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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.

Pathway Manager

Apply today to step into a role where your leadership will drive real, measurable impact—empowering teams, shaping inclusive services, and making a lasting difference in people’s lives every day.

Location: Lambeth - Lambeth YP Assessment Time Out

Salary: £43,632 per annum

Closing date: 05 July, 2026

Employment Type: Permanent

Hours per week: 37.5

About the Role

Lead the delivery of a high-impact, person-centred service as a Pathway Manager, where your leadership will directly shape outcomes for individuals and communities. You’ll drive performance, quality, and continuous improvement across a multidisciplinary pathway, building strong partnerships and using insight and data to inform confident, effective decisions.

We’re looking for a proactive, values-driven leader who thrives in complex environments. You’ll bring strong operational oversight, team leadership, and stakeholder management skills, alongside a commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, and excellence. If you’re action-oriented, collaborative, and passionate about delivering meaningful change, this is your opportunity to make a real difference in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Please note that this job opportunity is offered as a full-time (37.5 hours a week), permanent role.

Key Deliverables

• You will be committed to working in and maintaining an environment that supports the safeguarding of young people as the Safeguarding Lead for the service

• You will be adept in managing the service and its partnerships

• You will manage, monitor, evaluate and continuously improve the service and its operation within Lambeth’s developing approach

• You will comply with quality inspection and assessment procedures

• You will ensure effective support, learning or family support plans (as applicable) for young people are in place and regularly reviewed

• You will maintain a safe and secure environment, that has appropriate risk assessment processes and systems in place that are regularly reviewed and monitored;

• You will ensure young people are a major part in shaping service delivery

• You will ensure effective delivery of Depaul UK’s approved life skills training and work closely with Participation and Volunteering leads.

• At the end of this programme, you will develop an evidence based report, that will enable us to embed what was done well, share learning internally and externally

• To be successful in this role you will be expected to go the extra mile by being flexible with the hours you work always bearing in mind the needs of the business.

• You will undertake full line management of the Team Leader and ETE worker

• Any other duties commensurate with the role

Health and Safety:

• To ensure a safe and secure environment and maintain high standards within the services. This includes risk assessments, health and safety checks and the cleaning and preparation of rooms for new residents.

• To involve service users in developing an awareness of their own personal and building health and safety, through information sessions, key working and support planning and resident meetings.

• To ensure that the project is clean and safe and to encourage residents to take some responsibility in the cleaning of their communal areas and their room.

• To work for a proportion of the time as a lone worker and as part of the wider team.

• Undertake appropriate risk assessments for lone working.

Administration:

• To maintain written records and monitoring information as appropriate and input and retrieve data on the Inform system.

• To prepare reports, statistical data and other information that maybe requested by the Asst. Area Director.

• To ensure that any repairs and maintenance issues are reported in a timely manner in order to ensure the health and safety and security of the building environment.

• Any other administrative tasks that will ensure the smooth running of the service.

Finance:

• With the support of the Area. Director devise effective, safe and timely methods for the collection of accommodation and service charges from residents, and to maintain auditable records of payment.

• Ensure that arrears management procedures are adhered to.

• To take responsibility for petty cash and record all transactions in line with policy.

General:

• To contribute to a high quality and effective delivery of service.

• To participate in internal/external meetings as required and attend training, events, conferences and other functions as necessary.

• To participate in regular supervision and IDP and help in identifying your own job-related development and training needs.

• To contribute to and be supportive of young people’s involvement in our services and in all levels of decision making throughout the organization.

• To ensure that all Depaul policies and procedures are adhered to.

• To be successful in this role you will expected to go the extra mile by being flexible with the hours you work always bearing in mind the needs of the business.

• Any other duties commensurate with the role.

What we are looking for from you

When completing your application form please address all the points set out below.

• A commitment to the ethos and values of Depaul including the organisation’s policies and procedures

• Demonstrable experience of working with young and vulnerable people and young families with multiple and complex needs.

• Experience and understanding of challenges and barriers faced by young people in securing accommodation and sustainable education and training.

• Experience of leading a team, establishing processes and relationships.

• Negotiating skills

• Coordinating and organising skills

• Able to work on own initiative but at same time able to exercise sound judgment in knowing when to consult or delegate tasks.

• Able to work flexibly and develop positive working relationships at a range of different levels including staff, volunteers, managers, young people and stakeholders to set and deliver organisational goals and resolve conflicts of interest professionally.

• A clear understanding and ability to implement risk management, information sharing and data security arrangements.

• Awareness of and commitment to equal opportunity and diversity practice. Ability to promote and implement diversity practice and policies and generally treat colleagues and young people fairly and with respect.

• Demonstrate ability to use IT to a level which will enable high quality reporting to be carried out. This should include an ability to use data capture systems including running queries and reports.

• Expertise to manage a medium sized team of staff with responsibility for multiple projects/ services, a range of which of which operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week

• The ability to provide cover Monday to Friday with occasional management support at weekends.

What You’ll Receive

· Tailored training and development

· Flexible working options where suitable

· 26 days annual leave, rising with service

· Family friendly leave policies

· Pension scheme with employer contributions up to 7%

· Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 GP access

· Discounts across retail, travel, food, fitness and more

· Cash health plan for you and your family

· Death in service benefit

· Access to legal and practical support

Safer Recruitment

Depaul UK is committed to fair and inclusive recruitment, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. If a role requires it under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, we will carry out the appropriate Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. We only look at information that is relevant to the role, and a criminal record will never be treated as an automatic barrier to employment. All DBS information is handled sensitively, confidentially and in line with the DBS Code of Practice, and we encourage applicants to discuss any concerns with us openly.

About Depaul UK

In the 1980s, high unemployment and steep inflation was contributing to a shocking rise in youth homelessness across London. Thousands of young people were sleeping rough every night, with many areas notoriously dubbed “cardboard cities” due to the visible rise in street homelessness. Appalled by the scenes playing out across the capital, a group of people came together to tackle the challenge head on. Led by Cardinal Basil Hume and Mark McGreevy OBE, in 1989 Depaul UK was born.

What began as a single housing project in North London soon expanded across London, Greater Manchester and the North East of England. Today, Depaul UK provides accommodation, prevention and support services to thousands of marginalised young people across the UK each year.

As our name suggests, the work of Depaul UK has been inspired by St. Vincent de Paul – a man who devoted his life to helping vast numbers of people throughout the 17th century. St. Vincent de Paul’s belief in the intrinsic worth of all people and his commitment to taking bold action remain central to our values today. Depaul UK now forms part of a family of Depaul charities around the world. We each focus on the specific challenges in our own countries, but we’re united by our shared values and mission to end homelessness.

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 Housing Management Officer to play a pivotal role in Housing Service in London.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

In this role you will take ownership of a busy caseload of 50–100 supported accommodation units, ensuring residents are safe, engaged, and set up to succeed. You'll lead on all aspects of tenancy management, from onboarding and exit meetings to embedding a Psychologically Informed Environment approach. All while maintaining accurate, GDPR‑compliant records and delivering strong financial performance. With a proactive focus on arrears management, income collection, and benefits guidance, you'll help residents navigate housing systems and sustain their tenancies. You'll also coordinate timely repairs, monitor property standards, and keep communication flowing between residents, support teams, and contractors. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast‑paced environment, enjoys problem‑solving, and is passionate about creating stable, high‑quality housing experiences for vulnerable individuals.

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.

A successful candidate will bring solid experience in rent collection, arrears recovery, and confidently applying the pre‑action protocol, alongside a proven ability to manage complex welfare benefit claims and navigate DWP and Housing Benefit systems. They will have a background in supporting vulnerable individuals - including those facing mental health challenges, substance dependency, domestic abuse, or young people's support needs, and be skilled in working collaboratively with local authorities, support workers, and external agencies. With strong knowledge of tenancy management, housing legislation, and income‑related processes, they will also demonstrate excellent IT capability, accurate data handling, and confidence using housing management systems. Exceptional communication, numeracy, and interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to build trust, work sensitively with service users, and maintain productive relationships with stakeholders. Highly organised and self‑motivated, they will manage their time effectively, take ownership of their responsibilities, and be able to travel across sites to deliver in‑person support where needed. You must be flexible to travel across London.

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.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Are you a passionate, bilingual community leader ready to make a real difference in the lives of Latin Americans and other migrant communities in the UK?

At Latin American House (LAH), culture is not just what we do, it is who we are. This is a rare opportunity to shape and lead a vibrant and innovative programme that puts community voices, creativity, and cultural pride at its heart.

About us

LAH is a community-led charity driven by and for Latin Americans in the UK. For decades, we have been supporting Latin American and other Spanish and Portuguese-speaking migrants, championing their rights, wellbeing, and inclusion. We are a small, close-knit team with big ambitions, and everything we do is rooted in the lived experiences of the communities we serve. Our work takes place across London and at our community centre in Kilburn, North West London.

About the role

This is an exciting new post that will give you the space and support to grow our Communities & Culture offer, from cultural festivals and participatory arts to community gatherings and creative workshops. You will work alongside artists, community groups, and partners to build something truly meaningful, while also playing a key role in LAH's wider organisational development.

What we are looking for

You will be bilingual in Spanish and English, with a strong understanding of the experiences, challenges and strengths of Latin American communities in the UK. You will bring experience of leading community or cultural projects or intiiatives, a collaborative spirit, and a genuine commitment to social inclusion and equity.

What we offer

In return, we offer a supportive and flexible working environment, a generous annual leave entitlement of 34 days pro rata, NCVO programme management training and deelopment opportunities in safeguarding and fundraising, and employer pension contributions through NEST.

If you have strong organisational, communication, and relationship-building skills, alongside a passion for community development and cultural participation, we would love to hear from you!

We are particularly encouraging applications from people with lived experience of migration, and welcome applications from racialised, disabled, working class and LGBTQ+ backgrounds.