Access and outreach support worker jobs

Overall Purpose of the Role

Youth Action Alliance (YAA) is seeking an enthusiastic, committed, and values-driven Support Youth Worker to support the delivery of two key strands of our youth offer: the Girls Project and the Youth Advisory Board (YAB).

This is a varied and rewarding role combining hands-on youth work with project support, centred on empowering young people aged 11–19 (and up to 24 where appropriate). The post holder will work directly with girls and young people from diverse communities, supporting their personal development, wellbeing, confidence, and ability to use their voice to influence positive change in their communities.

Working within a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment, the Support Youth Worker will help deliver innovative programmes that promote life skills, female empowerment, youth voice, and meaningful participation, while supporting the smooth day-to-day running of both projects.

About the Projects

Girls Project (Wednesday and Thursday)

The Girls Project supports girls aged 11–19, focusing on life skills, wellbeing, confidence-building, and female empowerment. The programme provides safe spaces for girls to explore identity, build resilience, and access mentoring, advice, and signposting to additional support services.

Youth Advisory Board (YAB) (Friday)

The Youth Advisory Board is a group of young people aged 11–19 who act as advisors to Youth Action Alliance. YAB members amplify youth voice across YAA’s work, contribute to decision-making, attend meetings and events, lead consultations, and develop skills in leadership, communication, and civic engagement.

Unseen is working towards a world without slavery. We provide safehouses and support in the community for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery. We also run the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline and work with individuals, communities, businesses, governments, other charities, and statutory agencies to stamp out slavery for good. 

Purpose of the role:

This new role will play a key part in delivering Unseen’s fundraising and communications strategy. We’re looking for a passionate, creative communicator to help grow our supporter base and maximise income to support our work to end modern slavery. 

1. Working with service users (in the community and in safehouses at times) to identify support needs and creating a journey plan to lead them towards recovery and independence.
2. Working alongside service users to help them complete the goals in their journey plan, ensuring they are aware of their rights and entitlements and advocating for them
3. Identifying and managing risk with service users.
4. Supporting staff and clients at within our outreach service, and at times in the safehouses.
5. Managing own caseload of service users, ensuring all administrative work is clear, accurate and up to date.

To apply: 

• Please complete the application form. This includes a personal statement of 500 words outlining your suitability for the role, and;
• Please send a copy of your CV to jobs @ unseenuk. org with reference to the job title.

The deadline for applications is midnight on 15 March 2026.

Interviews will likely be held around the week of the 23 March 2026.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive the requisite number of applications. For this reason, we encourage interested candidates to apply early.

As an organisation focused on equality and diversity, we welcome applications from all sections of the community and all backgrounds, including those with a lived experience of modern slavery, those from ethnic minority groups, those with disabilities and those from the LGBTQ+ community. 

 Any questions, please contact jobs @ unseenuk. org. 

Following a successful application to the Henry Smith Foundation we are seeking a passionate, committed and flexible Support Worker (35 hours per week) to join our team to support young people and families, primarily focusing on LGBTQ+ young people but working with the wider team to ensure all young people and families are supported.

The main aims of the post are to ensure:

• The charity delivers quality information, advice, guidance and advocacy services which improve outcomes for LGBTQ+ young people in Calderdale & Kirklees.
• LGBTQ+ young people who face additional access barriers are reached and given the opportunity to engage with the service, reducing their isolation and loneliness.
• LGBTQ+ young people have emotionally healthy relationships with their family, friends and intimate partners.

The above would be achieved through group work, youth groups, parent and family groups, 121 work, attending professional meetings such as Team Around The Family and Child In Need meetings, mediating between families and schools, networking, stand events such as Pride’s and Freshers events, offsite activities and family support sessions.

This is a service user and public facing role. The successful candidate will be expected to attend sessions, meetings and events across in Calderdale & Kirklees

The right candidate will have:

• JNC Level 3 Youth and Community Work qualification or a willingness to undertake training. We welcome applicants with equivalent qualifications and experience in relevant sectors inclusive of child care, teaching, social work, nursing etc (or due to complete 2026 - 2027).

• A minimum 12-months experience of working with children, young people aged 25 and under and/or families
• An ability to assess needs and involve young people in identifying appropriate self-action plans
• Knowledge and understanding of the impact of Homophobia, Biphobia and transphobia on LGBTQ+ young people
• A flexible approach to work and willingness to work some evenings and weekends
• A full clean driving license and access to a car

What you'd get from us:

• Training and development opportunities
• A generous annual leave entitlement, 31 day per year plus bank holidays
• 6% pension contribution
• Life Assurance at three-times salary rate
• An employee health plan, helping with the costs of dental, optical treatments etc
• Access to staff counselling
• Perkbox Employee Benefits - 1000+ deals and discounts
• Travel expenses
• Flexible and hybrid working
• Earn between £26,510.82 – 27,836.36
• Pay award pending

Why you'd work for us:

• So you can use your skills and passion to influence change and improve outcomes for some of the most stigmatised and marginalised people in Calderdale & Kirklees
• Gain experience, build your transferable skills and learn new ones
• Be part of an amazing, committed team challenging stigma, bias, and inequalities

Important, please read before applying:

1. Due to the requirement of the role to work at women only activities, we are accepting applications from female applicants only.

2. The role will support the delivery of our weekly Sports Hub (Wednesday 5 pm-8 pm), Youth Club (Thursday 5 pm-9 pm), trips and young women’s only activities therefore before applying, please ensure you are available to work during these times.

Overview 

At Young Roots, we want to see a compassionate and welcoming society for young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. We work alongside young people seeking safety in the UK, building trusted relationships, providing practical and emotional support and promoting young people’s rights and power.

Our youth clubs and casework are transformative for young refugees, allowing young people who have fled danger, had traumatic journeys and who are often here alone, to find community and connection, have a space to be a young person and access support in addressing a whole range of practical challenges they face. We also draw on our evidence from working every day with young refugees and asylum seekers to call for change to the laws and policies which are harming young people. 

About the Role

Our youthwork plays an important role in reducing social isolation and loneliness, improving mental health and wellbeing, and creating a sense of belonging.

This includes a wide range of youth and sporting activities across several weekly youth groups, our young women’s groups, trips during the school holidays and annual residentials. Our youth participation approach means that our activities are directly informed by what young people want.

This is an opportunity for a dynamic and creative youth worker to contribute and strengthen our youth development programmes. You will be responsible for planning and delivering youth activities, ensuring that the sessions run smoothly and safely. You will also be responsible for making sure volunteers are supported, giving advice and guidance where necessary.

To Apply:

To apply, please submit your CV alongside a personal statement by the closing date outlining how you would be a great fit for the role.

Your personal statement should be no more than 800 words, answering the following questions:

1. What is your motivation for working with Young Roots?

2. What is your motivation for applying for this role specifically?

3. What skills and experience would you bring that will enable you to be successful in this role?  Please ensure you refer to the essential criteria on the person specification and provide examples to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria.

You may submit your personal statement in writing, or via video.

Hybrid working with regular evening work with regular attendance at our service delivery venues across London as appropriate to the role.

No agencies, please.

Closing date: 8th of March

Interview date: First round of interviews will be on the 17th of March online and Second round of interviews will be on the 26th of March at our Brent Youth Group

Employment support services | Disability charity Scope UK

Find out which of our employment support services is right for you.

Young Roots recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who can face disadvantage in employment, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities. As an organisation that supports refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, we particularly welcome applications from people within these communities. We offer a guaranteed interview for those with lived experience of the asylum system and those with disabilities, where they meet the essential elements of the person specification. If aspects of the application process create barriers to you applying and you’d like any adjustment to the process or you’d like an informal discussion or advice on your application, please get in touch. We would also like to alert you to the existence of organisations which support people from under-represented groups to access employment, who can advise you on applying for this role. For example, Scope, Young Women’s Trust and Experts by Experience.

Young Roots is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. We take this duty very seriously.

Our work is underpinned by policies and procedures which promote safe working practices. We have a framework of training and supervision which everyone is expected to comply with and systems for monitoring, quality assurance and gaining service user feedback. On joining you will be expected to be part of this approach to safeguard our service users.

All posts are subject to a safer recruitment process which includes vetting checks such as enhanced criminal records and barring, scrutiny of employment history, references and other checks.

Overview

CGL Buckinghamshire Children and Family Worker

Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each person as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’ and our team members apply these daily to achieve our mission of helping people change the direction of their lives, grow as individuals, and live life to its full potential. 

An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Buckinghamshire Service for you to join a dynamic team committed to supporting children and young people who have been affected by someone else’s drug and/or alcohol use. The role of a Children and family Worker will support children and young people under the age of 18 on a one-to-one basis in a confidential space. The role will deliver a wide range of interventions/ education though activities, such as games, arts and crafts and emotional wellbeing resources. The role will utilise a young person-centred approach, empowering them to explore situations which they feel they have little control over to support them to lead a safe, happy, and healthy life.

The role will work in partnership and liaise with other young people services throughout Buckinghamshire, to provide holistic support to young people accessing the service. We need to record information about what we do, so enjoying a bit of admin work and attention to detail is important, but most of the time you’ll be enjoying working with young people from all backgrounds, making a difference to their lives. You will be required to work flexibly across operational sites as required so must hold a full UK driving license and have access to a car. Don’t worry, there is a wide array of training and development opportunities to help support you in your work.

Where: This role will be based across Buckinghamshire County

When: We're looking for the right person to join our team ASAP on a permanent contract

Hours: Full Time, 37.5 per week

Full Time Salary: £27,861.26 - £32,002.35 per annum, pro rata

Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

Responsibilities

About the role: 

• To holistically support CYP affected by parental substance misuse, using a range of interventions including group work, 1:1 work, whole family interventions, safety planning and safeguarding working closely and proactively with the family unit to support positive and sustainable outcomes.
• Identify families in conjunction with other agencies, who will benefit from a Think Family / Whole family approach, negotiating participation and engagement with the programme of care.
• Identifying and responding effectively to potential safeguarding issues. 
• Reducing drug and alcohol related harm to young people and the wider community. 
• Working with young people to support positive, holistic outcomes in relation to their health and wellbeing, enabling them to lead safe, healthy, and purposeful lives: reducing risk and increasing resilience 
• Working flexibly across sites where required

About you: 

• Experience of working with young people and knowledge of the issues they face 
• Knowledge of safeguarding concerns in relation to children and young people and the Fraser Competence framework 
• Have an excellent understanding of drug and alcohol issues and experience of working within a related field 
• Knowledge of working with evidence-based practice around young people’s substance misuse treatment services and methods, including relevant best practice guidance 
• An accomplished communicator, both verbal and written with a high degree of personal IT competency 
• Be able to accurately update and maintain records and to work to deadlines for the submission of information, e.g., reports 
• Have excellent team working and interpersonal skills, maintaining a highly cooperative approach to supporting colleagues in delivering service objectives 

What we will give to you: 

• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each years’ service “Capped at 30 days” 
• Paid ‘Wellness’ hour each week along with a ‘Wellness’ hub and Employee Assist Programme 
• Contributory pension scheme 
• A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc. 
• A friendly and supportive team 
• Training, career development & progression opportunities 
• Refer a friend scheme.

Please ensure that when completing your application form and supporting statement, you reflect on the details outlined in the job description. This will help us understand how your skills and experiences align with the requirements of the role. 

Direct applications only — we will not be engaging agencies for this vacancy.

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. 

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 23 to 28 (£27,861.26 - £32,002.35)

ILW / OLW /Fringe

N/A - Outside London Weighting Area

Interview Date

2/3/2026

Closing Date

20/2/2026

This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.

Do you want to support people with mental health issues in a moment of crisis?

Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

If you can embody our values of Hope, Courage, Togetherness, and Responsiveness, and want to help others build resilience and manage their wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you.

Mental Health and Homelessness Outreach Workers
Reference: 330
Salary: £26,000 - £27,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience. In addition, this role will have a yearly staff retention bonus of up to £2106. This payment is allocated at the discretion of Herts Mind Network.
Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm)
Contract: Fixed term 1 Year
Working base(s): Watford Wellbeing Centre

About the Service

The Complex Needs Housing Service works as a multi-disciplinary team with housing teams and Drug and Alcohol Services across District and Borough councils. These teams will be working with individuals who are presenting as homeless and have a number of Complex Needs.

The objectives of the Complex Needs Housing Service are to:

• Improve the mental wellbeing of people experiencing mental ill health.
• Increase early access to help for people experiencing mental ill health in, by providing a clear and effective pathway to services provided by Herts Mind Network and other third sector and statutory providers.
• Contribute to an improvement in individual mental wellbeing.
• Remain a source of independent support for all clients.
• Reduce the use of police, ASB, tenancy enforcement, housing needs and environmental health services by clients whose primary need is related to mental ill health.
• Reduce the use of crisis services by people experiencing mental ill health without positive outcomes for the individual.
• Provide an assertive outreach approach for clients who are in crisis and/ or those that may have complex or multiple needs.
• Work collaboratively within a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) consisting of Change Grow Live (CGL), District and Borough councils, housing teams and other professionals.

About the Role

The purpose of the Hertfordshire Mind Network Community Outreach Worker role is to:

• To provide advice, information, onward referral and holistic support to clients who are experiencing mental ill health or need support with their mental wellbeing. These will be clients who are presenting to District and Borough councils as homeless and need intervention and support with their mental health and housing.
• To ensure that the safety and wellbeing of the client is monitored and reviewed regularly.
• To remain a source of independent support for all clients.
• Embed a person-centred recovery orientated and trauma informed approach in all aspects of the roles.

We offer:

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 29 days after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays)
• An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
• Ongoing training relevant to your role.
• An Employee Assistance Programme.
• Eligibility for blue light card.
• Health cover (after 6 months employment) - compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.

Being able to drive and having access to your own vehicle is essential for this role.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 23rd March at 5pm.
Interviews to be held on Monday 30th March at our Watford Wellbeing Centre.
N.B. Please quote reference number 330 when completing your application for this role.

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.

We welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. Our inclusive approach recognises the unique skills, knowledge, and perspectives that lived experience brings to our team.

No agencies please.

Following a successful application to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, we are seeking a Youth Worker to lead on systems change as part of our Brighter Rainbow Project. A key requirement of the post is to hold a JNC Level 6 Youth and Community Work qualification or equivalent (or due to complete 2026- 2027). We also welcome applicants with related subjects including nursing, primary teaching, secondary teaching, social work etc.

As Youth Worker you will use your experience of working with children and young people to:

• Work alongside the Youth Coordinator to develop and deliver an agreed project plan that meets the requirements of funders and local team priorities, in line with Diabetes UK processes and policies.
• Support young people and volunteers to understand and grow their strengths and skills, empowering them to take action, support others and make change happen.
• Continuously improve our impact and engagement with young people and the diabetes community, identifying opportunities to share learning and good practice across teams.
• Work with colleagues to grow and enhance our engagement with young people, creating opportunities for long term relationships and involvement of young people in the wider work of the charity.

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 Floating Support Worker to play a pivotal role in our Complex Needs Service in Hammersmith and Fulham.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

We are seeking a dedicated professional to provide holistic, person-centred support to a group of key service users linked to local mental health services in Hammersmith and Fulham. Using the recovery approach and SMART support planning, you will help individuals increase independence, maintain accommodation, and enjoy a good quality of life. This role involves visiting service users in various settings—including their homes, the community, supported housing, and hospitals—while devising effective interventions for those who are hard to engage. You will enable access to medical and mainstream community services, liaise with partners such as community mental health teams and housing services, and work collaboratively to address gaps in clinical and wrap-around support. Responsibilities include conducting needs and risk assessments, creating and reviewing SMART support plans, reducing unplanned hospital admissions, and encouraging engagement with networks and informal support systems.

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.

We are looking for someone with proven experience supporting individuals with mental ill health and complex needs, ideally within a community or outreach setting. You should have the ability to empower service users to achieve their goals and aspirations, alongside excellent knowledge of mental health issues, including signs, symptoms, and treatments. The role requires strong assessment skills to identify declining mental health and take appropriate action.

You will need a solid understanding of health and safety in community settings, key working practices, person-centred support planning, and the recovery approach. A commitment to equality, diversity, and promoting service users' rights, privacy, dignity, and choice is essential. Knowledge of welfare benefits relevant to the user group, safeguarding principles, and the ability to address safeguarding concerns appropriately are also required.

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.

Are you looking for a new Challenge?

Do you have experience of working within drug services and with volunteers?

Do you have relevant experience? This might be alcohol, injecting drug use, viral hepatitis or other liver disease. Have you supported anyone who has?

We are looking for self-motivated individuals who like to be part of a team but equally can work on their own. The post holders must have a desire to make a difference in promoting hepatitis awareness & liver health among services and affected communities and by increasing access to hepatitis treatment and liver disease care. We are looking for a passionate and skilled peer lead who will work on the Community Liver Health Bus and in community outreach locations in North Central London 

We are a patient-led organisation – you will be working in an environment where the patient/service user/client is placed at the centre of all that you do.

The post holder is required to hold a clean driving licence.

Join Homeless Oxfordshire as a Project 41 Support Worker, supporting people with experiences of homelessness, trauma, substance use, and mental health needs to live more independently in dispersed accommodation. You’ll build compassionate, trauma-informed relationships, deliver high-quality support, coordinate with partners, manage risks and safeguarding, and help clients move on to suitable long-term housing. Join a supportive team where your commitment, resilience, and positive approach truly change lives.

Main Purpose Of Job:
Project 41 accommodates individuals within the homeless pathway and as part of Oxfordshire’s Homelessness Alliance. These individuals have support needs including substance use, mental health and offending histories, but are able to live in dispersed accommodation in Oxford with a higher level of independence than in our hostels. The successful candidate will understand the trauma people using our services have experienced, and have a compassionate and assertive approach to building relationships. At Project 41 you will provide high quality support service provision, work with clients to ensure suitable and timely move on, ensure the health and safety and safeguarding of service users and colleagues, work in a psychologically informed way, and develop and maintain effective partnerships with relevant agencies.

Main Areas Of Responsibility:

• To ensure the effective delivery of high quality support, housing management and resettlement opportunities.
• To develop effective professional relationships with service users that is trauma informed and compassionate, and which empowers and motivates our service users to make positive changes in their lives.
• To work in partnership with support agencies to coordinate a holistic response to an individuals needs; this may include substance use services, probation, health professionals and adult social care.
• To lead on identifying and applying for suitable move on accommodation, and providing support throughout the move and whilst settling in to new accommodation.
• To assess risk and suitability of referrals for the service.
• To be responsible for creating and actioning person centred, strengths based support plans, and identifying and working towards suitable move on.
• To assess and manage risk for individuals and in the service, creating and maintaining risk assessments for all clients. Reporting any safeguarding concerns without delay in line with procedures.
• Work with the Team Manager and colleagues to achieve agreed contractual performance targets and organisational targets and objectives.
• Maintain a safe, clean and welcoming environment across accommodation services; this may including room cleaning and clearance.
• Manage challenging situations in line with procedures and to ensure the safety of yourself and others.
• Ensure that IT systems are updated as required and concise record keeping is completed promptly.
• To participate in the induction of and support new team members.
• To contribute to a positive team culture which is inspiring and motivational.
• Comply with Homeless Oxfordshire’s policies and procedures.
• Contribute to a positive working environment in which equality and diversity are valued and staff are enabled to do their best.
• Contribute to the work of the broader team.

About Us:

We are an open door for people experiencing homelessness whose lives have been shaped by trauma and disadvantage; providing safety, stability and support when it is needed most. We deliver this support across Oxfordshire by providing a range of accommodation with access to high quality support, offering a safe and welcoming space for people to take control of their own lives. We are an accredited Oxford Living Wage employer, and benefits to the role include: annual leave starting at 26 days (excluding bank holidays), flexible working, enhanced benefits with qualifying service, retail discounts with our Homeless Oxfordshire Benefits Hub, and life assurance up to four times your salary and a £250 bonus if you successfully refer a someone as a new colleague through our Employee Referral Scheme as a thanks from us!

What’s Next: Have a look at the job description to find out more about the role and apply on our website. Please be aware that this role is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure check and will be undertaken for the successful candidate .

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we identify a suitable candidate before the advertised closing date.

Are you looking for a dynamic and rewarding role working for an organisation with the feminist agenda at the core of its ethos? Then Advance Charity could be the career choice for you!

We are looking for a Complex Needs & Outreach Keyworker

Salary: £25,000- £27,000 pro rata

Location: Kent Advance Women’s Centre including co-location at Folkstone Probation Office

Hours: 28 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term Contract for 12 months

This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010.  

Please note: Any offer of employment will be made subject to references, confirmation of the right to work in the UK, and satisfactory enhanced DBS check. This role is also subject to EL1 MOJ Vetting.

About us

Advance is an award-winning and innovative women-only organisation, established in 1998, providing emotional and practical support to women and girls survivors of domestic abuse and supporting women with short-term sentences to reduce offending.  We believe in empowering women and girls to lead safe, non-violent, equal lives so that they can flourish and contribute to the community.

We are a community-based organisation who lead in best practice approaches to supporting women in their local community. We achieve this by being available to meet and support women in local settings and at our women’s centres, and by working in close partnership with other agencies. Our values are to listen and support, to empower and respect, collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

About the role:

This is a pilot project for Advance working with women with complex needs related to their involvement with the criminal justice system. As the Complex Needs & Outreach Worker you will provide intensive, trauma-informed support to women experiencing multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities, including homelessness, domestic and sexual violence, mental health challenges, substance misuse, and social exclusion. Working flexibly across outreach and community settings, you will focus on building trusting relationships with women who may be disengaged from or distrustful of services, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are addressed holistically.

You will be based primarily at Folkestone Probation Office, with up to two days per week spent providing outreach support in the community. This position involves close collaboration with the Folkestone Women's Pod to identify women who require intensive support.

A car may be desirable for this role, though not essential.

About You:

To be successful as the Complex Needs & Outreach Worker you will need the below experience and skills:

You will be highly empathetic, able to listen without judgement, and emotionally resilient when supporting women who have experienced significant trauma and adversity. The role requires tenacity and persistence, maintaining consistent engagement with clients who may have chaotic circumstances or face barriers to accessing support. You will advocate on behalf of clients, coordinate multi-agency responses, and support women to access safe accommodation, health services, safeguarding support, and pathways to recovery and independence.

This role demands a proactive, compassionate professional who can manage complex risk, work autonomously, and remain motivated and resilient while delivering person-centered, strengths-based support to some of the most vulnerable women in the community to enable them to lead safe and fulfilling lives.

How to apply:

Please submit your up-to-date CV with a supporting statement. Please note that only applications made via the job advert on the Advance careers page, and those that include a cover letter will be considered.

• Interviews are taking place on a rolling basis

*Advance reserves the right to close the advert early, or on the appointment of a candidate.

What we can offer you - Employee Benefits:

• An exceptional 30 days of paid holiday per year (pro rata for part time), PLUS public holidays on top (that's nearly 40 days paid holiday per year!)
• Additional days off to celebrate International Women’s Day, and for religious observance and moving home
• Perkbox - an employee discount platform where you can receive free rewards as well as take advantage of savings on clothes, groceries, travel, leisure and more
• Pension scheme
• Enhanced maternity/adoption provision
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee eye-care scheme
• Clinical supervision for front line staff and first line management roles
• Refer a Friend Scheme - £250 for each referral who passes probation
• Organisation wide away days
• Thorough induction and training
• Career development pathways

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Under the Equality Act 2010, we are required to make any reasonable adjustments. If you have a disability as defined under this act and/or have special needs, please email the Talent Acquisition Team via the Advance website and will aim to make the necessary arrangements to accommodate your needs.

Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunities

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and actively seek to recruit people from groups underrepresented in our current team. We have policies and processes in place to ensure that all employees are offered an equal opportunity in recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay and benefits.

Safeguarding

Advance is committed to safeguarding and creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm and expects all staff, including volunteers to share this commitment. We believe all individuals have the right to live their life free from violence and abuse and the right to feel and be safe.  We have a suite of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance, accessible to all staff, which promotes safeguarding and safer working practices across all our services and activities. When we recruit staff, we follow rigorous safer recruitment practices, this involves carrying out pre-employment checks including references, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and identity checks.  We ensure all staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to their role and responsibilities, to empower them to be competent and feel confident in recognising and responding appropriately to safeguarding issues and promote wellbeing.

Resettlement & Activity Worker

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Job Title: Resettlement and Activities Worker

Location: Bedford, Please note that this service does not have complete step free access

Salary: £26,000 (full time equivalent)

Shift Pattern: 30 hours per week Monday to Sunday with shift patterns confirmed at the next stage. You may be required to work flexibly dependent on service and resident requirements.

About the Role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Resettlement & Activities Coordinator to join our brand new service which is due to go live April 2026! This is an 11 bed, community based mental health service, offering short stay, trauma informed support. You will support our residents who are at risk of admission but can be supported outside of mental health hospital settings, by providing tailored support to them to help them overcome their personal barriers, and achieve their goals, to live more fulfilled lives and independent living. You will play a major part in ensuring a safe, stable and secure accommodation setting which provides the right support to resident needs. 

You will lead on delivering high quality activities and programmes which work to support individual need, whilst providing practical support to residents who require help with finding and sustaining suitable accommodation and engaging with community based services such as councils, training providers, and local authorities. The purpose of the role is to create a sense of belonging and independence through activities and support planning. No two days are the same, making this an ideal role for someone who enjoys variety and meaningful work in a supportive team environment. 

Some Key Responsibilities Include:

• Planning and coordinating individual and group activities and sessions such as days out and visits, awareness days/weeks/months campaigns, cultural celebrations and other meaningful events.
• Delivering programmes that support residents’ goals, personal development, and reintegration.
• Developing and managing calendars of activities, events, and awareness campaigns to promote social skills, community engagement, and meaningful participation.
• Collecting information about activities and resident feedback and using this for continuous improvement.
• Running clinics, projects, and sessions, providing guidance, life skills support, and advice to residents as needed.
• Building good relationships with partners and stakeholders, identifying new opportunities and creating an accessible partner resource catalogue.
• Identify risks, safeguarding residents and take appropriate action. Maintain accurate records, reports, and administrative tasks.

About You

We are looking for someone who has a passion to support vulnerable people in making a change, supporting their rehabilitation and engaging activities, providing opportunities for them to make positive change to their lives. You will have a general understanding of mental health needs of people form different backgrounds. You will be a self motivated individual who is able to be proactive in managing your own time during busy or quiet periods to ensure productivity. You will be able to work collaboratively as part of a team, and will have alignment with our SIG values. You will be keen to support our residents to achieve their individual goals and support them to be the best versions of themselves. 

We are looking for:

• Experience in coordinating and/or delivering activities and programmes with people from various backgrounds
• Ability to provide advice, support and guidance to a team and residents on various areas, particularly around resettlements
• Ability to work creatively and encourage creativity in others
• Ability to use, learn and adapt to IT at an intermediate level, including Microsoft and other software programs
• Ability and willingness to show flexibility of working patterns, responding to the needs of the service and residents
• Ability to promote the service and provide outreach-based provision, with an ability to liaise and work effectively in partnership with stakeholders
• Alignment with our values of Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

What we Offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Employer Pension Contribution
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• EDI Ambassador programme

About Social Interest Group (SIG)

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. 

We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group. 

Additional Information

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Please note that as part of our process, we complete an enhanced DBS check, some roles may require further vetting. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us on the details below. 

Please note that this will take you through to our Central Administration team, who will then communicate your enquiry with us and we will arrange to call you back. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions. 

Additional information on our company policies including Gender Pay, Equality and Diversity, Company Benefits and our Candidate Privacy Policy can be found on our website.

To navigate the collaboration between BDEF and Adult Social Care (Bristol City Council), making sure that people with lived expertise lead decisions about the services they rely on, guided by the Co‑Production Policy and Disability Equality principles. Please see the attachments for full Job Description and Person Specification, including links to definitions and relevant policies.

Co‑Design and Co‑Production Worker

Hours: 28 hours per week.  Must be flexible and be available for occasional work outside of usual work hours.

Salary: £30,229.28 pro rata (depending on successful completion of the Probationary Period). For the hours, this would work out at £24,183.43 annually. Point 7 on BDEF Pay Policy.

Purpose: To navigate the collaboration between BDEF and Adult Social Care (Bristol City Council), making sure that people with lived expertise lead decisions about the services they rely on, guided by the Co‑Production Policy and Disability Equality principles.

Reports to: Director of BDEF.

Based at: Chelsea Room, Easton Community Centre, Kilburn Street, Easton, Bristol, BS5 6AW. However, we support flexible working arrangements and hybrid working as we are committed to supporting our workers to meet their needs. If this is relevant for you, this can be discussed.

Contract: This is a fixed term contract until March 2029.

Access: We are a Disabled people led organisation. This role is for Disabled people to apply for. As such, support to make reasonable adjustments and/or support to apply for Access to Work will be embedded from the start of working with us.

 As an organisation, we also use Social Model Identity First language such as ‘Disabled people’ and ‘impairments’ or ‘health conditions’.

We know there are Disabled applicants who will have faced many barriers in developing their careers. When you read the job description and person specification, think about your potential to meet the requirements.

If there are items on the person specification where you feel you don't strictly meet the skills or experience listed but you already have strategies, support, or technology to meet these skills in a way that works for you (or you feel with the right support you could excel at) then please apply.

Co-Design and Co-Production

BDEF’s Director previously supported Bristol City Council Adult Social Care to create a Co‑production Policy. This policy was developed because there was no clear, fair, or consistent way for the Council to involve people with lived experience of using Adult Social Care services.

The policy:

• Is designed through co-production between Disabled people, Carers, Community and Voluntary Sector workers and council officers.
• Clearly defines consultation, engagement, co‑design and co‑production.
• Sets expectations for inclusive, equitable involvement.
• Has been fully adopted and approved by Adult Social Care.
• Is intended to guide all future Adult Social Care work.

Following feedback, Bristol City Council has now contracted BDEF, a Disabled‑people‑led organisation, to take this work forward. This, as part of this contract, role will focus on supporting, embedding and putting the policy into practice, ensuring that people with lived expertise are meaningfully involved in shaping Adult Social Care services.

The role will work closely with people with lived expertise of Adult Social Care services (Disabled people and carers among others), Bristol City Council Adult Social Care officers, community and voluntary organisations and BDEF colleagues. The role holder will work directly with BDEF Director who will offer advice and support.

The main duties will include:

1. Planning and delivering agreed co‑design and co‑production projects (up to three per year, or fewer larger projects). This will involve working jointly with the Council and people with lived expertise throughout each project. There will be a need to make sure that projects follow the Co‑production Policy.

2. Facilitating quarterly sessions of the Co‑production Policy Advisory Group who are the people who helped create this policy. Their remit is to offer advice to council officers on how best to use the Co-Production policy within their work.

3. Building and maintaining relationships between community members, the Co-Production Policy Advisory Group, community and voluntary organisations, Adult Social Care at Bristol City Council, and BDEF (Bristol Disability Equality Forum).

4. Supporting Disabled people and others with lived expertise to take part fully and confidently and help people to understand their role and how their input influences decisions. This will also mean identifying and connect with new people with lived experience who want to be involved.

5. Making sure that all projects involve people with a diverse range of experiences, identities and cultures and who are representative of Bristol’s communities.

6. Monitoring progress and report impact, tracking the progress of co-design and co-production work. This would include producing clear, accessible reports at the end of each project.

7. Where possible and appropriate, support Council officers to work in a co‑productive way. This would include promote correct usage of co‑production language and definitions.

8. To make sure that the right range of support available is accessible and that people with the widest range of impairments and differences are included. 

9. To implement BDEF’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and to develop and share anti-discriminatory practice and to challenge any systemic oppression, discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping amongst Disabled people and in other organisations.

10.To work within BDEF’s safeguarding policies and to develop best practice in safeguarding and supporting adults at risk.

Any other tasks corresponding with the post, as required. Whilst this summary is detailed, it does not necessarily specify every task or activity required to achieve these outcomes.

General Accountabilities:

So far as reasonably practicable, the post-holder must promote safe working practices with regard to both themselves, volunteers and anyone else in the office or at meetings. 

Work within the Codes of Conduct, Constitution and all other policies of BDEF.

Make sure that output and outcomes (quality of work) are of a high standard and comply with current standards.

Undertake any other duties, determined by the Director and trustees, as required.

Context:

BDEF is a voluntary sector charity of, and for, all Disabled people who live, work or study in the Bristol area.  It seeks to engage with Disabled people in the Bristol area in identifying and addressing equalities issues of concern to both our existing and potential members.

Deadline:

Please return the application (in whatever form you choose) by 5pm on Tuesday 24th March 2026.