Community worker jobs

Are you passionate about seeing young people flourish?
Do you long to build authentic relationships, create safe and joyful spaces, and help young people explore faith, purpose and belonging?​

We are seeking a creative, relational and faith-filled Christian Youth & Community Worker to pioneer and grow youth ministry among 11–18s in Furzedown and the wider local community.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape and develop a vibrant youth ministry in a warm, inclusive, multicultural church that seeks to Love God, Love People and Love Life.

We’re looking for someone who:

· Loves Jesus and is committed to helping young people encounter faith in authentic and relevant ways

· Can build strong relationships with young people from diverse backgrounds

· Is excited by both hands-on youth work and long-term vision building

· Can develop engaging youth programmes, discipleship opportunities and community outreach

· Enjoys working collaboratively within a church and community setting

· Will become an active part of the worshipping and relational life of the church

The role includes:

· Leading weekly youth sessions and discipleship groups

· Building connections with local schools and the wider community

· Mentoring and supporting young people pastorally

· Developing volunteers and young leaders

· Helping shape intergenerational worship at MLBC

· Creating welcoming spaces where every young person is valued and included

The role includes regular evening and Sunday working as part of the contracted hours, with active participation in Sunday worship forming a core part of the role. We are also open to conversations around part-time working, job share arrangements, paid student placements linked to relevant training courses.

Location: Mitcham Lane Baptist Church, Furzedown, South London

Hours: Full Time – 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £30,000–£32,500 (depending on experience)

Contract type: 3 Year Fixed-Term Contract​

We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences who can help us reflect the inclusive heart of Jesus in our community.

About Tadamon

Since the start of the genocide in Gaza, more than 1,300 Palestinians have arrived in Britain, with many hundreds more expected over the coming months and years. Some have arrived via boats and others as students or visitors unable to return home and forced to apply for asylum. Added to this are increasing numbers of students, injured children and their families who have been evacuated directly from Gaza to Britain.

Upon arrival they in dire need of support, but often instead find a hostile environment and a charitable sector decimated by legal aid cuts and with limited capacity to assist them. The support that is available has been provided on an ad hoc basis by the Palestinian community and other migrant and faith organisations.

Tadamon aims to formalise much of this ad hoc support, by extending more structured provisions for supporting the Palestinian community in Britain – particularly newly arrived Palestinian refugees and those from Gaza – through casework, community services, access to legal resources, advice and advocacy, mental health support, cultural connection, employment, language and skills training.

Purpose of the Role

Tadamon is seeking an experienced and compassionate Community Caseworker to join our small and growing team.

The postholder will work directly with Palestinian new arrivals, including asylum seekers, refugees, students unable to return home and evacuees from Gaza. Many of our community members are navigating trauma, loss, displacement and complex immigration processes.

The purpose of the role is to:

• Provide holistic, high-quality casework support and advocacy.
• Ensure community members can access safe housing, legal representation (via referral), healthcare, education and welfare support.
• Reduce isolation and strengthen community engagement.
• Support Tadamon’s volunteers and mentors to deliver coordinated and culturally grounded support.
• Contribute to Tadamon’s development as a new and growing charity.

This role does not involve the provision of any regulated immigration advice or medical advice. The caseworker will provide information, advocacy and referrals to appropriately regulated legal and medical professionals.

Tadamon is committed to building internal immigration advice capacity. We are keen to support the successful candidate, where appropriate, to work towards accreditation with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), subject to organisational need and funding, and in line with relevant regulatory requirements which we hope to work towards meeting in due course.

Key Responsibilities

Casework & Direct Support

1. Build positive, professional and trusting relationships with community members, ensuring a culturally sensitive and trauma-informed approach to casework.
2. Conduct comprehensive needs assessments and co-produce tailored support plans addressing immediate and longer-term needs.
3. Provide holistic casework support, including:
   • Support with accessing safe and stable housing.
   • Assistance with GP registration and navigating NHS services (without providing medical advice).
   • Support to access education, ESOL, employment and training opportunities.
   • Support accessing welfare benefits, access to our hardship fund, and financial assistance where eligible.
   • Referral to qualified immigration advisers and solicitors for legal advice.
4. Advocate (with informed consent) on behalf of community members with local authorities, housing providers, schools, healthcare providers, solicitors and other statutory or voluntary agencies.
5. Accompany community members to key appointments where appropriate and capacity allows.
6. Support individuals who may be at risk or in crisis, escalating safeguarding concerns in line with policy.

Community & Partnership Working

1. Encourage community members’ participation in Tadamon’s events, peer support initiatives and community activities to reduce isolation and strengthen connection.
2. Build and maintain effective partnerships with local authorities, legal providers, health services, community organisations and other stakeholders.
3. Contribute to the development of structured community initiatives and culturally appropriate support models for Palestinians in the UK.

Organisational Development

1. Maintain accurate and timely case records using Tadamon’s case management system in line with GDPR and data protection legislation.
2. Contribute to monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements, including providing anonymised case studies and data.
3. Attend supervision, team meetings and appraisals.
4. Take initiative in pursuing relevant training, including maintaining up-to-date knowledge of UK asylum, immigration and welfare systems.
5. Where agreed, work towards IAA accreditation to support Tadamon in building regulated immigration advice capacity (training and supervision support to be discussed).
6. Comply with all Tadamon policies and procedures, including safeguarding, confidentiality, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and safety.
7. Undertake other duties appropriate to the role as the organisation grows.

Person specification

The ideal candidate will be an Arabic speaker, and will have a minimum of three years’ experience as a caseworker. They must bring energy and determination to the role and must be committed to working in collaboration with community members who may be at high risk or in crisis.

The ideal candidate will possess a proven ability to manage a complex caseload and the desire to work as a member of a small team to protect and promote the interests of some of the Palestinian community through the provision of support to the individuals we seek to support.

The ideal candidate will be committed to the achievement of Tadamon’s long-term goals and will be passionate about ensuring that our community members can access the resources they need and feel seen, heard and supported in doing so.

The ideal candidate will have previous experience in carrying out casework with children, young adults, and vulnerable adults, including supporting and safeguarding individuals with complex needs.

Join a vibrant and brave grassroots organisation led by Gypsy and Traveller people in West Yorkshire.

Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (Leeds GATE) is an established and award-winning civil society organisation with a national profile. 

We are recognised as being innovative, brave and creative.  Our overall aim is to improve the quality of life for Gypsies and Travellers through addressing inequalities in homes, health, education, and employment, financial and social inclusion. We run a number of a community facing and strategic projects to achieve our aims including advocacy, community development and youth work. Those who access our services and activities are members of Leeds GATE.  

Job Purpose: 

Job Role 1: Working in Wakefield you will build trusted relationships with Leeds GATE members, residents and families living on the Heath Common local authority site, yards, houses and roadside across the Wakefield district. 80% of your working time will be on site in this location.

Job Role 2: Working in Calderdale you will build trusted relationships with Leeds GATE members, residents and families living on local authority site, yards, houses and roadside across the Calderdale district.  80% o0f your working time will be on site in this location.

Through your relationships you will gain understanding of people’s strengths, interests and hobbies, whilst also building up knowledge of the needs of support, barriers and issues faced by Gypsies and Travellers.   

As a community development worker you will help to develop and create opportunities to engage the community, such as activities and group work, thinking how these can help people to share their ideas, develop their skills, build confidence and empower them, as well as improving  health and wellbeing outcomes to enable better lives.   

The Role

We're looking for an experienced community development worker to lead a portfolio of projects and support the wider Lost Woods team. Using an asset-based community development (ABCD) approach, you'll work with adults, children, young people and families — particularly those facing barriers to accessing nature.

Your lead projects will include:

• Woods on Prescription and sustainable community woodland wellbeing activities
• Five Ways to Family Wellbeing – building confidence to take children and YP into woodlands
• Networking for underserved groups engaging with woodland and nature
• Evaluating and legacy-planning for all lead projects by November 2027

Alongside the team, you'll:

• Engage communities, map needs and help overcome barriers to participation
• Support volunteer groups to develop their own sustainable woodland activities
• Work with landowners, local authorities and partners to improve woodland access
• Deliver training, events and networking for stakeholders
• Report accurately on outcomes and maintain GDPR-compliant records
• Represent AirS at events and through social media
• Contribute to fundraising for Lost Woods and future AirS projects

About You

Essential:

• Experience of community development, including asset-based approaches and mentoring community groups
• Experience delivering nature-based, outdoor or conservation activities across a range of ages and abilities
• Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, including those with vulnerabilities or complex support needs
• Experience on multi-organisation partnership programmes
• Confident collecting, monitoring and evaluating data and writing funder reports
• Knowledge of ABCD and an understanding of barriers to community involvement, particularly in rural areas
• Strong interpersonal skills — able to influence and motivate volunteers, communities and stakeholders at all levels
• Good organisational skills and experience meeting monitoring and reporting requirements
• Qualified to GCSE level or equivalent; Forest School (level 2/3), Eco Psychology, Nature Connection or Counselling training also considered
• Current driving licence and use of own vehicle
• Outdoor First Aid trained, or willing to be — you'll lead risk assessments for woodland activities

Desirable:

• Accredited qualification or significant experience in community development or community organising
• Knowledge of rural Sussex, relevant statutory services and local conservation organisations
• Experience of line management or team leadership
• Coaching, mentoring or training facilitation skills
• Experience using social media to promote projects

Location: Lost Woods programme area (West, Mid & East Sussex) with home working Hours: 21 hours per week (some evenings/weekends – TOIL given) Salary: £30,833 pro rata Contract: Fixed term – programme ends November 2027 Annual leave: 28 days pro rata | Pension: 5% employer contribution

AirS is committed to equality of opportunity. This post is subject to a DBS check.