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!
Come join an incredible team using joy, adventure and the outdoors to transform the mental health of London's most disadvantaged children. We're looking for someone a little bit special who believes in the deep potential of children who are not thriving elsewhere in life.
The position is a dual role. You’ll join as one of three dedicated Youth Workers and will lead on a portion of Free to Be Kids’ year-round follow-on support for vulnerable young people who we have already engaged via our Thrive Outside residentials. Crucially, a core aspect of the role will be leading an average of 8-10 of our residential projects across each year - working on the ground with the children, leading the volunteers, and helping make the projects special, safe, and transformative for vulnerable young people, many of whom have complex needs. You’ll be joining a small staff team of 9, supplemented by a vibrant and committed group of volunteers.
Attendance at approximately 8-10 five-six night residential projects per year outside London is a core component of this role. A full driving licence is not required but may be an advantage.
Watch our 2 min introductory video to see the power of what we do. https://bit.ly/ASummaryOfOurWork
On offer to the right candidate:
Salary: Circa £29,000-£32,000, dependent on experience.
Hours: Fulltime: 37.5 hours per week. Essential attendance on at c.8-10 residential projects a year.
Leave: 25 days per year, plus bank holidays and up to 13 additional pre-set discretionary reward days in September and during the Christmas period.
Other benefits: 4% employer pension contribution paid on full base salary, rising by 1% per year of service, up to a maximum of 7%, hybrid working, office with great transport links, flexible working (outside core hours), employee reward scheme, a tight-knit effective team with great morale.
Based: Hybrid – our small office in Waterloo, London. Hybrid working is well established with the majority of the team splitting time around 50:50 between the office and home.
To start: February-March 2026
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Who we’re looking for:
Our next Youth Work hero. You'll be fun, active, energised, resilient, and experienced in work with young people with complex needs, and looking to join an organisation you can believe in and who in return will believe and invest in you.
You’ll have multi years’ experience working alongside young people who might struggle in other settings and will be used to dealing with a range of behaviours and complex support needs, ideally including mental health support needs,with a good understanding of safeguarding. A basic level of comfortableness in the outdoors, resilience to keep going with a smile when it's wet outside, and the silliness to be the first to jump into the lake will see you in good stead for this role.
You’ll have the flexibility to work away from home on up to 10 week-long residential projects per year. Ideally, you’ll also have experience of leading projects for children – whether residential or non-residential. Experience of working on or leading residentials projects themselves is not required but may be an advantage.
We are a small, vibrant, fun and friendly staff team of 9, growing to 11 when these 2 Youth Worker vacancies are filled, supported by a committed volunteer base of around 200.
We are particularly keen to encourage applications from those who can help us represent the lived experiences of our children through their own lived experience or background.
To apply:
See full Job Description & Person Specification on our website.
Send all 3 application elements in one email to the address within the application pack by the closing date of 8pm, Tuesday 13th January 2026.
- CV or up to date LinkedIn profile.
- A short introductory video of 1-3 minutes (maximum) showing your vibrancy, fit for the role, recapping your existing experience, and telling us something interesting about yourself! (Top tips: Keep it fast paced and lively; shorter may be better; touch on the person characteristics set for the role; something filmed quickly on your phone which feels organic is what we’re looking for.) As this is a people facing role the video’s purpose is to help bring life to your application, whilst helping us filter out solely AI written ones. We want to get a strong sense of YOU as we are looking for FIT with the organization, as well as experience.
- (optional) A short (1 side max) cover letter to bring your application to life.
Selection Process and Timeline:
Selection will be via two stage interview. As there is only a short turnaround from application closure on 13th January to 1st stage interviews 8th-9th January, we will assess applications and offer interview slots throughout the window. However, you will not be disadvantaged if you need to wait till the closing date to submit.
1st stage interviews: Monday 19th - Wednesday 21st January (virtual). We may offer some interview slots throughout the window but you will not be disadvantaged if you need to wait till towards the deadline to apply.
2nd stage final interviews: Wednesday 28th - Thursday 29th th January (in-person, London Waterloo)
Please hold interview dates as alternates dates are unlikely to be available.
The role requires an Enhanced DBS check and existing right to work in the UK.
If you have any questions about the role, contact us via our website and we’d be happy to arrange an informal chat. We look forward to hearing from you!
Registered Charity
6 - 10
Using joy, adventure and the outdoors to transform particularly vulnerable London children's mental health.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
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!
Emmaus Overview
Emmaus is a community that provides accommodation and work for vulnerable people. We are committed to providing support while promoting independence. Staff and volunteers must work closely with Companions while observing appropriate professional boundaries in performing their role. They must also learn and engage with the Emmaus ethos.
The key task for this role is to manage a caseload of up to 16 Companions and to ensure that new companions get the information and support they need to help them settle in quickly and easily to the community and to working in our charity shops, warehouse and delivery / collection service. The support worker role is central to the team and close teamwork is essential.
The support worker will undertake direct support work with companions. Each companion has a personal support and development plan to help them achieve their personal goals and ambitions, in compliance with our Emmaus ethos, strategic aims, organisational objectives, policies and procedures.
Staff are expected to participate in and support solidarity activities undertaken by the Community. Solidarity within the context of Emmaus is the working with groups and individuals towards the alleviation of poverty, social exclusion and suffering, and responding to local, national and international appeals for relief and support.
We expect you to carry out your job responsibilities in an environmentally aware manner. Our aim is to ensure all resources are utilised effectively and efficiently. You will be expected to apply sound ‘value for money’ principles in undertaking purchasing or supply of goods and services.
In Emmaus, volunteers are an important resource and make a vital contribution to Emmaus’s aim to take action to help disadvantaged people. You will be expected to encourage and support volunteer involvement in our work.
Main duties and responsibilities
Support for Companions
- Support a caseload of companions to reach their potential through both practical and emotional support.
- Tailor support plans to meet individual needs – setting goals, assigning actions and taking a holistic view of the person and their wishes.
- Guide induction and exit processes for companions – to ensure that they understand the core principles of the offer at Emmaus and move on to long term, sustainable accommodation after us.Use de-escalation techniques to manage challenging behaviour as it arises, with consideration to positive conflict resolution.Support with incident response, including responding to risk, e.g. anti-social behaviour, mental health concerns, fire alarms etc.
- Liaise with external providers (CMHT, GP, DWP, hospitals, probation, prisons, CAB etc) to ensure that specialist advice and guidance is sought where needed.
Administrative duties
- Maintain accurate records in line with internal policy and with consideration for GDPR principles.
- Perform tasks to support the effective running of the community.
- Contact external providers to make them aware of who we are and what we do to drive referrals.
- Provide written updates for key stakeholders and internal meetings.
- Provide structured support for companions as agreed in the support plan.
- Participate in an emergency on-call rota to ensure 24/7 support is available for companions where needed.
Health and Safety
- To apply the organisations health and safety policy.
- To carry out risk assessments as and when required and to ensure actions arising from this are carried out.
- To ensure that health and safety procedures are understood and followed by all companions.
- To report any incidents or concerns to the Community Support Manager.
Thank you!
At YMCA DownsLink Group, our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.
YMCA What is Sexual Exploitation (WiSE) is our child sexual exploitation project which works with children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. Our primary focus of work is supporting young people affected by exploitation through raising awareness, education and empowerment.
We have an exciting opportunity to join the WiSE team as a Male Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Practitioner. This role involves providing specialist support, working across Sussex and Surrey to provide case work support and group interventions to boys and young men at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation, as well as those exhibiting harmful sexual behaviour. You will deliver outreach sessions in various settings, collaborate with professionals to support interventions leading to prosecutions, and provide training on boys/young men and sexual exploitation.
Due to the sensitive nature of the client group and in order to ensure that the young people feel safe, supported and understood, there is a genuine occupational requirement for the post holder to be male, as permitted under the Equality Act 2010.
A full driving licence and access to a car are essential due to the wide geographic area covered by the service. You will be required to visit head office in Hove once a week for an anchor day. The other days will be across Sussex and Surrey in the community
In delivering the role, the key responsibilities are:
- Carry a caseload of boys and young men identified as exhibiting harmful sexual behaviours and/or being sexually exploited
- Work collaboratively with other professionals to provide intensive and holistic support
- Maintain detailed case notes and contribute to reports
- Facilitate group work interventions in schools, accommodation projects and youth groups
- Deliver detached sessions in various settings to engage at-risk boys and young men
- Provide expertise and increase awareness of harmful sexual behaviour and sexual exploitation
- Contribute to WiSE Child Exploitation training and awareness campaigns
About You – If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we are looking for.
Experience and Knowledge:
- Proven experience in safeguarding young children
- Experience providing casework support to boys and young men
- Group work experience with young people
- Safeguarding children and young people at risk of serious harm
- Delivering and risk assessing outreach work with young people
- Knowledge of risks posed to vulnerable young people through sexual exploitation and harmful sexual behaviour
- Significant knowledge and understanding of boys and young men and their lives
Qualifications:
- Qualification in Youth Work/Social Work or equivalent, or comparable experience working with vulnerable young people.
CLOSING DATE: Sunday 4 January at midnight. We reserve the right to close this advert early if a successful candidate is found, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Successful candidates will already have the right to live and work in the UK without restrictions. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role
An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.
Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (including the Children’s and Adults’ barred lists) check, along with a reference and background check carried out by a third-party service provider.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS (including the Children’s and Adults’ barred lists) check, along with a reference and background check carried out by a third-party service provider.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
Our mission is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.