Community link worker jobs

Are you a passionate, skilled and compassionate Occupational Therapist who believes every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive? Do you want to work somewhere where your expertise has a visible, lasting impact — where independence grows, barriers are reduced, and young people are empowered to succeed in all aspects of their lives?

At Southover, we are looking for a committed Occupational Therapist who brings clinical excellence, creativity and a genuine determination to make a difference. Our students have often experienced disrupted journeys, but with the right therapeutic support, they make exceptional progress — not only academically, but socially, emotionally and functionally.

This is a unique opportunity to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, where therapy is fully integrated into the school day. You will play a key role in supporting students with sensory and motor needs, helping staff embed effective strategies, and ensuring every young person can access learning and daily life with confidence.

If you thrive in a dynamic environment where no two days are the same, where relationships are central, and where your professional judgement and innovation are valued, you will feel right at home here.

We are seeking an Occupational Therapist who is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based interventions, raising aspirations and supporting students to develop the skills they need for lifelong success.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a good school where your work truly matters. You will contribute to a nurturing, ambitious and holistic environment that prioritises the wellbeing and development of every young person.

What we are looking for:

• A qualified Occupational Therapist who will make a real difference

• A skilled clinician with experience of sensory and motor needs

• Someone who is flexible, creative and solution-focused

• A strong relationship-builder with excellent communication skills

• A proactive team player who thrives in a collaborative environment

What we offer:

• A warm, welcoming and supportive working environment where staff wellbeing really matters

• The opportunity to work closely with students and see the direct impact of your interventions

• A committed, multi-disciplinary team who collaborate, support and celebrate each other

• Opportunities to contribute to whole-school practice, training and development

• A highly rewarding role where you can have a transformational impact on young people’s lives

Important information:

• We only accept applications using our application form; CVs cannot be considered

• Southover is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff are expected to share this commitment

• The successful candidate will require an Enhanced DBS Certificate and will be subject to a range of safer recruitment checks

• All staff must comply with data protection responsibilities and adhere to GDPR principles

• We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and operate in full accordance with the Equality Act 2010

• Applicants must have the Right to Work in the UK

• Please note: Depending on application numbers, we may shortlist and interview before the closing date

Substance Use Practitioner - Maternity cover

Location: Basingstoke

Salary: from £26,097 per annum depending on experience

Vacancy Type: Maternity cover for up to 10 months

Hours of work: Full time, 37 hours per week

Company Description

Catch22 exists to help build a society where everyone has a good place to live, good people around them, and a fulfilling purpose - we call these our '3Ps'.

We achieve this in two ways. First, we improve lives on the frontline through delivery of public services. Secondly, we use our knowledge to change 'the system', to fix the complex web that can trap and disempower those it was set up to help. With the heart of a charity, and the mindset of a business, we are uniquely placed to deliver on this challenging agenda.

Hampshire 24/7 Substance Use Service

Our Hampshire 24/7 Substance Use Service is a county wide, community engagement based service, which offers targeted and specialist treatment to young people aged 25 years and under. We are a forward thinking, person-centred service, with a high level of credibility among young people.

We are a multi-professional team, with a designated worker in each district of Hampshire, and we are supported by our partnership with Inclusion Recovery Hampshire and Parent Support Link.

Job Description

Please note that this opportunity is maternity cover, covering a period of up to 10 months.

*This role requires access to a vehicle, and a full current driving licence.

We are looking to recruit a Substance Use Practitioner - Maternity cover in Hampshire, who will work with children and young people to make a positive difference to their lives.

You'll deliver specialist, targeted support to children and young people up to the age of 25, offering confidential and non-judgemental advice and guidance, regarding the use of drugs and alcohol, using a variety of therapeutic interventions.

The work can be challenging, but it is hugely rewarding. The services delivered by our Practitioners has proven to make a real change in the lives of our service users. Last year, 100% were satisfied with our service, 98% felt more able to make positive choices in life, 86% felt that their mental health had improved, and 91% of service users under the age of 18 left the service with a positive outcome (e.g. a reduction in risk, or an improvement in their circumstances).

In addition to the comprehensive training package offered by Catch22, you will also have the opportunity to develop your skills and expertise through a range of additional training, offered by Hampshire County Council. This role also offers the opportunity to build networks and work with a range of partner agencies and commissioners across the substance misuse sector.

Qualifications

We are looking for people with the following skills and experience:

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience of working with children and young people with complex needs or vulnerabilities. This could be within substance misuse, children's mental health, children's services, education, pastoral support, or SEN.
• An ability to build positive and trusting relationships with young people.
• An adaptable and resilient outlook, able to maintain a commitment to supporting service users
• Additional information
• You can work from home/remotely once or twice a week, but this is dependent on service requirements, so we are unable to guarantee specific days.
• You will be based in one of the hubs listed above, but the role will require regular travel across the region, so a driving license and access to a vehicle are required.
• This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

We aim to review applications as quickly as possible. However, due to the volume of interest we receive, we may not be able to contact all applicants individually. If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has not been successful this time.

At Catch22 we value equality, diversity and inclusion. We are wholeheartedly committed to the principle of equality of opportunity, both as an employer and as a provider of services. Diversity and Inclusion is part of what we do every day, working to deliver our vision to build a strong society where everyone has good people around them, a purpose, and a good place to live.

Catch22 is committed to rigorous safeguarding and safer recruitment practices; ensuring that every individual within the organisation has been safely and appropriately checked.

Please note, we will conduct an online search as part of our due dilligence checks for successful candidate(s). This will involve a search of all publicly available information online and in social media.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Catch 22, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

Independent Living Advisor (Self-Directed Support Service)
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Hours: 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Action on Disability, Mo Mowlam House, Clem Attlee Court, London, SW6 7BF

The Organisation

Action on Disability (AoD), founded in 1979, is one of London’s leading Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations. As we believe in the social model of disability, our values and principles embrace inclusive and accessible ways of working both internally and in all our activities, seek the participation and contribution of our members, and encourage and respect diversity.

The organisation is a medium sized charity with a Board of Trustees (at least 75% is disabled trustees), 20 staff and a strong ad hoc staff and volunteer base including many with direct experience of disability – all of whom are passionate about removing the barriers that disabled people face.

AoD provides five key services. These are: Youth, Employment, Welfare Benefits, Independent Living and Our Place.

AoD’s Independent Living Service

The Independent Living Service (Self-Directed Support Service) is a new service that will provide support to Direct Payment users within the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The service will enable disabled people to have genuine choice and control over the way in which they lead their lives.The post-holder will be working alongside disabled people to enable them to have more choice and control over their care and support needs.

Purpose of Post

To work with individuals, their family and friends (where appropriate) to provide them with information, advice and assistance to enable them to access and manage a Direct Payment

(DP) and recruit and manage a Personal Assistant (PA).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Support to individuals employing their own Personal (care) Assistant (PA) or engage an agency to deliver care and support.

1. Provide information and advice on becoming an employer and the role of the Personal Assistant.
2. Ensure that the client understands their legal obligations and responsibilities of being an employer.
3. Work with clients to: set up a profile on the Find-a-pa website, advertise and recruit a Personal Assistant, create a personalised job description and specification identify the level of experience and training requirements needed for the role.
4. Advise and help to calculate the PA’s salary and on costs (full training provided).
5. Support the client through the interview process and where necessary sit in during interviews.
6. Support individuals to reference, check legal status and where necessary DBS their support worker.
7. Support individuals to set up an induction plan for their PA and enable them to identify training needs.
8. Support the client to complete payroll and insurance documentation.
9. Work with the client to draw up a Statement of Particular (contract) for the employed PA (templates provided).
10. Encourage DP employers to take a lead in all employment issues. Information on where to seek advice e.g. ACAS, Fish and Premier Care helpline will be given and clients will be encouraged to use them.
11. Ensure that the individual has a back-up plan for emergencies.
12. Encourage DP employers to be assertive and proactive with their Personal Assistants.
13. Work with agencies to set up support for clients who may not wish to employ a PA directly.

Ongoing support to individuals in receipt of Direct Payments

1. Providing advice on employment issues.
2. Support individuals to solve practical problems e.g. lateness of staff, change of needs.
3. Support individuals to recruit again if necessary.
4. Assist individuals to re-look at budgets, training and job descriptions as they change over time.
5. Assist individuals to ensure that they continue to manage their Direct Payment or budget.
6. Support individuals to make informed choices.
7. Meet with the DP Support Group on a regular basis.
8. Assist in the development of training and other resources to support employers to manage their DP and their PA relationships.
9. Develop links and professional relationships with Social Work teams to support a healthy level of referrals.

For all work:

• Work in a person-centred way.
• Comply with AoD’s agreed policies and procedures.
• Participate in the wider development of the service and contribute to service improvement as required.
• Be computer literate and administratively self-supporting.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as identified by the Self-Directed Support Service Lead or line manager.

Special requirements

• Ability to travel within the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
• Some attendance at meetings and events outside of normal office hours will be required.

Person Specification

To be considered for this role, candidates must have:

• Good standard of education.
• Experience of recruiting volunteers or staff.
• Knowledge of employment law.
• Understanding of social care and Direct Payments legislation.
• Experience/knowledge of supporting individuals to recruit and manage employees.
• Experience of working with clients with support needs.
• Experience of using a person-centred approach.
• Ability to think creatively and to come up with solutions.
• Ability to gather and assess information efficiently.
• Numeracy skills and knowledge of budgeting.
• Ability to use Word and Excel packages to a high standard.
• Ability to work under pressure, and to tight deadlines.
• A flexible approach and able to work on own initiative
• Good communication skills including interpersonal, written, presentational and spoken.
• Ability to guide in a sensitive way
• Ability to assess and match skills and personalities to individual needs and preferences.
• Commitment to the Social Model of Disability and to promote choice, independence, rights and inclusion.
• Understanding of and commitment to the aims of the organisation.
• Excellent practical understanding of the need for confidentiality.
• An understanding of equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice

Desirable qualities

• Experience of working with disabled people
• Lived experience of disability

Closing Date: Friday 10th July 2026
N.B. we reserve the right to close this vacancy early and/or begin interviewing before the closing date if a suitable candidate is identified.
Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check.

We welcome applicants from all walks of life.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we actively encourage applications from Disabled people and people with long term health and mental conditions. We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme in that we will guarantee an interview to all Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post. Please state in a cover letter if you wish us to consider you for this guaranteed interview scheme.

AoD is a Living Wage Foundation registered employer and all of our employees, casual workers and contractors are paid above the London Living Wage.

No agencies please.