Entry level jobs

We are seeking a compassionate HCPC-registered creative arts psychotherapist such as an arts therapist, dramatherapist or music therapist to join our team for one day per week to deliver therapeutic support through our in school support Project HOPE. 

This is an opportunity to be part of a small but ambitious organisation that places relationships, compassion, and community at the heart of everything we do, while working alongside a supportive team dedicated to improving outcomes for children, young people, and families. This position will initially be one day per week; however, there is strong potential for increased hours and days for the right candidate. Joining our small but fast-growing charity offers an exciting opportunity to develop alongside the organisation.

Project HOPE is a school based project offering therapy sessions as one-to-one or group work, making arts-based psychotherapy accessible to those who need it most. Project HOPE offers a creative lifeline for children who’ve encountered four or more adverse childhood expereinces (ACEs) and experienced or witnessed domestic abuse. It steps in where other local services can’t, providing support now and preparing children and young people for future life challenges.

We understand the emotional demands of therapeutic work and are committed to supporting practitioners to deliver high-quality, ethical, and sustainable practice. The successful candidate will receive regular clinical supervision and will have access to peer support, reflective discussions, and opportunities for ongoing professional development.

Newly qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, as we are happy to consider both those starting their careers and experienced professionals within the field.

Key Responsibilities include:

Therapeutic Delivery

• Deliver one-to-one and small group arts-based therapeutic interventions to secondary school-aged young people.

• Develop and facilitate creative therapeutic sessions tailored to the individual needs of participants.

• Build safe, trusting, and therapeutic relationships with young people experiencing complex trauma.

• Support young people to develop emotional regulation, resilience, self-awareness, and positive coping strategies.

Assessment and Planning

• Undertake initial assessments and contribute to identifying appropriate therapeutic support.

• Develop therapeutic goals and intervention plans in collaboration with young people and relevant professionals.

• Monitor progress and adapt interventions as required.

Multi-Agency Working

• Work closely with school staff, pastoral teams, safeguarding leads, and project partners to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting young people.

• Attend relevant meetings and contribute professional insight where appropriate or share relevant information with the manager to attend on your behalf. 

Safeguarding and Risk Management

• Maintain a thorough understanding of organisational and national safeguarding procedures and statutory responsibilities.

• Identify and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns, following organisational and school policies.

• Maintain accurate and confidential records in line with GDPR and professional standards.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Maintain appropriate case notes and outcome measures.

• Contribute to project reporting, evaluation, and impact measurement.

• Support the collection of feedback and evidence demonstrating project outcomes.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

• MA Qualified Creative Arts Therapist (Art Therapist, Dramatherapist, Music Therapist, or equivalent HCPC-recognised profession).

• Experience working therapeutically with children and young people.

• Experience supporting individuals who have experienced trauma, adversity, or significant emotional challenges.

• Strong understanding of trauma-informed practice.

• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures relating to children and young people.

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within schools or educational settings.

• Experience delivering both individual and group therapeutic interventions.

• Understanding of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their impact on development.

• Experience working within multi-disciplinary teams.

• Knowledge of local support services and referral pathways.

Personal Qualities

• Compassionate, empathetic, and non-judgemental.

• Calm and emotionally resilient.

• Creative and adaptable in therapeutic practice.

• Able to build trust and engage young people who may be reluctant to access support.

• Strong professional boundaries and ethical practice.

• Committed to promoting the voice, wellbeing, and potential of young people.

Safeguarding

This role involves working directly with children and young people and is subject to an enhanced DBS check with barred list clearance. The successful candidate will be expected to adhere to all safeguarding, confidentiality, and data protection policies and procedures.

37 hours per week / permanent / based on site at our Hove office, with some travel across Sussex and Surrey. Hybrid - three days from our office in Hove and up to two days working from home, working Monday to Friday (hours to be discussed at interview).

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections – guide us in all our actions.

Working within the Impact and Improvement Team, you will be responsible for championing data- driven decision making. You will analyse and report on risk and performance across large and complex datasets, translating this into actionable insights to inform strategic decision making.

In delivering the role, you will develop the organisation's data strategy and oversee the creation of engaging dashboards and efficient data models in Microsoft Power BI, Pyramid, In-Form/Salesforce, MS Business Central, HealthBoxHR and other analytics platforms.

With excellent people skills, you will act as a mentor in the development of the Data C Systems Support Officer and will help to improve data literacy skills across the organisation as a whole.

Key responsibilities:

Insights, analytics and reporting

• Use data visualisation tools to regularly present and communicate insights and complex analysis to a range of audiences in a clear, concise, and compelling way
• Lead on small analysis projects and support on larger analysis projects throughout the full project lifecycle
• Work with the Head of Impact and Improvement, identify and proactively exploit opportunities to streamline or automate data collection processes for greater efficiency

Data systems and processes

• Lead on data migration and system deployment for the upgrades in 2026 for our key system In- Form, contribute to defining and setting up of new reporting, dashboards, and process mapping where needed
• Reporting to the Digital Manager and working closely with business system owners, the Head of Impact and Improvement and IT Managed Service Provider, establishing high quality systems and tools for capturing, organising and using data
• Act the lead for our build on the Salesforce platform, dashboards and reports. Working with service managers, support the design, production, and continuous improvement of this client management system
• Lead the design and delivery of a regular programme of induction and training sessions to build organisational knowledge and capabilities around our data systems

If you’re enthusiastic about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway and demonstrate how your experience is transferrable. You may be just the right candidate.

You will already have experience of complex data analysis and reporting on performance across large datasets, along with experience of building engaging dashboards and efficient data models in Microsoft Power BI, Salesforce, or similar analytics platforms. You have analytical and problem- solving skills to interpret and present complex data, along with expert digital skills around use of MS Office 365 and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel to summarise and graphically represent data. You will understand data migration across systems and how to map effective reporting requirements. Experience with MS Fabric or similar data lakes/warehouses would be very beneficial.

You are a team player who can work with others to deliver a service and challenge colleagues appropriately where required. You have strong planning and time management skills, with ability to deal with competing priorities and deliver results to tight deadlines. You will already have a good understanding of the importance of data and information security, with experience of managing and working with information, systems and databases, designing and producing reports from them.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 19th July 2026 at midnight.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

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 will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.

• Estate Services Officer

  Temporary Contract – 6 Months + (potential for temp-to-perm)

  Hybrid Working, Barking
  ? Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm (40 hours per week)
  £18–£22 per hour Umbrella (dependent on experience)

  We are seeking a proactive and customer-focused Estate Services Officer to support the delivery of estate services across a portfolio of residential estates.

  Working closely with the Grounds Maintenance & Caretaking Contracts Manager, you will help ensure estates are clean, safe, and well-maintained while delivering excellent customer service to residents.

  Key Responsibilities

  • Support the management of grounds maintenance, caretaking, and waste contracts.
  • Carry out estate and block inspections, identifying and reporting issues.
  • Monitor contractor performance and ensure service standards are maintained.
  • Manage fly-tipping and waste-related issues, coordinating timely resolutions.
  • Respond to resident enquiries and complaints in a professional and empathetic manner.
  • Maintain accurate records, reports, and administrative systems.
  • Raise purchase orders and liaise with contractors as required.

  About You

  • Strong organisational and administrative skills.
  • Excellent communication and customer service skills.
  • Able to manage competing priorities in a busy environment.
  • Experience in housing, estate services, facilities management, or a similar environment is desirable.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office.
  • This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys a varied role, combining office-based administration with on-site estate management, and is passionate about delivering high-quality services to residents.

  Apply now to be considered.