Area manager jobs in maple cross, hertfordshire
About Us
Harris Academy Battersea is a mixed state secondary school serving a truly comprehensive community in the heart of London. We are an Ofsted ‘Outstanding' school with a track record of delivering fantastic outcomes year on year for our students. In 2023, Ofsted visited the academy and judged us as remaining ‘outstanding', commenting on our “highly ambitious curriculum”, the “exceptionally high quality of education” provided and noted that “behaviour in the school is very strong”. Nevertheless, we are extremely ambitious for our school and as we seek to continue to grow and develop, we are looking for more brilliant people to join us.
Our Academy is centred on the values of Knowledge, Integrity and Resilience and these underpin the way we work for both students and staff. Our staff are inclusive, diverse and committed to our mission: we develop aspirational young people to thrive in a changing world.
HABS offers a broad, academic and challenging curriculum founded on six key curriculum aims:
- To develop deep, long-lasting knowledge
- To develop students into accomplished readers, writers and orators
- To provide experiences within and beyond the classroom that enrich learning and ensure students can make informed choices about their futures
- To equip students to challenge injustice in all its forms
- To enable students to understand how they learn
- To support students to reflect on their choices and values to improve themselves and their community
These aims underpin all elements of our curriculum, and we see our core academic curriculum and wider personal development curriculum as intrinsically linked. All staff at the Academy contribute to the personal development of our students through their roles as tutors and through their contributions to the wider life of the academy.
A thriving school can only function with fantastic staff, and our vision is to make teaching at HABS both enjoyable and sustainable. The wellbeing of staff underpins every decision we make, and we seek to ensure that every member of staff can enjoy a work-life-balance enabling them to bring their best to work each day.
At HABS, professional growth and development is central to our mission. Our professional development motto is ‘improve, not prove' and leaders are relentlessly focussed on supporting staff in getting even better through a wide range of internal and external training opportunities.
As a part of the Harris Federation, all staff in the Academy benefit from being part of our network of more than fifty primary and secondary academies across London. Vibrant networks of subject experts meet regularly and teachers can access bespoke support from our central teams of consultants.
For more information about what we do and who we are, we encourage you to visit our website here as well as our careers page here and explore!
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Summary
We are currently looking to appoint a Home Academy Liaison Officer (HALO) to oversee educational welfare across the academy.
At Harris Academy Battsersea, you will join a dedicated team of staff supporting our excellent students. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow, inspire and develop, this may be the role for you.
The actual salary for this role will be £29,641-£30,516 (39 weeks per year, 37.5 hours per week)
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Main Areas of Responsibility
Your responsibilities will include:
- Overseeing Educational Welfare across the academy.
- Managing a caseload of ‘at risk’ students, where attendance falls below 85% and implement strategies to improve attendance
- Monitoring and improving the attendance of most vulnerable students
- Ensuring compliance with statutory duties, including reporting persistent and severe absenteeism
- Conducting home visits to engage families and address barriers to school attendance
- Maintaining accurate attendance records and preparing reports
- Representing the academy at external meetings e.g. Social Services Case Conferences, Child in Need Meetings, LAC Reviews
- Communicating effectively with all external agencies including possible alternative providers
- Ensuring effective communication/consultation as appropriate with the parents of students
- Leading on legal interventions for non-attendance where necessary
- Co-ordinating appropriate and tailored alternative provision for students unable to thrive in mainstream education
- Supporting the school’s inclusion strategy
- Maintaining the alternative provision tracker and monitoring student progress
- Building and maintaining partnerships with external providers, agencies, and support networks
- Ensuring safeguarding and health and safety standards in alternative provision settings
- Acting as a liaison between the academy, external providers, students, and families to ensure seamless support and transition to alternative placemen
- Ensuring compliance with local and national policies related to alternative provision. as well as safeguarding protocols
- Regularly reviewing alternative provision placements and providing feedback to stakeholders.
- Maintaining confidential records of support
- Preparing of reports and maintaining records relating to student referrals and subsequent counselling or support
- Providing support to the attendance team
- Providing administrative support to coordinate internal seclusion
Qualifications & Experience
We would like to hear from you have:
- Qualifications to degree level or equivalent
- Knowledge of behaviour for learning policies
- Knowledge of the range of barriers to learning that students face
- Training in child protection and safeguarding procedures
- Basic knowledge of first aid (e.g. emergency first aid course)
- At least three years’ experience of working in an inner city school or educational establishment in a pastoral capacity
- Experience of dealing successfully with a range of issues influencing poor attendance
- Experience of working with staff to ensure excellent standards of attendance and punctuality
- Experience of working with families
- Experience of working with challenging students and parents, and finding ways in which we can meet their needs more successfully
For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.
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Professional Development & Benefits
Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.
In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, electric car scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays) for staff who work across the full year, and many other benefits. Learn more about on our website.
Safeguarding Notice
The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.
Equal Opportunities
The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.
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Next Steps
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.
Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.
Social Development Direct is a mission-driven, international development consultancy with a global reputation for excellence in gender equality and social inclusion. As a social enterprise subsidiary of Plan International UK, we combine commercial agility with a deep commitment to social change.
We are seeking a Managing Director who will lead the next phase of SDDirect’s development, advancing the organisation’s influence and impact.
The Managing Director will report into the CEO of Plan International UK and the SDDirect Board, and will provide inspirational leadership to SDDirect’s talented and motivated executive and staff, ensuring the organisation continues to deliver excellent technical quality alongside sustainable commercial performance.
This role offers a unique opportunity for a dynamic, values-led and engaging leader, with drive, resilience and commercial acumen.A high level of commercial awareness combined with a social justice technical background, and a proven track record of successfully leading and managing a commercial enterprise, consultancy or similar organisation or unit in the international development sector, is highly preferable for this position.
For more information about the company, role and responsibilities, please find the full job description and person specification below.
How to Apply: Please click 'Redirect to recruiter' for details on how to apply for this position.
If you would like a confidential discussion about the role, please get in touch with Sue Griffiths, Managing Director, to arrange this. Contact details can be found in the job description.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
How would you like to work with nursery age children and help inspire the next group of Coin Street champions?
Do you have a level 2 or 3 qualification in working with children?
How would you like to be part of a friendly team doing a job that makes a difference to children’s lives in an organisation that puts people before profit?
If the answer is YES then we would like to hear from you
Coin Street Nursery have a fantastic opportunities for experienced, energetic, and enthusiastic early years educators to join our team.
We are looking for people who have:
- a recognised qualification in childcare, ideally NVQ Level 3 or above or NVQ Level 2
- appreciate the importance of parent partnership
- knowledge of how to support children’s learning and development
- a can-do and enthusiastic attitude
- an understanding of how to safeguard and protect children
What can we offer you?
- Competitive salary (based on your qualification and experience)
- Flexible working days for better work-life balance
- Access to high quality training
- Coaching and mentoring support
- Generous pension at 8% - 5% from the employer if you contribute 3%
- 20% discount of childcare fees
- 35 days off a year, including 8 bank holidays, 3 days off between Christmas and New Year (additional days awarded for long service)
- Personal development grant of up to £1,000 per year
There's more…
- Six inset days per year (three for nursery staff only and three with the wider Coin Street team)
- Refer a friend bonus of £500 for existing employees
- Health and wellbeing package including a confidential employee assistance programme and online therapy sessions plus free gym and daily fresh fruit
- Season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme (on completion of probation)
- Staff social events (summer BBQ and Christmas party)
- Opportunities to join Coin Street committees (for example the Black lives Matter Race & Equality Steering Committee, Inset planning, staff social committee)
- Local retail (star card) and online discounts
Contract
Permanent, 35 hours per week (shift rotas). We are open to part-time options.
Salary
£29,172 per annum at Level 3 qualified
£28,110.18 per annum at Level 2 qualified
Successful candidates will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.
As an organisation, we are passionate about creating an inspirational neighbourhood - powered by social enterprise.



The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Make a Real Difference to Local Families
Home-Start Barnet, Brent and Harrow is a dynamic local charity supporting families with young children through challenging times. Our volunteers and staff offer emotional and practical support to help parents build confidence, strengthen relationships and give their children the best start in life.
We’re looking for a Family Engagement Coordinator to join our School Readiness project in Grahame Park, Barnet. You’ll be part of a friendly team at Home-Start Barnet, working closely with colleagues and partners at Barnet Mencap to support families who are just starting their journey with the education system.
In this role, you’ll help us reach families who may be facing extra challenges or need more personalised support. You’ll spend time building strong, trusting relationships with local primary schools and become a familiar, welcoming presence within their school communities. Your work will help ensure that parents feel informed, supported and ready to help their children thrive as they start school.
The common thread throughout the project is the engagement of families and the parent volunteers, who widen the supportive “community” around the families, and connect the school to the home, and the partners to each other. Approximately 70% of this role will be based in local schools in Grahame Park.
As our Family Engagement Coordinator, you will:
- Build strong relationships with primary schools in Grahame Park, in Barnet.
- Promote Home-Start’s services through school and community events.
- Support communication between schools, families and partner agencies.
- Share updates through newsletters, WhatsApp, email and community channels.
- Signpost families to local services and activities that support wellbeing.
- Receive referrals and assess family needs.
- Deliver school-readiness workshops and parenting groups.
- Liaise with schools, health and community services
About You
We’re looking for someone compassionate, proactive and highly organised, with a genuine passion for supporting families.
You will have:
- Experience working or volunteering in schools, nurseries, family support or similar settings.
- Parenting experience or experience caring for young children.
- Understanding of early years development and primary school systems.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
- Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities.
- The ability to engage with families facing complex challenges.
- Experience of delivering workshops or groups.
- Understanding of neurodiversity and SEND support.
- Knowledge of legislation relating to children and families.
What We Offer
- A supportive and collaborative team environment
- Opportunities for training and professional development
- A role where you can directly improve the lives of children and families
- Term-time only working arrangements can be considered
Note: This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 due to the nature of our work.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Do you have the skills to develop clear, impactful policy that helps drive meaningful change? We’re looking for a Policy Officer to play a vital role in shaping Shelter’s policy agenda and strengthening our voice in the fight for home.
About the role
This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to use their policy skills to help end homelessness and improve housing in England. Working as part of Shelter’s Policy Team, you will be responsible for helping to develop Shelter’s policy and responding to government initiatives on a range of housing policy areas. It includes helping to develop innovative and workable proactive policy solutions to fix the housing emergency.
Role specifics
You’ll bring strong knowledge of social or economic policy and the ability to analyse complex issues in a wider context. You’ll have experience working with both quantitative and qualitative evidence to identify trends and develop clear, evidence-based solutions to structural social problems. You’ll also be confident in producing policy analysis that supports communications, campaign goals and the wider political landscape. A passion for tackling inequality and insight into the challenges faced by people experiencing homelessness, and an anti-racist approach to your work would all be valuable.
Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.
Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.
We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.
About the team
The team is seven people strong and sits within the Advocacy and Activism branch of the Communications, Policy and Campaigns division. Using the latest data, research and intelligence from our services, and working with people with lived experience, we analyse the problems in our housing system and identify effective and creative solutions.
About Shelter
Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet everyday millions of people engaged in the housing emergency.
We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything.
We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.
Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist.
Safeguarding statement
Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.
Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
37.5 hours per week / £27,770 per annum / fixed term contract (maternity cover) until January 2027 / 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 16+ Older Looked After Young People (OLYP), Care Leavers and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) services delivers specialist 24-hour supported accommodation where young people are supported to acquire the necessary skills in preparation for living independently, safely explore their increased freedom of choice and develop responsibilities associated with adulthood, whilst still having the appropriate level of support from an experienced team.
We adopt a trauma informed and psychologically informed approach to supporting our residents to help them build essential life skills, identify their goals and support residents into independent accommodation. We have a dedicated team of Support Workers, Night Workers and additional Bank Workers who provide support, guidance, and signposting around areas such as housing, budgeting, living skills, jobs and relationship building.
We are looking for a Supported Housing Support Worker to join our Cook Road, Horsham team, who will hold a caseload of residents and meet with them weekly to build a support plan. Main areas of responsibilities are:
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
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)
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.
If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate.
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
CLOSING DATE: Monday 15 December 2025 at midnight. If we identify a strong candidate, we may invite them to interview ahead of the closing date.
We are not able to support a work permit or offer a visa sponsorship for this role. Candidates must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.
An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.
Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (including the Children’s and Adults’ barred lists) check, along with a reference and background check carried out by a third-party service provider.
Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Reports To: Head of Frontline Services
Hours: 12 hours per week (flexible but should include attendance at fortnightly Monday morning team meetings in Harrow). There may be opportunity to expand hours if desired.
Location: [Hybrid: Harrow team meetings /West London Community – which could span Hounslow, Hammersmith, Harrow, Barnet, Ealing, Brent/Online/Telephone]
Our head office is currently in Croxley, Watford and team meetings may move to this location. You need to be able to travel to this location as part of the role.
Salary - £34,320 pro rata
The Violence Intervention Project (V.I.P) is a young Charity (founded in 2017), pioneering new approaches to working with young people (YP) involved in serious youth violence (SYV). Through a combination of practical and therapeutically informed practice, we support YP, their families and communities to live safer lives. Today, The V.I.P. supports more than 50 YP and families across the London Boroughs of RBKC, H&F, Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon. As an organisation with a therapeutic ethos at the heart of our practice, we prioritise the care and wellbeing of our employees. As a result, we have an incredible team and strong employee engagement backed by clinical supervision, a Board of Trustees and a Leadership Team who support and promote personal care and professional development. It’s because of our unique working culture that we’re able to meet the serious challenges and demands of our work.
At the V.I.P we aim to be a thought leader in our sector. To date we’ve established strong ties with the Anna Freud Centre along with funding from the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit. All our operations are framed within a public health approach and built on the fundamental belief that shame is a catalyst for violence; to which relationships are the antidote.
Our innovation, passion and principles have translated into a strong reputation and sustained expansion across West London. Our practice model, Urban Therapy, meets young people where they are — in cafes, parks, and community spaces. We also deliver early intervention programmes in schools and lead The Shame Initiative, our national training and consultancy offer for frontline practitioners.
All our posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS disclosure as well as a full employment history and two employment references. We are committed to equal opportunities in employment and service delivery and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Job Purpose: The Family Outreach worker plays a vital role in supporting the families of clients to enhance their stability, wellbeing, and access to essential services. In this role, the Family Outreach worker will provide personalised assistance to families, strengthen connections with external partners and community resources, and collaborate with the team to ensure comprehensive and cohesive support. Additionally, they will establish structured communication and availability protocols to manage expectations and promote sustainable assistance for families.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Develop and Implement Family Support Plans § Caseload Management: Maintain a focused caseload of 4–5 families at a time, ensuring each receives consistent, high-quality support § Care Plan Development: Co-design and implement personalised support plans with families, focused on clear, achievable goals, addressing unique needs such as housing support, access to services, and emotional and practical assistance. § Outcome Tracking: Regularly assess and monitor family progress, aiming for high satisfaction and meaningful, positive outcomes. § Ensure all work complies with safeguarding and confidentiality policies and promptly escalate any concerns regarding the welfare of children or vulnerable adults.
2. Build and Strengthen External Partnerships and Professional Networks § Networking and Outreach: Dedicate time each month to building relationships with key external partners, such as housing providers, domestic violence services, cultural support groups, and other community organisations. § Professional Network Integration: Actively collaborate with members of each family’s professional network (e.g. healthcare providers, educators, social services) to ensure aligned and effective support. § Partnership Development: Identify service gaps and cultivate partnerships with external agencies to broaden the range of resources available for families, especially during crises or complex situations. § Crisis and Complex Needs Support: Utilize professional connections to extend the support network available to families, enhancing their access to comprehensive care.
3. Foster Team Collaboration and Communication § Team Meetings and Case Discussions: Participate in regular team discussions to align family support strategies and incorporate team insights into care plans. § Documentation and Information Sharing: Maintain detailed documentation on family interactions, progress, and needs to facilitate informed team coordination. § Collaborative Problem Solving: Leverage the collective expertise of the team to address complex family needs and ensure proactive, cohesive support.
4. Develop Clear Communication and Availability Protocols § Service Model Communication: Communicate service guidelines, availability expectations, and emergency protocols to families to promote mutual understanding and prevent miscommunication. § Feedback-Driven Adjustments: Regularly gather and assess feedback from families to adjust communication protocols and improve service effectiveness.
5. Ongoing Monitoring, Review, and Professional Development § Role and Service Review: Schedule regular check-ins with management to assess role effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. § Feedback Collection and Analysis: Collect feedback from families and professional network contacts to maintain high-quality service standards and align with organisational objectives. § Professional Growth: Engage in professional development opportunities to continually refine and align your approach with the organisation’s mission, vision, and evolving community needs. Key Requirements: § Experience in Family Support or Community Outreach: Proven background in social work, family support, or community engagement, with an ability to manage complex family cases. § Strong Communication and Network-Building Skills: Effective communicator able to engage with families, team members, external partners, and professional networks, ensuring cohesive, high-quality support. § Empathy and Professionalism: Commitment to providing respectful, empathetic support to families, balanced with clear professional boundaries. § Organisational Skills: Ability to manage multiple cases, maintain thorough documentation, and adhere to Urban Therapy protocols to ensure high-quality, consistent service.
Key skills and qualities: · Flexibility and adaptability · Trust building · Advocacy skills · Crisis Intervention skills · Resilience · Active Listening · Solution Focused · Ethical practitioner
Urban Therapy is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.
This role may evolve as community needs develop; the Family Outreach Worker will contribute to shaping the service model over time.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Supported Housing Worker to play a pivotal role in our Criminal Justice Service in Bromley.
Sounds great, what will I be doing?
The role involves providing comprehensive support to service users in accommodation-based services, particularly those with complex needs such as substance misuse, homelessness, and offending histories. Key responsibilities include building positive, professional relationships with service users, supporting them to manage their tenancies, and working towards sustainable independence. Staff are expected to assess individual needs using organisational tools, guide users in developing tailored support plans, and assist them in achieving personal goals, including moving on to more independent living arrangements.
In this position, the emphasis is on empowering service users to improve various aspects of their lives. This includes encouraging them to take responsibility for their health, finances, and behaviour, and supporting their access to necessary services such as healthcare, substance misus
e treatment, and mental health support. The role also involves motivating service users to engage in activities that promote wellbeing and helping them access opportunities in education, training, volunteering, and employment, thereby improving their financial security and life prospects.
The position requires a collaborative and proactive approach, working closely with other professionals, agencies, and colleagues to provide coordinated support. Staff are expected to contribute to service development, maintain accurate and confidential records, and demonstrate a commitment to professional standards and continuous improvement. Flexibility, resilience, and a positive attitude toward change are essential, as is the ability to represent the organisation effectively in interactions with external stakeholders and to contribute to the promotion of its values and service standards.
What do I need to bring with me?
You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.
Joining Hestia means more than just a job; it's an opportunity to be part of something bigger. We offer a supportive, inclusive and resolution driven work environment where your contributions are recognised and valued. As a member of our team, you will have the chance to grow both personally and professionally while making a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.
Here's what the team will be looking for
The ideal candidate will be committed to developing positive, supportive relationships with service users who have complex needs such as homelessness, substance misuse, and a history of offending. They will be adept at using strengths-based and person-centred approaches to help individuals maintain independence and work toward personal goals, especially around securing and sustaining accommodation. A strong understanding of assessment tools and key-working practices is essential, as is the ability to help service users identify their strengths, manage daily responsibilities, and plan for positive move-on, particularly into private sector housing.
The role demands someone who can empower service users to take control of their wellbeing, including addressing substance misuse, managing finances, and engaging in mental and physical health services. The candidate should also be able to support service users in accessing opportunities that enhance their financial and personal development, such as employment, training, and volunteering. Effective liaison with other professionals and agencies is critical to delivering coordinated support, and the ability to advocate for service users during case conferences and care planning is a key aspect of the role.
The person must be a proactive and collaborative team player who upholds high professional standards and contributes to service improvement. They should demonstrate resilience, a willingness to adapt positively to change, and a commitment to promoting the organisation's aims. Strong administrative skills, confidentiality, and timely record-keeping are crucial. Additionally, the ability to build external relationships and represent the service effectively with key stakeholders and commissioners is essential to support the broader aims of the organisation.
Interview Steps
We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.
Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.
We are a disability confident employer
Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.
Safeguarding Statement
Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.
Purpose of the job
This role is responsible for the design of UK Youth’s support to young people, youth organisations and youth workers. This could include structured youth work programmes, funding and grants+ programmes, professional development programmes, and campaigns.
You will lead and oversee end-to-end design processes, ensuring that UK Youth develops fully packaged offers that respond to the evidence base and people’s needs, drive forward our strategy and achieve incredible impact. You will work across UK Youth teams, with external design partners, and meaningfully involving young people and the professionals who support them in the design process.
You will be experienced in developing high quality funding propositions (proactively and in response to new business opportunities). You will be confident in taking a human-centred design approach to tackle some of the youth sector’s knottiest problems. You will design solutions to important problems, ensuring that they are feasible, equitable, impactful and scalable.
In 2026, our priority topics for youth work programmes and network development are: mental health and wellbeing, employability, social cohesion and community safety.
As a leader, you will work closely with research, evaluation, policy, service delivery, network development, and fundraising teams. You will help to improve the skills and confidence of colleagues across UK Youth to apply design methods in their own work and collaborate effectively with the Design team.
Why work at UK Youth?
UK Youth wants all young people to be equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. Youth work can be life changing (and even life saving.) In 2026, we will be launching our new strategy, positioning UK Youth to unlock youth work so that every young person in the UK can benefit. We work with others to ensure that the youth sector is strengthened and that provision is youth-led, evidence-informed, and delivers high-quality outcomes.
UK Youth plays a unique role in addressing the lack of investment in the youth sector, the lack of cross-sector understanding in how youth work makes a difference, and the limited opportunities to embed effective solutions. These factors lead to mass inequality of access to youth services for young people. Come and be part of this change in a driven and supportive team that puts evidence at the heart of our work.
Role Responsibilities
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Designing Solutions
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Developing new business and funding propositions
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Embedding Human Centred Design
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Building a strong external network to support the Design team’s work
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Operations
Experience we're after
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Significant experience of leading and overseeing the development of new business propositions and proposals to time-limited funding opportunities
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Significant experience of designing interventions (digital and/or physical) for young people and/or those who support them
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Experience using human-centred-design methods and mindsets; managing projects across the end-to-end design process
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Proven track record of inspiring and motivating diverse teams and improving collaborative ways of working across teams and departments
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Experience of developing high quality programme content and curricula for young people, youth workers and/or outdoor learning instructors (desirable)
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Experience of commissioning and managing external design freelancers and consultants (desirable)
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Experience of designing and/or delivering professional development programmes (desirable)
What we can offer you
We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:
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Flexible/Agile Working
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27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)
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Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity
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Other training available in support of your personal and professional development
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Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)
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Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary
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Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally
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20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.
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IT equipment provided for the duration of contract
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CycleScheme and TechScheme
How to apply
If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.
Closing date: Sunday 4th January 2026 at 23:59pm
Provisional Interview Dates: 12th and 13th January 2026
As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.
UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.