External development manager jobs
Are you passionate about bringing people together to create change? As Community Fundraiser at New Citizens’ Gateway, you will inspire local communities, faith groups and supporters to stand alongside refugees and people seeking asylum. Your work will directly fund vital services that offer safety, dignity and hope to people rebuilding their lives in the UK. From energising community-led events to growing individual giving, you will turn compassion into action and ensure our work can reach even more people in need.
Benefits included:
- Generous 26 days annual leave to support a healthy work–life balance (excluding Bank Holidays)
- 6% employer pension contribution to help you plan for the future
- A friendly, inclusive and supportive team culture
- Meaningful work that makes a genuine difference to refugees and asylum seekers
- Regular supervision and ongoing support in a collaborative environment
- Flexible working approach, including occasional community and event-based work
This role is perfect for someone who believes in the power of community, thrives on connection, and wants their work to make a visible, lasting impact. Interview Date: 12/02/2026
Providing holistic support which enables inclusion of those seeking/getting protection in England and Wales as equal participants in the UK life
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Caseworker to join our Domestic Abuse team based at our office in Basingstoke with regular travel required throughout the region. Please note you will be required to work from the office full time.
What we offer
At Victim Support, we are committed to attracting and retaining the best talent. Our competitive rewards and benefits package includes:
- Flexible Working Options.
- Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
- Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
- Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
- Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
- Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
- Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
- Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
- Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
- Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
- Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.
About the Role
As a Caseworker, you will provide structured, tailored support plans based on holistic assessments for individuals affected by crime. You will make initial contact with victims via the telephone, then tailor the support to them explaining our services, and assessing the impact of crime. Your responsibilities will include developing, delivering, and monitoring safety and support plans, providing resources, interventions, and information to service users.
As a Caseworker you will:
- Manage a caseload of self-referred & referred service users, providing information & advocacy to help them navigate the criminal justice process.
- Conduct risk & needs assessments, ensuring each victim receives tailored support & information.
- Identify barriers to accessing services & work with partners to provide ongoing support.
- Keep accurate & confidential case records on a bespoke case management system
- Make calls to offer support to victims of domestic abuse, delivering immediate support.
- Develop, deliver and monitor safety and support plans for those affected by crime who accept ongoing support
- Liaise and actively engage with other local providers to share information on the VS service offer
- Work as part of a team with staff and the volunteer team to provide a seamless service to clients
About You
You will have an understanding of the impact of crime on victims & experience in delivering services within a statutory, voluntary, or multi-agency setting. Experience in managing a caseload and of completing risk & needs assessments would be beneficial.
You will need:
- Strong written & verbal communication skills.
- Strong IT skills, including the ability to navigate and utilise bespoke case management systems effectively and an ability to use Microsoft Office applications to a high standard
- Good organisational & time management skills, able to manage competing needs and priorities.
- To work effectively both as part of a team & independently
- To develop & maintain partnerships with internal & external organisations.
- The ability to maintain professional boundaries & confidentiality.
- Personal resilience to manage exposure to highly emotional or sensitive demands of the role
- This role involves regular travel and due to the location, a driving license and access to a vehicle is considered an essential requirement. If you are unable to drive because of a disability, please indicate this in your application in your personal statement so we can explore the feasibility of alternative arrangements.
- If you are passionate about supporting victims of crime and have the necessary skills and experience, we encourage you to apply.
About Us:
- Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. We put them at the heart of our organisation and our support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.
- Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.
- At Victim Support, we're proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We're committed to being an antiracist organisation, and we actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.
- As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so. We are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.
How to apply:
- To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.
We are looking for a dedicated and compassionate Caseworker to join our operations team. This role is full time and will be home-based with regular travel required throughout the Thames Valley region.
At Victim Support, we are committed to attracting and retaining the best talent. Our competitive rewards and benefits package includes:
- Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.
- Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
- Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
- Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
- Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
- Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
- Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
- Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
- Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
- Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
- Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.
As a Caseworker, you will provide structured, tailored support plans based on holistic assessments for individuals affected by crime. You will make initial contact with victims via the telephone, then tailor the support to them explaining our services, and assessing the impact of crime. Your responsibilities will include developing, delivering, and monitoring safety and support plans, providing resources, interventions, and information to service users.
As a Caseworker you will:
- Manage a caseload of self-referred & referred service users, providing information & advocacy to help them navigate the criminal justice process.
- Conduct risk & needs assessments, ensuring each victim receives tailored support & information.
- Identify barriers to accessing services & work with partners to provide ongoing support.
- Keep accurate & confidential case records on a bespoke case management system
- Make calls to offer support to victims of domestic abuse, delivering immediate support.
- Develop, deliver and monitor safety and support plans for those affected by crime who accept ongoing support
- Liaise and actively engage with other local providers to share information on the VS service offer
- Work as part of a small team with staff to provide a seamless service to clients.
About You
You will have an understanding of the impact of crime on victims & experience in delivering services within a statutory, voluntary, or multi-agency setting. Significant previous experience in managing a challenging caseload and of completing risk & needs assessments is essential.
You will need:
- Strong written & verbal communication skills.
- Strong IT skills, including the ability to navigate and utilise bespoke case management systems effectively and an ability to use Microsoft Office applications to a high standard
- Good organisational & time management skills, able to manage competing needs and priorities.
- To work effectively both as part of a team & independently
- To develop & maintain partnerships with internal & external organisations.
- The ability to maintain professional boundaries & confidentiality.
- Proven experience of managing a challenging caseload and a strong knowledge of safeguarding practices.
- A high level of personal resilience to manage exposure to emotional or sensitive demands of the role
- This role will involve ad-hoc travel across the Thames Valley to attend team meetings and in-person supervision sessions as well as providing a face to face service to clients where necessary. A driving license and access to a vehicle is considered an essential requirement. If you are unable to drive because of a disability, please indicate this in your application in your personal statement so we can explore the feasibility of alternative arrangements.
- If you are passionate about supporting victims of crime and have the necessary skills and experience, we encourage you to apply.
About Us:
- Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. We put them at the heart of our organisation and our support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.
- Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.
- At Victim Support, we're proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We're committed to being an antiracist organisation, and we actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.
- As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so. We are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.
How to apply:
- To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.
We are seeking to appoint an Events fundraiser to join our Challenge and Virtual Events Team as our Events Fundraising Officer.
Our Challenge Events programme is well established at Barnardo's and offers running, trekking and cycling events. We are looking for someone with a passion for events and a thirst for learning to help us deliver our third-party events calendar, including the Great North Run, Cardiff Half Marathon and London Landmarks. You will also help to shape our corporate challenge event programme and bespoke and owned portfolio of partnered events.
The successful candidate will:
- Have experience in marketing and recruiting fundraisers.
- Be passionate about delivering high-level stewardship to event participants.
- Have strong project management skills to aid event delivery.
- Have experience in managing multiple activities and deadlines, and working to agreed targets.
- Have the ability to build strong internal and external relationships to achieve mutual goals.
It is an exciting time for the Challenge and Virtual Events team at Barnardo's following growth across our third-party Challenge Events, the innovation and development of new partnerships and bespoke events. As a directorate, we are audience-led making sure insight guides our decisions and activity over the coming years. So, if you've got a passion for Events fundraising, innovation and delivering outstanding stewardship - we would love to hear from you!
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.
Pay & Reward Framework
We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.
For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.
Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.
Benefits
Workplace Offer: What it means for you
Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.
- Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
- Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
- The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave scheme
- A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
- Service related sick pay from day 1
- Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
- Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
- Cycle2work scheme
- Interest free season ticket loans
- Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
- 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
- Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
- Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
- Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer
*T&C's apply based on contract
About Barnardo's
We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
Our basis and values
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Outreach Recovery Worker
Location: Gillingham
Salary: £24,000 per annum
Vacancy Type: Permanent
Advertising End Date: 25 Feb 2026
About The Role
Are you driven to help people move away from street-based living toward safer, more stable futures?
We’re looking for a committed Outreach Recovery Worker in Medway to engage individuals living on the streets and help them move toward safer, more sustainable lifestyles.
In this role, you’ll empower service users, increase their involvement in their own recovery, and work collaboratively with partners to coordinate effective support that leads to positive outcomes.
What You’ll Do
You’ll spend much of your time out in the community, reaching out to individuals who are experiencing homelessness or living street-based lifestyles. You’ll build trust, offer support, and help people overcome barriers to engaging with services. This includes offering persistent, compassionate engagement to those who may be reluctant to accept help, guiding people away from street-based living where possible, and supporting smooth transitions from hospital into safe, appropriate accommodation.
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Building strong, trusting relationships with service users and delivering flexible, strengths-based interventions.
- Using approaches such as Motivational Interviewing to advise and support individuals around substance misuse.
- Working closely with drug and alcohol teams, mental health services, healthcare providers, housing partners, and local authorities to ensure coordinated support.
- Contributing to case conferences and representing the team at external forums where required.
- Maintaining accurate, confidential case records and participating in rough sleeping counts and national monitoring programmes.
- You’ll play a vital role in helping people access ongoing healthcare, reconnect with their home communities if appropriate, and move towards stable accommodation and improved well-being.
What We’re Looking For
Someone who can:
- Bring compassion, professional resilience, and a proactive, assertive approach to supporting people experiencing rough sleeping, begging and multiple disadvantage to achieve sustainable change.
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of complex needs, including mental health, substance and alcohol misuse, and the impact of trauma and long-term exclusion.
- Work confidently and patiently with people who may be reluctant to engage with services and who may at times present challenging behaviour.
- Uphold anti-discriminatory practice, maintain clear professional boundaries, and contribute to safe working environments for service users and staff.
- Work effectively within a multi-agency, strength-based approach, building positive relationships with statutory and voluntary partners.
- Commit to ongoing learning, training, reflective practice and supervision.
- Thrive in a fast-paced, challenging environment and adapt to changing priorities and client needs.
- Work flexibly across sites and be able to work unsociable hours in line with service delivery requirements.
About Us
We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.
We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits -
- Flexible working
- Training and development opportunities
- Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
- Season Ticket Loan Scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Crisis Loan Scheme
- Electric Car Scheme
- 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
- Access to Blue Light Card
- 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
- Contributory Pension Scheme – Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years’ service and up to 9% thereafter
- Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
- Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
At SATRO our mission is to raise young people's aspirations about their futures, and help equip them with the skills and confidence they need to pursue their goals.
About the Role
This role is all about preparing students for their futures after education by enabling them to acquire and develop key transferable skills, confidence and experiences of the workplace that they will need to make more informed decisions.
You will deliver engaging, interactive workshops and challenges aimed at developing students’ essential employability skills, building their confidence, and increasing their understanding of the variety of career pathways available.
About You
We are looking for someone enthusiastic, creative, who is a great communicator and comfortable working with young people in the full range of educational settings.
You should have experience of working with young people, including delivering workshops, a strong understanding of employability skills and the ability to engage and motivate learners.
About us
You will be joining a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to harnessing our relationships with businesses to raise young people's aspirations about their future careers, and through those partnerships help them understand employer expectations and develop the skills they will need to be successful.
We offer flexible working arrangements and a fun and supportive working environment
For more details please see the attached role description.
Inspiring young people about the possibilities and breadth of STEM careers, and giving them the skills and confidence to pursue their goals
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job Title: Lead Strategist, Methane (Maternity Cover)
Location: United Kingdom - Candidates can work remotely with occasional travel to the office
Remuneration: £70,000 - £80,000
Contract: Fixed Term Maternity Cover (ideal start date 23 February 2026 until 23 November 2026)
Hours: Full-Time or Part-Time Pro Rata (5 or 4 days per week)
The Role
Catalysing support for high-impact legal strategies on methane mitigation by mapping opportunities, aligning stakeholders across the legal ecosystem, and strengthening the ecosystem’s capacity for collective action on methane emissions with systemic-change potential in a shifting legal and political landscape. Supporting colleagues in relevant FILE grant-making portfolios to make well-informed decisions with respect to funding partners working to address methane emissions.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy development:Leading the design and evolution of innovative funding and convening strategies to support legal action aimed at reducing methane emissions from fossil fuel extraction processes, agriculture and waste, working in close collaboration with legal and grantmaking experts, and supporting civil society to build capacity, to address the contribution of methane emissions to the climate, health and biodiversity crises.
Collaboration and movement strengthening: Organizing knowledge-sharing sessions between ecosystem actors across regions, sectors and expertise, acting as a coordinator for the established communities of practice working on legal interventions targeting methane emissions, and coordinating activities related to methane legal interventions at major climate convenings.
Grantmaking, impact and learning: Producing research notes on emerging trends and upcoming initiatives that can benefit the ecosystem, and liaising with academic and research organizations on expanding insights useful for practitioners in the field.
Supporting colleagues in relevant FILE grant-making portfolios to make well-informed decisions with respect to funding partners working to address methane emissions.
Philanthropic engagement: Engaging with the broader philanthropic ecosystem as an expert thought partner, to deepen understanding of strategic approaches and outlining the potential collective and complementary opportunities, and organizing donor-engagement touchpoints through both bilateral meetings and annual roundtables or group sessions.
Key Outcomes
- A document outlining strategic opportunities to address methane mitigation through legal actions.
- In-person convenings with a sectoral, regional or thematic focus.
- Ongoing ecosystem collaboration efforts through circulating updates, organizing workshops or knowledge sessions.
- Engagement with philanthropic community via an annual roundtable and regular bilateral touchpoints
- An established community of practice.
About you
We know that long lists of criteria can be discouraging and that some candidates will not apply for a role unless they feel they feel they meet all of the criteria. If you feel you meet at least some of the essential criteria, we still encourage you to apply.
We also recognise that skills and experience can be gained in unexpected places, so we welcome applications from candidates who feel they have relevant skills for the role, gained from a wide range of professional, lived and learned experiences.
Essential criteria
- A sound and in-depth understanding of the legal frameworks for accelerating action on climates.
- Strong analytical and strategy development skills, including in particular an understanding of how to catalyse change in complex systems.
- An ability to work equitably and effectively with multiple perspectives and build trust with diverse partners, and understanding of funder positionality and responsibility.
- An understanding of principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and a developed ability to apply them within delivery of role’s outcomes and wider working relationships.
- A professional standard of written and spoken English.
Desirable
- Legal qualifications in a relevant jurisdiction.
- A sound and in-depth understanding of the legal frameworks for regulating and challenging methane emissions in relevant jurisdictions.
- Experience of building and / or maintaining external networks, bringing expert practitioners and / or civil society together
- A professional standard of major languages other than English could be useful, but is not essential.
About FILE
The Foundation for International Law for the Environment (FILE) is a not-for-profit philanthropic organisation working to accelerate legal action on climate change.
Through grant-making and in-house legal expertise, we empower our partners to deliver strategic, innovative legal interventions and we support lawyers in their own countries to bring their own cases.
Legal action can unlock the systemic changes in finance, policy and social systems needed to protect all of us from climate change. The power of the law is both direct (changing policy and practice) and indirect (signalling the wider shifts taking place across these systems).
FILE is a ‘regrantor’ - this means we do not bring legal action in our own name. We receive grants from our philanthropic donors and make onwards grants to partners who align with FILE’s charitable aims and purposes. We do not seek to make any profit from our activities either in a relevant financial year or in the longer term.
Location
We are advertising this role for candidates based (and with the right to work) in the UK and in the Netherlands. Please note that you will see this role advertised in multiple locations but that we are only hiring for one position based in either location, and that we are able to offer collaborative working spaces only in the Netherlands and the UK.
Please apply to the job post for your preferred location.
Working for FILE
FILE is a collaborative community of individuals who share a passion for climate, nature, and justice. We bring together knowledge and experience to support our mission.
Our people are empowered to lead their work both individually and as part of a wider team in order to make impactful change. As a relatively young organisation with the ambitious mission to change global systems, our roles are ideally suited to those who are strategic, innovative and collaborative, and open to growing in line with the Foundation.
FILE is committed to challenging systemic injustice. Our ability to do so is strengthened by the diversity of our partners and staff. Our mission, work and impact is global, with staff and partners from across the world and a range of lived experiences. We are actively working to create a culture where colleagues feel welcomed, heard and supported to succeed and thrive.
How FILE supports its staff
FILE is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. FILE offers a generous annual leave policy and additional time-off work to support wellbeing. Amongst other benefits, FILE offers private healthcare, enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave, enhanced sick leave, flexibility working remotely and also abroad and a matching contribution to a pension scheme.
Applications
Please apply on our website and upload your CV. This role is open for applications immediately and we accept applications on a rolling basis. If you are interested, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. The role will remain open for three weeks from the date of advertisement until 8 February 2026.
Representation and Culture
FILE recognises the under-representation of historically marginalized communities and individuals in climate, nature and philanthropy spaces. We are committed to developing an organization that represents the world we are looking to protect and building a culture that supports such.
In doing so, FILE is committed to building policies and practices that ensure no current or prospective employee is discriminated based on disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
All counselling delivered through The Matthew Hackney Foundation is provided in line with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (or equivalent professional standards).
The Matthew Hackney Foundation is a small, registered charity (Charity No. 1208669) dedicated to improving access to emotional and mental health support for children and young people who would not otherwise be able to access counselling.
We currently provide funded, school-based counselling across 23 Surrey schools and support approximately 45 children, young people and their caregivers each week. We are proud of the strong, trusting relationships we have built with the schools we work with, all of whom provide appropriate, private spaces for counselling sessions. Session days and times are arranged collaboratively, with flexibility for our counsellors wherever possible.
The Role
This role is particularly well suited to newly qualified counsellors or therapists looking to build confidence, experience and regular school-based hours within a highly supportive charity setting.
We are delighted to invite one or more fully qualified Counsellors to join our small, passionate team on a self-employed basis, initially for the Summer Term 2025.
You will provide a minimum of 3 hours of counselling per week in one school. There is flexibility to take on additional paid hours, up to 6 hours per day and up to 5 days per week, delivered across different schools, depending on availability and funding. Placements typically run for up to 11 weeks, aligned with individual school terms.
You will need access to your own transport, as travel between schools may be required.
Should funding continue, there may be opportunities to extend this work into the next academic year.
Key Responsibilities
Clinical Practice
· Deliver high-quality, safe and confidential 1:1 counselling to children and young people
· Undertake assessments and agree appropriate therapeutic interventions
· Manage and maintain a clinical caseload, including regular reviews
· Work using an integrative therapeutic approach
· Maintain accurate, confidential and up-to-date clinical records
· Engage in monthly clinical supervision with a suitably qualified supervisor experienced in working with children and young people (external supervision is acceptable and expected)
Working with Schools
· Build and maintain positive, professional relationships with pupils and school staff
· Work closely with the school’s designated contact and the Foundation’s Clinical Lead
· Embed the counselling service within the ethos of each school
· Work autonomously and proactively within the school environment
· Identify and discuss potential referrals appropriately
· Promote positive mental health and share good practice where appropriate
Safeguarding and Professional Practice
· Demonstrate a strong commitment to safeguarding and child protection
· Respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns and follow reporting procedures
· Work in line with KCSIE, statutory guidance and the Foundation’s safeguarding policies
· Maintain high standards of professionalism, conduct, punctuality and communication
· Promote the values, reputation and policies of The Matthew Hackney Foundation
Person Specification
We warmly welcome applications from newly qualified counsellors and therapists, as well as those with more established practice.
Essential Criteria
· A recognised post-graduate qualification in Counselling, Psychotherapy, or Psychology
· BACP Accreditation, UKCP or BPC registration (or working towards), or equivalent
· Experience of working therapeutically with children and/or young people or relevant transferable experience and a clear interest in developing this specialism
· A sound understanding of child development and the emotional, social and educational needs of children and young people
· A clear understanding of safeguarding and child protection responsibilities
· Commitment to equality, diversity and anti-discriminatory practice
· Ability to work independently while recognising when to seek support
Desirable Criteria
· Experience of working within a school setting
· Additional training in child and adolescent therapeutic approaches
· Knowledge of local CAMHS and mental health services
Personal Attributes
· A genuine passion for supporting the mental wellbeing of children and young people
· Emotionally resilient, reflective and self-aware
· Friendly, approachable and professional
· Proactive, organised and reliable
· Creative and flexible in approach
What Support Will I Get?
We recognise that working in schools — particularly as a newly qualified counsellor — can feel both exciting and daunting. We are committed to providing a supportive, containing and ethical environment in which you can develop your practice.
You can expect: - A named Clinical Lead for guidance, consultation and professional support - Clear safeguarding procedures and support with decision-making - Well-established relationships with schools, reducing administrative burden - Flexibility around days and times where possible - Opportunities to gradually increase hours as your confidence and availability grow - A values-led organisation that prioritises ethical practice, reflection and care for practitioners
Additional Information
Employment Status
- This role can be offered on either a self-employed or employed basis
- Self-employed counsellors are responsible for their own tax, National Insurance, supervision and professional insurance
- Employed counsellors will receive statutory holiday pay and employer National Insurance contributions; the employed hourly rate has been calculated to reflect this difference
- You must be able to commit to a minimum of one half-day per week (term time only) for at least one school term (ideal for newly qualified counsellors building a portfolio of experience)
- You will be required to obtain an Enhanced DBS check, provide evidence of safeguarding training, and supply three professional references
- Counsellors may also have the opportunity to be listed on our website for self-referrals and to receive referrals for part-funded work
If you share our values and are passionate about making a meaningful difference to children and young people’s mental health, we would love to hear from you.
We will review your application within 2 weeks and respond. Interviews will be arranged at a mutually convenient time and will happen in Byfleet, Surrey.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.


