Blue light programme assistant jobs

Specialist Teaching Assistant (STA) – Autism / SEND

We are Ambitious about Autism, a national charity with a clear goal: to create a world where autistic children and young people are heard, included and supported.

We are looking for patient, empathetic and resilient LSAs to join our Ambitious College in Tottenham. The age group of our learners is from 16 to 25 years and all learners have a primary diagnosis of autism.

• Full time, permanent (term time only)
• Hours: 9am – 4.30pm
• Salary: £26,936 to £27,165 per annum
• Location: Capital City College, Tottenham, N15 4FY, Please note we will be moving to Montagu Building at Capital City College's Enfield campus in September 2027
• Start date: Mid September/October 2026

The role:

This is a role where no two days are ever the same! Some days can be very challenging, but they can also be incredibly rewarding. As a STA, you will be working on a 1:1 basis with our autistic pupils and assisting them with:

• Access learning
• Developing communication, confidence and independence
• Celebrate progress - however big or small
• Take part in community based activities like swimming and work experience
• Responding to behaviours of distress with patient and supportive care
• Supporting pupils with personal care
• Helping our pupils feel safe, understood and proud of themselves

Why join us:

• This is a term time only role (yet you are paid across 52 weeks!)
• You will be placed on a training programme when you join the role with continued CPD
• Be part of a warm, supportive and collaborative team
• Progression opportunities to grow your career in SEND
• Be part of a national charity with a clear mission and shared values
• Varied, meaningful work with real impact
• Access to staff discount schemes, including Blue Light Card eligibility
• Full benefits package on our website

Ambitious About Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious About Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search may be carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The safeguarding responsibilities of the post are as per the job description and person specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.

Job Role: Assistant Retail Manager

Salary: £14,871 per year (full time equivalent £24,785)

Hours: 22.5 hours per week

Contract type: Permanent

Location: Bath, Shaftesbury Road

Additional information:

• Availability to work flexibly, including weekend

About Alongside:

Alongside is the new name for Julian House. We work with people experiencing social exclusion across the South and West of England, providing outreach, accommodation and support. Our clients may be sleeping rough, fleeing abuse, rebuilding after trauma, leaving prison, recovering from addiction, or trying to settle safely in a new community. Whatever their starting point, we work alongside people to help build safety, stability and independence.

If you’d like a real sense of job satisfaction, great career prospects and a competitive benefits package, you could be who we’re looking for!

About the Role:

As an Assistant Manager, you’ll play a key role in the success of our charity shops, ensuring everything runs smoothly day to day. From leading and motivating our fantastic team of volunteers to managing stock and creating a warm, welcoming shopping experience, you’ll be right at the heart of our mission.

If you’re passionate about retail, enjoy working with people, and want to make a real difference by helping us raise vital funds for a great cause, we’d love to hear from you!

Responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with the Shop Manager to meet and exceed income and profit targets by optimising sales, minimising operational costs, and continually seeking innovative ways to enhance to shop.
• Manage donations, including the sorting, pricing and preparation of items for sale and effectively disposing of unwanted items.
• Assisting in the recruitment, training and development of the volunteer team and ensuring the shop has a built-up volunteer base.
• Support the Shop Manager in administrative tasks, including cash handling and banking.

Please note: Job descriptions are not exhaustive, and the successful candidate may occasionally be asked to take on other duties that align with the key responsibilities outlined.

You can view the full job description by clicking here.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Experience working within a retail setting.
• A proactive, customer-focused approach to work.

There are many great reasons to join our team!

• Access to our Rewards Platform, which includes an Employee Assistance Programme and Health Cash Plan
• 27 days annual leave, including an extra day off for your birthday, plus bank holidays - increasing up to 30 days after 4 years of continuous employment (pro rata for part-time staff)
• 30% staff discount at our charity shops
• A generous and competitive pension scheme
• A supportive culture where staff feedback is highly valued and regular supervisions with line managers are conducted
• Great opportunities for career development and free monthly training sessions from experienced facilitators
• For all the fantastic and valuable work, you’ll be doing, you’ll be eligible for the Blue Light Card which offers amazing discounts on thousands of brands

Our Ethos

As an Equal Opportunities employer, we have an Equality and Diversity Action plan in place showing our commitment in ensuring continuous improvement in creating an inclusive culture. We also have a committed group of Inclusion & Diversity champions who meet monthly to ensure progress is being made. We invite applications from people from all backgrounds and cultures, especially minority groups that are underrepresented in the workplace. We also welcome applications from those with lived experience. We embrace flexibility and are proud to be a Disability Confident and Mindful employer, as well as an Armed Forces Covenant Supporter.

If you have any special access requirements or other support needs throughout the application process (including interview), please contact us so that we can let you know how we can support you. We accept CVs and applications in all formats.

DBS Checks

We welcome applications from people with lived experience. All applicants working with our clients will be expected to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. A criminal conviction will not necessarily prevent you from becoming an employee, the decision will depend on the type of offence and its relevance to the role. If you would like to discuss any convictions you may have, please contact the person named in the advert. All information will be dealt with according to our Data Protection Policy.

Job Title: Assistant Shop Manager (Maternity Cover)

Salary: £15,736 per annum (pro-rata of full time equivalent £26,227)

Team: Knaphill

Hours: Part Time, 22.5 hours per week

Contract Type: Fixed Term

Location: Knaphill Shop,2PP GU21

About the role

Your key purpose will be to support, and in the absence of the Shop Manager, lead a team of volunteers to maximise sales and deliver excellent customer service. You will also ensure the shop premises and assets are maintained to a high standard, in line with legal requirements and Shooting Star Children’s Hospices (SSCH) policies and procedures.

About you

You will be a proactive and organised team player, confident in supporting, and in the absence of the Shop Manager, leading a team of volunteers. With a strong focus on customer service, you will be comfortable dealing with enquiries and resolving issues professionally, while creating a welcoming and positive environment for both customers and volunteers. You will have the ability to plan and prioritise tasks effectively, including coordinating rotas, delegating responsibilities, and ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of the shop.

You will bring a keen eye for detail and a commercial mindset, with experience or an interest in merchandising, stock management, and sales performance. You will be confident making decisions on pricing, product suitability, and display to maximise income. Working collaboratively with a wide range of internal teams and stakeholders, you will communicate effectively and contribute to achieving shared goals. Enthusiastic and adaptable, you will take pride in maintaining high standards across all areas of the shop, ensuring compliance with policies, procedures, and legal requirements.

Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

What we offer

In return you will receive a competitive salary along with a range of benefits, which include:

Pension scheme

• NHS Pension Scheme (for eligible employees) or our stakeholder pension scheme, with up to 7% employer contributions

Annual leave

• 27 days plus Bank Holidays rising with length of service
• 2 weeks paid sabbatical leave after 5, 10 and 15 years’ service

Contractual benefits

• Generous sick pay scheme
• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity leave pay
• Flexible working arrangements
• Death in service benefits
• Reimbursed professional membership fees
• Eye care
• Employee referral scheme
• Blue Light discount card

Health and wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Occupational Health
• Mindfulness sessions
• Mental Health First Aiders

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff to share this commitment. Also, we are committed to equal opportunities and consider all applicants to be in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Employment is subject to receipt of satisfactory references and a DBS check.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is committed to inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We know that getting things right is critical for us to live our organisation’s values: Professionalism, Respect, Integrity, Diversity and Excellence.

We are always trying to improve our way of working to be more inclusive and equal. Our vision is for Shooting Star Children’s Hospices to be a place where people of all backgrounds, groups and communities feel welcomed to work and volunteer.

Anticipated closing Date: 14/07/2026

Please note that vacancies may close at any time once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We therefore recommend submitting your application as early as possible.