within the local authority and NHS Trust
 • Staff across all Rethink Advocacy services

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic and our LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrate our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (or questioning), Intersex and (asexual) (LGBTQIA+), people with a disability, and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.