Health and wellbeing worker jobs in purley, greater london

Who you are

• You are someone who shares and can mobilise the charity's values of Independence, Empowerment, Partnership, Professionalism, Staff Recognition, and Sustainability. If you have knowledge, application, and commitment to these values, we want to hear from you.
•  
• You are someone with experience of or a commitment to developing a person-centred approach in working with people with complex needs and challenges.

• . Your values and working practice will align with those of the charity to maximise the independence of those you are working with; to enable their ability to make decisions about the types of service they receive of and to ensure that your approach is both professional and sustainable.

Who we are

At Balance we are committed to empowering those we support to build independence, fulfilled and self-confident lives.  We work hard to ensure our charitable values are central to the professional experience of those who work for us, with us and who benefit from our services. 

Main Responsibilities of the Job
.

• To demonstrate Balance values of partnership, independence, professionalism, empowerment, staff recognition, and sustainability in your conduct and approach to your work
• Through partnership, support and develop people's skills, confidence and interests as part of a multi-disciplinary day service offer.
• To support your colleagues, service managers, and other key professionals to put those using our service at the centre of your daily work.
• To maintain and update client and related operational records with an accurate and professional commitment.
• To ensure compliance with and the delivery of the charity's policies and procedures, particularly those related to safeguarding, inclusion, and disability discrimination.
• To support clients with their daily activities and to promote their independence
• To be able to communicate effectively with families, colleagues and clients.

Working Expectations

• The working day is  9 am - 4 pm Monday to Friday - 
• Attendance at training.
• Use of information technology to support your work.

Benefits of Working for us

The charity ensures the following benefits for all its operational staff:

• A baseline commitment to pay the London living wage for all its front line staff.
• A commitment to training and professional development to support internal progression as part of our performance support.
• Inclusion in and contribution to the charity's pension scheme.
• Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days a year plus an additional day off for your birthday.
• Access to a range of discount schemes.
• Access to the charity's employee assistance programme.
• Access to travel card, loan, and bike to work scheme.

 
Please note we do not accept applications from Overseas

Benefits

A baseline commitment to pay the London living wage for all its front-line staff.
A commitment to training and professional development to support internal progression as part of our performance support.
Inclusion in and contribution to the charity's pension scheme.
Generous annual leave allowance of 25 days a year, plus an additional day off for your birthday.
Access to a range of discount schemes.
Access to the charity's employee assistance programme.
Access to travel card, loan, and bike to work scheme

Job Description

Brent Mencap has been passionate about a healthier and fairer Brent since 1979. We’ve developed and run successful housing, employment, health, advice, wellbeing and self-advocacy services. During austerity and Covid we diversified, successfully taking on NHS work with people with long-term health conditions. We provide social prescribing support and health and wellbeing coaching to patients for Brent GPs. In 2024-5 we helped over 18000 people. We’re a leading partner on the Brent Health Educators Programme. Recently we’ve focused on developing and retaining a much larger staff group, using our data better and improving our marketing.

Brent Mencap offers fantastic free creative and wellbeing activities for people with a learning disability, autism and long-term health conditions. These have flourished since Covid. People love yoga, poetry, singing, gardening, Breathe and Move, self-advocacy, campaigning, awareness raising, CREATE art activities for young people, external trips and parties. Small grants, donations and our reserves fund this while we get longer term funding. Our self-advocates want us to focus on paid employment, youth services and making Brent Council use accessible information properly. People with a learning disability, neurodiversity and their family carers are inclusively supported by social prescribers for advice and by health educators/coaches for health-related matters if needed.

Our current Executive Director, who has led Brent Mencap so well for 25 years wants to retire. The successful candidate will build on Brent Mencap’s history, current success and potential so our long-term passion for a healthier and fairer Brent can evolve and improve the lives of Brent People. Are you the amazing successor to lead and inspire our talented, committed team?

We are looking for someone who  

· Has the relevant voluntary sector experience, vision, determination and leadership skills

· Is committed to developing and supporting our diverse staff group

· Can see the bigger picture but also focuses on the important details

· Supports our ethos of person-centred service delivery and activities

· Can communicate well with users, partners, staff, trustees and funders

· Enjoys influencing and raising awareness

· Is entrepreneurial, savvy, confident and can maintain our current  financial stability and diversify our income streams

· Understands the lived experience of disability, long term health conditions and inequality  and wants to improve their lives

· Understands the importance of marketing and data to challenge inequality, promote positive change and attract new funds.

· Can prioritise reviewing and improving our data collection

· Can develop funding project plans that includes staffing for enhanced  wellbeing and creative activities, for  young people, employment  related support and other identified needs

In addition, they will have to:

· Work with the Board of Trustees and staff to develop our vision, implement strategic plans and  deliver agreed objectives

· Be able to ensure all aspects of our work are done safely, legally, in line with our articles/constitution  and able to assess risks and mitigate them

· Be responsible for staff development, management and all aspects of the administration of the organisation

· Be an ambassador for Brent Mencap, meeting and working with leaders with statutory and voluntary sector, Royal Mencap and local Mencaps

· Represent the lived experiences and voices of people with learning disabilities, neurodivergence, long term conditions and their families who inform our work and the work of others in Brent

· Work late occasionally, attend evening events, meetings and occasional weekends and undertake any other necessary tasks as required to ensure Brent Mencap functions safely.

In order to deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is required and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. This job description will be subjected to review with the post holder, from time to time to ensure it accurately reflects the duties and range of the post.

This post is:

• subject to Enhanced DBS Disclosure

• subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. It will be necessary for a disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and barring Service for details of any previous criminal convictions.

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK

• Please note: Our office base is on the first floor of a Victorian building with steep stairs.

To be shortlisted,

· Candidates must fully complete our application form, and show clearly how their previous experience and knowledge meets all aspects of the person specification with examples given of actual actions/experience relating to the person specification. Please go to our website to complete the application by 9.00am on 28th August. We do not accept CVs

· Be prepared to visit Brent Mencap so key staff and self-advocates can meet them informally before the interview day  or have a 60–90-minute Teams meeting with them. To arrange a face-to-face or Teams  meet up on a Wednesday only  please contact our office manager Simon via the website.

Interview details

· A 4-part Interview with senior staff, self-advocates, operational managers and trustees, will take place at Brent Mencap on Friday 5th or 12th September 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be given a paper-based scenario to complete and send to us on the Thursday before the interview

· We anticipate the full interviews will take 2.5 hours with a 30-minute break at some point.

Job description

Treasures Foundation provides housing and support for women recovering from addiction, trauma, and involvement with the criminal justice system. We help women rebuild their lives through safe housing, access to essential services, and programmes focused on rehabilitation and long-term recovery. Our mission is to empower women to thrive in their communities and build a brighter future.

We are now seeking a Full Time and/or Part Time Keyworker to join our expanding Treasures team. 

Key Responsibilities

The Keyworker will report directly to the Specialist Support Manager and will play a critical role in maintaining the effective running of Treasures Foundation’s supported housing. The core responsibilities include:

Beneficiary support

·  Undertaqking key working activities including: referrals, risk assessments, support
planning

· Support beneficiaries communicating with them about their day or any difficulties that arise for them

·Take a holistic approach to support beneficiary needs, seeking and highlighting opportunities for change at the individual’s and project level

·  Fostering a holistic approach to supporting beneficiaries needs, seeking and
highlighting opportunities for change at the individual’s and project/ organisational
level

·   Jointly developing and delivering a group programme which meets the needs of the women
and aims of the project, such as effective communication and conflict resolution

·   Developing individual key work plans alongside the beneficiary and offering them
appropriate support to implement them

·  Supporting the beneficiaries to access voluntary work, extra-curricular activities and
educational courses

Reporting and Compliance

· Verbal and written handover to other staff

· Use on call if needed in an emergency

·  Ensure our monitoring system Lamplight is up to date

· Complete online training

· Gather data for monitoring and evaluation

Person Specification

The ideal candidate will have a passion for working in the charity sector. They will be proactive, solution-oriented, and able to manage competing priorities in a sometimes challenging environment.

Essential Skills and Experience:

·  Flexible attitude with the ability to understand and implement policies and procedures, keeping the beneficiary at the heart of the work

· Demonstrable experience of lone working in a similar environment

· Excellent organisational and time-management skills

· Strong communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly to other staff members

· IT literate

Desirable Skills and Experience:

· Evidence of trauma informed qualifications or experience

What We Offer

· The opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of women recovering from addiction and trauma.

· A supportive and passionate team dedicated to creating lasting change.

· Opportunities for professional development through training and teaching.

· Therapy for staff

· Regular Supervision

Are you passionate about empowering South Asian women and making a meaningful impact in your community?

We are looking for a dedicated, compassionate Community Caseworker to join our team and provide frontline support to South Asian single mothers affected by domestic abuse. This is a unique opportunity to combine direct advocacy with community outreach and project work, helping us to deliver and develop our vital services.

Who We Are

 Maa Shanti is a specialist charity supporting South Asian single mothers and their children who have experienced domestic abuse. We offer culturally responsive, trauma-informed support to help women rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Our services include one-to-one casework, advocacy, group activities, mental health support, and community outreach. We work in partnership with local organisations to ensure women are heard, respected, and supported every step of the way.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide one-to-one emotional and practical support to women impacted by domestic abuse and exploitation
• Deliver in-person outreach and advocacy across North (with a focus on South Camden) and East London
• Build referral pathways and collaborate with grassroots organisations to strengthen community connections
• Facilitate workshops, group activities, and online peer spaces
• Help shape new services based on lived experience and community feedback
• Promote awareness of domestic abuse within South Asian communities and represent Maa Shanti at local forums

What We’re Looking For:

• At least 3 years’ experience (paid or voluntary) in VAWG, social care, or community support
• Fluency in a South Asian language (e.g. Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi)
• Experience supporting vulnerable groups, especially survivors of abuse and migrants
• A strong understanding of cultural barriers and intersectional challenges faced by South Asian women
• Confidence working both independently and collaboratively, with excellent communication skills
• A trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and empowerment-focused approach

What We Offer:

• Flexible hybrid working with a supportive, mission-driven team
• Opportunities for training and professional development
• A chance to make a real difference in the lives of marginalised women and children

Please Note:

This post is open to women only, under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1. Cultural knowledge and lived/community experience of South Asian contexts will be highly valued.

If you're passionate about empowering women, tackling inequality, and working as part of a supportive and mission-led team, we’d love to hear from you.

How to Apply:
Send your CV and a covering letter, no more than 2 pages long, outlining how you meet the essential criteria set out in the person specification and your interest in this role.

Application deadline: Sunday 17 August 2025
Interviews: Thursday 4 and Friday 5 September 2025

Join us in creating safer futures for South Asian single mothers. Your work will matter.

The post-holder will maintain a manageable caseload of clients needing support with their welfare rights and benefits. The role is to support the Welfare Rights Advice Project Team with the following:

1. To carry out an initial client assessment, identifying any issues with their benefits and any claims they can make to maximise their income.
2. Provide casework (including challenging decisions) for welfare benefits available to clients with mental health difficulties and their carers: i.e. Personal Independence Payments, Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit.
3. Provide information and advice as appropriate about issues related to a client’s particular situation.
4. Provide advice and casework for mobility and discretionary schemes and personal grants that could be of benefit to clients.
5. Take referrals directly from service users, carers or staff from other agencies (encouraging use of our online referral form)
6. Signpost and refer clients to agencies that assist with transition from hospital to community living, or to tackle social isolation and improve mental wellbeing.
7. Maintain records in accordance with Hear Us policies and procedures, including the handling of confidential and private documents and keeping written and computer records up to date and secure.
8. Liaise with GPs, CMHT’s and other agencies to obtain supporting documents, by telephone, letter and e-mail.
9. Taking confidential telephone messages from clients and outside agencies.
10. Take part in weekly WRAP team meetings regarding case allocation, and stay up to date with changes in benefits legislation. 
11. Attend regular supervision and yearly appraisals with line manager.
12. Assist WRAP manager to write reports and evaluate the project for funding bids and to support and promote the project.
13. Collect and distribute flyers and leaflets for signposting purposes.
14. Attend Hear Us staff meetings, staff development days, and other Hear Us events (e.g. Hear Us Open Forum) where directed by line manager.
15. Attend identified training and other personal development activities that will support you in this role.
16. Develop and maintain healthy working practices for yourself, with clear personal and professional boundaries.

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London.  All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment. 

We are recruiting an Employment Advisor to join our IPS service, you will be based in Barking and Dagenham, working 35 hours per week and co-located in a mental health treatment team within the Borough. This service closely to the principles of the IPS model in supporting people in to employment. This role will be working with clients who have mental health support needs, wanting to gain paid employment. 

Experience of employment support is not essential, it is more important that you share our passion and commitment to employment as an integral aspect of wellbeing and supporting people to find the right job for them. You will receive training on the IPS model and in supporting people with mental health issues. We welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health, either personally or through a close contact.

You need to have a desire to support people to achieve their employment goals, and the ability to multitask and manage your workload effectively. Good organisation skills are essential for this role, in addition to an interest in mental health, and the role it plays in the workplace. The successful candidate will need to become comfortable in approaching employers, and showcase the advantages of our service in order to work with them to recruit our clients to fill vacancies and sustain employment.

You will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. You will deliver the IPS approach (for which training will be given); providing person centred support and guidance to clients, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.

You will work as part of a mental health team (NHS Trust) maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment. You will work closely with clinical teams, providing a coordinated approach that always remains client led.  You will also be working to targets whilst maintaining a high-quality service. 

If you would like to discuss this role please see the Job Description for contact details.

Please click apply to send your CV and answer the screening questions (cover letter optional). 

Staff benefits include an employer contribution to a personal or workplace pension equivalent to 6% of gross salary. 30 days annual leave plus paid public holidays (FTE). 

Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities and Confident about Disabilities.

Closing date: Thursday 6th August (11pm). Please note, we will be actively interviewing during this time and may close the vacancy early.

Telephone interviews: 11-14th August (please note you may be contacted prior to the deadline.)

Final Stage interviews: 21/22 August

London Borough of Camden

This is an exciting opportunity for a Family and Volunteer Support Worker to deliver a volunteer support service for new parents and their families during the perinatal period across the London borough of Camden in the Parents Matter Perinatal Family Support Service.

This service provides a programme of support for pregnant women and new parents which includes volunteer face-to-face befriending in the home and community as well as support by phone and video. The aim of the programme is to increase the resilience and emotional wellbeing of new parents who are experiencing isolation and low-level mental health issues

The Family and Volunteer Support Worker will work closely with the Team Leader and other antenatal and perinatal Support Workers as well as in partnership with Children’s Centres/Family HUBS, midwifery, health teams and mental health services.  You must be able and willing to travel regularly around London Borough of Camden.

About Us

Family Lives is a national charity with over four decades of experience in helping parents deal with the changes that are a constant part of family life. We provide targeted early intervention and crisis support to families online, via our national services or in the community.

Family Lives offers good flexible working opportunities including flexibility regarding days/hours worked for part time staff and an option to work from home when not working in the community. In addition, all staff start with 27 days annual leave, pro-rata, plus bank holidays. This increases with length of service.

Please visit our website to obtain the job description, full person specification, and the link to apply using our online system.

Please ensure that you cover all criteria on the person specification as this will be used for shortlisting purposes.

Please note that the vacancy may be closed earlier if we get enough applicants.

Closing date: Sunday 10th August 2025. Interview date: Tuesday 19th August 2025.

We are Hestia. We make a difference.

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 Support Worker to play a pivotal role in our Care Home Service on Talgarth Road.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

In this role, you will manage a caseload of clients requiring early intervention or preventative mental health support, deliver group activities and co-produced programmes, and clearly communicate the service's aims and pathways to ensure user understanding and participation. You will empower service users to engage effectively with community professionals such as mental health teams, social workers, housing providers, and Jobcentre Plus. Working flexibly within a team, you will help ensure full service coverage and meet contractual obligations. You will also develop and promote peer support networks and community-based initiatives that support users in achieving their goals. The role involves actively monitoring the wellbeing, safety, and security of service users, responding promptly to concerns, supporting colleagues, and taking initiative in service delivery. Additionally, you will be responsible for accurate and timely administration, including maintaining records, completing referrals, assessments, and service reviews, and participating in supervision, appraisals, and ongoing service development.

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.

Here's what the team will be looking for

The ideal candidate will have lived experience of mental health care pathways, such as emergency department attendance, acute admissions, or involvement with community mental health services. They will have a strong understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with a range of mental health conditions and be able to provide support with dignity, respect, and clear communication. The ability to quickly build and maintain trusting relationships with service users, carers, peer support workers, and professionals is essential, along with well-developed listening skills and the ability to engage effectively with individuals in crisis, both face-to-face and over the phone. Candidates should have good knowledge of local recovery tools, wellbeing resources, and mental health services, and be able to assess needs, risks, and aspirations to offer appropriate signposting. Strong time management and prioritisation skills are key, as is the ability to work dynamically and remain calm under pressure. The role also requires good IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Word, Outlook, and internet use, as well as solid literacy and numeracy skills to produce clear, accurate written communication. A sound understanding of safeguarding issues and how to respond appropriately is essential. The candidate must be able to work both independently and collaboratively within a team and support the induction of new peer staff and volunteers. Excellent communication and partnership-building abilities are crucial to succeed in this role.

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.

Role Overview

The Film & TV Charity’s Looking Glass research on the mental health of the UK film, TV and cinema workforce has consistently shown that mental health and rates of loneliness at work are significantly worse in this sector than among the population as a whole. Further Charity research has also shown that the two are closely linked, strongly suggesting that tackling loneliness is vital part of the industry-wide fight to protect the mental health of the workforce. 

As the Community Development Manager, you will use our research insights to help develop the Charity’s community strategy, managing a programme of work that seeks to embed social connection as a core mental health priority in the Charity’s work and among the wider industry. You will also deliver specific projects stemming from the community strategy. Foremost among these is the Charity’s Community Partnerships programme. This involves working with a cohort of peer and community-led industry support groups to meet the needs of their communities, primarily through regular events-based engagement at our Soho offices. But it may also involve contributing to the co-working space offer at our offices in Soho, and to the Charity’s research on themes related to loneliness and social connection.

You will need to have experience of strategy development and partnerships or community management, and the excellent relationship management skills on which this depends. A background in developing mental or social wellbeing interventions is highly desirable, as is experience working in the film, television or creative industries. You will be a positive and enthusiastic individual, with a passion for creating solutions that support people’s mental and social wellbeing.

 Main Areas of Responsibility

Community Strategy

·Continue to onboard and engage Charity staff with latest loneliness research findings

·Work with senior leadership to develop the Charity’s existing community strategy in response to the latest loneliness research findings and get buy-in from internal stakeholders

·Work closely with relevant teams to develop key actions informed by these strategic priorities

·Working with senior leadership, onboard and engage key industry stakeholders with the latest loneliness research findings and recommendations (where appropriate this may involve working closely with other Charity team members)

·Work closely with the Charity’s Impact and Evaluation Lead to ensure the impact of our Community Strategy is measured appropriately and reported on regularly in staff and trustee updates

Community Partnerships

 -Continue managing (and growing) the Charity’s network of peer support and community groups, with a focus on communities experiencing high levels of loneliness

-Plan and deliver partner engagement events, with the aim of combatting loneliness and fostering belonging for the most vulnerable industry workers

-Day to day management of the Community Partners will involve working with the Charity’s Wellbeing Services Coordinator to manage partner event bookings, enquiries, building partner relationships, supporting partners with event management, attending partner events and gathering wellbeing insights from these communities to grow the Charity’s industry knowledge and support offer

-Support the partners to deliver effective and sustainable community building and peer support by organising appropriate workshops and webinars

-As needed, co-produce events with partners that aim to deliver on our partnership goals of fostering community and creating meaningful social connection

- Raise awareness of our Community Partners and their work within the wider industry

-Measure the impact of the Community Partnerships through tools such as member surveys and partner interviews, and regularly report on these findings

Co-working Space Development (tbc)

-Develop the Charity’s co-working space in Golden Square to be an inclusive, welcoming community hub for industry freelancers, that supports them to foster meaningful social connections

- Improve user satisfaction rates, working with relevant teams to improve operational support, bookings systems, user policies and drive deeper engagement with the Charity’s wider services

Research

 -Support research projects (conducted either internally or by external partners) that continue to develop our understanding and evidence base on loneliness and social connection

-Contribute to the national and international dialogue on loneliness by sharing the Charity’s research findings, collaborating with key stakeholders and promoting best practice

-Develop relationships with professionals working to tackle loneliness (third sector, private sector, academia) to enable knowledge sharing, ensuring the charity’s work informs wider evidence on workplace loneliness

-Support the wider team to develop wellbeing projects and initiatives using research findings

General

-To operate in a way that ensures you are recognised as a role model for the Charity’s core values and behaviours.

-To undertake any other works as could be expected.

-To be prepared to travel to meetings across the UK and be away from home overnight occasionally, as the job reasonably demands.

- Candidates will need to be able to work evenings on a regular basis to support Community Partnership events. We operate a Time off in Lieu system to ensure that this is achievable within the post-holder’s contracted working hours.

We're looking for a confident and compassionate Co-Director to lead our mental health charity using gardens, creativity & community for recovery.

**We offer mentoring support for applicants who might benefit from additional guidance - please see the full Job Description for further details**

About Sydenham Garden

Based in Lewisham in South-East London, Sydenham Garden is a unique wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people living with and recovering from mental and physical ill-health. We provide nature and arts based creative, social and therapeutic activities for co-workers (the name we give to our primary beneficiaries).

About the role 

Our Director has been in post since November 2021 and on returning from maternity leave in January 2026 she will be working 3 days a week.  We are seeking a Co-Director to jointly lead the organisation going forwards as we have made a positive decision to move towards a co-director model.  This is an exciting opportunity which can have benefits of increasing capacity, efficiency, and transparency and allow for a broader range of identities both to better reflect the diverse populations they serve and as a way to include more diverse leaders. It is a model that can also reduce burnout, build equity, and support flexible working.

As Co-Director you will be jointly responsible for leading and manage the day-to-day running of Sydenham Garden for the benefit of our co-workers.  This will involve overseeing implementation and regular review of Sydenham Garden’s strategic plan and to ensure all governance arrangements are in place to monitor the work of the organisation and to report to the Board of Trustees and to funders.

You will ensure fundraising and financial plans and processes are in place to deliver the agreed services, including fundraising from Trusts & Foundations, community fundraising and developing contracted services as necessary.

The Co-Directors will be jointly accountable to the Trustee Board for all aspects of the job description. You may take lead responsibility on particular areas which will be discussed and agreed with the existing Co-Director and Trustee Board.

About You

You are a confident and compassionate leader with a commitment to the mental health and wellbeing sector.  You bring a thoughtful, strategic and inclusive approach to leadership.

Your communication skills are excellent, and you’re able to build strong, trusting relationships with colleagues at all levels, as well as with external partners, funders, and stakeholders.  You are deeply committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, with a clear track record of putting these values into practice.

You have a proven experience in securing income for charitable work and are confident in financial management and planning. 

You also understand the value of co-production and have experience working collaboratively with volunteers and co-workers (service users), ensuring their voices are central to service design and delivery.

We’re looking for someone who is dedicated to the mission of Sydenham Garden and has relevant experience at management level in a mental health charity of similar organisation. 

How to apply

Candidates will be shortlisted based on:

· Experience of working at a management level in a mental health charity or comparable organisation. 

· An excellent strategic thinker with experience of input into strategic development and implementation.

· Good communication skills and the ability to build relationships with colleagues at all levels in an organisation and with external contacts and partners. 

· A proven commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

· Experience of line managing and developing staff, including through appraisal systems. 

· Proven ability to secure income, manage fundraising processes and to manage and produce fundraising applications. 

· Experience of financial management and planning, including managing budgets. 

· Experience of working with volunteers and co-workers (service users). 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Sydenham Garden is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). We want to build a diverse and inclusive staff, volunteer and trustee team where everyone feels that they belong and that reflects the profile of the communities we serve. Therefore, we will welcome and consider applications from candidates of all backgrounds and protected characteristics, and we particularly encourage applications from people of African or Caribbean heritage to ensure our staff team represents the communities we serve.

To apply, please send us a CV together with a supporting statement (maximum 2 pages, minimum font size of 11) that addresses how you meet the Person Specification listed above.

Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
Free DBS
Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
Fully paid induction programme and further training
ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
Cycle to work scheme
Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
Online wellbeing resources
A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

What you'll bring:

Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience in the social care/charity sector

Experience working in the mental health field.

We focus on Excellence and innovation.
We are Caring and Compassionate.
We are Inclusive and Trusted.
We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Job Title: Refuge Worker

Location: This is an onsite role, located within the London Borough of Hounslow, there may be a requirement to occasionally work in the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Salary: £17,314.27 per annum (Inclusive of London Weighting, which may not be applicable depending on your home location
Contract type: Part Time, Permanent 

Hours: 22.5 hours (days to be discussed)

Are you passionate about supporting women and children escaping domestic abuse? We are looking for a compassionate and dedicated Refuge Worker to join our team, providing vital support in a safe and secure environment for those in crisis. This is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable individuals when they need it most.

As a Refuge Worker, you will be responsible for delivering practical and emotional support to residents, ensuring their safety and wellbeing while they rebuild their lives. Key duties include conducting risk assessments, safety planning, supporting access to benefits and housing, liaising with external agencies, and maintaining accurate case records. The ideal candidate will be empathetic, resilient, and highly organised, with experience of working in a support or advocacy role, ideally within the domestic abuse or safeguarding sector.

This is a rewarding role where your work has a direct impact every day. In return, we offer a supportive team environment, opportunities for training and development, and the chance to be part of a cause that truly matters.

Closing Date: 09:00am 13 August 2025

Iterview Dates: 18 and 19 August 2025

Refuge is the UK’s largest provider of specialist services, and we are proud to be a leader in our field and an employer of choice, with leading edge systems for supervision, quality management and development.

Refuge offers a variety of exciting opportunities to learn, develop and grow in your career. We recognise the value everyone brings to the organisation to achieve our aims and are dedicated to developing and rewarding our staff. More details of our benefits can be found in Job Information Pack.

We're looking for a kind, compassionate and resilient Support Worker to join our Barnsley Street Project in Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets.

£18,725.20 per annum, working 26 hours per week.

Want to feel like you're making a difference? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• Free DBS
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card
• Fully paid induction programme and further training
• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support
• Online wellbeing resources
• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 4% and life assurance cover up to £10,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

The Barnsley Street Project is a pilot service funded by NHS money following a bid by East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT). The service comprises of Look Ahead staff, ELFT staff, and Tower Hamlets Mental Health VCSE Alliance, formed of 17 local VCSE organisations. The Barnsley Street Project operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide support for people in the catchment area of one primary care network in Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets. It provides a variety of psychosocial and clinical interventions, including the provision of 6 Hospitality Beds for short term support and intervention.

Support Workers within the Barnsley Street Project will be expected to support individuals requiring support from the local community that walk in to the service and those staying in our hospitality beds. This support may include providing tailored and co-produced practical, emotional, trauma-informed support to individuals with a variety of challenges relating to their mental health. This may include the management of symptoms, social support, navigating benefits and welfare systems, practical skills and signposting to specialist services in the local authority for intensive or specific support as required.

The shift pattern for this role involves two 13-hour shifts per week (07:30-20:30), including Wednesdays.

What you'll bring:

Essential:

• NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent with some or equivalent sector work experience

Desirable:

• Experience working in a mental health setting or service.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not-for-profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co-design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.
We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.
• We are Caring and Compassionate.
• We are Inclusive and Trusted.
• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.
We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Purpose of the post

The Engagement and Involvement Lead will engage with young people, families, schools and other interest-holders in the process of designing, delivering and ensuring the best outputs from the Adolescent Health Study, and is critical for the success of the project.  We are at the early stages of laying the foundations for this and in this new role we are seeking an experienced and passionate individual to co-ordinate and lead AHS’s cross-UK participant and public involvement and engagement activities.

This is a role that requires high levels of confidence, autonomy, enthusiasm and skill. The postholder will be responsible for delivering the project’s new Engagement and Involvement Strategy, including:  establishing and coordinating a Young Persons’ Advisory Group for AHS; developing and delivering AHS public engagement and involvement activities; outsourcing and supervising engagement and involvement activities that are better provided by external partners; scoping and advising on which routes for involvement and engagement activities are best suited to different tasks. 

Main responsibilities

Planning & strategy delivery

· Ensuring the study delivers the values and approaches set out in the AHS engagement and involvement strategy

· Planning, delivering and reporting on an ongoing, regular and important programme of engagement events and activities

· Reviewing/revising/adding to existing policies, processes and procedures to support effective working together with people and communities (such as reimbursement, compensation, making reasonable adjustments)

· Developing and implementing appropriate evaluation, monitoring and reporting of Community Engagement & Involvement

· Keeping up to date with good practice & sector advances and sharing these with the AHS team.

Practical engagement and involvement

· Developing methods to enhance engagement and involvement, and helping to build positive relationships with young people and stakeholder groups, including charities, third sector & advocacy groups

· Overseeing day-to-day planning & delivery of a high-quality engagement and involvement programme.  To include, for example:

o Managing and supporting Youth Advisors

o Recruiting and running a standing Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG)

o Organising & delivering other ad hoc engagement activities as necessary

· Securing external partners where necessary, and managing contracts and delivery of their work across the UK

· Ensuring that any external parties (e.g. organisations, freelancers, consultants) supporting AHS’s involvement and engagement work have clear roles, responsibilities & goals

· Working with the Head of Communications to develop and manage provision of relevant information to members of the public, teachers, young people & researchers

· Keep clear records of involvement and engagement activities, ensuring results are used to inform the study and the wider research community.

Team support

• Checking for and capitalising on possible opportunities for engagement and involvement to be embedded in the work of the wider team
• Ensuring appropriate induction, training, mentoring and support is organised for the research team and communities involved
• Sharing examples of emerging good practice and CEI (Community Engagement & Involvement) impact across the research team.

Wider

• Contributing to shared learning and future sustainability as part of wider CEI communities of practice
• Acting as a key point of contact for community members and partners involved in the research
• Representing and presenting the AHS study’s engagement and involvement work to the wider research community at a senior level, including in national engagement & involvement networks as necessary.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential criteria

· Undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field

· Experience developing and delivering engagement and involvement activities with young people and other relevant interest-holders (such as parents, families, teachers and schools)

· A proven track record or professional background in working with young people – such as in youth work, counselling, mentoring, education, or a related setting

· Understanding and experience of good practice in youth engagement and involvement,  including the principles and implementation of safeguarding, data protection, and inclusive practice

· Awareness of culturally sensitive approaches and methods to be inclusive of all relevant perspectives, including  marginalised and vulnerable groups

· Experience of successful project management and ability to deliver, working independently.

· Ability to design and deliver workshops, focus groups or meetings that encourage open dialogue and collaboration

· Ability to manage a budget and report on financial activity accurately

· Ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team, with experience of working alongside and influencing senior level professionals

· Research literacy, with a clear understanding of large UK-wide research initiatives and the various competing demands and pressures the study will face

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills - able to communicate effectively and confidently with a range of stakeholders and to summarise and report key information clearly and accurately, both verbally and in writing

· Demonstrated commitment to youth participation and the meaningful inclusion of young people’s perspectives.

· Confident using online tools (e.g. MS Teams, Zoom), and collaborative platforms (e.g. SharePoint, Microsoft 365)

Desirable criteria

· Relevant qualification in engagement and involvement

· Post-graduate degree or equivalent experience

· Understanding of key concepts and challenges in young people’s health and wellbeing and the transition to adulthood

· Familiarity with health research and data governance frameworks

· Understanding and knowledge of key potential partners across the UK for delivering youth engagement in the sector.

· Experience using digital engagement and facilitation tools for online workshops (e.g. Miro, Mural, Mentimeter, Canva, PowerPoint)

Dimensions

· This has been designed as a full-time role, although part-time work could be considered for the right candidate.

· Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK.  Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations.

· AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK.

Application Process

This post is subject to receipt of satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and right to work in the UK (visa sponsorship is not available). Please apply with a CV and a covering letter (of no more than two pages) explaining what you can bring to this role, and including your current salary.

The closing date for this position is midnight on Sunday 17 August 2025.

Interviews are currently expected to be held during the week commencing 08 September, tentatively scheduled on Thursday 11 or Friday 12 September 2025.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Beyond these protected characteristics, we acknowledge the importance of socio-economic background, childcare and caring responsibilities, educational background, neurodiversity, and any other factors that shape an individual’s identity and opportunities. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to contribute fully.

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.