4 Befriending service project worker jobs

About the role

The Side-by-Side project supports children in care and care leavers to have the same opportunities as those who have not experienced care.

For many young people, navigating the care system and especially the transition to leaving care can be complex, isolating, and overwhelming. Too often, care-experienced young people are expected to face adulthood before they are ready, without the safety nets of family, friends, and community networks that many of us take for granted.

The project provides a mentoring and befriending service, offering consistent, trusted relationships that help young people feel less alone, build confidence and life skills, and navigate key life changes as they move towards independence.

Side-by-Side supports young people with a range of needs, including those who may be at risk of exploitation, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and young people living with identified mental health challenges. The project is guided by strong safeguarding practice, built on trust, and delivered through trauma-informed, person-centred approaches.

Working 18 hours per week, you will work directly with young people through engagement sessions, group activities and co-designed initiatives. You will also work alongside volunteers, supporting them to safely and effectively engage with young people. This role does not involve acting as a young person’s key worker or holding a caseload. Instead your focus is on enabling connections, strengthening community networks and creating opportunities for young people to thrive across Solihull.

Please note this is a fixed term contract position for 12 months.

About you

We are looking for a compassionate and motivated individual with strong local knowledge and a commitment to community-based support. You will be confident working directly with care-experienced young people, including those who may be at risk of exploitation, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and young people living with identified mental health challenges.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Build community links: develop relationships with local venues, services, and partners to support young people and Side-by-Side activities.
• Support volunteers: recruit, train, and guide volunteers, helping them signpost young people to relevant services.
• Engage young people: deliver activities, gather feedback, and support co-designed initiatives to ensure young people shape the services they receive.
• Live our values: all work is guided by trust, reducing loneliness, providing practical and emotional support, and delivering person-centred approaches.

Employee benefits

We offer the following employee benefits:

• 26 days, increasing to 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
• Occupational sick pay (subject to completion of qualifying period)
• Enhanced pay for family friendly leave
• Free parking at some of our offices
• Employee assistance programme
• Group stakeholder pension scheme
• Access to BHSF health cash plan
• Cycle to work scheme
• Support and supervision from your line manager
• Learning and Development opportunities

How to apply

Please visit our website for the job description and to apply.

In your application, you will need to evidence, using specific examples, how your skills and experience meet the criteria laid out in the person specification, within the job description attached.

The interview date will be confirmed and are expected to take place in person in Solihull

Safeguarding and Compliance

NYAS operates robust safe procedures to ensure the protection of the children, young people and adults at risk we work with. To comply with NYAS’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, references and a Digital Risk Assessment.

In accordance with UK immigration law, NYAS is required to ensure that all prospective candidates have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Therefore, proof of eligibility to work in the UK will be required as part of the recruitment process.

We reserve the right to close the advert early should the right candidate be found before the closing date.

About NYAS

As an established leading rights-based charity, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is well positioned to ensure that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld.

We work with care-experienced children, young people, and adults who are often reliant on statutory services suffering the negative impact of the cuts in public expenditure. Our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure that they receive the services they need and that their voices are heard.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment which means NYAS welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.

NYAS is proud to share that we are a Disability Confident Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.

Work with us to help change young lives.

Earliest Start Date: 2nd November 2026

Contract: 12 Months with Potential for Exentension

Job Title: Known internally as "Key Work Manager (Maternity Cover)"

Location: 30 Petworth Street, Battersea, SW11 4QW. The post will also involve working in the community so some local travel will be required.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, including some evening & occasional weekend work

About the Role

As Key Work Manager you will lead on and oversee all Key Work activity at Carney’s Community. This includes undertaking key work yourself on a one to one basis with young people involved in the criminal justice system as well as managing a small team of key workers.

You will provide advice, practical support and befriending to a caseload of participants, aged 11-30, who are at risk of/involved in offending; to encourage and enable them to participate in Carney’s Community’s personal development opportunities and to access the wider services and support they may need in order to give them the best chances of being “the best they can be”. This will involve supporting young people to engage in positive and constructive activities, attend Youth Justice Service or Probation appointments and creating opportunities for their personal, social and emotional development

You will work alongside the employment support manager to plan and deliver the employment group, supporting participants that attend this group and leading specific employment programmes. As manager of the key work project you will oversee the small team of key workers, provide support, guidance and supervision. You will be involved in monitoring and reporting for the project, collecting feedback from participants. You will manage referrals to the project from other organisations including schools, social services, probation and the youth justice service.

About You:

You must have proven experience of working directly with young people in a youth work or key work setting, providing one to one support. You will have the ability to empathise and mediate for young people, a strong understanding of the local area, barriers facing young people, the interplay between material disadvantage, vulnerability and social exclusion and be highly skilled in diplomacy, professional distance, demonstrating empathy, boundaries and sound judgement. You will have experience managing other staff or volunteers.

About Carney’s Community

We support young people living in and around Wandsworth, targeting ages 11-30 facing extreme challenges including criminal justice system involvement or care experience. Carney’s works differently by providing long-term, consistent, unconditional support with empathy; a safe space and activities including boxing, bike workshops, employment support, studio sessions, mentoring and key work. Inspired by boxing legend Mick Carney, the charity was founded in his name after his passing in 2011, building on work led by our co-founders. We aim to create a “virtuous cycle”: while support is free of charge, we ask that when young people are ready, they channel the positivity they have received into others. As a result, many go on to volunteer, mentor, join our staff team or even set up their own community initiatives. Former participants make up the majority of our workforce. They provide the most authentic role models, people who genuinely understand the challenges our young people face and who show what is possible. For our young people we strive for equality and aim to: Improve Physical and Mental Health; Improve Education, Skills and Employability; Improve Community Engagement; Reduce Offending and Reoffending.

Join Age UK Croydon and help older people remain independent, connected and well within their community. We are looking for a Personal Independence Coordinator to support individuals over 50 across Croydon to maintain their independence, improve wellbeing and access health, social care and community services. Working alongside NHS, GP and social care teams, you will provide person-centred support to older people, helping them identify wellbeing needs, access local services, reduce social isolation and navigate health and care systems.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with experience in health, social care, community development, support work, advocacy, social prescribing or care coordination, but we welcome applications from a variety of professional backgrounds.

Full training will be provided; the important qualities we are looking for are:

· Excellent communication and listening skills

· A positive attitude and the ability to problem solve

· A cheerful, friendly, outgoing personality

· Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities

· The ability to work flexibly, alone and as part of a team.

We are committed to providing a flexible and productive working environment for all employees. Evolving technology and communication platforms enable employees to work in new and different ways, where we can meet our stakeholder needs and continue to deliver against our charitable objectives. We recognise the importance of supporting employees to have greater personal choice and maintain a healthier work/life balance.

Closing date for applications: 9am, 14th September 2026

Interview Dates: 18th September 2026