Assistant outreach support worker jobs

Independent Living Advisor (Self-Directed Support Service)
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Hours: 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Action on Disability, Mo Mowlam House, Clem Attlee Court, London, SW6 7BF

The Organisation

Action on Disability (AoD), founded in 1979, is one of London’s leading Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations. As we believe in the social model of disability, our values and principles embrace inclusive and accessible ways of working both internally and in all our activities, seek the participation and contribution of our members, and encourage and respect diversity.

The organisation is a medium sized charity with a Board of Trustees (at least 75% is disabled trustees), 20 staff and a strong ad hoc staff and volunteer base including many with direct experience of disability – all of whom are passionate about removing the barriers that disabled people face.

AoD provides five key services. These are: Youth, Employment, Welfare Benefits, Independent Living and Our Place.

AoD’s Independent Living Service

The Independent Living Service (Self-Directed Support Service) is a new service that will provide support to Direct Payment users within the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The service will enable disabled people to have genuine choice and control over the way in which they lead their lives.The post-holder will be working alongside disabled people to enable them to have more choice and control over their care and support needs.

Purpose of Post

To work with individuals, their family and friends (where appropriate) to provide them with information, advice and assistance to enable them to access and manage a Direct Payment

(DP) and recruit and manage a Personal Assistant (PA).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Support to individuals employing their own Personal (care) Assistant (PA) or engage an agency to deliver care and support.

1. Provide information and advice on becoming an employer and the role of the Personal Assistant.
2. Ensure that the client understands their legal obligations and responsibilities of being an employer.
3. Work with clients to: set up a profile on the Find-a-pa website, advertise and recruit a Personal Assistant, create a personalised job description and specification identify the level of experience and training requirements needed for the role.
4. Advise and help to calculate the PA’s salary and on costs (full training provided).
5. Support the client through the interview process and where necessary sit in during interviews.
6. Support individuals to reference, check legal status and where necessary DBS their support worker.
7. Support individuals to set up an induction plan for their PA and enable them to identify training needs.
8. Support the client to complete payroll and insurance documentation.
9. Work with the client to draw up a Statement of Particular (contract) for the employed PA (templates provided).
10. Encourage DP employers to take a lead in all employment issues. Information on where to seek advice e.g. ACAS, Fish and Premier Care helpline will be given and clients will be encouraged to use them.
11. Ensure that the individual has a back-up plan for emergencies.
12. Encourage DP employers to be assertive and proactive with their Personal Assistants.
13. Work with agencies to set up support for clients who may not wish to employ a PA directly.

Ongoing support to individuals in receipt of Direct Payments

1. Providing advice on employment issues.
2. Support individuals to solve practical problems e.g. lateness of staff, change of needs.
3. Support individuals to recruit again if necessary.
4. Assist individuals to re-look at budgets, training and job descriptions as they change over time.
5. Assist individuals to ensure that they continue to manage their Direct Payment or budget.
6. Support individuals to make informed choices.
7. Meet with the DP Support Group on a regular basis.
8. Assist in the development of training and other resources to support employers to manage their DP and their PA relationships.
9. Develop links and professional relationships with Social Work teams to support a healthy level of referrals.

For all work:

• Work in a person-centred way.
• Comply with AoD’s agreed policies and procedures.
• Participate in the wider development of the service and contribute to service improvement as required.
• Be computer literate and administratively self-supporting.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as identified by the Self-Directed Support Service Lead or line manager.

Special requirements

• Ability to travel within the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
• Some attendance at meetings and events outside of normal office hours will be required.

Person Specification

To be considered for this role, candidates must have:

• Good standard of education.
• Experience of recruiting volunteers or staff.
• Knowledge of employment law.
• Understanding of social care and Direct Payments legislation.
• Experience/knowledge of supporting individuals to recruit and manage employees.
• Experience of working with clients with support needs.
• Experience of using a person-centred approach.
• Ability to think creatively and to come up with solutions.
• Ability to gather and assess information efficiently.
• Numeracy skills and knowledge of budgeting.
• Ability to use Word and Excel packages to a high standard.
• Ability to work under pressure, and to tight deadlines.
• A flexible approach and able to work on own initiative
• Good communication skills including interpersonal, written, presentational and spoken.
• Ability to guide in a sensitive way
• Ability to assess and match skills and personalities to individual needs and preferences.
• Commitment to the Social Model of Disability and to promote choice, independence, rights and inclusion.
• Understanding of and commitment to the aims of the organisation.
• Excellent practical understanding of the need for confidentiality.
• An understanding of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice

Desirable qualities

• Experience of working with disabled people
• Lived experience of disability

Closing Date: Friday 10th July 2026
N.B. we reserve the right to close this vacancy early and/or begin interviewing before the closing date if a suitable candidate is identified.
Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Interested?

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

The successful candidate will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check.

We welcome applicants from all walks of life.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we actively encourage applications from Disabled people and people with long term health and mental conditions. We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme in that we will guarantee an interview to all Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post. Please state in a cover letter if you wish us to consider you for this guaranteed interview scheme.

AoD is a Living Wage Foundation registered employer and all of our employees, casual workers and contractors are paid above the London Living Wage.

No agencies please.

Location: Hybrid role working in North East England (primarily home-based with significant regional travel)

Base region: Tees Valley and Tyne & Wear

Coverage: This is a home-based role that requires regular weekly travel to schools and colleges across the North East. You will be expected to work extensively throughout Tees Valley and Tyne & Wear, with specific current activity hubs in Cramlington, Walkergate, Hartlepool, Stanley and Redcar. Regional location throughout the North East will change according to programme demand.

Applicants must hold a full, clean driving licence and have the ability and willingness to travel regularly across the region.

Reporting to: National Programmes Manager

Application Deadline: Wednesday 8th July at 9AM. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy sooner if we receive a high volume of applications.

1st Stage Interviews: Week commencing 13th July (online)

2nd Stage Interviews: Wednesday 22nd July (in-person)

About The Girls’ Network:

The Girls' Network is a national charity with a mission to inspire and empower girls from the least advantaged communities by connecting them with a network of professional women role models and volunteer mentors. We believe no girl should have her future limited by her gender, ethnicity, background, or parental income. Our vision is a future where all girls are supported to realise their ambitions, discover their self-worth, and shape their own futures.

We partner with secondary schools and colleges across multiple regions in England, including London, Merseyside, Portsmouth, Southampton, Sussex, Tees Valley, Tyne & Wear and the West Midlands. We match girls aged 14–19 with trained volunteer mentors for one-to-one support. In addition to this core mentoring, workshops, and access to an Ambassador Community that provides continued opportunities for development, career support, and connection.

Role Summary

The Regional Programme Lead is responsible for delivering The Girls’ Network’s suite of programmes in schools and colleges, including facilitating engaging and impactful workshops for girls aged 14–19 from disadvantaged backgrounds. The post-holder also leads on the recruitment, induction, training, matching, supervision and support of volunteers and will appropriately match mentors with young people. You will steer local partnerships and oversee programme administration to ensure the smooth and effective delivery of our mission.

This role combines hands-on programme delivery with operational coordination, ensuring that The Girls’ Network’s regional programmes achieve their intended outcomes and contribute to national KPI achievement.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Applicants must hold a full, clean driving licence and have the ability and willingness to travel regularly across the region.

• Understanding of equal opportunities and inclusion in youth work. A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with an understanding of its application in youth work in the charity and/or education sector. We welcome applications from outreach youth workers and/or teachers/teaching assistants or equivalent roles.

• A genuine understanding and passion for addressing the challenges faced by girls and young women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Experience and/or willingness to learn delivering high quality workshops or training sessions to groups of young people, aged 14-19.

• Proven ability to build and independently manage multiple relationships with key stakeholders, including young people, volunteers, education providers and local partner organisations.

• Excellent organisational, prioritisation and time-management skills, with a proven ability to meet deadlines in a target-driven environment.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.

• Experience of developing resources for programmatic delivery, including volunteer training and workshops for young people.

• Project or programme coordination experience, with the ability to manage conflicting priorities effectively.

• Target-oriented, with experience of achieving KPIs and contributing to performance monitoring.

• Practical knowledge and experience of safeguarding and child protection working practices.

• Competence in using digital tools, including Salesforce or other CRM platforms, with attention to accuracy and the ability to maintain high-quality records for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage deadlines, adapt to change, and work effectively both independently and as part of a geographically dispersed team.

• Commitment to The Girls’ Network mission and keeping young people at the centre of all work.

• Ability to travel and work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends.

Desirable:

• Experience working in a charity, youth, or education setting.

• Experience of working with young people from diverse backgrounds.

• Experience of safer recruitment in volunteering.

• A mentoring or coaching qualification, or equivalent experience.

• Experience working remotely, demonstrating initiative and the ability to work proactively with minimal supervision.

• Flexible and adaptable approach, with an understanding of the time and resource limitations typical in small organisations.

• Specific knowledge of mentoring programmes and/or youth/education services.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. If you believe you have relevant experience and the potential to thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply, even if you do not meet every single criterion listed.

How to apply

Please apply as soon as possible. You will be asked to complete your application by submitting your CV and answering a few application questions.

Appointees are subject to a DBS check. You must have the right to work in the UK to apply.

The deadline to submit your application is Wednesday 8th July at 9AM. Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Diversity at our core

The Girls' Network is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating discrimination. In line with the Equality Act 2010, if you require any reasonable adjustments to support you with any stage of this recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment Team.

Our Benefits

• 27 holiday days per year, plus public holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff)

• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days of annual leave every year

• Gifted birthday leave

• 3 days volunteering leave per year

• Extended and comprehensive sick pay policy

• Enhanced Family Leave pay policy

• Pension scheme

• Annual professional development fund to help you grow

• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme for wellbeing support

• Benefit from flexible, remote working options with home office equipment.

• A dedicated Girls’ Network buddy, available beyond the induction period for ongoing support

As one of our two Lead event stewards you will be responsible for our team of paid, casual Cathedral Stewards. The Cathedral Stewards are an essential part of our life at the Cathedral – making possible the busy and engaging programme of services and events that we hold. You will organise the duty rota for the paid Cathedral Stewards, lead the Cathedral Stewards on the Cathedral floor during events and special services and take a lead on the recruitment, training and development of the stewards in collaboration with the EA to the COO. 

You will work closely with the Head of Engagement, the Engagement Coordinator and the Head of Events – assisting them with their delivery of events. You will also be a key member of the Health, Safety and Security Committee at the Cathedral. At its core, this is a role which offers the Lead Event Stewards the chance to be at the forefront of our relationship with our visitors and play a key part in the success of our special services, large-scale commercial and Engagement events. 

If you have:

• Significant experience of event stewarding
• A keen awareness of health, safety, and security challenges for large public sites
• Experience of line managing volunteers or paid casual staff

And are:

• Customer focused, passionate about excellent engagement with excellent interpersonal skills
• Pragmatic and solution-oriented
• A strong communicator, with an understanding of and enthusiasm for the Cathedral’s overall vision and values, and sympathy with the Christian faith.

Then we would love to hear from you.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Organise monthly rotas for the Cathedral Event Stewards to ensure all events are adequately and appropriately staffed;
• Working alongside the HR team, develop and maintain a training programme for Cathedral stewards
• Work alongside the Head of Engagement and the Engagement Coordinator to take part actively in planning, set-up and delivery of Engagement events such as talks, theatre, music, comedy nights and art installations;
• Undertake stewarding shifts for special services, large scale commercial events and Engagement events;
• Work alongside the team to undertake Risk Assessments and Method Statements for special and Engagement events; 
• Assist the Audience Development Coordinator in collecting feedback from Engagement events
• Demonstrate outstanding customer service at all times;
• Attend the fortnightly Health, Safety and Security Committee: help to develop and implement new initiatives and responses to legislation and other guidelines, and assist with developing ways of working and steward handbooks;
• Attend various internal meetings including the weekly diary meeting, project and event planning meetings, all-staff meetings and the Health, Safety and Security Committee meeting.
• Ensure we are compliant with meeting our duty of care to members of the public.
• Compile steward timesheets and submit to the Finance Department for payroll

Closing date: 11.59pm on Sunday, July 12th 

Interviews are planned for Monday, July 20th

Introduction to the Cathedral 

Southwark Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship for over 1400 years. Now it stands on the vibrant and exciting regenerated south bank of the Thames surrounded by cultural venues such as Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and Borough Market, the offices of major companies as well as schools and diverse residential communities. It is an inclusive Christian community that offers a welcome to all. 

The Cathedral’s mission, ministry and musical tradition are core to its life as a Cathedral and a parish church serving the community. It also relies on the valuable financial contribution made by its income generating activities such as its shop, café, conference rooms, corporate events and concerts. It is a very busy place, attracting 290,000 visitors a year to the Cathedral, its churchyard and medieval herb garden. The Cathedral relies on a small but dedicated team to be inclusive and welcoming to all.

Southwark Cathedral is committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer. We believe in promoting and building a diverse and inclusive team, and workplace, culture and governance structures that are welcoming to and respectful of all. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people whatever their ethnicity, background, age, disability, long term condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Southwark Cathedral is committed to a culture of safeguarding, especially for children, young people, and vulnerable adults. The Cathedral has adopted the Church of England policy statement ‘Promoting a Safer Church (2017)’; Safeguarding Learning and Development (2024) and the Safer Recruitment and People Management Guidance (2021). Every member of our team is recruited according to these policies and is required to complete safeguarding training.