Jobs for the Mental Health sector

ID: 1868 Psychotherapist/Counsellor

Service: Off Centre

Salary: Grade 3 (upper) 24-28:£36,501 - £40,024 FTE per annum, Inclusive of Inner London Weighting

Location: Off Centre, The Textile Building, Hackney, London, E9.

We are predominantly office based but there may be an option for staff to work one day a week remotely. Our office space is wheelchair accessible. All staff are required to work on Wednesdays and one evening up to 8pm on either Monday or Thursday.

Hours: Full-time  (37 hours per week) or open to job share.

We offer flexible working arrangements - please see below for more details.

Contract: Temporary (1 year)  

Family Action & the Role’s Impact:

At Family Action we support people through change, challenge or crisis. It’s what we’ve done for over 150 years. We protect children, support young people and adults and offer direct, practical help to families and communities.

We see first-hand the power of family to shape lives, for better or worse, so we speak up for the

importance of family in national and local policymaking, amplify family voices and represent the changing needs of families in the UK today.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Psychotherapist / Counsellor with relevant post qualifying experience in working with young people / young adults with complex mental health and psychosocial issues to join the Off Centre team. We provide outcome focussed interventions that support resilience and / or recovery. You will be a warm, empathic individual with an ability to relate to young people and work as part of a team.

Off Centre provides early access help for young people age 16-25 with moderate to severe mental health problems. It facilitates the transition to adult services where appropriate, improves the mental well-being of young people by providing early interventions including individual, time limited and outcome focussed psychotherapy / counselling / arts psychotherapies, accessible drop in provision, therapeutic group work and keywork support.

Main Responsibilities:

· To carry out clinical and holistic, initial assessments of service users’ needs and suitability for service, including assessing risk and safeguarding issues, co-design outcome focussed treatment plan with young adult, utilizing agreed assessment and outcome tools such as CORE 10, PHQ 9 and GAD 7.

· To carry and maintain a caseload of service users receiving individual counselling / psychotherapy applying specialist knowledge and techniques of counselling / psychotherapy where appropriate during interventions. In addition, undertake the associated case management and administrative work in accordance with clinical and funding requirements. You will also co-facilitate the weekly Drop In on Thursday evenings.

· To keep excellent and up-to-date records of work with service users at all times, adhering to confidentiality and information sharing protocols in conjunction with safeguarding requirements.

· To advise and liaise with external partners involved in the mental health and wellbeing needs of clients. Contribute locally as well as regionally, to strategic planning discussions and ensure collaborative working with statutory and voluntary agencies and service providers to ensure a high quality unified service. Ensure that service-users’ views are heard and understood and inform and influence the development of local mental health services’ provision and practice.

Main Requirements (for details check the job description and person specification):

· UK recognised Psychotherapy/Counselling (MA desirable) or equivalent qualification with substantial post-qualifying clinical experience in delivering evidence based psychotherapies with young people or young adults (ideally both) with moderate to severe mental health issues, and with a focus on quality and effectiveness.

· Accredited to a relevant professional Psychotherapy/Counselling body (BACP/UKCP/HCPC).

· You will be able to demonstrate continued professional development and advanced post qualification training in relevant areas which could include areas such DBT, Systemic, Mindfulness and/or EMDR approaches and interventions. 

· Appointments are subject to Family Action receiving an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service that we consider acceptable.

Benefits:

- an annual paid leave entitlement that commences at 25 working days, rising each April by one day, subject to a maximum of 30 working days plus bank holidays / of 30 working days plus bank holidays

- up to 6% matched-pension contributions

- flexible working arrangements and new starters have the right to make flexible working requests from day one of employment

- enhanced paid sick leave and paid family leave provisions

- eye care and winter flu jabs vouchers

- cycle to work scheme

- investing in your professional development with ongoing quality training and career development opportunities

We are forward looking, ambitious and committed to continuous improvement. We are a people focused, can-do organisation, which strives for excellence in all we do and operates with mutual respect.

To Apply:

· Click the “Apply Now” link below and fill out our digital application form

· Closing Date: Wednesday 30th September 2026 at 23:59pm

Interviews are scheduled to take place week beginning Monday 12th October 2026

For direct queries or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the selection process or flexible working requests, please email: Nigel Lockley (full email address on advert document)

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion:

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process and you will be asked whether you require any adjustments if shortlisted for interview. We also make reasonable adjustments on the job, where required.

We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all that we do and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Intersectionality is important to us and we particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ candidates and disabled candidates because we are committed to increasing the representation of these groups at Family Action. We know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for families and children and strive for our workforce to be truly representative of the diverse communities we support. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role, and will reimburse your travel cost if you attend an interview.

*Ordinarily Family Action appoints new starters at the starting point of the salary scale (with subsequent annual pay progression), unless you have experience that would justify appointment further up the salary scale or there are any other exceptional reasons.

About The Advocacy Project

We help people speak up and make decisions about their health, wellbeing and social care. We’re here to make sure people who are vulnerable because of their circumstance can understand their rights, make effective choices about their lives and voice their concerns.

Some of the ways we do this include:

• advocacy services that make sure people can express their wishes when decisions are being made about their care or wellbeing
• user involvement projects that help organisations improve what they offer by listening to people who use their services
•  local Healthwatch services, which act as health and social care champions for the areas they serve and give people a direct channel to share their feedback
• Accessible communication - we specialise in producing easy read documents designed to help organisations communicate with people with learning disabilities. 

Our services are independent, confidential, and free to those receiving them. Together, our teams are standing up for essential rights and supporting people to have a say on the issues that matter to them.

About the role

The Senior Advocate (Practice Lead) provides organisation-wide advocacy practice leadership while maintaining a complex advocacy caseload when required. The postholder manages the operational delivery of the Spot Purchase Advocacy Service and Paid for Advocacy service and provides expert case consultation to all advocates, supports safeguarding practice, allocates spot purchase referrals, mentors advocates, delivers training and contributes to the continuous development and quality assurance of advocacy practice across the organisation. Working under the direction of the Head of Service Delivery, the postholder supports service development, raises awareness of advocacy services and deputises for aspects of the safeguarding lead role when required.

Key responsibilities

Practice Leadership

• Provide expert case-related advice and guidance to advocates across all advocacy services.
• Act as the first point of contact for complex advocacy practice queries.
• Support quality assurance through case audits, reflective discussions and feedback.
• Identify learning needs and contribute to improving advocacy practice across services.
• Support advocacy managers with practice-related issues.

Spot Purchase Service

• Manage the day-to-day operational delivery of the Spot Purchase Advocacy Service.
• Support the Customer Advisors with referral allocation, operational queries and monitoring.
• Allocate referrals appropriately according to advocate skills, availability and contractual requirements.
• Monitor referral progression, maintain spreadsheets and ensure contractual timescales are met.
• Support invoice checking and performance reporting.
• Help develop and expand the Spot Purchase Advocacy Service alongside the Head of Service Delivery.

Paid for Advocacy service

• Maintain online appointment diary for enquires.
• Undertake initial triage conversations.
• Provide advocacy as required.
• Manage end to end process.
• Report monthly on activity.
• Support with marketing of service as required.

Advocacy Casework

• Maintain a reduced but complex advocacy caseload across statutory and non-statutory advocacy services if/when required.
• Provide urgent advocacy cover where operationally required.
• Work across multiple advocacy services according to organisational need.
• Support zero-hours advocates and new staff through mentoring and shadowing.

Safeguarding

• Provide safeguarding advice and guidance to staff.
• Deputise for the Designated Safeguarding Lead during periods of absence.
• Support safeguarding decision-making and promote best practice.
• Training & Awareness
• Deliver induction, refresher training and practice workshops.
• Support awareness raising and promotional activity for advocacy services.
• î  Contribute to presentations for professionals and stakeholders.

General

• Develop effective relationships with commissioners, professionals and partner organisations.
• Undertake projects delegated by the Head of Service Delivery.
• Participate in meetings, service development and organisational initiatives.
• Comply with all organisational policies and procedures.
• Carry out other projects and tasks as needed

Person Specification

Essential

• Independent Advocacy Qualification in at least one statutory advocacy discipline (e.g. Care Act Advocacy, IMCA or IMHA).
• Significant experience working as an advocate.
• Excellent knowledge of advocacy legislation including the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 1983, Human Rights Act and safeguarding adults.
• Experience supporting or mentoring advocates with casework.
• Experience managing complex advocacy cases.

Strong understanding of safeguarding procedures and ability to deputise for the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

• Excellent organisational, leadership and prioritisation skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Excel and case management systems.
• Ability to manage spreadsheets, referral allocation and operational monitoring.
• Ability to work independently and across multiple advocacy services.
• Willingness to undertake advocacy casework when required.

Desirable

• Qualifications in multiple advocacy disciplines (e.g. Care Act, IMCA, IMHA, RPR).
• Experience in delivery training.
• Experience promoting or marketing advocacy services.
• Experience supporting service development and quality improvement.
• Knowledge of commissioning and contract monitoring.

Personal Attributes

• Professional and approachable.
• Supportive and collaborative.
• Solution-focused with excellent attention to detail.
• Creative and proactive.
• Committed to high-quality advocacy and continuous improvement.

Benefits of working for us

We’re committed to providing an empowering, flexible and supportive working environment for all our staff.

Our employee benefits include 30 days annual leave (including up to 3 days between Christmas and New Year), participation in a pension scheme with 6% employer contribution, access to a free confidential counselling service, and an interest-free travel/bike loan.

All our staff are supported to learn and develop in a variety of ways, including a monthly lecture series where we invite sector experts to talk to our staff on topical issues.

We are a Disability Confident and Mindful Employer.

We are looking for someone who genuinely wants to make a difference, previous money advice experience is not essential - we will provide the training and support required.  If you are a natural problem solver, an excellent communicator, and someone who enjoys helping people overcome personal challenges - this could be the role for you!

The Outreach Money Advice Caseworker will provide specialist money and debt advice to people experiencing financial hardship, with a particular focus on preventing homelessness, sustaining tenancies and supporting residents to achieve long-term financial stability. 

Using a relationship-based, person-centred approach, you will deliver outreach across Devon through home visits, community venues and flexible methods of communication, ensuring vulnerable residents can access the support they need.

We have numerous roles available, two are based in Exeter and surrounding areas and one is based in Torridge and West Devon.

Join Our Team and Help Transform Lives!

We are looking for a compassionate and motivated Benefits Adviser to join our Transitions team, providing personalised benefits advice and support to people in their own homes and communities across West Devon and Torridge. You will help people understand and access the benefits they are entitled to, maximise their household income and navigate what can often be complex and challenging benefit processes. Many of the people we support face barriers to accessing mainstream services, so the ability to build trust, listen and provide patient, practical support is at the heart of this role.

We are looking for someone with strong communication and interpersonal skills, a person-centred approach and a genuine commitment to supporting people experiencing vulnerability or financial hardship. Previous benefits advice experience would be an advantage, but we also welcome applications from people with transferable skills and the right values and aptitude to develop in the role. Full training, support and opportunities for professional development will be provided

About the Role

Working as part of the Transitions Project, you will provide specialist, person-centred benefits advice to people in their own homes and community settings across West Devon and Torridge.

Many of the people we support experience barriers that make it difficult for them to access mainstream advice services, including poor physical or mental health, disability, rural isolation, digital exclusion, low confidence and complex personal circumstances. You will take advice directly to clients, providing the time, flexibility and practical support they need to understand and access their benefit entitlements.

You will complete comprehensive benefit checks, support clients to make and manage claims, identify opportunities to maximise household income and help resolve benefit-related problems. This may include supporting clients with challenging decisions, mandatory reconsiderations and appeals, as well as liaising and advocating with the DWP, local authorities and other agencies.

The role involves regular lone working and travel to clients' homes, so you will need to be confident working independently while remaining closely connected to the wider Transitions team.

This is a rewarding role with the opportunity to make a tangible difference to the financial stability and wellbeing of people who may otherwise struggle to access the support they need.

Lead a pioneering national mental-health service for young people, rooted in nature and underpinned by strong clinical practice.

We are seeking an experienced Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to lead its development, accreditation and quality across the UK.

Salary: £57,528–£64,750 full-time equivalent (£34,517–£38,850 0.6 FTE) depending on experience 
Hours: 22.5 hours per week / three days per week
Contract: 18-month fixed term, with intention to extend subject to service growth and funding
Location: Hybrid, with travel to Dose of Nature locations and member organisations across the UK

Dose of Nature is a mental-health charity improving mental health and wellbeing through structured, evidence-informed engagement with nature.

We are developing a Young Person Memberships service for young people and young adults under 25. We will train and support trusted organisations to deliver the Dose of Nature model in their communities, providing the clinical framework, accreditation, supervision, quality assurance and evaluation needed for safe, effective and consistent delivery.

About the role

As Young People’s Clinical Service Lead, you will establish, deliver and grow this new service. Working with our Head of Clinical and Memberships Operations Lead, you will turn our clinical model into a scalable national service while protecting its quality, safety and integrity.

You will lead the clinical assessment and accreditation of member organisations; develop training and competency frameworks; provide supervision and consultation; establish governance, safeguarding and risk arrangements; monitor outcomes and quality; and build trusted relationships with NHS, voluntary-sector, youth-service and community partners.

About you

You will be a current HCPC-registered Clinical or Counselling Psychologist, with a doctoral-level qualification and experience broadly consistent with an NHS Band 8a role.

You will bring:

• Substantial post-qualification experience supporting young people or young adults experiencing mental-health difficulties;

• Strong skills in psychological assessment, formulation, intervention, clinical decision-making, safeguarding and risk management;

• Experience providing clinical supervision, consultation or reflective practice to other practitioners;

• Experience designing or delivering clinical training and assessing practitioner competence;

• Experience of developing, implementing or improving a clinical service; and

• The confidence to work across organisational boundaries, maintain clear clinical standards and help build a new national service.

• Experience in CAMHS, young-adult mental health, voluntary-sector provision, clinical governance, quality assurance, accreditation or partnership-led services would be valuable.

We offer hybrid and flexible working, employer pension contribution, pro-rata annual leave, professional supervision, CPD support and approved travel expenses.

Dose of Nature is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. This post is subject to enhanced DBS clearance, references, verification of qualifications and HCPC registration, and eligibility to work in the UK.

Please download the full Job Description and Person Specification before applying.

We're looking for 3 kind, compassionate and resilient Enhanced Support Worker's to join our Mental Health Social Care Service in Westminster. No personal care or experience required, just the right values.

£31,200.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel valued? You'll feel at home here.

This Service operates across multiple sites, and all staff are required to work flexibly across each hub as part of the service.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award-winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

Our benefits include:

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service
• Free DBS
• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 8% and life assurance cover up to 3x pensionable salary (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

To enable vulnerable people living in a variety of different tenures to manage their tenancies/ licences and move towards greater independence within the community, by providing flexible and individually tailored support.

What you'll do:

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

• Undertake initial and continuous assessment of needs and potential risks and agree levels of support actions and capture outcomes in Support and Risk Management files.
• Create support/action plans for providing appropriate services based on the assessment and reflecting the services and resources available.
• Support customers to undertake all domestic tasks wherever possible, including practical assistance where they have not yet developed the skills, to ensure customers enjoy a high quality of accommodation
• Develop and maintain links with all key agencies and service providers in the local community especially the local mental health system to ensure that customers receive the best treatment available
• Lead on an area of specialism (e.g. , health and wellbeing) , build partnerships and develop internal and external opportunities for service-users in this area

About you:

• Enjoys social interaction and the company of others, joins in local activities to encourage customer involvement
• Approachable and open behaviour
• Prefers working as part of a group or team

Essential:

• Up to NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent or experience in the social care/charity sector

Desirable:

• Experience working in mental health

About us:

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.

Right now, millions of people across the UK are struggling to make ends meet. Whether it’s skipping meals, choosing between heating and rent, or facing unexpected expenses without a safety net — financial insecurity is a daily reality for far too many. At Turn2us, we’re here to change that. We support people in financial crisis to access the help they need and to build long-term financial security.

Every year, we reach millions through our practical tools like our Benefits Calculator and Grants Search, and we provide direct support through our Helpline and grant programmes. We work alongside people with lived experience of poverty to influence policy, shift public narratives, and tackle the root causes of financial insecurity.

Turn2us is serious about tackling financial insecurity both at scale and at its roots. We understand that the measurement and evaluation of all of our work is absolutely vital to achieving this and helping people thrive, and we are looking for an interim Head of Impact and Evaluation to join us on a 12-month maternity contract to support this work.

As Interim Head of Impact and Evaluation, you will be responsible for maintaining and evolving frameworks that help all colleagues understand and enhance our impact. This role will support Team Heads and Directors in decisions about prioritising work and assessing innovations that advance our vision of financial security for all. You will also work closely with the Policy Team and external partners on research that deepens our understanding of poverty and financial insecurity, while leading a dedicated team to scale and replicate effective solutions.

We’re looking for someone who sees impact not as a back-office function but as a transformative enabler of our mission. Naturally we want you to bring deep technical expertise, but also empathy, curiosity, and the leadership skills to bring others with you. This role isn’t just about ticking boxes and meeting funder paperwork requirement. It’s about supporting innovation, making crucial decisions about where we focus our efforts, and unlocking the insights that help us deliver a more just and secure society.

We know that Turn2us will benefit from leaders with new perspectives and ways of thinking, so we’re actively encouraging broad interest from impactful leaders who bring transferable skills from a wide range of backgrounds- whether commercial, from civil society, government or education. But an ability and curiosity to learn is key, as is the confidence to acknowledge the things that you don’t know.

This is a genuinely exciting and critical role: for our staff, our partners, and most importantly, the people for whom our organisation exists. We are always eager to receive approaches from people with lived experience of financial insecurity. If you can demonstrate a clear commitment to our values and ethos, and a deep personal commitment to our vision, we’d love to hear from you.

To download a full copy of the candidate brief and learn more about the role, please click the ‘Apply’ button, where you will be redirected to the website of our recruitment partner, Tall Roots. Applications should include a CV and covering letter. If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please email Mark Crowley at Tall Roots.

The Community Fundraising Manager will play a key role in driving sustainable income growth by leading and developing a diverse fundraising portfolio across community fundraising, corporate partnerships, high-value supporters, and events. The role will build strong, long-term relationships and deliver engaging campaigns that inspire support and deepen connection to St John Ambulance Cymru’s mission

The post-holder will have the opportunity to shape and grow a dynamic fundraising programme, identifying new income opportunities and developing innovative campaigns and partnerships. They will work closely with supporters, volunteers, and partners across Wales, represent the organisation at events and in the community, and play a key role in delivering ambitious targets while contributing to strategic planning and organisational growth.

What you’ll need to be successful

We are looking for someone who

• Has a proven track record of generating income across multiple fundraising streams, including community, corporate, events, or high-value giving
• Can build and manage strong, lasting relationships with a wide range of supporters and stakeholders
• Is highly organised and able to manage competing priorities while delivering against ambitious targets
• Has excellent communication and influencing skills, with confidence presenting to different audiences
• Is proactive, self-motivated, and results-driven, with the ability to identify and maximise new opportunities
• Has experience of planning and delivering successful fundraising campaigns and events
• Understands supporter journeys and is committed to delivering an excellent supporter experience
• Is confident using CRM systems, data, and insight to inform activity and reporting
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusion, collaboration, and the organisation’s values

People Operations Officer

Location: High St, Brasted, Westerham, UK

Contract type: Full time, Permanent

Salary: Up to £27,184 per annum

Access to your own means of transportation would be beneficial, as the local bus service is unfortunately neither frequent nor reliable. We recommend you research your potential commute ahead of applying.

Company Description

At Catch22, we are proud of our reputation as a modern and progressive employer. Our 1,300 colleagues and 300 volunteers work at every stage of the social welfare cycle, supporting over 60,000 individuals from cradle to career. Our work spans education, social justice and rehabilitation, children's social care, family support, social action and getting people into work.

The People Team plays a critical role in supporting our services to deliver our work. We're a team of nearly 20, and work from our offices in Brasted, Kent, Central London and remotely (with travel to our services).

Job Description

If you're looking for your first or second job in HR and already have impressive administrative and organisational skills, as well working towards your CIPD level 3 or equivalent then we have the ideal role for you.

As People Operations Officer you will be delivering a customer-focussed HR processing service for a number of areas of our organisation. You will be working with our Service Managers to ensure they work to our HR polices, processes and practices. This will include:

• Using the ATS system to approve and publish roles
• Carrying out background checks and onboarding new staff.
• Issuing offer letters and contracts of employment.
• Administering the leaver processes.
• Processing variations to contracts and payroll changes and entering timesheets.
• Monitoring key events and dates relevant to the employment relationship (e.g. DBS renewals) and taking appropriate action.
• Collating inter-company transfer (TUPE) data as required and implementing the payroll and records aspects of TUPE transfers
• Managing the employee absence processes, including annual leave, sickness, maternity and paternity.
• Preparing redundancy calculations
• Supporting with grievance and disciplinary investigations by making arrangements and taking notes.
• Supporting Managers with informal and Stage 1 sickness absence cases.
• Dealing in a sensitive and professional manner with enquiries from all sources and maintaining privacy and confidentiality at all times

You will be managed by our People Operations Manager, and will be working with a wider People team who support other areas of the organisation, so there will be plenty of opportunities to learn from others, hear more about what we do and how you play a part in the bigger picture.

You'll also be working closely with the rest of the team in particularly the Strategic People Partners and ER & Wellbeing team. Your relationship with our Payroll team is also going to be key.

Qualifications

An understanding of, or keen interest in HR is essential, while some experience of the area would be desirable. We will also look to supporting you with further development and in gaining a recognised qualification in HR support.

To succeed in this role you must possess a good basic education and strong administrative skills - including a familiarity with Word and Excel, and experience of using mail merge and databases. You will be able to work on your own initiative and maintain confidentiality. In addition, you must be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to build and develop strong working relationships
• A strong customer service ethos and good communication skills
• The ability to work effectively under pressure
• Time management and prioritisation skills
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of working in a busy Human Resources or Finance Department.
• Experience of using a HR database system.
• Knowledge of the main areas of HR administration
• Able to develop basic administration procedures.

Additional Information

Access to your own means of transportation would be beneficial, as the local bus service is unfortunately neither frequent nor reliable. We recommend you research your potential commute ahead of applying.

Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

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.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Catch22, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

Awareness and Prevention Practitioner, Child Exploitation

Salary: £26.097 (£15,869.80 pro rata)

Contact: Permanent, part-time 22.5 hours per week

Location: Office is Meeting Point House, Southwater, Shropshire, United Kingdom. This role covers all of the Telford area with occasional travel further across West Mercia.

Company Description

At Catch22, we are proud of our reputation as a modern and progressive employer. Our 1,300 colleagues and 300 volunteers work at every stage of the social welfare cycle, supporting over 60,000 individuals from cradle to career. Our work spans education, social justice and rehabilitation, children's social care, family support, social action and getting people into work.

Our STEPS is an integrated Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) support service which spans across West Mercia. The four regions of West Mercia are Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Worcestershire. 

Job Description

In your role you will:

• Develop and deliver a range of group programmes, workshops and training packages for young people, professionals, parents & carers.
• Work with children and young people at risk of CSE and CCE by identifying risk factors and intervening early to prevent exploitation.
• Develop and deliver tailored interventions to reduce vulnerability.
• Use trauma-informed approaches to build trust and resilience.
• Proactively utilise safeguarding protocols to information share and protect children from harm.
• Signpost to up-to-date evidence-based resources and guidance on child exploitation. informing policies and procedures in education and community settings.
• Provide advice and guidance to support development of policies and procedures in relation to child exploitation in line with national guidance and best practice.
• Increase awareness of how to access the specialist support service and other relevant services for young people and adults across West Mercia.
• Ensure that you effectively monitor, report and evaluate outcome measures from the interventions that are delivered and that they are appropriately completed in accordance with GDPR and Catch22’s monitoring and recording standards and requirements
• Be a proactive member of the service and team, attending meetings and training events required
• Ensure that the service promotes and reflects equality of opportunity and diversity at all levels.
• Maintain and update professional knowledge and competencies ensuring that you are up-to date on all relevant Catch22 policies and procedures, and are working in line with local and governmental frameworks such as Public Health England, Safeguarding etc.

Qualifications

• Direct specialist knowledge of risk factors leading to exploitation and how to address them, with the ability to embed safeguarding principles into digital content and resources.
• Ability to design and deliver impactful interventions that support vulnerable young people and their families, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.
• Experience of planning, delivering, and evaluating support activities, including resource packs, videos, and online engagement tools.
• Qualification in youth work, or equivalent experience in creating online content for safeguarding or educational purposes.
• Experience of working in partnership with a variety of agencies, using virtual platforms to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Extensive understanding of Child Protection and safeguarding processes, ensuring compliance in all digital outputs.
• Experience of writing high-quality reports and evaluations, demonstrating the impact of engagement and resources.
• Application of Health and Safety and risk management principles including

Additional Information

Benefits

• 28 days annual leave + bank holidays, rising to 33 days with service (pro rata)
• Pension scheme with matching contributions of up to 4%
• Discounted shopping opportunities

Unless otherwise stated, interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

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. 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 Catch22, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

This is a unique opportunity to lead a respected charity dedicated to supporting individuals affected by trauma and adversity. As Chief Executive, you will provide inspirational leadership, driving our vision, strategy, and impact while ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable, well-governed, and focused on delivering high-quality services that transform lives.

Working closely with our Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers, donors, and partners, you will champion our mission and identify new opportunities for growth and innovation. We are seeking a strategic and values-driven leader with experience of working within trauma-informed environments, a strong track record of securing grant funding, and the ability to build and maintain excellent donor and stakeholder relationships. The successful candidate will also have training experience and/or confidently stand in-front of large audiences discussing sensitive topics.

This is an exciting opportunity for a compassionate and ambitious leader who can inspire others, strengthen our charitable impact, and help shape the future of our organisation. If you have the vision, leadership experience, and commitment to making a meaningful difference in people's lives, we would love to hear from you.

To lead and manage two supported living care services, overseeing the organisation’s provision of high-quality person-centred services and ensure that performance and quality standards for care, support and inclusion are met.

A fundamental aspect of your role will be ensuring, that the day-to-day organisation of individual services allows for the integration of people we support into the community to access facilities, take part in activities outside of their home and provide the means to maintain their existing skills and develop their independence. In doing this you will ensure that service users are supported in a clear, planned, structured and effective way and that effective review systems are in place and working for each individual's service to support to achieve their outcomes.

You will achieve this through the management of support staff as well as by taking part in a variety of corporate activities, which promote the interests of the organisation.

Summary of Main Duties

Staff Management

· Setting clear objectives for all staff and ensuring these are met

· Providing leadership and management support, thereby ensuring staff understand roles and expectations and perform to a satisfactory standard

· Identifying staff training needs and ensuring these are met effectively

• Take part in the recruitment, induction, and training of staff as appropriate.

• Supervise and appraise staff on a one-to-one basis. Coaching, mentoring staff and create a culture of ongoing learning and development

• Ensuring that all staff follow and monitor the agreed individual’s person-centered support plan, providing advice on particular approaches to problems. 

• Set performance targets and monitor the performance of those you line manage in the provision of person-centred, efficiently managed services

· Briefing and consulting with staff, keeping them updated of organisational

developments and holding regular meetings with staff and other stakeholders

Service Development and Delivery

· Ensuring the provision of person-centred services enabling people to lead

independent and fulfilled lives.

· Identify outcomes with individuals and solutions in conjunction with other stakeholders

· Monitoring service quality and address shortfalls

· Working with all stakeholders to build effective, outcome-based support plans, which reflect the organisations philosophy of service provision thereby promoting service user’s choice, rights, control and independence

• Ensuring review meetings are held with people and/or their advocates and support workers to formulate individual plans and focused outcomes.

• To regularly spend time within each service and carry out quality audits and reports. 

·   To manage budgets for services and identify adequate resources required to ensure service users receive a quality service that meets their needs and adapts to any changing needs

• Help plan services for people moving to Aurora Nexus services, including costing new services, working closely with social workers, families, advocates and staff to ensure that assessments are thorough and support plans are implemented.

·   To encourage and facilitate individual’s involvement in the planning, management of the services and recruitment and training of staff

The organisation

• Contributing to the development of the organisations strategic plan and supporting its implementation

• Upholding all of the organisations policies, procedures and guidelines.

• Acting as a positive representative of Aurora Nexus for all staff, stakeholders and the general public

• The monitoring and reporting of budgets in line with agreed establishments and monitor performance via variance reporting

• To participate in the writing and review of policies and procedures.

• To participate in the On-Call system for the whole organisation.

• To deal with disciplinary matters and grievances as required in accordance with the organisation’s Policies and Procedures.

• To partake in the future development of the organisation and work with members of the team on tendering for new business opportunities and establishing the organisation on relevant frameworks to maximise opportunities for referrals from local authorities or direct payments

• To write reports and provide quality information as required including all aspects of quality, health and safety and other records as required

• To undertake any other duties appropriate to the role.

• This job description may be reviewed and changed in consultation with the post holder and the Chief Executive.

Recruitment Consultant

Location

Preston

Length of contract

Full time and permanent

Hours

37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday

To be worked between 8am and 6pm (inc 30-minute unpaid lunchbreak)

Pay Scale

£28,000 - £34,000 per annum plus on target bonus

Responsible to     

Director

Holiday entitlement

Paid holiday entitlement of 28 days, plus 8 bank holidays (both calculated pro rata for part time employees)

Plus a day’s leave on your birthday, plus a wellbeing day’s leave (not calculated pro rata)

The role                     

To place ex-offender candidates into sustainable paid employment with local employers

Purpose

We place people with convictions into paid work, so they can build purposeful lives and see their families thrive

Mission

We do this by providing practical employment support, linking them to companies with good jobs

Vision

A  society  where  people’s  past  convictions  don’t  define  their  employment future

Duties and Tasks

There are three main areas of work, all of which are vital to achieving the key positive outcome for the individuals we support: sustained meaningful employment.

1. Job Finder Support

Interviewing ex-offenders, offering one-to-one job coaching to help them into work, and providing ongoing mentoring for the first 12 months in employment.

Ours is a face-to-face, holistic and wraparound service that culminates in our candidates finding good jobs that last, with a wide array of socially inclusive employers on our books. Our job finder support can begin in custody and continue through the gate into the community, or start in the community. Typically, we will work with a person for between one and three months to establish work readiness and will continue to support them for up to a year once they find employment. Many people stay in touch and return to us for their second or third job over a period of years, and we consider our door to be open for as long as support is needed.

You will:

• Conduct one-to-one assessments with job-seeking candidates and, using your professional judgement, accept them directly into our paid-work search services or refer them to partner organisations for pre-employability support where issues such as substance misuse or homelessness remain significant barriers.
• Work with candidates over several weeks and months as a job mentor, meeting regularly to assist in all aspects of their job search.
• Help craft strong CVs and disclosure letters, ensuring candidates understand the facts and disclosure obligations relating to spent and unspent convictions.
• Check that candidates have the correct Right to Work documentation and arrange replacement birth certificates and National Insurance letters where required.
• Book candidates onto relevant training courses with third-party providers, including CSCS cards, HGV driver training and renewable energy qualifications.
• Encourage and support candidates in their own job search activity, including teaching them how to use online job boards and complete application forms.
• Submit candidates for vacancies with our inclusive employer partners and proactively identify additional opportunities on their behalf.
• Organise interviews, ensuring candidates have suitable interview clothing and the financial means to travel to interviews where required.
• Follow up immediately after interviews, helping candidates process outcomes, manage expectations and rebuild confidence if unsuccessful.
• Confirm job starts with both candidate and employer, ensuring candidates have access to any required workwear and travel-to-work support.
• Offer practical assistance as needed, including food parcels, hygiene packs, pre-loaded SIM cards, clothing and utility top-ups.

2. New Employer Engagement

Expanding our network of employers to generate a regular flow of job opportunities and enable more candidates to move into work.

This requires new business development and excellent relationship management. You will identify the roles most sought after by our candidates and focus on employers who demonstrate agility and responsiveness in their hiring processes. Contacts are likely to include business owners, divisional managers and site supervisors rather than social value or EDI teams.

You will:

• Proactively approach local employers advertising roles that match the skills and experience of current candidates, with the aim of securing interviews and recruitment instructions.
• Approach organisations that are not currently recruiting but are likely to offer suitable opportunities in the future.
• Maintain and develop a database of active and prospective employers.
• Take ownership of specific sectors or geographical areas in consultation with colleagues to maximise reach and avoid duplication.
• Visit employers to explain our services, answer questions about employing people with convictions and gain a thorough understanding of the workplace environment.
• Select and submit suitable candidates, advocating for each individual based on your knowledge of their strengths, achievements and progress.
• Positively challenge employer concerns where appropriate and advocate for fair consideration of candidates.
• Disclose offending history and risk profiles appropriately, highlighting personal attributes and workplace strengths while guiding employers through the recruitment process in partnership with the candidate.

3. In-Work Support

Supporting candidates to sustain employment for up to one year after starting work.

Maintaining employment is a key part of the journey. Newly employed candidates, particularly recent prison leavers, can face a range of practical, emotional and lifestyle challenges. The strongest chance of successfully supporting both candidate and employer comes from strong relationships built on trust, honesty and confidence.

You will:

• Advise employers on successfully onboarding new employees during their first weeks and months in work.
• Help employers understand and accommodate any additional support needs, such as housing transitions, medical appointments or probation requirements.
• Be aware of and proactively manage issues relating to media attention around previous convictions, including advising on measures to protect privacy and reputation where appropriate.
• Maintain regular contact with candidates during their first 12 months in employment through phone calls, meetings and ongoing mentoring support.
• Record all candidate and employer interactions, progress and outcomes on the Itris recruitment CRM database.

This is a non-exhaustive list of tasks and may be amended from time to time in line with the needs of the charity.

Our Interview Process

This vacancy will close on 6th September, with applications being shortlisted on 7th September.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to attend the first stage of our interview process on Tuesday 8th September, between 4:30pm and 7pm, at our new offices in Preston.

We want our recruitment process to give you the opportunity to get to know The Recruitment Junction (TRJ) just as much as it allows us to get to know you.

The evening will begin with an introduction to TRJ from our CEO and Senior Leadership Team, giving you the opportunity to hear more about who we are, our values. the work we do and what it is like to be part of our team. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions in an open audience environment, allowing you to find out more about TRJ, our work and our organisation. Refreshments will also be provided.

You will then have a short, informal, face-to-face conversation with one of our hiring managers. This is designed to be a relaxed opportunity for us to learn a little more about you, while also giving you the chance to ask questions and decide whether TRJ is somewhere you would like to continue pursuing a career.

Following the first-stage event, we will invite successful candidates for a formal final interview.

Key dates:

• Applications close: 6th September
• Shortlisting: 7th September
• Stage One – Recruitment Evening: Tuesday 8th September, 4:30-7pm
• Stage Two – Formal Final Interview: Wednesday 16th September – time to be confirmed

We hope this approach creates a welcoming and informal first stage, giving you a genuine opportunity to learn more about TRJ, meet members of our team and decide whether we are a fit for each other.

Over the past decade, Escapeline has become a recognised leader in the prevention of child criminal and sexual exploitation across the South West. Through awareness raising, education, direct intervention, family support, professional training and strong partnership working, we have empowered thousands of children, young people, families and professionals to better understand, identify and respond to the risks of exploitation.

Our work has never been more important. As the nature of exploitation continues to evolve, so too must our response. We are therefore seeking an exceptional Chief Executive who can provide visionary leadership, inspire confidence among stakeholders, strengthen strategic partnerships and ensure Escapeline continues to be at the forefront of protecting vulnerable children and young people.

Building on our strong foundations, we see significant opportunities to expand our reach and deepen our impact, particularly across Dorset and Wiltshire, where support for the charity remains strong and continues to grow. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape the next chapter of our development, broadening our influence, diversifying income streams, enhancing our services and securing long-term sustainability.

While preventing the exploitation of children will always remain our core purpose, we are equally committed to supporting the wider impact that exploitation has on families. Our specialist helpline and parent support community provide a vital source of guidance, understanding and hope for families who often feel isolated and overlooked by traditional support services. We are determined to strengthen and expand this provision, ensuring that no family faces these challenges alone.

We are looking for a leader who combines strategic vision with emotional intelligence, commercial awareness with compassion, and ambition with an unwavering commitment to our values. You will lead a dedicated team, work alongside an engaged and supportive Board of Trustees, and build on a reputation that has been earned through years of trusted and impactful work.

Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and families at a time when that difference is urgently needed.

If you are inspired by our mission and share our ambition to create safer futures for children and young people, we would be delighted to hear from you.