Youth Work Jobs

Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) are a national Christian charity working to support struggling children, young people and their families. Building on the huge success of our existing Early Intervention Coaching, TLG Therapeutic Support will be a new way for TLG, with partner churches, to provide support in school for the increasing number of pupils struggling to cope due to their emotional, relational, and mental health experiences.  This programme addresses the underlying issues children are facing, whilst also providing the option of direct support to their parents/ carers and the school staff team. 

The ideal candidate will be a qualified counsellor with an aptitude for creativity whether this is music and drama, sport and outdoor recreation or other fields of kinaesthetic development. The TLG Therapeutic Counsellor will be present each week in the school, providing specialist trauma aware care for these children, whilst supporting staff and parents too, so we're looking for an individual who can build and foster strong relationships.

TLG is a Christian charity and, as a team, we want to bring our faith to the work we do; as such, we are recruiting an individual with a strong and vibrant Christian faith. 

We would welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds to enable us to better reflect the needs of the communities we serve.

Applications will be reviewed on application prior to the closing date. We reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to the closing date if a suitable applicant applies. The date of interviews is to be confirmed.

Emmaus Greenwich is a unique charity that offers a home, work and individual support to people who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion. We don’t just give people a bed for the night; we offer a home, work opportunities and a sense of belonging.

We are looking for a compassionate, highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to provide tailored person-centred support to a caseload of formerly homeless individuals known as “Companions” especially to those who are struggling with substance misuse. Attention to detail is essential, as is the ability to identify and promptly address risks or safeguarding concerns. Empathy, attentive listening, and strong verbal communication skills are also key requirements. 

The successful candidate will understand that many people with experience of homelessness can also be trying to navigate other complex needs. The purpose of the Project worker is to provide a person-centred support to a caseload of Companions in particular to those who are experiencing difficulty in maintaining their tenancy due to their experiences and relationship with substances, including alcohol.

Proficiency with IT and the ability to maintain up do date records in our database are necessary. 

If you have the relevant personal qualities, experience, skills, enthusiasm and a positive “can do” attitude and would relish the chance to work in this dynamic, progressive, and successful charity, we would like to hear from you. You will be joining a friendly and enthusiastic team who are passionate about what they do and a social enterprise that has an exciting future.

Prospectus is delighted to support our client as they seek to appoint a permanent Head of Grants to their small team. The position can be offered on a full-time or part-time basis (4 days a week), on a hybrid contract, with 4 days a week in the London office (3 days if part-time).

The organisation is a grant-making charity, established in 2020 by our founder with a vision to transform young people’s mental health support in the UK. The charity envisions a world where no young person is defined by their mental illness and where they have access to the right support at the right time.

The organisation invests in services and research that prevent and treat mental illness in young people, with a specific focus on the prevention and early intervention in anxiety and depression for 11–25-year-olds. They are interested in non-clinical approaches and building a stronger evidence base for what is effective. They want evidence to be translated into practice and believe in scaling solutions that are proven.

The trust awards grants of approximately £8 million a year. These grants support youth, mental health, and community charities working on the front line with young people, as well as universities and institutes researching better treatments for mental ill health and advocating for improvements.

As the Head of Grants, you will join a small team in a key strategic leadership position. The main purpose of the role is to develop and deliver the organisation's grants programme. Reporting to the Director and working closely with trustees, you will set the direction for grant activities and lead the team to both create new funding rounds and oversee the impact of the grants portfolio.

The organisation’s approach is to build long-term relationships with grantees – they want to develop both their competence and reputation as an expert funder. The Head of Grants will lead this effort to learn from grantees, listen to the needs of the sector, identify effective practices, and inform future funding activities.

This is a unique opportunity to join an organisation in the early years of its existence, to shape the organisation's grant-making process, and to make an impact in an area you are passionate about. Together with the Director and Head of Sector Engagement, this role will help lead the charity in building its reputation and impact in young people’s mental health.

The successful candidate will have significant grant-making and leadership experience, with a track record of setting the direction for grant-making and programme delivery. You will be an organised project leader with experience creating and improving processes in a small, growing organisation. You will be an empowering manager who sets direction clearly and has extensive experience managing relationships with advisors and board members.

As a specialist recruitment practice, we are committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations and welcome applications from all sections of society. We invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you throughout the application process. Should you require any assistance with your application, please do not hesitate to reach out to Matt at Prospectus.

To apply, please submit your CV in the first instance. If your experience is suitable, we will send you the full job description and arrange a call to brief you on the role.

At YMCA Sutton Coldfield, we transform the lives of young people with support, respite and safe spaces.

Job title: Young Adult Carers Key Worker
Location:    Sutton Coldfield
Salary:  £6,552 p.a. (FTE £26,208 p.a.)
Hours: 10 hours a week
Contract:    Fixed term to March 2026 with the possibility of extension

Please contact us if you need help accessing this recruitment information

We’re looking to recruit one or two exceptional individuals who can make a big difference to the lives of young adults in Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham. 

The role provides support to young people aged 17 – 25 years old who help care for someone who has a disability, illness or addiction. We focus on overall wellbeing, helping young people achieve their full potential, especially during the important transitional period as they become adults.

A significant focus of the role will be to deliver one-to-one, practical and emotional support to young carers in colleges and universities, as well as group drop-in sessions. Working closely with student support staff, you will identify young people who find it difficult to continue with their education because of their caring responsibilities, and support them with their physical and mental health, confidence, self-esteem.

You will also support the Service Manager in planning, developing and facilitating workshops, presentations and events for young people from a variety of diverse backgrounds, and the professionals that support them.

As a partner in the Birmingham Carers Hub, we work with other not-for-profit organisations to raise awareness of carers and their needs, and complete Statutory Carer’s Assessments.

We are a friendly, inclusive organisation with policies, working arrangements and benefits that support staff wellbeing and learning.

To apply for this role, you will have to complete our application form and specify how you meet the person specification criteria, outlined in the job description. We do not accept CVs.

The closing date for applications is 9.00am on Thursday, 29th November 2024

We expect interviews to be held at our Sutton Coldfield office on the 12th or 13th December. 

Please apply asap. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early without notice if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

The YMCA Sutton Coldfield is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young adults and expects staff and volunteers to share that commitment This is reflected in our recruitment and vetting processes which includes asking candidates to provide information about any gaps in employment, pre-employment checks, including references, an identity check, right to work in the UK, disclosure (if applicable) and qualifications (if applicable).

A disclosure check will be sought in relation to the successful applicant for this post. This will be shared with Human Resources and may also be shared with the Safeguarding Manager and the relevant management team. All applicants must also complete a self-disclosure. 

The YMCA Sutton Coldfield is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in all we do. We aim to grow an inclusive workforce where everyone feels welcome irrespective of age, class, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, religion, sexual orientation or social-economic backgrounds. 

The YMCA Sutton Coldfield is a registered charity in England (1008752).

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Executive Assistant looking for an organisation with purpose, where your work makes a difference to vulnerable children every day.

As a key member of the senior team, this multi-faceted role will provide opportunities to be involved in all aspects of the work of the CEO office, including leading on specific projects, assisting in the organisation of special events and involvement with our work in India, Tanzania and the UK.

You will be the primary contact for internal and external communications with the CEO and our Trustees, whilst also meticulously administering and overseeing our governance responsibilities and processes. You will provide professional and confidential business support to the Group CEO, Directors and Board of Trustees, giving you a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in all areas of the charity.

JOB PURPOSE

• To provide professional and confidential business support to the Group CEO and UK leadership team, ensuring key initiatives are delivered by coordinating internal and external stakeholders.
• To support the leadership team and Group Board of Trustees to efficiently and meticulously perform our governance responsibilities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive support to the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO):

• Proactively manage and coordinate the diary of the CEO by prioritising and arranging internal and external meetings, ensuring they are fully prepared for all internal and external engagements.
• Oversee the management of the CEO Outlook mailbox, dealing with incoming emails, categorising and filing these
as appropriate, responding on behalf of the CEO and triaging or delegating to other team members where relevant.
• Organise domestic and international travel arrangements, including liaising with internal and external contacts to arrange
meetings. Ensure that time is prioritised effectively and appropriately with reasonable timings and rest periods.
• Work closely with the CEO to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately.
• Ensure that papers and briefings are given to the CEO for meetings and that any instructions/directions are obtained prior to the meeting.
• Provide timely and relevant information to support decision making and planning, dealing with people at the most senior level both internally and externally and appropriately representing Railway Children at all times.
• Collate, prepare and disseminate information and data as required by the CEO (for internal and external correspondence,
papers, PowerPoint presentations, reports, and providing appropriate information for meetings and events).
• Undertake desktop research as necessary to support the CEO’s preparation for meetings and presentations.
• Project manage special projects for the CEO when required.
• Monitor and triage relevant social media channels and codraft content with the CEO to increase profile and visibility.
• Ensure all administrative tasks are completed on behalf of the CEO including, but not limited to, expenses and annual leave requests.
• Act with the highest levels of integrity, confidentiality and discretion at all times.

Leadership Team Executive Assistance:
• Coordinate, plan and minute leadership team meetings. Develop agendas and papers and ensure that key discussions and actions are followed up.
• Assist in the organisation of all staff away days including room bookings and catering, agenda organisation and logistical support on the day.
• Assist the Leadership Team in the effective implementation of our annual planning process under the direction of the Group CEO.
• Oversee the management of leadership team diaries and support with national and international travel arrangements.
• Provide administrative support and initiate planning for key strategic meetings, including venue bookings and logistics.
• Support the Group Director of People & Culture in the administration of HR matters in line with GDPR guidance, including recruitment, trustee engagements, DBS checks and employee communications.
• Coordinate Performance Management Review meetings and paperwork on behalf of the leadership team.
• Assist with the administration of procurement processes as required.
• Collate, prepare and disseminate information and data as required by the leadership team. Accurately review, proofread and assist with materials ensuring accuracy and completeness.

Group Board & Governance

• Work closely with the leadership team to ensure that there is appropriate co-ordination of Board, sub-committee and leadership team meetings and an effective flow of information.
• Plan and coordinate Group Board and sub-committee meetings including scheduling dates, organising agendas,
minuting meetings and circulating papers.
• Support the Head of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance with core policy documents, liaising with the leadership team to
review dates and ensure updated policies are scheduled for approval at Group Board and sub-committee meetings.
• Manage production and circulation of Board papers. Liaise with the leadership team to ensure reports are received to
deadlines, providing editorial inputs to ensure reports are of the highest quality before review by the Chief Executive.
• Proof-read and distribute Board minutes, ensuring timely follow up on any actions.
• Assist the Group Director of People and Culture in the recruitment and rotation processes for Group Board members.
• Liaise with our CEO, Trustees and legal partners to undertake the administration of our governance responsibilities.

General duties

• Uphold and work within Railway Children’s policies and procedures.
• Conduct yourself in accordance with the rules of the Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct in your personal and professional life – which includes reporting suspicions of child abuse or any other breach of these policies.
• Actively promote and embody Railway Children’s core values across the organisation.
• Travel to Railway Children’s field operations as and when required.
• Undertake any other duties, as appropriate to the post, as delegated by the line manager.

As a Family Separation Mentor, you will be providing emotional support and guidance to dads who are going through family separation, navigating child-arrangements within the family court system and need support with their mental well-being; especially those who may be experiencing suicidal ideation.

You will manage a caseload of clients and offer guidance with goal setting, communication skills, understanding their situation, planning child arrangements and preparing for family court proceedings, as well as building a positive co-parenting relationship.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

- Support a caseload of clients via regular phone conversations/teams calls offering appropriate guidance, building professional relationships and answering their queries. This may occasionally be face to face support*

- Answering inbound calls on the mentoring helpline to register and support new clients.

- Support clients with their mental wellbeing, through the use of, but not limited to, WEMWBS, Suicide Risk Assessments and Safety Plans.

- Being able to promote and signpost to other departments within Dads Unlimited to ensure our clients receive the support they require.

- Signposting and liaising with external organisations where appropriate, such as; Social Services, Mental Health Services, Police, Local Authority and Cafcass.

- Help promote and facilitate our Co-Parenting Workshop and Court Ready Workshop to our clients.

- General administration relating to client cases.

*Dependant on client location and operational feasibility.

No job description can cover every issue which may arise within the post at various times and the postholder is expected to carry out other du-es from -me to -me that are broadly consistent with those in this job description

Are you passionate about shaping the future of education and family support? Ready to make a real impact on children’s lives? SHS is on the lookout for a Policy and Campaigns Executive to help us create lasting change by ensuring every child gets the education they deserve.

About the Role:

• Salary: £31,094 - £33,439 (depending on experience)

• Location: Flexible – a mix of remote work and office presence in East London

• Hours: Full-time, permanent. Part-time hours are possible for the right candidate.

With nearly 1 in 5 children missing enough school to damage their education and future life chances, school attendance has become one of the biggest challenges facing the new government. 

As a Policy and Campaigns Executive, you will collaborate with our Policy and Engagement team, crafting policy briefings, building campaigns and organising events to influence policy makers and opinion formers about the best way to break the barriers of low school attendance and poor educational outcomes. 

Ideal Candidate: This role is perfect for someone with experience in policy and public affairs who’s ready to elevate their career. If you have experience working with MPs, charities, or think tanks and are familiar with the Westminster political landscape, we would love to hear from you. 

Key Qualities and Experience:

• Strong policy writing skills

• Experience in political engagement and identifying opportunities for impactful change.

• Knowledge of the education sector is desirable but  a passion for fostering equal opportunities for all children is a must

Benefits:

• 28 days’ holiday

• Pension and life assurance

• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme

Bring your skills, drive, and commitment to SHS, and join us in making a real difference in children’s lives

Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?  

Do you have experience of working or volunteering in welfare, support or health and social care and are looking for a new challenge? 

Are you keen to make a difference to people who want to be heard? 

Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility. 

We have an exciting opportunity for an Advocate to join our team in Oldham.  Your role will require you to travel to locations such as hospitals and care homes across the area to meet with clients and professionals and be home based for administration; therefore, a suitable home internet connection is essential. 

About us 

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations. 

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most.  For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website. 

About you

Desirably you will have some experience of working as an Advocate, providing welfare, supporting, or caring for Adults or young people who have support needs, ideally for those with a variety of communication needs, mental ill health, physical health issues, or barriers to accessing education and support.

You should have worked or volunteered in health, social care, welfare, support services, education or young person’s services, or advice and guidance.

How will you make a difference?

You will be responsible for ensuring the individual’s wishes, feelings, beliefs, needs, and values are met to create positive outcomes for the people you support.

You will support people to speak up for themselves and grow in confidence, equip them to understand and exercise their rights and options, and will assist them in the decision-making process relating to their care, treatment, and support.

You will work resourcefully and collaboratively with the individuals you support.  You’ll be creative in your approach to empower our clients by ensuring you meaningfully explain people’s options and rights to them.  You’ll support individuals to fully participate in decisions affecting them and will make sure they have their voices heard. 

Professional Development?

You will have plenty of opportunities to enhance your professional abilities and you will make a real difference every day. Advocates are expected to be willing to gain, or to already hold, the Level 3 Award in Independent Advocacy Practice with disciplines suitable for the role they work in.

Benefits:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays, pro-rata
• 5% employer pension & 3% employee contribution
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Separate Life Assurance Cover
• Staff discount scheme including retail discounts, entertainment, holidays etc
• Discounted Gym Membership; Employee Assistance programme
• Supportive working environment fostering a good work/life balance
• Support with continuous professional development

Equality and Diversity

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential.

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. If you need to apply in a different way, please contact us for further options.

How to apply

To apply for this role please sign up for a recruitment account on by clicking the apply button on our website. Follow the instructions to create your account, upload your CV, and complete our short application form. 

Important Dates:

Closing date for applications: 10/12/2024

Don’t forget to read the person specification so you can tell us about yourself and how your skills, abilities and experiences match the criteria outlined in the person specification.

You have an understanding of drug, alcohol, and health related issues, and experience of working with adults in an addictions, housing or social care setting. All you need is the perfect environment to put your skills to great use. Welcome to Aquarius as a Floating Housing Support Worker.

Aquarius Action Projects, is looking for a Floating Housing Support Practitioner to join their team. Solihull Integrated Addiction Service (SIAS) is a partnership between four organisations jointly responsible for the delivery of the drug, alcohol, homelessness and gambling services, in the Borough of Solihull. We offer services for adults who use or are affected by substance use, homelessness and gambling.

Your challenge? As a Floating Housing Support Worker, you will be working with clients who are vulnerably housed or homeless, working in clients’ homes and various locations to support clients in addressing their substance needs, finding accommodation and being able to live independently.The service covers support for clients who are homeless and at risk of becoming homeless, as well as a more structured longer-term floating support service to enable clients to maintain their tenancies. You will understand the barriers clients face to accessing services, and the impact substance use has on sustaining accommodation.

To succeed, you’ll:

• Have a qualification in health/social care, youth and community work (e.g. NVQ Level 3 or above, DipSW, Mental Health Nursing, Counselling, Addiction Studies).  Alternatively, we’ll consider candidates with experience of working in the substance misuse field with a commitment to complete NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care.
• Be an energetic and confident self-starter.
• Have experience of liaising with voluntary and statutory agencies and health professionals and engaging effectively with clients in a variety of settings.
• Have a flexible approach, excellent record keeping and report writing skills and a willingness to work flexibly across the community and within our multi-agency partnership settings, on an outreach basis, with a central hub base at our head office.

In return for your skills and enthusiasm, this role comes with some really great benefits and excellent training and development opportunities. Benefits include:

• 32 days holiday + bank holidays
• Cultural celebration day
• Access to blue light card discounts
• Flexible working

Due to the nature of the role, a driving licence and access to a car is desirable.

This is a permanent full-time role requiring the post holder to work 37 hours per week.

We are committed to increasing our diversity and we would welcome applications from those with lived experience.

This is a rolling recruitment process. Candidates will be interviewed as and when they are shortlisted. 

Learning and development is important to us, and we are pleased to be able to offer a wide range of apprenticeships. We hire apprentices into specific roles as well as offering apprenticeships to the workforce. Anyone can apply to undertake an apprenticeship relevant to the role as long as they are in a permanent post and have successfully passed probation.

Aquarius was a subsidiary of Richmond Fellowship, with both organisations being part of Recovery Focus, a national group of charities highly experienced in providing specialist support services to individuals and families living with the effects of mental ill health, drug and alcohol use, gambling and domestic violence. On 1st June 2024 Richmond Fellowship merged with Humankind to form a single organisation that provides the joined-up mental health, housing and drug and alcohol support we’ve all known has been needed for decades. At the same time, Aquarius became a subsidiary of Humankind, with no impact to terms and conditions of employment. In October 2024, Humankind was renamed Waythrough to reflect the new organisation, of which Aquarius will remain a subsidiary.

Making The Leap is an innovative societal change charity that aims to make a big difference. From direct delivery, to advocacy and leadership, we refuse to stay in our lane and believe passionately that those we exist to serve have the right to be anything they want to be. To say that this is an exciting time for the organisation would be an understatement, as our incredible funders, donors, partners and supporters have given us the chance to move to the next level, and have further influence and delivery nationally.

The shared soul of the organisation is to be passionate about helping young people from less-advantaged backgrounds; build up other charities and community groups and want to partner with them or support them; want to work with businesses and organisations to get things done; and care deeply about addressing racial inequity.

The organisation has a number of strands: core Making The Leap; the UK Social Mobility Awards; the Social Mobility Podcast; Black Charity Leaders and The Social Mobility List.

MLC Partners are working with a leading children’s charity who are doing amazing things for some of the most vulnerable young people in London and the South East. Following some changes within the HR team, they are looking to recruit a People Business Partner on a permanent basis. The role has the opportunity to help shape the delivery of HR services across the organisation and work with a People Director who is a supportive leader with a track record of developing people.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Review, update and revise organisational HR policies and procedures, ensuring these are rolled out effectively.
• Take a leading role in the upskilling and support of managers across the charity to allow a more hands-off approach from the people team.
• Manage employee relation cases, where these have been escalated from the advisor in the HR team or other line managers.
• Develop new reports for SMT to allow improved strategic decision making and better use of data collection.

The successful candidate will:

• Understand ‘what good looks like’ within HR, ideally having written new policies and procedures.
• Preferably have experience within the charity space, but candidates with transferable skills from other sectors are also encouraged to apply.
• Be an excellent communicator, able to influence decision making in the wider workplace.

This is a great opportunity to join an organisation who are doing fantastic work at the centre of their communities. Applications will be reviewed daily, so please do not delay in applying. For more information or a broader discussion about your job search, please contact Jamie Elliott at MLC Partners.

Are you passionate about making sure people get the support they need to transform their lives? Are you motivated to facilitate peer support for people affected by spinal cord injury?

If so, Back Up could offer you an inspiring and fulfilling role making a significant difference to the lives of people affected by spinal cord injuries.

About the role:

When a person or their family member sustains a spinal cord injury it is a life changing experience. They can feel very isolated and that no one understands what they’re going through.

Back Up’s mentoring service is there to help. We know that peer support can have a life changing impact and our Mentoring Team are the ones who can facilitate this through matching them with a suitable mentor who will be able to support them over a series of phone calls to reach their goals. The Mentoring Team Leader leads the team through providing excellent line management and driving the delivery of the team’s business plans to empower the team to ultimately support more people affected by spinal cord injury

In addition to leading the team, a Mentoring Team Lead will assist in creating mentoring relationships and support mentors and mentees as appropriate, assess mentee suitability and provide support in the process of identifying, recruiting and training new mentors.

A Mentoring Team Lead will be motivated to achieve the aims, targets and milestones that have been set in terms of making quality matches and will be comfortable and efficient with data management and GDPR compliance.

Lived experience is an advantage; but most important is your sharing our commitment to transform the lives of everyone affected by spinal cord injury.

For full details please see our role description.

About us:

At Back Up, we have big ambitions. Over the next few years, we’re going to be transforming the lives of even more people affected by spinal cord injury.

Together we’ll be working hard to make sure everyone affected by spinal cord injury has access to the support they deserve; and we are the only spinal cord injury charity in the UK providing specific services to children and young people.

At Back Up, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. Please read our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Statement. We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all our employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. We particularly welcome applications from those from black, Asian or ethnic minority backgrounds or those with higher level spinal injuries.

In 2024 Back Up won The Times and The Sunday Times Spotlight Award for Best place to work for disabled employees. As well as this, Back Up has been voted one of the top ten charities to work for (Third Sector Best Charities 2020). The enthusiastic, inclusive and supportive spirit of our very skilled staff ensure excellence in the services we deliver.

Location:

· Home or office based, but with occasional travel around the UK as required.

· Occasional visits to the Back Up office in Wandsworth, London and surrounding area.

How to apply

Please apply by emailing recruitment @ backuptrust . org . uk by midday on Friday 6th December with:

· A CV detailing salary information for your most recent post and two referees, one of whom should be your present or most recent employer. We will contact them after interview.

· A (maximum) two side A4 supporting statement, saying why you want the job and explaining how you meet the criteria in the job description.. This statement is crucial; CVs alone will not be accepted.

· A completed equal opportunities form. This form will be kept separate from your application, and not viewed by the recruiting manager. It is used to help us assess the diversity of our applicants to ensure our processes are fair to all. It is optional to fill in but it will help us improve and maintain high standards.

We will acknowledge receipt of your application, and then let you know if you are to be invited to interview.  First interviews will be held from the week beginning Monday 9th December 2024.  If you cannot make any of those dates, please indicate this when you apply. 

What will the process involve?

The process will involve at least one interview round which will be either in person or online. There will be a panel interviewing you and you may be asked to complete a task beforehand to present to the panel. If you need any support or adjustment to the recruitment process at any step, do please ask and we’d be pleased to work with you to put these in place so that you can perform to the best of your abilities throughout the process and demonstrate your suitability for the role.  Please email recruitment @ backuptrust . org . uk.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As a ‘Disability Confident’ employer we are committed to the inclusion of candidates and employees with disabilities. If you have a disability and meet the minimum criteria of the role, set out as essential criteria in the job description, we will invite you to interview. Please let us know if you would qualify and want to take advantage of this scheme by emailing: recruitment @ backuptrust . org . uk.

Don’t meet every single requirement?

At Back Up we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every criteria in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles at Back Up.

Background

Chapter One is a dynamic, growing charity with a vision of a world in which all children have the literacy skills needed to thrive. Our mission is to close the reading gap by providing children with one-to-one support at the time they need it most. We work in eleven areas/regions of the UK and will support 3250 children in 2024-25.

Our unique Online Reading Volunteer programme pairs struggling five to seven-year old (KS1) readers with reading support volunteers who are working professionals. The volunteer ask is very focused: readers commit 30 minutes a week to read with a child using a bespoke digital platform for an entire academic year. The results are transformative, boosting children's reading confidence and ability.

From a school perspective, online reading volunteers provide direct, meaningful literacy support for up to 10 pupils per class. The programme is particularly suitable for communities where it might be challenging to find parents and other volunteers who can commit to physically visiting schools to boost reading.

Job Summary

Chapter One is seeking a Manchester Programme Manager who is an excellent communicator and is able both to motivate and support schools and teachers to implement our online reading volunteers programme, and also to ensure that the programme’s impact and benefit to children facing disadvantage communities is maximised throughout the academic year.

The post is ideal for someone looking for part-time, flexible, term-time only work from a home base, but who is also able to travel frequently around the Greater Manchester area to visit schools.The postholder will be joining a team of established Programme Managers (also part-time) who work in different parts of the UK and will need to have some flexibility to work additional hours during busy autumn months, and conversely to work fewer hours during quieter periods of the year. The weekly hours for this role (currently 12-14 p/week) are likely to increase in future.

Key Responsibilities:

• Effectively explain Chapter One’s online reading volunteer programme and its benefits to school leaders and teachers

• Install, setup and maintain Chapter One equipment in participating classrooms

• Fully understand the operation of the Chapter One platform and database and communicate this to others

• Organise and conduct initial teacher training and follow-up

• Ensure a smooth initial launch of Chapter One’s programme in every classroom

• Liaise with colleagues performing technical and volunteer support roles

• Through regular visits to/contact with schools, provide on-going embedded professional learning and support to teachers throughout the year as needed

• Proactively monitor classroom adherence/fidelity to the Chapter One model, including systematic review of data reports and volunteer feedback, taking proactive action to resolve problems that arise

• Analyse and manipulate data (largely in Google sheets) to produce reports and identify trends

• Create monthly data summaries for all participating classrooms

• Lead annual review meetings for senior leadership at participating schools

• Support programme monitoring, evaluation and research as required

• Coordinate in person and virtual school ‘visits’ of volunteer teams to classrooms where necessary

• Liaison with corporate partners as required

• Weekly communication and status updates with Senior Programme Manager(s) and wider team

• As a new school year approaches, secure commitments from returning schools and find and target new schools to join Chapter One’s programme

Role Requirements:

Essential

• Highly motivated individual with excellent interpersonal and organisational skills
• Proven track record of working at a senior level in education, project management or a related field
• Proven strength in both written and verbal communication
• Highly IT literate, with excellent computer skills, able to troubleshoot software issues and adept with Google suite
• Ability to manipulate and analyse to draw useful conclusions to improve programme delivery
• Proven ability to work independently
• Self-starter and quick learner
• Ability to adapt and embrace a changing environment
• University degree
• Ability to drive and access to a car for work purposes

Desirable

• Teaching/education experience with primary age children

Chapter One is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and celebrate diversity in backgrounds and experience and are deliberate about the kind of teams we are building. Literacy is a universal concern, and we need people from all backgrounds to maximise our innovation, creativity and impact. We especially welcome applications from persons who have experienced disadvantage and/or from those who are of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who are currently underrepresented in the organisation.

Chapter One is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All postholders are subject to a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service disclosure. Copies of our Safeguarding Policy and Safer Recruitment Policy are available on request.

The Programme Assistant will provide support to the School Partnerships team to help deliver the programme, and will report to the Head of School Partnerships.  The role will include organisation and support for events, drafting and distributing email newsletters, data collection and processing, and other logistical and administrative support across the programme.

This post will have specific responsibility to the School Partnerships team in the first instance. The School Partnerships Programme offers funding and support to groups of schools in England that are committed to enhancing physics teaching and learning. There are approximately 120 school partnerships.

The Ogden Trust is a charitable foundation, started by Sir Peter Ogden in 1999, which supports the teaching and learning of physics. The Trust supports a range of initiatives, programmes and projects supporting schools, teachers of physics and informal science education.