Community link worker jobs in Belfast

Are you an experienced and compassionate leader with a passion for empowering young people and making a difference?

At NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service), we are dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of children, young people, and adults at risk. We believe no child or young person should ever be alone or voiceless in the care system, in family court, or when decisions are being made about their future.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Project Coordinator, working 28 hours per week, to lead the delivery of Project Unity across England. Project Unity provides high-quality, rights-based advocacy and intensive support to care-experienced young mothers who are pregnant or have recently given birth, helping to empower young mothers, strengthen outcomes and prevent children from entering care.

About Project Unity England

Project Unity England improves outcomes for care-experienced young mothers and their children through collaborative, multi-agency working, delivered through cluster-based areas bringing together local stakeholders for coordinated, community-focused support. Cluster one is based around London and cluster two around Yorkshire, with a third cluster area to be identified in year three. Travel between cluster areas is expected, particularly from year two onwards.

As Project Coordinator, you will support delivery and development of Project Unity within your assigned cluster areas, working closely with partners and internal teams. Key responsibilities include:

• Coordinating project activities and line managing senior practitioners
• Supporting planning, implementation and monitoring of local initiatives
• Facilitating communication between partners and stakeholders
• Organising professional meetings, workshops and events
• Tracking progress and sharing best practice across clusters

This role offers the chance to work across diverse cluster areas, influence at both local and Parliamentary level, and make a direct impact on services for care-experienced young mothers and their children.

About the role

You will provide day-to-day leadership of Project Unity, supporting a team of Project Workers and volunteers to deliver high-quality, advocacy-led, trauma-informed support that empowers young mothers to understand their rights and have their voices heard.

Working with local authorities, health partners, safeguarding networks and community organisations, you will build relationships and referral pathways, monitor outcomes, and identify opportunities to strengthen and grow the service – leading meaningful work within a values-led organisation.

About you

You are passionate about supporting vulnerable young people and families, confident leading teams within a trauma-informed environment, and able to balance operational oversight with a person-centred approach.

You will have experience working with vulnerable young people or families in a social care, advocacy or support setting, alongside experience managing or supervising staff and/or volunteers, plus a strong understanding of safeguarding frameworks and relevant legislation. Excellent communication and organisational skills are essential, with the ability to manage competing priorities and make sound professional decisions, demonstrating NYAS’s values of Collaboration, Accountability, Respect and Empowerment.

How to Apply

Please apply via the the NYAS website. In your application, evidence using specific examples how your skills and experience meet the criteria in the person specification within the attached job description, including:

• Experience with vulnerable young people or families in a social care, advocacy or support setting
• Experience managing or supervising staff and/or volunteers
• Knowledge of legislation and policy relating to advocacy, safeguarding and children’s social care
• Excellent communication, organisational and report-writing skills, with sound professional judgement

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

Safeguarding and Compliance

NYAS operates robust safeguarding procedures, and internal candidates will be subject to references in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. In accordance with UK immigration law, proof of eligibility to work in the United Kingdom will be required as part of the recruitment process. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications.

About NYAS

NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is an established rights-based charity ensuring that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are respected, represented and supported in expressing their views. We work with care-experienced people who are often reliant on statutory services, and our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure their voices are heard.

We are an equal opportunities employer and a Disability Confident Employer, guaranteeing an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.

Job description 

Job Purpose 

The hospital to home service works collaboratively with hospitals to support people when they are discharged from hospital to return home. As a Hospital to Home Outreach Worker, you will provide temporary, practical and emotional support to service users within their home and make sure they understand the care and local community services available to them.

The service is time limited, usually up to 4 or 6 weeks, to adjust and settle back in their homes. 

Key Tasks 

• Assess the needs of service user’s either in hospital before discharge, or in their homes, and understand what barriers and enablers there might be to moving home. 

• Aid the discharge process and improve patient experience through tasks such as:

• Key cutting

• Co-ordinating with colleagues for the setup of the home environment such as checking fridge for in-date food 

• Checking heating, electric and gas is functional prior to discharge 

• Allowing access to the property for cleaning/repairs and receiving equipment

• Provide and/or arrange the practical and emotional support needed to enable service users to return home and/or remain safely at home. 

• Be vigilant and make referrals/signpost for additional needs that our wider team, or partners can support. E.g. for benefit checks, energy advice, carers support, befriending.  

• Help maximise service user independence by adopting an enabling approach. 

• Develop a listening, caring and professional relationship with the service user and their families/carers. 

• Provide domestic practical support within the home such as:

• Light cleaning,

• Washing (e.g. bedding),

• Changing bed sheets etc. 

• Prepare and service drinks and simple meals with or for the service user ensuring nutritional needs are met. 

• Accompany service user outside the home e.g. hospital/GP appointments etc. 

• Support service users with other tasks e.g. making telephone calls on their behalf, reading and responding to correspondence, completing simple forms (training will be provided) as directed by the service user’s etc. 

• Ensure services provided by AUKEL in the community are safe and person centred. 

• Report safeguarding concerns, in accordance with AUKEL safeguarding procedures. 

• Provide cover in the case of sickness and annual leave periods of colleagues. 

• Support service user reviews, ensuring all visiting information is uploaded on to Salesforce. 

• Support volunteers in the team and provide support and guidance to their development. 

• Work with a range of professionals including: 

• Supporting health and social care professionals with patient discharge 

• Liaising with the hospital health and social care professionals (e.g. Social Workers) to facilitate smooth supported discharge. 

• Handypeople & contractors.

Administration  

• Input all records, reviews, and visiting information to service user’s case notes in a timely manner to maintain up-to-date and accurate records on Salesforce.

• Report all “no access” failed visits, or changes in service user’s condition or circumstances in accordance with AUKEL’s policies and procedures. 

• Ensure service user comment sheets are completed.

• Ensure service user’s feedback questionnaires are sent at the end of each intervention and record returns. 

• Submit travel expenses regularly for sign off by manager. 

Quality  

• Be familiar with and to implement AUKEL policies and procedures in line with our Values. 

• Ensure the service is delivered in accordance line with Care Quality Commission principals. 

• Ensure integration with other AUKEL projects, and service users are referred and/or sign-posted to appropriate support services available to them.

• Respond to safeguarding or other concerns and make appropriate reports and management action.

Liaison  

• Work in collaboration with other agencies providing support within the service user’s home. 

• Work under the direction of the service manager and project officer/s. 

• Represent AUKEL and participate in appropriate external meetings and events to remain aware of local, regional, and national issues affecting quality and compliance issues affecting care and home support services. 

 General 

• Meet regularly with your line manager for support, supervision, and appraisal. 

• Attend team and staff meetings, and other meetings as required. 

• Undertake any other duties within the competence of the post holder as may be required from time to time for the continued smooth running of AUKEL. 

• Complete any training which is required to fulfil the role. 

• Carry out the duties of the post in accordance with AUKEL policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities, Mental Capacity, Deprivation of Liberty, Food Hygiene, Health & Safety, Confidentiality, Complaints, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults etc. 

• Work within AUKEL’s expectations of professional boundaries and confidentiality 

 Functional Links  

• The post holder reports to the manager /or Project Officer. 

• Close working with NHS health & social care professionals. 

• Close working with AUKEL internal departments e.g. Finance Team, Information and Advice, Befriending services, Community services, and our Handyperson services.

• Close working with external partner agencies e.g. Food Banks, Age UK Redbridge, Barking & Havering, and Age UK Waltham Forest. 

Join a growing Therapeutic service supporting children, young people and families.

Link Adoption & Family Support Service provides therapeutic support services for children, young people, and families across the UK. Much of our work is focused within adoption services, supporting adoptive families, children, and young people who have been adopted. We also provide therapeutic services to Special Guardians, kinship carers, and foster carers.

More recently, we have expanded our provision to support wider communities through partnerships with Barnardo's projects, health authorities, charities and voluntary sector organisations. Services are delivered both face-to-face and virtually across the UK.

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Therapeutic Social Worker to join our dynamic therapeutic services team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Social Worker to play a key role in coordinating therapeutic interventions that make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and families.

Working within a trauma-informed and attachment-focused service, you will manage referrals from initial enquiry through to case closure, ensuring children and families receive timely, appropriate support. You will work collaboratively  with therapists, commissioners, local authorities, and families to coordinate high-quality therapeutic interventions and help achieve positive outcomes.

The successful candidate will:

• Lead the assessment, planning and case management of therapeutic support packages, coordinating referrals from enquiry to closure and ensuring children, young people and families receive tailored, child-centred interventions.
• Provide safeguarding leadership, by assessing and managing risk, responding to safeguarding concerns, participating in the safeguarding duty rota and ensuring compliance with safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Offer professional consultation and support to therapists and practitioners, offering guidance on case management, safeguarding, risk management and best practice, contributing to quality assurance and continuous professional development.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with families, social workers, health professionals and partner agencies, acting as a key point of contact and ensuring collaborative, outcome-focused service delivery.
• Develop and maintain relationships with commissioners and referral partners, providing outcome reports, attending review meetings and identifying opportunities to enhance service delivery and grow referrals.
• Contribute to the growth and development of the service by identifying and delivering new service opportunities, leading improvement initiatives, supporting business development, and deputising for the Practice Manager when required.

This is a hybrid role, primarily home-based with occasional travel for training, team meetings and service-related activities. The successful candidate will become an integral member of our multi-disciplinary team, working collaboratively to deliver high-quality therapeutic services to children, young people and families.

About You

We are looking for someone who has:

• Professional Social Work qualification and registration.
• Experience of safeguarding practice and risk assessment.
• Additional training or qualifications in therapeutic practice, trauma informed approaches, attachment, adoption support, or related areas would be desirable.
• Experience within adoption, fostering, kinship care, Special Guardianship, or related children's services would be desirable.
• Excellent assessment and analytical skills.
• Strong organisational and case management abilities.
• Ability to manage a complex caseload and competing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills.

If you are passionate about therapeutic social work and want to work in a role that combines safeguarding, relationship-building, service development, and therapeutic coordination, we'd love to hear from you.

Additional Information

You must demonstrate within your application how you currently use, or have previously used, the skills outlined above and within the Job Description and Person Specification. This may be through employment or other relevant experience. Applications should demonstrate an understanding of the context and demands of the service described.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date.  We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible