Youth Worker Jobs

Hello, thank you for considering a Team Leader role with Redthread.

About us
We are a team of compassionate, collaborative and courageous professionals. Every day, we challenge ourselves to keep learning, adapting and innovating, supporting vulnerable children and young people wherever they need us. Our vision is a society where all children and young people live healthy, safe and happy lives. We’ll never stop until this is a reality.  Please visit our Redthread website and learn more about our approach and the services we provide.

Sound good? Before making an application, please ensure that you've read through this job pack, including the important information on the final page on how to apply. For more about our recruitment process, benefits and our commitment to safeguarding, equity, diversity, and inclusion please check out our guidance for applicants on our website here.

About the role

Post Title: Team Leader

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, with regular evening and weekend shifts required. Shifts will be scheduled to ensure team cover from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm daily.

Location: Onsite, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Woolwich, London. With regular travel to other Redthread sites and offices when required.

Salary: £38,424.00 per annum + benefits

Contract type: Permanent

DBS Level: Enhanced with barring

Work area: Services

Responsible to: Programme Manager

Purpose of the post
● Support the Programme Manager to oversee effective and consistent delivery, performance, and quality assurance across the health settings, working with the Director of Services and other leaders to enhance and develop the offer. Including through involving young people in service design and development aligned to the Redthread Youth Participation Strategy.
● Lead Redthread teams delivering services, ensuring that Redthread’s models of intervention are delivered consistently and appropriately to all young people accessing the services.
● Build and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of partners and agencies, including clinical teams, hospital staff, Redthread’s stakeholders, project partners, and voluntary and statutory agencies working with young people.
● Be part of the team at Redthread, contributing to the development of our programmes and assisting with other projects and activities as required.

Full-time (37.5 hours per week) / Fixed term until 31 May 2025 (Maternity cover) / This is a mobile role, requiring all applicants to have a full valid, UK Driving Licence

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 Housing Mobile Night Worker to provide floating support to our teams in high support 24-hour projects as well as medium support and transitional housing units to ensure that our properties are safe, secure, and welcoming through the night. You will be working across Brighton and Hove as well as Worthing to support the static night worker during the night as well as undertaking your mobile duties.

Working on site you will be responsible for ensuring the service is safe by keeping clear records of night time activity within the building. You will regularly complete building checks and monitor CCTV upkeeping health and safety regulations in accordance with YMCA DownsLink Group policies and procedures.  You will work to prevent any anti-social behaviour from impacting our neighbours and other residents. You will work alongside other support staff to maximise the wellbeing of residents by completing one to one interventions with young people who may be experiencing mental health crisis and/or who may need medical assistance. You will also be lone working as part of the role, so you will need to be comfortable with decision making and following procedures.

Our Mobile Night Workers work on four nights on, four nights off rota, working 8pm-7am including working over weekends and bank holidays. Although these are long shifts, you will get four days off after, which can provide a great work life balance. 

ABOUT YOU - We know there are great candidates who may 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 and why perhaps you are looking to take the next step.

Ideally you will have experience working with young people, those considered vulnerable or with multiple and complex needs along with being able to demonstrate a real passion for wanting to work with young people. You will have an understanding of the needs of single homeless clients aged 16-25 and the ability to engage, motivate and inspire, with a strong commitment to changing the life of others for the better. You will already have clear verbal and written communication skills, good IT and keyboard skills and the ability to self-motivate. You will be an effective communicator who is able to deliver robust, clear handovers and build strong relationships with other members of your team. In addition, you will have the ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Enhanced Support worker to join our young people service in Hounslow

£22,120 per annum, working 32 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.
Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

A Enhanced Support worker will be able to be creatively engage young people in order to minimise risks and increase their independence. Partnership working is the heart of supporting our young people and Enhanced Support Workers are required to build and maintain those relationships to coordinator the young person's support.

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:

- Responsible for key-working a caseload assigned by the Management
- Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs and potential risks and agree levels of support and actions to professional standards
- Co-develop a positive behaviour support plan with the individual that identifies triggers and actions required to enable positive risk taking through reduced risks
- Support customers to engage with agreed support programme
- Support customers to claim and receive eligible benefits, deal with relevant agencies to develop life skills, budgeting, financial literacy, and managing finances effectively
- Encourage tenants to pay their rent and to ensure that rent accounts are managed effectively
- Motivate individuals to prepare and cook healthy meals safely, going shopping and offering guidance on buying balanced nutritious food

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:
- An understanding of the issues facing young people
- An awareness and understanding of the social, emotional and wellbeing needs and mental health in relation to young people
- An awareness of adolescent development and relevant theories, such as attachment theory
- An awareness and understanding of child development and best practice in promoting healthy living and positive parenting skills
- An understanding of the challenges young parents face and the skills to enable them to pursue their aspirations while parenting effectively
- An understanding of the difficulties care leavers face and the skills to empower them to achieve their ambitions
- An understanding of the difficulties NEET young people face and the skills to enable them to develop a sense of responsibility and independence in the community

What you'll bring:

Essential:
- Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience in the social care/charity sector
- Ability to adapt to challenging environments
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
- Ability to plan, manage and evaluate outcome focused activities and support programmes
- Interpersonal skills to build relationships with young people in 1:1 and group settings
- Strong personal resilience and excellent teamwork skills

Desirable:

- Understanding of the Service legal framework including the Children Act and Homelessness legislation and how to use it effectively

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.

Please see our website for full job description.

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 provide 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.

As a Supported Housing Support Worker you will hold a caseload of residents, working with them on a one-to-one basis with also facilitating group work sessions. You will identify their needs by listening to them, with employing psychologically informed approaches to enable residents to make better choices and take responsibility for their actions. You will work closely with other services such as, Social Services, Police, Probation, education providers and local organisations. Our projects already have excellent working relationships with these services, and your role will build on these. You will be helping them to improve their practical living skills such as cleaning, budgeting, managing behaviour, seeking, and securing employment and making wise decisions. You will help to contribute to a great working environment, with a calm, yet assertive manner, being able to handle potentially difficult situations. 

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. Ideally, you will have knowledge and experience of working with young people, knowledge of housing and welfare benefits, along with an awareness of all aspects of safeguarding. You will enjoy working in a client facing role, with the ability to self-motive to drive to deliver an outstanding service. You will be an effective communicator who is able to deliver robust, clear handovers and build strong relationships with other members of your team. In addition, you will have the ability to de-escalate volatile situations and manage challenging behaviour appropriately.

Homeless Support Worker

We are looking for an experienced Support Worker to help tackle and prevent young people rough sleeping in the UK.

Position: Homeless Support Worker

Location: South Tyneside

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week, evenings and weekends)

Salary: £24,136 per annum plus pension & other benefits

Closing Date: Wednesday 4th September 2024 – we are doing interviews on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply at your earliest convenience.

About the Role

Working under the direction, guidance and support of a manager you will be responsible for a caseload of clients as well as share responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of all clients, volunteers and staff in the service.

The role will have responsibility under Depaul’s commitment to successfully deliver the contracted outcomes.

Key responsibilities include:

· Manage a caseload of young people needing pre-tenancy support or homeless prevention support to achieve accommodation and well-being outcomes.

· Participate in drop-in and Programmed sessions in the Community Hub and other community venues as directed.

· Proactively work in partnership with multiple agencies including statutory teams, to support the well-being of Depaul clients following data protection and information sharing protocols.

· You will liaise with Depaul’s internal departments including Finance, HR, Fundraising and Business Development as necessary to ensure the smooth running of the service.

· Supporting all clients to participate in Education, Training, Employment and Volunteering opportunities as appropriate to the development of their skills, assets and aspirations

· You will hold specific responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of the environment and buildings for clients, staff, visitors and volunteers through regular risk assessment, health and safety checks and reporting following the Health and Safety Policy.

About You

You will have experience in managing a service in a support setting with a focus on continuous improvement in working with young people with complex mental health needs.

You will need to have the following skills and experience:

· Experience in using Risk Assessments and Support Planning.

· Good literacy, numeracy and IT skills

· Experience in operating safeguarding requirements and procedures

· Commitment to working in a manner, which promotes diversity and equality ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and dignity and no one, suffers from discrimination.

· Commitment to promoting an environment, which has the highest regard for the Health and Safety of others.

· Ability to lone work and deal with challenging situations.

· Personal and professional integrity

· High-level understanding of professional boundaries and ability to maintain boundaries

In return for working here, you will receive:

· A comprehensive training package tailored to your needs and role

· Flexible working model for suitable roles.

· 26 days annual leave rising to 30 after five years’ service.

· Family friendly leave policies including - maternity, adoption and parental leave and Carers leave.

· Auto-enrolment to pension scheme employer from day 1 with employer contribution up to 7% and increasing with service

· Employee Assistance Programme and access to the app – 24/7 GP appointments, prescription service, health checks and nutrition advice.

· Discount vouchers including gym, retail, food & drink, travel, electricals and more.

· Cash benefit plan for you and your partner (living with you) and children under 18 including covering Dental, Optical, Hospital Stays, Scans and More​

· Death in service (4x Base salary)

· Legal Advice line

About the Organisation

Depaul UK delivers a wide range of support and housing services for young people and adults at risk of homelessness. We specialise in the provision of services that prevent homelessness, increase the resilience of those we work with and energise opportunities for employment, education, training and volunteering in the communities we work within. Our organisation reaches from Newcastle to London, Greater Manchester and Milton Keynes.

You may have experience in areas such as such as: Support Worker, Homeless Recovery Worker, Peer Support, Resettlement Worker, Homelessness, Homeless Project Manager #INDNFP

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

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKER (ISLE OF SHEPPEY)

HOURS: Flexible up to 1 FTE to be discussed at interview

24 MONTH FIXED TERM CONTRACT

SALARY:  £26,072 - £28,615 p.a. for 1FTE, pro rata to contracted hours

Oasis Charitable Trust is a multi-national charity supporting communities in 8 countries worldwide. Our vision is for building healthy communities: places where everyone is included, making a contribution and reaching their full potential.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Community Development Worker to work as part of our Oasis Hub on the Isle of Sheppey, to engage and work with the community by helping them to access Hub activities, and the social supermarket project.

Key responsibilities will be:

1. To deliver the Sheppey Support Bus project and ensure its day-to-day operational tasks are fulfilled.
2. To liaise with our community partners including supermarkets, Fairshare etc to support and provide for Oasis activities, including the Sheppey Support Bus.
3. To monitor and evaluate activities using monitoring tools available to the team.
4. To develop other opportunities that will enhance our offer to the local community.

The successful post holder must have:

• A relevant professional qualification in Community Work or able to demonstrate qualification by experience.
• Successful experience of working with complex communities.
• The ability to deal with private information and sensitive issues with a calm and confident approach in difficult situations.
• Ability to function in diverse settings and with a wide range of professional agencies.
• Self-motivation, resilience, excellent organisational/administrative and inter-personal skills are essential for this role.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of something pioneering on the Isle of Sheppey and to help make a difference to communities on a local level, while individually improving the life chances of everyone.  As part of the package, Oasis offers:

• A pension scheme, currently offering 7% employer contribution.
• A generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year (plus 8 Bank Holidays).

If you are interested in this position, please email your most recent CV and covering letter. For further information please visit the Oasis Charity Jobs Website.  In your covering letter, please answer the following questions:

1. Expand on your CV to explain how your skills and experience meets the Job Description. Give specific examples.
2. What personal attributes does a person need to do well as a Community Development Worker?
3. How do you see the Oasis ethos and 9 Habits being displayed in this role?

Completed applications should be returned by 12 noon Tuesday 10th September 2024

Interviews will take place on Wednesday 18th September 2024

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and minority and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers, please let us know.

Applicants must be able to prove their right to work in the UK. Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1163889

Service Manager – Jobs, Education and Training (JET) – Maternity Cover
We are looking for a dynamic, organised and proactive manager to join the Youth Work Team and support our mission to enable young people who are homeless, facing homelessness or unsafe to achieve independence and positive futures.
We have an ambitious plan to deliver an innovative and varied programme of youth work, jobs, employment and education (JET) and lifeskills to young people this year and we are searching for an exceptional candidate to help us succeed in this vision.
We are looking for a candidate who is committed to delivering high quality services to homeless young people. The successful person will be responsible for delivering an innovative and youth-led JET and lifeskills programme as well as supporting with the coordination of our daily day centre service to young people aged 16-24.
You will have experience motivating and inspiring frontline teams, maintaining and building a network of relationships with relevant external agencies and be able to work dynamically and confidently in a fast-paced day centre environment. We’re looking for a candidate who can think on their feet, demonstrate initiative and proactivity, and is an excellent problem-solver.
The ideal candidate is a team player who enjoys working collaboratively across our organisation. They will be committed to the safeguarding of young people and helping us to develop an inclusive and trauma-informed service.

Please note, the post is a fixed term maternity cover contract for 9 months.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 2nd September 2024
Interviews: Thursday 12th September 2024

The interview date is fixed and will not be changed. Please ensure you are available on this day when applying for this role.
 

Flexible range of shifts; the hours can include 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.

Looking to join a friendly, dedicated and welcoming team to make positive changes in young people's lives? Our Bank Support Worker roles are similar to our Support Workers roles, but they work on a more flexible, temporary basis – so if you don’t want to commit to a regular working pattern and prefer to pick up shifts that work for you, when they are available, this role is for you. It's also a great way into the organisation and can be a stepping stone into other roles. 

We are looking for Supported Housing Bank Support Workers to join our team at Hastings Foyer supporting 47 young people aged 16-25 to alleviate the risk of or impact of homelessness. The service is staffed 24 hours a day with a support team, night team and management based onsite. The service aims to support residents into independent accommodation through life skills support. Situated in the middle of Horsham, the project has strong links with and contributes to the local community.

In this rewarding role you will work proactively, creatively and effectively alongside young people to develop their assets and talents and to acquire the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives. You will contribute to the smooth and safe running of the services by providing consistency and reliability.

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

You will ideally have experience of working with a similar client group and a good understanding of the key risks, challenges and opportunities for young people. You will be able to inspire and work proactively with young people to develop their talents and achieve the skills they need to maintain their lives independently. An excellent planner and organiser, you will be able to manage lots of tasks at the same time and keep appropriate records. Furthermore, you will be able to build strong relationships with other members of your team and will make sure that handovers are robust and clear.

About the organisation

For nearly 50 years, nia has provided high quality, women-led services across North and East London. nia has three main aims: to provide services for women, children and young people who have experienced male violence, working to end men’s violence against women and girls, and to inform and influence policy and public awareness.
nia’s values, and our commitment to upholding them, set us apart. We put women first – always and without hesitation: we believe women, we are run by women, for women. We leave no woman behind: we challenge inequality and discrimination and believe that uniting women of all backgrounds is essential to ending the sex-based oppression of women.

About the post

The Emma Project, Daria House and Jan’s Place are specialist services providing refuge and support services to women who have been subjected to domestic and/or sexual violence and abuse, including women who have been sexually exploited, including through prostitution and who also use substances problematically. You will support women living in nia’s refuges to move on into accommodation and support them to resettle and build resilient support networks.

About you

We’re looking for a highly organised and self-motivated woman who is passionate about ending violence against women, girls and children. You’ll have a ‘can-do’ approach and demonstrable commitment to nia’s approach to Prioritising women, upholding and promoting feminist, trauma-informed and anti-racist practice. 

CV’s will not be accepted.

Closing date: 10am, 20th September 2024

Interview date: 30th September 2024

The post is subject to an enhanced vetting and barring check and open to women only. Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR), Schedule 9 (Work; Exceptions), Part 1 (Occupational Requirements), of the Equality Act (2010) applies. 

The Ambition Case Worker has the lead responsibility for ensuring the inclusion of the identified marginalised young person within locality and cross locality youth work to reduce negative outcome. The Ambition Case Worker will liaise with, support, and work collaboratively with a range of agencies to ensure a holistic approach to embedding children and young people’s participation in service delivery.

DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

· To identify needs, establish contact and build sustainable working relationships with identified young people to encourage and motivate participation in existing and new curriculum led youth work programmes. Identified groups include Looked after Children (LAC) and Care Leavers, Young People with Learning Difficulties (SEN), Young Carers and young people identified by the community of being at risk.

· Lead the case management of the cohort of young people with the team to ensure we are working with multi agency, that have been identified in the Southwark Vanguard and beyond.

· To ensure the effective, ethical and meaningful involvement of young people to inform service planning, policy development and delivery of single and multiagency services.

· Operating as part of a team around the family, ensuring work undertaken is reflected in the personal development plan for the young person. As well as working with other professionals towards the agreed common goals, updating the lead professional for a case on involvement on a regular/agreed basis and attending identified Vanguard meetings to ensure work is well co-ordinated.

· Review and update development plan/assessment where there is no child protection concerns but where support is clearly needed, considering the needs and strengths of all family members with multi agency support.

· Participate in the gathering of information to inform in depth assessment of both the young person and family needs.

· Using ACN Methodology to enhance wider engagement of young people where targeted young person lives and to better understand the community contextually. This will help to identify further support needed in wider community.

· To plan, deliver, manage, and maintain a range of high-quality programmes of activities/ projects including those leading to accredited and recorded learning, services and facilities with young people. This will sometimes require securing external grant funding, and the programmes will need to link with wider youth services in the community.

· Ensure that youth work programmes are delivered in a planned, systematic, and co-ordinated approach and undertake quality assurance processes. Contribute to area/locality plans, accreditation, and recorded learning targets by ensuring management information is accurate and recorded in a timely way

· Ensure the promotion and publicity of the activities / programmes to the wider community as well as to the key regular users of the service.

· Ensure that the participation work programme is delivered in a planned, systematic, and co-ordinated approach, ensuring integrated quality assurance processes are integral to any work undertaken. Ensure the promotion, publicity, and feedback of the activities/programmes to children and young people accessing services, elected members, senior officers and the wider community.

· Establish and maintain effective working relationships with other relevant agencies involved in the provision of Southwark Vanguard services to support young people especially schools.

· Attend and represent the locality team at meetings including relevant multi-agency groups and events.

· Liaise closely with relevant teams and workers in targeted areas of work within ACN and Establish pathways and opportunities for young people in the targeted group.

Hackney Playbus 

Hackney Playbus believes that all children under five living in East London should have the opportunity to grow, thrive, and reach their potential. Our mission is to provide play, learning, and support to socially excluded families in East London, to encourage children’s early years development, and to strengthen families and communities.

WE DO THIS BY:

• Making play and learning opportunities accessible to children aged 0-4 years old - we bring play out into the community!

• Providing a welcoming and relaxed setting where families can come together in their local community 

• Supporting parents and carers to feel confident in their knowledge and skills as a parent or carer

• Connecting families to support services

• Dedicating time and resources to outreach and community engagement

All our services are delivered in a way that is inclusive, friendly and welcoming. All services are free to attend.        

Early Years Community Worker

We are looking for an Early Years Community Worker to join our caring, creative and resourceful Hackney Playbus early years team, with additional responsibility for coordinating the staff team schedule and ensuring that appropriate resources are in place to deliver our programme. 

Together we run stay and play sessions from a bright and beautiful double-decker bus that has been converted into a mobile early years community play space. Our sessions take place both inside and outside the Playbus in different locations across Hackney, providing a rich play and learning environment for children aged 0-4yrs old and a welcoming space for their parents and carers. We listen to the needs of parents and carers and help families to access support services where needed. 

As well as our Playbus sessions, we bring our informal, welcoming approach to baby groups that we run in community settings.

Our Team and Our Approach 

We value the positive impact of difference within our organisation and want our team to reflect the diverse cultures, ethnicities, languages and experiences of the families who participate in our activities. We particularly encourage applications from people from Global Majority backgrounds, those who speak a language spoken by local communities in Hackney, and those with lived experience of bringing up children in challenging circumstances. 

We work collaboratively at Hackney Playbus, recognising that every team member has valuable life experiences, skills and interests to contribute to the project. We learn from one another and value each other’s insights and opinions. We work collectively as far as possible to share decision-making as well as the workload, supporting each other to develop and grow within our roles.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Staff scheduling

• Coordinating the staff team schedule to ensure all sessions are appropriately staffed, taking into account booked annual leave

• Arranging cover for absent staff, both planned and at short notice

• Covering sessions for other members of the team to enable all team members time to take part in outreach activities, training, planning, project development, admin and meetings

Play Provision

• To assist in the planning and delivery of play opportunities in a safe and stimulating environment, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum

• To acquire resources as necessary within the budget available to maintain an enabling environment for children’s learning and development, ensuring that all equipment is safe, appropriate, well maintained and stored

• Promote the use of low cost, free or recycled materials to ensure that activities demonstrated can be replicated in the home environment and on a low budget

• To create stimulating play spaces to support children’s learning and development, including lifting play equipment on and off the Playbus as required, and/or setting up equipment in community hall settings

• To supervise and support children in their play during sessions both on and off the Playbus, or in group settings at community venues 

• To assist with the cleaning and tidying of the Playbus, venues, and of Hackney Playbus resources

Working with Parents and Carers

• To provide a warm, welcoming and nurturing space for parents and carers, whether on the Playbus, in group venues, or in other community settings

• To model ways of playing and interacting with children, including promoting play-at-home ideas

• To encourage parents and carers to share their experiences with each other and to value their own knowledge and experience as a parent or carer

• To develop positive relationships with parents and carers and support them in their knowledge and understanding of their child’s learning and development

Signposting and Referrals

• To become familiar with support services available both locally and nationally for families, including Hackney Children and Family Hub provision

• To listen to parents and carers’ concerns and signpost or refer them to relevant support services

• To observe children and identify where additional support from external services may be required

• To promote programmes and opportunities that benefit families in line with Hackney Playbus aims and objectives

• To ensure leaflets and information displays are up-to-date and accessible on the Playbus and in other venues where we work

Outreach

• From time to time to participate in outreach activities such as door-knocking, leafleting and pop-up play events

• To actively support inclusion by identifying any barriers that families face in accessing our services and working to overcome these barriers together with the Hackney Playbus team

Monitoring and Evaluation 

• To complete registration forms, attendance records and sessional report forms. These may be in paper form or digital. 

• To carry out and write up observations related to the charitable aims of Hackney Playbus

• To be aware of the aims and outcomes of specific projects when writing session reports

• To be willing to assist the Co-Directors in reporting on outcomes

• To assist in gathering feedback from parents, carers and children

General

• To support Hackney Playbus’s commitment to safeguarding children in all aspects of the organisation’s work

• To be friendly and welcoming to all families and to work hard to make every Hackney Playbus experience a positive one for both child and adult

• To promote and deliver a fair and quality service which is sensitive and responsive to all families using Hackney Playbus services

• To attend and participate in team meetings and supervision

• To be willing to attend training and to take an interest in your own learning and development

• To undertake other tasks to support our projects, as agreed with the team 

• To abide by Health and Safety, Child Protection and other legal requirements associated with providing play on and off the Hackney Playbus and in community settings

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Refuge Worker. You will provide high quality support and safety planning to women and children in crisis. This includes enabling women to access housing, welfare, benefits, and legal advice. A key requirement is to provide personal welfare support and to ensure that women are provided with a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment in accordance with Refuge’s philosophical principles. 

This post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies. 

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota including evening and weekends once week in every 8 weeks.

This is an opportunity to join Refuge as a Refuge Worker to provide high quality support and safety planning to women and children in crisis. This includes enabling women to access housing, welfare, benefits and legal advice.  A key requirement is to provide personal welfare support and to ensure that women are provided with a safe, supportive and welcoming environment in accordance with Refuge’s philosophical principles. 

Please note that this post is restricted to women due to the nature of the role. The Occupational Requirement under Schedule 9 (part 1) of the Equality Act 2010 applies.

As part of this role, you will be required to participate in an out-of-hours on call rota. An enhanced DBS will also be required for the successful applicant.

Please note that a driving license and access to a car is essential to the role.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Young People service in Maidenhead.

£24,960.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week. Benefits include 25 days Annual Leave, pension schemes, staff discounts, healthcare and career progression.

Want to feel valued? You'll feel at home here.

Support Workers will provide support to customers to help them develop the life skills they require to live independently. Support workers must monitor and assess the needs of the customers and provide creative and tailored person centred support to help them achieve their goals and aspirations.

Support workers will work closely with statutory children's services and other external agencies to best support customers to promote social inclusion and teach independent living skills. Support workers will empower and encourage customers to maximise their skills and choices.

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
- Monitoring rent arrears and ensuring that rent accounts are managed effectively. Encouraging and enabling tenants to pay their rent/ service charge.
- 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 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
- Understanding of risks and support needs associated with care leavers
- Understanding of risks and support needs associated with CSE and CCE.
- Knowledge of gang culture and the risks and support needs associated to gang affiliation
- Knowledge of various therapeutic models
- Understanding of psychologically informed environments and trauma informed care

What you'll bring:

Essential:

- NVQ Level 2 or equivalent experience in the social care/charity sector

Desirable:

- Experience working with care leavers
- Experience working with those displaying mental health difficulties
- Experience using therapeutic models of support

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.