Active families programme manager jobs

The purpose of this role is to provide 1-1 support to an outreach caseload: ensuring survivors of trafficking and sexual exploitation understand their rights and that these are met, coaching survivors to identify their personal goals, supporting survivors to access the appropriate services/treatment providers and ultimately supporting them into independence.

We are looking for a passionate individual who has experience of working with women who have experienced trafficking, exploitation, and/or modern slavery, who is aligned with the vision and mission of Ella’s and who can develop strong partnerships with other community organisations and groups, both locally within London boroughs and London wide.

Special conditions
● You will be asked to provide an enhanced DBS check.
● Due to the nature of this work, this role is for women only.
● The postholder is expected to take part in the out of hours on-call service.
● Ability and willingness to work flexibly, and at other Ella’s locations.

Two reasons why you should join Ella’s
1. You will make a difference: Ella’s is a London-based organisation working with women who have survived trafficking and sexual exploitation. Join us, and be a crucial part of ensuring survivors have all they need to recover and build lives that are safe and free.
2. You will work in a great place: We are a passionate, growing organisation. Of our staff, 100% say they would recommend Ella’s as a place to work. As a team, we are strong, women-led, authentic, professional, fun and supportive of one another.

Job description 

Casework provision

• Provide high-quality casework support to service users on the outreach caseload (including children and families in some cases). 

• Support survivor empowerment to speak out and self-advocate

• Carry out regular risk assessment with survivors and respond to any safeguarding concerns as per Ella’s safeguarding procedures

• Create tailored support plans in collaboration with service users

• Provide day-to-day support and build trusting relationships with the service users

• Be sensitive to the rapidly changing emotional and physical needs of the service users and respond accordingly

• Manage all paperwork, processing any personal data in accordance with Ella’s policies and procedures

• Ensure casenote records are recorded within 24 hours of each service user contact using Ella’s case management system

• Assist service users with administrative tasks as required: reaching out to supporting agencies, booking appointments, form-filling, and attending appointments

• Assume an advocacy role during external appointments, if required

• Assist in writing covering letters and support letters to compliment service users’ application forms, advocate for the service user in specific needs, or to keep other organisations updated as required

• Research the requirements for benefit applications and assisting service users to complete (as required). E.g. S95 asylum subsistence claims, HC2 certificate applications, and state benefits claims

• Assist with maintaining frequent communication with the Home Office, law enforcement and solicitors to progress survivor legal cases

• Liaise effectively with other agencies involved in the care or support of service users to ensure their needs are sufficiently met

Safeguarding & health and safety 

• Ensure all major incidents, accidents, safeguarding concerns or potential hazards are managed, reported and recorded following Ella’s policies and procedures

• Maintain a safe and secure working environment, ensuring all safety and security procedures are followed to keep self and others safe

• Participate in the identification and assessment of risks and implement agreed working procedures to minimise their impact; writing risk assessments as required

• Promote awareness of health and safety amongst service users, including those who use emergency/on call systems, fire prevention and control systems as necessary

• Ensure the location confidentiality of Ella’s premises to protect survivors and safeguard staff and volunteers

• Participate in any relevant safeguarding training and keep up to date with any changes to Ella’s safeguarding policies and procedures 

Other/general duties

• Develop strategic partnerships with local agencies working within the VAWG sector and other local organisations or businesses that could enrich the work of Ella’s

• Take part in the out of hours on-call service

• Attend any training required for the role, keeping up to date with any developments and changes within the sector

• Represent the work at Ella’s with integrity at all times

• Adhere to all of Ella's policies and procedures at all times

• Be an active member of the organisation, attending any team meetings that are required and contribute to Ella's strategic goals and input into its direction of growth

• Attend monthly supervision with the Service Manager and keep in regular contact

• Handle emergency situations calmly and professionally

• Complete any other duties as directed by the Service Manager which are within the scope of the role

• Attend bi-weekly team meetings

Benefits

• Part of a small and committed team, a dynamic organisation changing women’s lives, supporting and empowering them to build their futures

• Access to a professional supervisor

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

• Mental health days

• Regular social wellbeing initiatives.

• Health benefits programme for all staff.

Special conditions

• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be undertaken

• Due to the nature of the work, this post is for women only

• The role is subject to a 6-month probationary period

• The postholder is expected to take part in the out of hours on-call service

• Ability and willingness to work flexibly, and at other Ella’s locations if required, is necessary for this role

How to apply for this role

To apply for this role, please submit the following to CharityJob:

• Up-to-date CV 

• Application questions 

• CharityJob monitoring and evaluation form. The information on this form will be treated as confidential and used for statistical purposes only. The form will not be treated as part of your application. This form is submitted online and does not need to be emailed with your application documents. 

Candidates will be invited to interview by email - please check your spam folder.

If you have queries about any aspect of this role or the appointment process, need additional information or wish to have an informal and confidential discussion, then please send us a message. Please also note that an appointment to this role will be subject to a DBS check.

More about Ella’s
Ella’s is a London-based organisation working with women who have survived trafficking and sexual exploitation. Our mission is to do everything we can to ensure survivors have all they need to recover and build lives that are safe and free. 

Here is a summary of our main activities:
 

• We run seven safe houses. This supported accommodation is crucial for survivors, until they are ready and able to live independently. 

• We provide regular support for women and families in neighbourhoods across London, and many more further afield when they need us. 

• We speak out on issues affecting the women we work with. We care deeply about survivors of trafficking and exploitation and want to see a world where these crimes are not tolerated. 

Ella’s is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities, as we believe having a diverse team adds value and positively impacts our service. 

We actively encourage applicants from BAME backgrounds, LGBTQ+ applicants and those with disabilities. We are committed to equality and diversity within our organisation.

We are looking for a Weekenders Journey Guide to support prospective Weekend Foster Carers from their first conversations with Now Foster through to the next stages of the recruitment and assessment journey.

This is a highly relational, candidate-facing role. You will be one of the main people helping applicants understand what Weekenders is, explore whether it is right for them, stay motivated through the process, and feel supported to take the next step.

Introductory conversations (our ‘intro chats’) will be a core part of the role. You will speak with people who are curious about fostering, but who may also feel unsure, nervous or are still working out whether they can foster. Your role will be to bring warmth, clarity and momentum: helping people feel welcomed, informed and confident, while also making sure the right people progress at the right pace.

You will use Now Foster’s digital platform (a bespoke CRM system) to manage the candidate journey, track progress, record key information and help the team understand where applicants are getting stuck or moving forward. You will play an important role in making sure we are attracting the right leads, supporting them well, and learning how to improve the journey as we grow.

This role would particularly suit someone with experience of fostering or working in fostering. It could also suit someone from a related background who is deeply motivated by innovation in this area and excited by what fostering could look like if it were designed around children, carers and relationships.

You do not need to be a qualified social worker, but you do need to be emotionally mature, reflective, organised and comfortable working closely with a social work-led team. You will need to understand safeguarding, and be confident holding thoughtful conversations with prospective carers.

What You’ll Be Doing

Supporting candidates through the journey

• Acting as a consistent, warm and encouraging point of contact for prospective Weekend Foster Carers.

• Carrying out intro chats with people who have expressed interest in the Weekenders programme.

• Helping candidates understand the Weekenders programme, what the role involves, and what the journey looks like.

• Supporting candidates to reflect on whether Weekenders is right for them.

• Keeping candidates engaged, informed and motivated as they move through the process.

• Helping people overcome practical barriers where appropriate, while being honest and clear about expectations.

• Making sure candidate communication feels relational, timely and values-led.

Helping the right people progress

• Helping identify candidates who are ready to move forward, as well as those who may need more time, more information or a different route.

• Support candidates to progress, pause or close, as advised by our fostering service colleagues.

• Using strengths-based and motivational approaches to help candidates reflect on their motivations, support networks and capacity.

• Working closely with social work colleagues to escalate questions, concerns or safeguarding issues appropriately.

• Supporting candidates to prepare for training, home visits and assessment stages.

• Helping ensure the process is clear, efficient and supportive.

Supporting groups, events and community activity

• Supporting information events, training sessions and candidate-facing events.

• Co-delivering sessions with social workers and other colleagues.

• Helping create a welcoming community for people exploring Weekenders.

• Supporting socials and community-building activity for applicants and approved Weekend Foster Carers.

• Helping candidates connect with the mission and feel part of something meaningful.

Administration, data and follow-up

• Keeping candidate records, notes and next steps up to date on Now Foster’s digital platform.

• Using Google Workspace, Trello and other tools to access key documents and manage your workload. 

• Making sure no candidate falls through the cracks.

• Supporting data capture so the team can understand what is working and where candidates are getting stuck.

• Helping improve templates, messages, prompts and workflows for the candidate journey.

• Supporting home visit admin and logistics where needed.

Contributing to innovation and learning

• Gathering feedback from candidates to help improve the journey and bringing this insight from candidate conversations into team discussions.

• Helping the team understand what motivates people to become Weekend Foster Carers, what worries them, and what helps them move forward.

• Supporting testing and iteration of new candidate journey approaches.

• Helping us build a process that is warm, efficient, inclusive and effective.

• Contributing to a new model of fostering that is relational, ambitious and designed around children and young people.

You’ll Thrive in This Role If You Are

• Warm and relational – able to build trust quickly and make people feel welcome.

• Emotionally mature – able to have thoughtful conversations about motivation, care, family life and uncertainty.

• A strong communicator – clear, encouraging and confident across phone, video calls, emails and written updates.

• Motivational and strengths-based – skilled at helping people see their potential while also being honest about what fostering involves.

• Organised and proactive – able to manage a busy candidate journey, track next steps and keep people moving.

• Tech-savvy – comfortable using digital platforms, Google Workspace and Trello.

• Confident in your judgement – able to decide when someone should progress, pause or close, while knowing when to seek advice.

• Safeguarding-aware – able to recognise when something needs to be escalated and comfortable working within clear safeguarding processes.

• Reflective and curious – interested in learning what works and improving the candidate journey over time.

• Comfortable with ambiguity – happy working in a small, growing charity where things are evolving.

• Committed to better outcomes for children and young people – motivated by Now Foster’s mission and the potential of Weekenders.

Experience We’re Looking For

Fostering experience would be highly beneficial. For example, this could include experience as a foster carer, working in fostering, supporting foster carers, working with fostering services, or working in a closely related part of children’s social care.

We are also interested in people with experience in:

• Volunteer management

• Children’s social care or youth work

• Community work

• Social prescribing

• Mentoring or coaching

• Recruitment, onboarding or candidate support

• Relationship-based support roles

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who understands the importance of relationships, can guide people through a meaningful decision-making process, and is excited by the possibility of building a different kind of fostering journey.

Bonus Points For

• Lived experience of the care system or fostering.

• Experience working directly with prospective or approved foster carers.

• Experience using motivational interviewing, coaching or strengths-based approaches.

• Experience supporting people through an application, recruitment, assessment or onboarding journey.

• Experience delivering or supporting information sessions, preparation groups, training or community events.

• Experience working remotely or in a flexible, fast-moving team.

An interest in innovation, service design or changing how fostering works.
 

About Us

Now Foster is a team of innovative social workers, designers, and entrepreneurs on a mission to change fostering in the UK.

We bring together social work, service design, public sector transformation and lived experience to create better outcomes for children and young people. Our overarching vision is to transform the fostering system by bringing many more wonderful people into it as foster carers, so that children and young people have the relationships, stability and support they need to thrive.

You will be joining a small, ambitious and passionate team, alongside our trustees, freelancers and advisors, all of whom play an active part in shaping our work. We partner with local authorities and not-for-profits who share our values and are ready to embrace change. As a registered charity, everything we do is driven by purpose, not profit.

About Weekenders

Weekenders is Now Foster’s flagship programme. It pairs children and young people in foster care with inspiring adults who can offer guidance, stability and encouragement on a regular basis. It is about showing up, making a difference, and being that person a young person can count on.

The programme is growing quickly. We are scaling Weekenders across London and beyond, testing new ways to support applicants, local authorities and independent social workers, and building the operational foundations needed for long-term growth.

A core part of this growth is making sure that people who are interested in becoming Weekend Foster Carers receive the right balance of warmth, encouragement, information and challenge as they move through the journey. That is where the Journey Guide comes in.

Working Pattern and Location

This role is offered at 4 to 5 days per week, with a salary of £34,000 pro rata.

The role can be based anywhere in England, with occasional travel to our Weekender delivery areas. Our Weekenders team is currently based across London and Manchester, and our wider organisational team is based in Oxford. Most work will be home-based, but there will be some in-person meetings, events, training sessions or bi-monthly co-working days.

The role will involve some work outside standard office hours. This is likely to include:

• Around one weekend day per month, which you would take back as time off during the previous or following week.

• Some evening work, for example around one information event per month.

• Some evening intro chats with prospective foster carers, where this helps people engage with the process.

We work flexibly and will support the successful candidate to manage their time in a sustainable way.

Safeguarding

Now Foster is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

This role will involve contact with prospective carers, rather than direct work with children and young people. However, you will need to understand safeguarding, work within Now Foster’s safeguarding processes, and escalate any concerns appropriately.

This role will require an enhanced DBS check.

What’s In It For You

Joining Now Foster means being part of something different. We are small, ambitious and innovative, and you will play a key role in helping Weekenders grow.

You will be close to the people exploring whether they could become Weekend Foster Carers, and your work will directly shape whether they feel supported, confident and ready to take the next step.

You will join a supportive, collaborative and values-led team. We work hard, care deeply about what we do, and are building something bold and lasting: a new way of fostering that blends social work, design, technology and relational practice.

We will provide the tools and technology you need, cover agreed travel and expenses, and support you to work flexibly within the rhythm of the programme.

How to Apply

Please send us your CV and a short cover letter explaining:

1. Why you are interested in Now Foster and the Weekenders programme.

2. The experience you would bring in supporting, guiding or motivating people.

3. Any experience you have of fostering, working in fostering, children’s social care, community work, volunteer management or similar.

4. What excites you about innovation in fostering and what fostering could look like.

5. Your availability, including whether you are looking for 4 or 5 days per week and when you could start.

You must have the right to work in the UK.

We recognise that some candidates may use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to support the preparation of their application. While this is acceptable, applications must remain an authentic reflection of your own experiences and motivations. We ask candidates to let us know if and how they used AI as part of the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Equality

Now Foster is committed to being an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities and experiences.

Recruitment and selection decisions are made on the basis of fair, objective and transparent criteria. We will also make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure accessibility for all candidates.

Please Note: We are hoping to appoint as soon as possible and will close recruitment once we find the right person so candidates are advised to submit an application as soon as they are able.

About Toynbee Hall

Based in the East End of London since 1884, Toynbee Hall is a charity working alongside people facing poverty, injustice, and inequality to build a fairer East London. We provide vital advice and support, working in partnership to tackle unfairness and ensure everyone has an equal chance to thrive.

We have recently launched a new strategic plan which reinforces that our purpose is to build a fairer future with an end to poverty, injustice and inequality.

We work towards this by:

• Addressing poverty and injustice through advice and support and influencing systemic change.

• Shifting power to people and communities affected by injustice and inequality.

• Collaborating to end poverty and build fairer systems and institutions. What we want to see in the world starts with our community and our organisation.

This means:

• Working together to build a thriving local community where people have the resources they need, feel their voices are heard and are optimistic about the future.

• Being a good employer, where people are treated fairly, feel engaged and empowered, and work together to achieve our shared vision.

• Acknowledging the role Toynbee Hall has historically played in civic society while recognising that our role now is to shift power, to be an effective partner, and to amplify voices that are less likely to be heard.

What we learn from our work in east London we use to inform and influence wider policy – working to influence change in structures, systems and policies.

Department background

The Debt Advice Team at Toynbee Hall provides crucial support to individuals and families struggling with financial burdens. Funded by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), this team delivers expert guidance and practical solutions to help clients manage and reduce their debt. 

Scope of Role

The Traineeship will last for 12 months. This role involves gaining practical experience by observing and participating in interviews to understand clients’ financial problems, researching options, and helping clients make informed decisions. The role includes structured classroom-based learning, supervised practice, and mandatory secondments across partner advice agencies in London.

Key Responsibilities

1. Accurate, Effective, and Individually Tailored Advice

Work under supervision to observe and learn how to provide effective debt advice, including interviewing clients, researching options, and empowering clients to make informed decisions. 

2. Detailed Case Records

Assist in maintaining detailed case records, ensuring all work meets auditing and quality standards, and meets funder requirements. 

3. Training and Development

Complete a structured training programme within the six-month period, covering technical debt advice, client management, and financial regulations. During the initial training period, trainees will be expected to attend intensive classroom-based training and supervised learning activities four to five days per week. Additional training will be based on shadowing, on-site learning, tests, external training courses, etc.

4. Teamwork

Be an active member of the team, identifying opportunities for your development and contributing to collective goals. 

5. Travel

Travel across London is required, including attendance at partner organisations, advice sites, and mandatory secondment placements across London boroughs.

Following the initial training period, the role will require a minimum of four days per week working from Toynbee Hall or partner office locations. One additional working day from home may be agreed where there is a suitable home-working environment and this aligns with operational requirements.

6. Other

Undertake additional tasks as delegated by Management.

Person Specification

1. Experience and Skills

• Willingness to work towards obtaining an accredited qualification in debt advice.
• Basic IT and telephone skills, and ability to use an online-based Client Management System (CMS) to deliver advice across multiple channels and maintain case records.
• Ability to give and receive feedback objectively and sensitively.
• Ability to work as part of a team and be open to receiving feedback and learning from others.
• Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with all staff members.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Competence in handling sensitive information with discretion and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to handle and support vulnerable clients with empathy and sensitivity, ensuring their needs are appropriately addressed.

2. Personal Attributes

• High level of professionalism and integrity.
• Ability to work independently and proactively without supervision.
• Capacity to remain calm and effective under pressure, adopting a “find a solution, no blame” attitude.
• Open-minded, inclusive, and collaborative approach, seeking fresh and alternative perspectives.
• Commitment to empowering others by sharing knowledge and enabling action.
• Strong alignment with Toynbee Hall’s mission, strategy, and values.
• Willingness to participate in training and develop further understanding in areas such as safeguarding.
• Willingness to work from our advice locations to shadow experienced advisors in both face-to-face and call centre settings.

Desirable Criteria

• Previous experience of giving advice (not necessarily debt advice).
• Ability to speak more than one language.

Our Benefits

Annual Leave

• 25 days of annual leave, plus 3 additional days for our Christmas shutdown (on top of bank holidays)
• After 2 years: +3 extra days of leave.
• After 3 years: +1 additional day.
• After 5 years: A total of 30 days annual leave, plus the 3-day Christmas shutdown.

Pension

• Standard Life Pension Scheme – Employer contribution: 4%, Employee contribution: 5%

Additional Perks & Support

• Enhanced Sick Pay for peace of mind during illness
• Enhanced Maternity & Paternity Leave to support growing families
• Employee Eyecare Vouchers to support your vision health
• Employee Assistance Programme for free, confidential advice and support
• Mental Health First Aid to ensure workplace well-being
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme to help secure your home
• Interest-Free Season Ticket Loan for cost-effective commuting
• Cycle to Work Scheme to promote a healthier, greener way to travel
• Charity Mentoring Network to support professional development and networking
• Westfield Health Cash Plan to cover your healthcare needs specified in the Policy
• Perk Box
• Life Insurance

We’re currently recruiting two full-time qualified Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) to work directly with young people in our Mental Health Support Team (MHST). For this post you need to have successfully completed the Education Mental Health Practitioner Post Graduate Diploma. We are also looking for people with an open and flexible attitude; excellent engagement skills and a passion for working with children and young people around mental health.

Responsibilities include offering CBT based self-guided mental health interventions to primary and secondary aged children and young people and their families. This involves individual and group-based support as well as supporting schools to implement a whole school approach. The posts have scope and opportunity for developing new initiatives and ways of working to support young people’s mental health across South London.

All posts are based on-site (office/school) and may require flexibility to work across different service areas and interventions. Some evening and/or weekend work may be necessary to meet the needs of young people. 

Please read the full Job Description and Person Specification for this role, attached to the advert. 

Applying for the Posts 

To be considered for the position, the Application Form and the Equality & Diversity Monitoring Form need to be completed and return to the email address on the Applicationby Sunday 5th July 2026.

We understand some candidates may want to use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we also want to learn more about the authentic you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences wherever possible. In the spirit of transparency - we also ask that you indicate if you have used AI in your application.

Decisions about who to invite for interview will be based on how well someone demonstrates that they meet the person specification for the specific post, so please make sure you complete the application form fully and accurately, giving evidence of how you meet each point in the person specification and indicating your relevant knowledge, skills and experience. Please note that CVs will not be considered.We are currently not considering applications from Children Wellbeing Practitioners (CWPs) for this role.

Email applicants will receive a confirmation of receipt and shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible after the closing date.