We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Specialist Support Worker to join our Mental Health service in Ealing.
£28,500.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.
Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.
Our benefits include:
* Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
* Free DBS (take this out if BSW advert)
* Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
* Fully paid induction programme and further training
* ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
* Healthcare Cashplan through our partner Healthshield
All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.
Specialist Support Workers within Look Ahead are required to have either an extra dimension of experience or a higher qualification level as determined relevant for the particular post.
This role is set for 9-month, ending on 12 January 2026, with the possibility of extension.
The Specialist Support Worker role involves early shifts (8:00-16:00) and late shifts (14:00-22:00) throughout the week, including some weekends each month.
What you'll do:
- Building supportive, trusting relationships with young people and creating a positive atmosphere
- Carrying out holistic assessments which incorporate relevant statutory referral information
- Conducting regular key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
- Create support plans for providing appropriate services based on on-going assessment and reflecting the services and resources available to support young people in their journey
- Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks within an attitude of 'positive risk taking
- Supporting young people to access relevant services and empower them to self-manage their medication through informed consent and decision making
- Undertake support work in partnership with external stakeholders to compliment their interventions
- Developing productive relationships with partner organisations to improve service outcomes
- Demonstrate strong commitment to the functioning of the staff team and to support colleagues in providing a high level of service and safety t0 customers
About you:
- Ability to advocate for young people in different professional and community spaces
- Values working collaboratively with young people to ensure the service best meets their needs.
- An understanding of peoples' contexts and how this might be impacting them their lives and mental health
- Cultural awareness and respect for the many different ways a person might make sense of their experiences and distress.
- We welcome applications from people with lived experience of some of the challenges that this service aims to support with for example, mental health difficulties.
- Plans and encourages involvement in local activities.
- Approachable and open behaviour
- Recognises the value of both 1:1 working with young people and the importance of working as part of a group or team
What you'll bring:
Essential:
- Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience supporting young people or people experiencing mental health challenges.
- Specialist knowledge relevant to supporting young people with a Mental Health diagnosis.
Desirable:
- Experience of working in a complex mental health environment
- Demonstrable experience of trauma-informed practice
About us:
Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:
* We focus on Excellence and innovation.
* We are Caring and Compassionate.
* We are Inclusive and Trusted.
* We work in Partnership and are One-Team.
Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.
Please see our website for full Job description
Thank you!
Job Purpose
The Specialist Policy Officer plays a vital role within Clinks’ National Influencing & Networks team, delivering high-quality policy work that supports systemic change in the criminal justice system. The postholder will contribute to shaping evidence-based policy and influencing decision-makers, working closely with colleagues across Clinks and external stakeholders. More information about our policy work please visit our website.
Duties and key responsibilities
1. Policy Intelligence and Research
· Lead horizon scanning of central, local and devolved government policy developments (with the Senior Engagement & Development Officer – Wales) to assess implications for the voluntary sector.
· Conduct member-focused research to inform Clinks’ consultation responses and policy publications, including blogs, briefings, and outputs from the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3).
· Lead the design, delivery, and publication of Clinks’ annual State of the Sector research.
2. Policy Development and Influence
· Draft clear, evidence-based policy materials for engagement with political stakeholders, including Ministers and officials.
· Develop mechanisms and opportunities for voluntary sector organisations to engage in policy development with statutory agencies.
· Provide policy support and analysis for Clinks’ Chief Executive and Director of National Influencing & Networks in high-level meetings.
3. Internal Collaboration and Support
· Work closely with Clinks' Area Engagement & Partnerships team to ensure member experiences and regional insights inform national policy work.
· Support colleagues across Clinks to understand policy contexts and improve their influencing work—including restricted specialist projects.
· Share policy updates and emerging trends during internal staff meetings.
4. External Representation and Stakeholder Engagement
· Represent Clinks at external meetings and events, including with senior political stakeholders and at Clinks-facilitated regional forums.
· Contribute to the development and operation of policy-focused groups, networks, and advisory structures.
· Work with the communications and admin team to maintain Clinks’ stakeholder database and ensure the distribution of policy content.
5. Content and Communications
· Collaborate with the Specialist Communications Officer to produce accessible and engaging social media and website content related to policy.
· Contribute written materials that engage audiences, influence decision-makers, and promote understanding of key issues.
General responsibilities
· Act as a positive ambassador for Clinks and uphold its mission and values.
· Work flexibly, supporting other duties as required in line with the role.
· Champion equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of work.
· Work collaboratively and constructively across teams.
This job description does not form part of your contract of employment and can be amended from time to time as the needs of the organisation require.
Person specification
· Working well in a team with a flexible approach to work
· Ability to manage multiple and sometimes competing priorities
· Personal resilience and ability to stay focused in a rapidly changing environment
· Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities, including for people with lived experience of the criminal justice system
· Ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work
· Commitment to upholding the rights of people facing disadvantage and discrimination in the criminal justice system
Education and experience
· Experience in a criminal justice-related policy role
· Demonstrated experience of drafting policy positions for use with political stakeholders.
· Experience of developing evidence-based policy positions
· Experience of utilising different research methods in order to support the case for systemic change of the criminal justice system
Skills and abilities
· Written communication skills which engage audiences, persuade, and encourages understanding and participation
· Strong critical thinking and analytical skills; confident summarising complex policy.
· Sound knowledge of parliamentary processes and policy levers.
· Skilled at balancing competing priorities and managing stakeholder relationships.
· Confident working both independently and in a team.
· Organisational, administrative and IT skills at a level that supports notetaking, producing timely and accurate minutes and managing email correspondence
· Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
· Ability to balance and prioritise competing tasks in order to meet tight deadlines
· Adaptability and flexibility in being able to take on new roles and manage a range of internal and external relationships.
Knowledge
A good and critical understanding of issues related to:
· The role of the voluntary sector in addressing social exclusion and inequalities
· The criminal justice system, in particular prisons and probation.
· A thorough understanding of the policy development process
Other requirements
· Able to travel nationally across England and Wales.
· Able to work evenings and weekends and stay away from home overnight where necessary.
· Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities.
· Commitment to the values and ethos of supporting people in the criminal justice system.
Registered Charity 
21 - 50
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.