Jobs for the Youth and Children sector in south east

Starting Salary: Up to £35,000 depending on experience

Specific Hours: 40 hours per week shift work- including evenings, weekends, bank holidays and sleep-ins. 

(flexibility to work evenings and sleep-ins are for the Day position. Waking Night position requires staff to be awake for the entire night shift).

Sleep-ins: £50. Overtime / bank holidays paid time-and-a-half and alternative weekends off

Location: Croydon, CR2 - closest station is 1 stop after East Croydon | 10 minutes from Clapham Junction | 20 minutes from Waterloo.

Looking for fantastic career progression, excellent training and therapeutic support? Join our committed and professional team and make a difference to young people living in residential care, where no two days are the same!

About the role

As a Children’s Residential Worker, you will directly look after children and young people who have complex emotional and mental health needs due to trauma, loss and other adverse experiences.

You will be required to support children to regulate and understand their emotions. Working within a therapeutic framework, you will develop a direct programme of work aimed at developing authentic relationships with our children and young people (aged 12 – 17 years old on admission to the Children’s Home).

You will have a key role in making sure our children are safe and happy. You will also be required to work collaboratively with key professionals to ensure that information is recorded and shared appropriately, as well as to enable children to receive the multi-agency support that they require.

If applying for the Day position, you will be required to do sleep-ins paid at £50 each.

If applying for the Waking Night position, you will have the additional support of an on-call manager should there be any emergencies. Further to this, you will be involved in monthly team meetings and receive monthly supervision.

Applicants should have

• Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent (i.e. Level 3 Diploma Children and Young People Workforce with the children's social care pathway) as per Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 (England).
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working and supporting children and Young People to achieve their full potential.
• Genuine commitment to working with and supporting children and Young People to achieve their full potential; with the ability to build and promote trusted relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
• An understanding of the issues facing children and Young People and a basic understanding of safeguarding Regulations and Procedures.
• The ability to cope effectively with challenging behaviour.
• Good communication and team working skills.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends and bank holidays, and if applicable, sleep-in’s.
• Commitment to undertake any mandatory training (outside of working hours) and continuous learning to ensure a high level of service.
• Creativity, enthusiasm and energy to inspire and encourage young people to achieve their goals.

What you should expect from us

• Salary: Up to £35,000 depending on experience
• Sleep-ins: £50. Overtime / bank holidays paid time-and-a-half and alternate weekends off
• A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.
• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.
• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.
• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.
• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.
• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.
• Discretionary funded training programs.
• Employee awards based on performance and length of service.
• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements. Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting.

Your Online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification.

For the full Job Description and Person Specification please see our wwebsite. CV’s will not be accepted.

For more information or assistance during the application process, please visit our website.

Closing Date: July 22nd 2025

First Stage Interview – Throughout July 2025

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview at our Head Office

Second Stage Interview 

Successful candidates will then attend the second stage interview at one of St Christopher's residential homes.

Our Children and Young People are looking forward to hearing from you

We advise you to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note:

• This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.
• It is illegal to apply for any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children.
• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

Permanent with Funding until July 2026

Salary: £29,855.00 per annum

Hours: 35 hours per week

We are looking for an experienced positive Activities Worker. You will be confident in your work with young people and join our dynamic, ambitious team.

The Positive Activities worker is a new role within the Children's Society East, offering a range of activities that supports a healthy alternative to managing a risks and vulnerabilities that otherwise could lead to long term substance use (inclusive of alcohol and tobacco).

This role links with our Essex Young People's Drug and Alcohol Service (EYPDAS). EYPDAS work with young people aged up to 25 years old who require support for substance or alcohol use. We neither condone nor condemn use but support young people on a voluntary basis to create a care plan that suits their needs and motivations. EYPDAS sits within the established All Age Recovery Co-ordination Service (AARCS), which we deliver in partnership with Open Road, supporting young people, adults and families affected by substance misuse.

In order to be successful with this role, you will need to be able to demonstrate that you have extensive experience of: -

Delivering diversionary interventions with vulnerable young people (8-25) on both a one to one and group work capacity. As well as working to support the family network.

Co-producing care plans with young people that are young people led, focusing on both a relational & strength-based approach.

Extensive partnership working in a multi-agency environment to ensure that the needs and wishes of the young person are heard and acted upon.

You will work as part of a team and need to be able to work in a flexible way which includes flexing their day and work location as need indicates, including being based in the locality office in Chelmsford and working in the home environment to increase convenience and accessibility

You will need to demonstrate that you have:

-A relevant professional qualification working with vulnerable children and families is desired e.g., Diploma/degree in social work, counselling qualification, professional youth worker or related NVQ or degree. Or Substantial relevant experience of working with vulnerable young people facing significant challenges within this sector.

-Experience of working with vulnerable young people and families that are hard to reach and from diverse backgrounds on both a one-to-one basis and through group work interventions.

-Experience of supporting adolescents who are dealing with complex and sensitive issues through offering advice and advocacy.

-Experience of supporting young people through Participation and Youth Voice support.

-Experience of partnership and multi-agency working.

-Experience of working on one's own and within a team.

-Experience of using IT based case management systems.

The Children's Society runs over 100 local services that help thousands of young people who desperately need our support, and we campaign to get laws and policies changed to make children's lives happier and safer.

Every day we're changing the lives of children in this country for the better - and with your help, tomorrow we can be there for even more.

The Children's Society is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our services.

Therefore, candidates applying for work in our CYP Directorate will be required to complete an “Employment history_template” document prior to interview. The fully completed document should be loaded by the candidate at the point of uploading your CV.

The closing date for applications is midday on 23rd July 2025. If after 14 days we have received enough applications we can close this vacancy from the 7th July onwards.

Interviews will be held on 31st July 2025.

IN1

Fundraising Manager
 
As part of our continual growth journey, scaling up, and strategy implementation, Streets of Growth is at the exciting stage of taking our fundraising to the next level with a key step being the appointment of our first senior fundraising post.
 
Location: Hybrid working with at least 1 day per week in Streets of Growth office in Aldgate East (2 days for the first 6 months)
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full time
Salary: £40,000 to £45,000 dependent on experience
Benefits:
• 25 annual leave days plus bank holidays
• A fair and benchmarked salary with consistent annual salary reviews
• Pension scheme of up to 8% contribution
• Employee Assisted Scheme 24/7
• Great location near tubes, Spitalfields, Brick Lane and direct access to Central London
 
About Streets of Growth: Streets of Growth is committed to breaking the cycle of urban violence, harm, poverty, and social inequality experienced by marginalised young people. The organisation is part of an international movement working to ensure no young adult is left behind or living in harm and has equal access to socioeconomic opportunity and progressive mobility,
 
Role Overview: In this new role as Fundraising Manager, you will lead the development and implementation of our fundraising strategy and manage our fundraising portfolio. This includes being responsible for securing the financial resources needed to bring positive, impactful change to every young person we work with. You will manage and grow our portfolio of grant funders, retain and deepen key relationships, and shape the next phase of our fundraising strategy.
 
Main Duties & Responsibilities:
• Develop and lead Streets of Growth's 5-year Fundraising Strategy, this will include building a new programme for developing corporate partnerships
• Grow multi-year restricted and flexible income from existing and new donors
• In collaboration with the CEO, to set fundraising targets and forecast fundraising income
• Research and develop opportunities to diversify income streams, identify new supporters, manage the creation and submission of bids
• Develop and grow strong relationships with key funders and stakeholders
• Responsible for reporting on funding bids both internally and externally and managing the timeline of submission of bids and applications
• Represent Streets of Growth at external events, funder briefings or networking opportunities
• As a member of the Leadership Team, contribute to the strategic planning processes for the charity
 
Person Specification: The ideal candidate will have the following:
• Experience of leading or significantly contributing to development and/or delivery of a fundraising strategy
• Strong track record of fundraising, grant management and achieving funding awards for £50,000 and above
• Strong understanding of charity fundraising regulations, GDPR, and ethical fundraising practices
• Excellent writing skills with ability to produce clear, concise and engaging applications and funding reports
• Strong, confident communication and interpersonal skills
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented, with a natural ability to inspire cooperation & support
• Commitment to adhere and promote Streets of Growth's values and equal opportunities
 
Application Process: Closing date: Sunday 20th July 2025 - Submit an up-to-date CV and cover letter. Interviews in last week of July (29th to 31st July) and first week of August (5th to7th August): First stage online, second stage in-person.
 
Thank you for considering Streets of Growth as your next professional home. We look forward to receiving your application and the possibility of welcoming you into our dynamic, progressive team working to create a safer, fairer society for all young people.
 
You may also have experience in the following roles: Development Manager, Grants Manager, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Fundraising Officer, Bid Writer, Grant Writer, Trust and Foundations Manager, Individual Giving Manager, Community Fundraising Manager, Major Gifts Officer, Philanthropy Manager, Income Generation Manager, etc.
 
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If you share our vision that ‘every young person is empowered to gain the confidence, independence and skills they need for a better and brighter future’ we might have the perfect role for you!

ThinkForward is recruiting Employment and Progression Coaches in London and Hounslow to join our SEND team delivering our unique programme supporting young people with mild to moderate learning disabilities into employment. We are open to freelance, fixed term, temporary, or more permanent contracts. If you are….

· Passionate about, and have experience in, supporting young people to make amazing decisions about their futures

· Committed to equity, diversity, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practice

· Persistent, empathic and agile in your style of work and able to apply a coaching approach to the delivery of our programme

· Able to tell the stories of our work through data

· Confident in running one-to-one and group work sessions

· Knowledgeable of supported internships and supported employment, careers and the importance of tailored progression planning for young people

…then please read the job pack and job description attached for more information, before applying via CharityJob with your CV and cover letter.

Looking to lead impactful work with a passionate, high-performing charity team? Join Cosmic to shape and deliver life-changing family support.

Based across two world-renowned London hospitals, this role puts you at the heart of vital projects supporting NHS staff, families, children and babies in intensive care. You’ll lead our pioneering post-discharge service, work closely with clinical teams, and ensure Cosmic’s work continues to deliver measurable and meaningful impact. If you're a confident project manager with a head for data, a heart for people, and a drive to improve services where it matters most - we’d love to hear from you.

About Cosmic

Cosmic is a small but mighty children’s charity dedicated to supporting the incredible work of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, and Queen Charlotte’s Hospital, Hammersmith. We provide vital funding for life-saving equipment, specialist staff training, and pioneering research. We also deliver our own emotional and practical family support services - making a real difference for children and families when they need it most.

The Role

This role will be pivotal in connecting Cosmic with the families we support and our NHS units across both hospital sites, by managing service delivery and fostering continuous engagement. The postholder will lead and coordinate our new Post-Discharge Support service, working closely with families, the NHS Family Liaison Team, and counsellors. They will also be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of service delivery projects - focusing on the experiences and impact on both NHS staff and families - while ensuring efficiency and value for money through careful cost assessment.

NHS Engagement & Relationship Management

▪ Build strong partnerships with PICU and NICU teams to embed Cosmic’s presence, raise awareness, and identify areas for support.

▪ Collaborate with clinical teams to develop and deliver projects that improve patient, family and staff experiences - maintaining an up-to-date pipeline of funding needs.

▪ Liaise directly with families on the units to understand their needs and explore how Cosmic can offer practical and emotional support, helping to build trusted relationships and inform future service development.

▪ Organise engagement activities and events to promote Cosmic across the units, ensuring consistent branding and visibility.

▪ Represent Cosmic at senior staff hospital meetings, forums and working groups, sharing feedback and opportunities with the wider team.

▪ Manage project timelines, budgets, KPIs and reporting to senior management and funders.

Engagement Campaigns

▪ Create, promote and mobilise staff on our units to deliver a yearly schedule of engagement campaigns. Work with staff to develop new and existing campaigns; creating and implementing the plans as appropriate.

▪ To keep abreast of any key or newsworthy/trending national developments and topics relating to PICU & NICU care and the NHS and develop campaigns as appropriate.

Post Discharge Support Project

▪ Manage development and delivery of Cosmic’s new pioneering family support service after intensive care.

▪ Develop, in partnership with the units, service delivery models that include services provided, and their impact.

▪ Develop project budgets with the COO, monitoring and evaluating them to ensure projects are delivered on budget.

▪ Oversee ongoing evaluation and development of the service to ensure it meets targets and desired outcomes.

▪ Work with our supporters and past patients and families in the development of projects and services.

▪ Work closely with the Family Liaison Nurse, who will interact directly with families benefiting from the service, to ensure their needs and experiences inform the ongoing development of the project.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting

▪ Develop and implement data metrics and gathering points to measure and analyse the impact of Cosmic’s services, supporting outcomes reporting and strategic decision-making.

▪ Utilise strong IT skills for database modelling and data interpretation, ensuring timely data capture in collaboration with clinical staff to enhance service delivery and promote awareness.

▪ Monitor and report on the impact of Cosmic’s work to support funding efforts and improve overall effectiveness.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a confident and organised professional who can manage high-impact projects, work effectively with NHS colleagues, and deliver meaningful services for families and staff. You’ll need to be comfortable juggling multiple priorities while keeping a clear focus on outcomes and relationships.

You’ll bring:

• Strong project management skills, with experience of engaging with stakeholders and reporting on services.

• Proven ability to develop and use data metrics to measure programme impact, support service improvement, and meet external reporting needs.

• Confidence in working with clinical teams to gather data, track progress, and interpret complex information for strategic use.

• Experience developing end-to-end processes - from identifying needs and prioritising projects to delivery and evaluation.

• Excellent communication skills and an authoritative, professional manner when representing the charity.

• A collaborative approach to teamwork, including chairing meetings and motivating others.

• The ability to make sound decisions under pressure and communicate them clearly and constructively.

• An understanding of paediatric or neonatal care environments is desirable but not essential.

Why You’ll Love Working with Us

At Cosmic, we’re a small team with a big heart. Every day, we’re privileged to support families and NHS staff when they need it most - often during the most difficult and vulnerable moments of their lives. This role offers the opportunity to be a vital part of that support, making a tangible difference where it truly matters.

• 27 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

• £200 professional development budget annually

• Hybrid working opportunities

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm

To be considered for the Service Delivery Manager role, please ensure you answer the screening question in full.