Youth Worker Jobs

Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

You have a good understanding of the harm caused by alcohol and drug use to adults, young people, children, families and society and a sympathetic approach to people who misuse them.

All you need is the perfect environment to put your skills to great use. Welcome to Aquarius as a Support Worker (Community Connector – Assessment and Engagement Team).

Aquarius is a charity that helps people and communities overcome the harm caused by alcohol, drugs and gambling. We are part of ‘One Recovery Buckinghamshire’ (ORB), a partnership between Inclusion (MPFT NHS Trust), Aquarius, and Build on Belief providing support for alcohol and drug issues across Buckinghamshire.

We are looking for three Support Workers (Community Connectors – Assessment and Engagement Team) to join our team. We have three positions available in Aylesbury.

Your challenge? To provide advice, support, advocacy and key work for recovery plans and undertake elements of assessment and case management as directed. And, all the while, we’ll expect you to operate in a way that recognises and values diversity and understands the functional model of substance use, the Recovery Agenda and the problems caused by alcohol and drug misuse.

Preferably with a NVQ 2/3 in Social Care, or willing to attain this, you are used to working to policy and procedural requirements that include child protection, vulnerable adults, confidentiality and health & safety. We’ll also be looking for good written and verbal communication skills and the ability to maintain accurate records and fulfil data requirements. A flexible approach is important too, as is a commitment to taking a client centred approach to providing services and working in a way that recognises and values diversity.

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. 

To apply please submit a CV and supporting statement which should clearly outline your skills and experience.

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.

We are recruiting a creative, flexible, and fun Therapist to provide 1:1 therapy to children and young people in care aged 13 to 19 years old. You will support the development of critical social and emotional skills to help emotional regulation, improve social skills, and deal with here-and-now issues.

Therapist, Children’s Home & Community Settings
Part-Time, 3 to 4 days per week
£45,000 pro-rata + pension + travel to work expenses + external clinical supervision + wellbeing budget
Location: London

At Young Futures we put love and compassion into everything we do. We’re here to make a BIG difference to the lives of the children and young people in our care. We are also passionate about learning and development and committed to providing an outstanding experience for all.

A typical working day will include up to 4 x 1:1 therapy sessions, attending key meetings with the network, and internal meetings around care and safety planning.

Do you have?

• At least 2-years’ work experience along with an outstanding track record in making a difference to the lives of children and young people.
• An understanding of how previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these, and to help young people do the same.
• Safeguarding competences to identify and act upon signs that a child or young person is at risk of harm.
• An understanding of the challenges in delivering frontline support.
• Ambition matched with a desire for continuous professional development.

Please note that under Section 7(2) (b) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 only women are eligible to apply for the position as a large part of the work will take place at our all-female Children’s Home, Yvonne House.

Timescales 
Applications submissions: Ongoing, please apply ASAP
Interviews 1st Round online on Teams before Tuesday 17th December
Start date: From January 2025

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

Inclusion and Equality

We are committed to embedding inclusive practices, promoting equality and valuing diversity in all of our activities. We understand and acknowledge the positive benefits that this commitment will bring to the young people we support, our staff and our partner organisations.

We are striving to be an employer of choice for all and take measures to ensure that Young Futures is attracting recruits from the most skilled and committed people regardless of their background. Whilst we can already be proud of some examples of excellent practice, we are not complacent and recognise that we can always do better.

No agencies please.

37.5 hours per week / Permanent / working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, increasing life skills and self-confidence, and improving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Our Eastbourne Services provide supported accommodation for 50 young people at risk of homelessness across two sites. We provide support to our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and work towards aspirations so that they can move on to enjoy fully independent futures. Our supportive staff team comprises of Support Workers, night staff and two managers. 

We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our McKendrick House site in Eastbourne with the expectation of working from other services in Eastbourne and Hailsham when required.Main areas of responsibilities:

Coaching and Engagement

• Coach young people so they can articulate their aspirations and ambitions and take the lead in acquiring the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives.
• Ensure young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal development, to engage with the services on offer and build strong networks and connections within the local community. 
• Ensure consistent standards of safeguarding and Trauma Informed Practice when supporting young people, observing our safeguarding procedures, and keeping yourself and residents safe by respecting professional boundaries.
• Maintain client records on In-Form (client database) detailing the young person’s journey in relation to their strengths and needs, any risks, and any outcomes (to monitor service performance). 

Housing

• Coach young people to manage their occupancy agreement and adhere to house rules, in preparation for independent living. 
• Promote a credit culture, encouraging young people to keep up to date with all payments for rent.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of housing and welfare benefits for young people and be well-informed on significant changes to housing law.
• Deal effectively with non-compliance issues, such as non-payment of rent or damage to room, using restorative practices and working collaboratively with the rest of the team.

General 

• Work as part of a team, on a rota shift pattern, ensuring young people at the service have non-judgemental, objective, and supportive staff during the day/evening, along with taking responsibility for personal safety during periods of lone working
• Contribute to a great working environment, with a calm, yet assertive manner, being able to handle potentially difficult situations.
• Participate in relevant continuing professional development and utilise Reflective Practice Supervision as part of leading psychologically informed practice. 

ABOUT YOU: We know that there are great candidates who will not fit everything described below, or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If that is you, please do not hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

This is a dynamic and varied role; you will be passionate about being involved in the support and growth of young people.

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience relating to housing, support work, and/or working with young people at risk
• Experience of working proactively with a caseload of young people with multiple and complex needs to enable them to achieve independent living. 
• Knowledge of statutory and voluntary resources available to young people with multiple and complex needs.
• Knowledge of good safeguarding procedures in relation to young people and the ability to maintain effective professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated confidence and competence in recording notes/actions in service log, incident forms and health and safety check lists.

Skills and Abilities 

• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing for appropriate recording of a resident’s progression, and to evidence outcomes achieved.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders, including signposting and advocating for clients as necessary. 
• Ability to work autonomously, and use own initiative, as well as being part of a team.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills, good IT, and keyboard skills.
• Ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

*2 year fixed term contract*

An exciting opportunity has arisen in our Children and Family Service for a Social Worker to join a growing Advocacy and Advice Service which we will be developing over the course of the next three years.

We are looking for a dynamic and practised Social Worker who is passionate about achieving excellence, coupled with the ability to drive change for neurodivergent children, young people and their families. If this sounds like you, you could be the person we are looking for!

This role is grounded on improving the quality and care for these children and young people, through providing specialist social care assessment and intervention supporting to the family as a unit. Experience of working with neurodivergent children, those with disabilities, or an understanding of specialist health settings is preferred but training will be made available to the right candidate. 

Benefits at Norwood:

• Workplace Pension Scheme: Plan for your future with confidence
• 21 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays and Jewish festivals where they fall on a working day and work is not permitted (FTE)
• Employee Assistance Programme: We care about your well-being
• £300 When You Introduce a Friend: Spread the word and reap the rewards
• Free Eye test & Eyewear allowance
• Access to ‘Blue Light’ discount scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Excellent career progression pathway

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Working collaboratively as part of an integral, multi-disciplinary team addressing the physical, emotional and social needs of children and young people who may be neurodivergent, as well as their families using the service
• Maintaining relevant knowledge and understanding of safeguarding standards, ensuring compliance with Norwood’s policies and procedures for promoting the welfare of children and young people as well as vulnerable young adults
• Meeting with children, young people and their families at the centre (or other community settings) or in a remote working environment (adhering to Norwood guidelines) with a view to undertaking comprehensive assessments of individual needs using a strengths-based approach, understanding the impact of neurodiversity, planning appropriate responses in partnership with children and young people and their families
• Working with statutory and other authorities and community organisations to the benefit of the families we work with
• Advising families we work with and support, on relevant legal frameworks, which may affect them
• Monitoring, reviewing and evaluating interventions in collaboration with families and recognising the changing needs/ revising interventions as appropriate
• Enabling those who we are working with and supporting to develop personal skills and strategies to improve outcomes in the identified areas in their life
• Writing reports, maintaining accurate and up to date records on the organisation’s case management system and attending any meetings or case conferences in relation to the children/young people, parents and carers to whom they are providing or have provided a service
• Liaising on behalf of those we are supporting with the Local Authority, the NHS, and other agencies in the public and independent sectors to improve outcomes for the family
• Supporting the child/ young person and their families with financial assistance applications when appropriate

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Social Worker Degree or equivalent
• Registered Social Worker with Social Work England
• Previous experience as a Social Worker either in statutory or voluntary sector Children’s Services
• Understanding of the multitude of needs faced by neurodivergent children and their families
• Sound knowledge of all relevant legislation, statutory guidance and regulations, specifically in relation to safeguarding children/young people and vulnerable adults
• Full clean driving licence, access to a car and be able to use for business purposes

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Practice Teacher Award 
• Other post qualification professional training
• Experience of working in the voluntary sector
• Experience of working in a Local Authority
• Experience of working with the wider Jewish community, including the Charedi/Orthodox communities
• Experience working with neurodiversity and disability

If you are interested in this role, please apply at your earliest convenience and our Recruitment Team will be in touch. 

Whilst the closing date states 6th December, we intend to hold interviews for this role on 4th and 5th December, and reserve the right to close this advertisement earlier should we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Due to the high number of candidates who apply to our roles at Norwood, please note we can only provide feedback following an interview, if shortlisted.

We actively celebrate everyone's different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone is welcome and supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

Benefits

We value our team’s wellbeing, and in order to support it, we offer a number of benefits, including:

• 25 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays (pro-rated for part time hours)
• A bonus day of leave for your birthday
• 3% matched pension contribution
• Access to Rising Sun’s counselling service
• Clinical supervision
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health care cash plan for you and your children for a number of health treatments (e.g. dental, optical, physiotherapy etc.) as well as discounts in shops and attractions
• Up to four weeks sick pay in any 12 month period (eligible after probation period)

OVERVIEW

Rising Sun Domestic Violence and Abuse Service (Rising Sun) is an independent charity in Kent working to prevent domestic abuse and improve the lives of survivors and their children suffering from its effects. We have an ambitious vision for a world in which women and children live free from actual or threatened domestic abuse and all forms of violence.

Our team provide a range of services to adults and children who’ve experienced domestic abuse. We understand the impact of domestic abuse on survivors and so we listen to individual needs and respond in a trauma informed way. We provide one-to-one support and also deliver therapeutically informed group programmes to help survivors to recognise healthy/unhealthy behaviours in relationships and to understand the impact of domestic abuse. Bringing survivors together validates experiences and enables them to draw strength from one another.

As part of our passionate and committed team of approximately 50 staff, our aspiration is that you will thrive and develop in this varied role. You will be contributing to the invaluable work of the Rising Sun and making a lasting difference to the lives of those who are impacted by domestic abuse.

JOB PURPOSE

Liberty House provides housing and support for up to 5 homeless young women aged 16-24 who are single, pregnant or have a young child and have experienced domestic abuse.

The support worker will be required to take on key-working responsibilities for the residents at Liberty House, as well as delivering other support work within the house and within the wider Liberty team. This could be related to pregnancy and parenting, life skills, psychoeducational support, understanding healthy relationships and building supportive peer relationships within the home, and supporting them to live independently.

The post holder will work to provide a secure, stable and homely environment and to act as a positive role model to residents. They will build professional and supportive relationships with residents and colleagues.

The project works to empower residents, providing them with information relating to their rights and enabling them to make decisions based on their options using a trauma informed approach.

As a member of the Liberty Team (16 – 24 year olds), the successful applicant will work collaboratively with the rest of the Children and Young People’s team, as well as the wider Rising Sun team to support other programmes delivered within the organisation.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Service Delivery

• Provide holistic, trauma informed, practical and emotional support to residents of Liberty House through regular 1-2-1 sessions. Develop individual support plans, which address any practical and emotional needs the resident may have, such as accessing benefits, life skills and perform risk assessments where needed.
• Organise and deliver group sessions that focus on life skills and strengthening relationships.
• Encourage the residents in positive parenting.
• Manage relationships within the house, act as a conciliator, arbitrator and reconciler in disputes between residents.
• Ensure residents adhere to house rules.
• Assist with the day to day general running of the house and office, to ensure they are fit for purpose and safe for team members and residents.
• Conduct safety checks around the house. Ensure all faults/repairs are reported and that the Health and Safety Policy is adhered to at all times.
• Comply with organisational policies and procedures and adhere to confidentiality.
• Work effectively in partnership with other agencies.
• Work within our ethos of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at all times and instil these values in all areas of work, with service users, staff and external stakeholders.
• Encourage residents’ participation in service development, continuous improvement and feedback exercises
• Maintain up to date and accurate records and ensure reports and evaluations are completed as required.
• Be willing and available to work some evenings and weekends as required, as part of a rota for Liberty House team members, and also occasionally to support wider team activities such as representing Rising Sun at events (time off in lieu can be taken by arrangement with your line manager).
• Represent Rising Sun at multi-agency meetings as required.

General

• Demonstrate a commitment to continued professional development, being responsible for personal learning and keeping up to date on research, relevant legislation, policy and practice, and other literature relevant to the role.
• Uphold the rights of women, children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse, and proactively assess the gender specific, trauma informed needs and  the safety of children and women to ensure that any risks/needs identified are addressed, having full regard to Rising Sun Safeguarding Children policy and Safeguarding Adults policy.
• Lone working as required.
• Participate in clinical supervision, training and meetings as required.
• Work across teams and undertake such other duties, appropriate to the grade and nature of the work, as may reasonably be expected.

This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time when it was drawn up and will be reviewed from time to time. Duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

Knowledge and qualifications

• Good understanding of antenatal and postnatal care.
• Good understanding of effective parenting, particularly for parents of young babies.
• Good understanding of the impact of domestic violence and trauma on survivors, children and young people, families and communities. 
• Knowledge of issues affecting survivors, and an understanding of the barriers they may face in accessing support.
• Thorough knowledge of safeguarding practice, procedures and legislation.
• Good understanding of the operation of the agencies working together to support survivors and their children such as social services, housing, police etc.

Experience

• Experience of working with young children and/ or babies and their mothers
• Experience of supporting women with life skills/ developing confidence
• Experience of multi-agency partnership work
• Experience of working alongside volunteers (Desirable)
• Experience of working with survivors affected by domestic and/ or sexual abuse (Desirable)
• Experience of facilitating group programmes (Desirable)
• Experience of working for a charity or not for profit organisation. (Desirable)

Skills

• Excellent listening, written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to form positive relationships with residents from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences in order to build professional and supportive relationships
• Ability to work closely with young parents and their babies
• Ability to help residents in the creative use of leisure time with a view to building relationships and social skills
• Non-judgemental and non-directive approach to empowering survivors along with the ability to understand the individual needs of clients.
• Ability to manage conflict and to promote resolution.
• Ability to work well with colleagues, statutory and non-statutory agencies and responsibly on own initiative.
• Good task management skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure and to deadlines.
• Good data collection, monitoring and IT skills, including word processing and using databases and Excel spreadsheets.

General

• Able to set clear boundaries and a willingness to accept line management and make effective use of clinical supervision.
• A good understanding and commitment to confidentiality, safe practice and health and safety procedures.
• A good understanding of cultural issues, and commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities.
• Able to travel independently across East Kent where necessary to attend meetings.
• Willingness to carry out the policies and procedures of the Rising Sun and to work within its framework and core values.

Equal Opportunities Statement

Rising Sun is an equal opportunities employer. We recognise intersecting identities, and value what having a diverse team brings, both in terms of effectively responding to client needs, and engaging with each other at work. We encourage applicants from all sections of the community; especially from minority groups/groups with a protected characteristic such as B.A.M.E., who are currently underrepresented at Rising Sun. We are disability-friendly, and flexible working is available in the majority of roles. We strive to offer accommodations to all applicants who need them.

Safeguarding Statement

Rising Sun is committed to safeguarding those we provide a service to. The successful candidate will be required to undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check, a ‘right to work check’ in accordance with UK government Home Office guidelines, and to provide two references.

We request no contact from agencies or media sales please.

Our client offers a range of quality, exciting and inclusive short break clubs across Surrey and West Sussex for children and young people with a disability and additional needs. They are now looking to recruit a dynamic Team Manager to lead their short break services, ensuring a high quality service for all beneficiaries.

As Team Manager you will oversee the operational management and delivery of short break clubs delivered across a range of schemes across Surrey and West Sussex. You will line manage a team of dedicated frontline workers and will lead the assessment of behavioural support plans and complex need support in order to ensure safe and inclusive practices. You will ensure the meaningful participation of children and young people in the design, delivery, and evaluation of services, and will work closely with local partners to enhance the range, reach and quality of services for children and young people.

To apply for this role, you must have demonstrable experience of working with children and young people with a range of disabilities or additional needs. You must have previous experience of managing frontline staff, and of working with a range of partner organisations in order to achieve positive outcomes for beneficiaries. You will be skilled at developing and implementing fun, varied and creative programmes of activities that allow for fun and informal learning. Overall, you will be a supportive manager, passionate about ensuring high quality services for children and young people with a range of disabilities or additional needs.

Benefits
Free Gym Membership: the post holder will be entitled to free use of our client’s fitness centre, and half price childcare for dependents.
Free Parking on-site
Pension Contribution

If you are interested in finding out more about this exciting opportunity, please register your interest and submit your CV by clicking 'apply now' below. Applications will be reviewed, and interviews scheduled with the client on an ongoing basis.

At Prospectus, we are committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application. If you are enthusiastic about working with a fantastic charity that makes a real difference in people's lives, we would love to hear from you!

Please note, the working pattern for this role will be 9 – 5pm Tuesday – Saturday, and 9 – 5pm Monday – Friday during term time.

Due to the requirements of the role needing to occasionally travel to schemes, please only apply if you have a full driving license.

Do you want to work as part of a dynamic and engaging team supporting Young People in Northampton? Due to project expansion, Aquarius Young People’s Substance Misuse team are recruiting for several Young People’s Practitioners across the county.

Aquarius has been providing structured and targeted interventions to young people engaging in, at risk of substance misuse or affected by parental substance misuse for many years.

You will work on an outreach basis, including visiting schools, colleges & universities, places of worship, youth service provisions and local community venues. You will help to raise the profile of substance misuse services available to young people and also provide young people with that first point of contact providing advice and further direction into accessing the right support, particularly targeting outreach to engage 'difficult -to-reach' young people.

Holding relevant experience with skills or qualifications in either substance misuse/youth work/psychology/counselling/mental health/social care you will also:

• Have experience of working with at risk/vulnerable people in a community setting
• Be able to deliver group work
• Be knowledgeable about: safeguarding children, confidentiality, consent and mental capacity and Hidden Harm
• Adopt a flexible approach to work - hours and locations

In return, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Generous annual leave
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Excellent Learning & Development Opportunities and Career Progression
• Generous Contributory Pension scheme

Full or part-time hours considered - a minimum of 17 hours a week but up to 37.5 hours a week are available.

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

This is a rolling recruitment process; shortlisted candidates will be interviewed as and when they apply.

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.

37.5 hours per week / Permanent / working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, increasing life skills and self-confidence, and improving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

YMCA Hastings provides supported accommodation for a total of 47 young people at risk of homelessness, aged 16 to 25, and care experienced young people under the age of 18. We provide support to our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and work towards aspirations so that they can move on to enjoy fully independent futures. Our staff team comprises of Support Workers, Night Staff and Managers. Each Support Worker holds a caseload of residents and meets with them weekly to build a support plan and help them achieve their goals.

We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our Hastings Foyer team with the expectation on occasion to work across locality. Main areas of responsibilities:

Coaching and Engagement

• Coach young people so they can articulate their aspirations and ambitions and take the lead in acquiring the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives.
• Ensure young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal development, to engage with the services on offer and build strong networks and connections within the local community. 
• Ensure consistent standards of safeguarding and Trauma Informed Practice when supporting young people, observing our safeguarding procedures, and keeping yourself and residents safe by respecting professional boundaries.
• Maintain client records on In-Form (client database) detailing the young person’s journey in relation to their strengths and needs, any risks, and any outcomes (to monitor service performance). 

Housing

• Coach young people to manage their occupancy agreement and adhere to house rules, in preparation for independent living. 
• Promote a credit culture, encouraging young people to keep up to date with all payments for rent.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of housing and welfare benefits for young people and be well-informed on significant changes to housing law.
• Deal effectively with non-compliance issues, such as non-payment of rent or damage to room, using restorative practices and working collaboratively with the rest of the team.

General 

• Work as part of a team, on a rota shift pattern, ensuring young people at the service have non-judgemental, objective, and supportive staff during the day/evening, along with taking responsibility for personal safety during periods of lone working
• Contribute to a great working environment, with a calm, yet assertive manner, being able to handle potentially difficult situations.
• Participate in relevant continuing professional development and utilise Reflective Practice Supervision as part of leading psychologically informed practice. 

ABOUT YOU: We know that there are great candidates who will not fit everything described below, or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If that is you, please do not hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

This is a dynamic and varied role; you will be passionate about being involved in the support and growth of young people.

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience relating to housing, support work, and/or working with young people at risk
• Experience of working proactively with a caseload of young people with multiple and complex needs to enable them to achieve independent living. 
• Knowledge of statutory and voluntary resources available to young people with multiple and complex needs.
• Knowledge of good safeguarding procedures in relation to young people and the ability to maintain effective professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated confidence and competence in recording notes/actions in service log, incident forms and health and safety check lists.

Skills and Abilities 

• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing for appropriate recording of a resident’s progression, and to evidence outcomes achieved.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders, including signposting and advocating for clients as necessary. 
• Ability to work autonomously, and use own initiative, as well as being part of a team.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills, good IT, and keyboard skills.
• Ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

Butterfly Service is looking for a part time (21 hours) Family Support Worker to work in our Butterfly service. The post is to cover Maternity leave up to August 2025. 

For the past 19 years, the Butterfly service has provided family support to children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families who are living in the city of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire areas. We work closely with hospital and community medical teams and take a holistic approach to meeting the needs of the child/young person and promoting the well-being and resilience of the whole family.

The aim of the Butterfly Service is to deliver a high level of practical and emotional support to the child/young person, their siblings, and their parents/carers.

Specific Responsibilities/Additional essential criteria of the Family Support Worker post
•    You will be able to work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team - with colleagues, managers and other professionals to help provide high quality, bespoke support to families
•    Through experience of engagement and participation from service users, you will be able to assess, monitor and review families support requirements.
•    You will be able to provide support to individuals in their family home and within the community, offering practical help and advice along the child's/young person's journey in partnership with a wide range of medical professionals.  
•    You will have experience of direct work with children, young people and families.
•    You will have a knowledge of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
•    You will have an awareness of factors impacting on and issues facing vulnerable children, young people and families, especially disabled and/or life limited children.
•    You may need to work outside of usual office hours on occasion, during evenings to meet the needs of families.
 

At Barnardo's, our purpose is to transform the lives of the UK's most vulnerable children and our vision is to realise Thomas Barnardo's dream of a world where no child is turned away from the help that they need.

Would you like to be involved in this unique opportunity to support Children and Young People in Barnardo's Butterfly Service? 

The Butterfly Service provides support to children and young people with a life limiting condition and their parents, carers and siblings in the community. As a member of this small but friendly team, you will provide support from when a child receives a prognosis that they are life limited, through stages of transition or periods of crisis, and post bereavement, to enable children, young people and families to make choices, access appropriate mainstream services and be able to cope with challenges and changes as the child progresses along the palliative care pathway. 

Your duties will include:
•    Visiting children and families at home, school or in hospital
•    Providing emotional support to family members
•    Helping families to access the support and services that they need
•    Advocating for children and their families to ensure their needs are heard 

You will have:  
•    Experience of direct work with children, young people and families.
•    Able to listen to and communicate effectively with children and young people 
•    Knowledge of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
•    Able to work as part of a team.
•    Awareness of factors impacting on and issues facing vulnerable children young people and families, especially disabled and/or life limited children. 

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. 

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay. 

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. 

Benefits

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.

• Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing after 5 years service
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

About Barnardo's

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

37.5 hours per week / Permanent / working onsite on a seven-day rolling rota, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, increasing life skills and self-confidence, and improving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Guildford Foyer provides 24 hour supported accommodation housing up to 34 young people aged 16-25 who have multiple and complex needs, including many who are unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people. We provide support to our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and work towards aspirations so that they can move on to enjoy fully independent futures. Our supportive staff team comprises of Support Workers, night staff and two managers.

We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our Guildford Foyer team. Main areas of responsibilities are:

Coaching and Engagement

• Coach young people so they can articulate their aspirations and ambitions and take the lead in acquiring the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives.
• Ensure young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal development, to engage with the services on offer and build strong networks and connections within the local community. 
• Ensure consistent standards of safeguarding and Trauma Informed Practice when supporting young people, observing our safeguarding procedures, and keeping yourself and residents safe by respecting professional boundaries.
• Maintain client records on In-Form (client database) detailing the young person’s journey in relation to their strengths and needs, any risks, and any outcomes (to monitor service performance). 

Housing

• Coach young people to manage their occupancy agreement and adhere to house rules, in preparation for independent living. 
• Promote a credit culture, encouraging young people to keep up to date with all payments for rent.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of housing and welfare benefits for young people and be well-informed on significant changes to housing law.
• Deal effectively with non-compliance issues, such as non-payment of rent or damage to room, using restorative practices and working collaboratively with the rest of the team.

General 

• Work as part of a team, on a rota shift pattern, ensuring young people at the service have non-judgemental, objective, and supportive staff during the day/evening, along with taking responsibility for personal safety during periods of lone working
• Contribute to a great working environment, with a calm, yet assertive manner, being able to handle potentially difficult situations.
• Participate in relevant continuing professional development and utilise Reflective Practice Supervision as part of leading psychologically informed practice. 

There will be times when lone working will be a requirement for this role, but you will get to know the team and service, along with an induction and training prior to starting on a rota. Please download the job profile for full role details.

ABOUT YOU: We know that there are great candidates who will not fit everything described below, or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If that is you, please do not hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

This is a dynamic and varied role; you will be passionate about being involved in the support and growth of young people.

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience relating to housing, support work, and/or working with young people at risk
• Experience of working proactively with a caseload of young people with multiple and complex needs to enable them to achieve independent living. 
• Knowledge of statutory and voluntary resources available to young people with multiple and complex needs.
• Knowledge of good safeguarding procedures in relation to young people and the ability to maintain effective professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated confidence and competence in recording notes/actions in service log, incident forms and health and safety check lists.

Skills and Abilities 

• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing for appropriate recording of a resident’s progression, and to evidence outcomes achieved.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders, including signposting and advocating for clients as necessary. 
• Ability to work autonomously, and use own initiative, as well as being part of a team.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills, good IT, and keyboard skills.
• Ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

20 hours per week / Permanent / £27,225 per annum, pro rata /  working within Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, (working pattern can be discussed at interview) based on site in Eastbourne and will cover Transitional services across Eastbourne, Bexhill, St Leonards and Hastings (expenses paid for travel, excluding home to work journey). 

Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, increasing life skills and self-confidence, and improving emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our East Sussex Transitional Housing team, providing  safe, secure accommodation for young people aged 18-25, who have been, or are at risk of homelessness. The team offers a support package alongside the accommodation to actively encourage residents into education, training, employment or voluntary work.

This role will primarily involve lone working, where you will have the autonomy to manage your tasks and responsibilities independently. However, you will be part of a supportive team, keeping in regular contact and where necessary working together. You will receive an induction where you will work alongside an experienced member of the team before lone working.

You will have your own caseload of residents, visiting them in their homes and supporting them in the community.You will contribute to the smooth and safe running of the service by providing consistency and reliability. You will have a calm, yet assertive manner, being able to handle potentially difficult situations. You will also support young people to safeguard themselves against abuse and risk. 

ABOUT YOU: We know that there are great candidates who will not fit everything described, or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If that is you, please do not hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

This is a dynamic and varied role; you will be passionate about being involved in the support and growth of young people and will be able to actively encourage residents into education, training, and employment. 

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience relating to housing, support work, and/or working with young people at risk
• Experience of working proactively with a caseload of young people to enable them to achieve independent living.
• Knowledge of statutory and voluntary resources available to young people
• Knowledge of good safeguarding procedures in relation to young people and the ability to maintain effective professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated confidence and competence in recording notes/actions in service log, incident forms and health and safety check lists.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing for appropriate recording of a resident’s progression
• Ability to work autonomously, and use own initiative, as well as being part of a team.
• Ability to organise workload, take initiative and make decisions
• Ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Young People service in Ealing. No personal care or experience is required, just the right values.

£27,352.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Support Workers will provide support to customers to help them develop the life skills they require to meet the assessed needs of the customers of the service. They will work with customers to promote social inclusion and alongside other members of the team to promote independent living, encouraging customers to maximise their skills and choices.

This Support Worker role is on a 4 week rolling rota which includes a combination of early (8.00 - 16.00) and late (14.00 - 22.00) shifts including weekends. No sleep in's required.

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.

What you'll do:

Building supportive, trusting relationships with customers
Working proactively with other members of the team to handle the service caseload and administrative responsibilities
Supporting key customers to set personalised goals in the form of a Support Plan
Conducting regular key work sessions that are innovative and engaging in order to achieve Support Plan goals
Ensuring ongoing assessment and management of risks associated with customers within an attitude of 'positive risk taking'
Proactively manage risk and safety both in and outside of their physical living environment
Providing support with daily living activities, including practical assistance where skills are not yet developed, to ensure that customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation
Proactive development of links with local statutory and voluntary organisations to provide a range of engagement opportunities for customers in the community
Involving customers in the design, development and delivery of the service
Empowering customers to ensure they receive the service and benefits they are entitled to
Encouraging and enabling tenants to pay their rent and ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively
Ensuring Look Ahead Health and Safety policies are adhered to at all time and to uphold all health and safety responsibilities within relevant policies and local protocols
Adhering to all other Look Ahead's policies and procedures
Engaging in learning and development activity to increase knowledge and skills
Day to day instruction/ supervision of Assistant Support Workers/domestic staff/ Personal Support Assistants where appropriate
Undertaking any other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the post as assigned by the Team Leader/ Manager
This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

About you:

Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
Approachable and open behaviour
Prefers working as part of a group or team
Is fundamentally calm and resilient, does not let emotion adversely affect them or obscure their judgement
Has a practical and logical mind and is naturally well organised
Flexible
Open to feedback and self development
Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments
Is confident with high levels of self-esteem
Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication
Is essentially customer-focused
Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude
Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviours
What you'll bring:

Essential:

NVQ Level 3 or equivalent or wiling to work towards an NVQ
1 year experience working with young people
Desirable:

Experience of working in Ofsted regulated services
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 120 services, providing support to around 6000 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, young people 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.

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).

Barnardo's Transition, Preparation and Moving-On Service is looking for an experienced Residential Care Worker for its 4 bed Children's home.

This is a service commissioned by Liverpool City Council to deliver Children's residential support in line with statutory requirements utilising therapeutic approaches. The service consists of one 4 bed Children's home.

The service aims to provide a nurturing environment within our high-quality home, which will meet the needs of children and young people who have experienced trauma, neglect, rejection, and whose basic needs have not been met.

The home offers our young people a safe space to enjoy themselves with activities such as karaoke, pamper, movie and games nights. Our young people are also encouraged to enjoy activities such as horse riding, going the cinema, indoor adventure parks, museums, theatre shows, youth clubs, fairs/theme parks i.e. Alton Towers, Blackpool and Southport.

We always ensure that our young people have the opportunity to enjoy at least one holiday/short break. 

We support our young people to learn skills such as cooking meals and baking.

In line with Barnardo's EDI awareness and ethos, we take part in cultural theme nights once a month.

On top of that, Saturday is takeaway night, so you even get a night off from cooking!

As a Transition home, our role is to support the young people in our care to either return back to their own families, move onto foster care, or move into semi-independence. The support we provide is vital in supporting our young people in their next chapter. You would play a huge part in this exciting role in changing the lives of our young people.

The home provides a truly therapeutically focussed environment that can meet the needs of young people who require support to manage their behaviours safely, develop their resilience and prepare them for the demands of future life with their own families or in other settings.

As a Residential Care Worker you will support the young people on a rota basis, covering the following:

• 3 on 4 off pattern across the year, with rotas completed at least one month in advance.
• Sleep ins - approximately 2 per month with an additional payment of approximately £68/sleep,
• Waking nights (approximately 2 per month)
• Opportunities to complete additional hours at an enhanced rate of pay.
• Some weekend working, on a rota basis
• Some bank holiday working – enhanced rates of pay for bank holiday working.

Designated days off are given following sleep ins and waking nights to promote wellbeing and recovery.

Your role as a  Residential Care Worker:

You will engage with and support young people in all aspects of their lives, attending to their practical, physical, and emotional needs, whilst safeguarding each young person at all times.

You will be an allocated keyworker for one of the four young people, acting in the capacity of a corporate parent. The outcome of this being that you support the management team to ensure the collation and coordination of supporting information, pertinent to the young person's everyday life, which will be used to demonstrate the journey of the child whilst residing at the home.

On a rota basis, you will also share the responsibility (alongside other Residential Care Workers) of being allocated as shift leader. This ensures each day is purposeful and coordinated, to enhance opportunities for positive achievements and outcomes for the young people.

You will support young people to enhance their social opportunities by accessing hobbies & activities in the home and in the community. This could include supporting young people to access meals out/cinema/theatre/activity clubs etc and engage with fun nights in e.g. Movie/pamper/ games nights etc.

If you have residential experience, are passionate about the children in your care and can show understanding, tenacity, consistency of care and the ability to engage with a wide range of young people – this may be the opportunity for you!

*For more specific role information please refer to the document below entitled

 “PW2 Additional Info”

What you'll get from us

In addition to the extensive organisational benefits identified below, you will receive:

• A full induction within our trauma informed charity,
• Ongoing comprehensive training package, including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, to enable you to be equipped to fully support our young people.
• You will be part of a team supported by a Therapeutic Co-ordinator and will also receive reflective group/individual sessions with our consultant psychotherapist,
• Monthly practice focussed supervision,
• On successfully passing probation, enrolment on a fully funded residential Diploma

Quote from a young person who previously lived in the home:

“…You've all really helped me become the person I am today. The amount of love you all put in, you all wanted the best for me. I'm going to miss the team of great people I have had around me”

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.