Youth action alliance jobs

The Community Support Worker will contribute to the delivery of our LGBTQ+ youth provision supporting young people aged 11+ (and 9+ for our junior youth club).

Specific Duties and responsibilities

Group work

• Develop and deliver ‘safe space’ forums in schools, providing suitable group work activities (this may be alongside school staff or leading on your own).
• Working with the team to both lead and support our youth group provisions on a rota’d basis (both in person and online).

Caseload

• Work with an intensive caseload of approximately 12 young people maintaining regular contact, through arranged appointments, offering information, advice and guidance, practical support and encouragement.
• Support clients to identify their strengths, interests, areas they would like to improve and barriers to progression, in order to develop their personalised action plan.

Service Delivery

• Support young people to increase their self-esteem, become more resilient and improve their aspirations.
• Utilise the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Tool (121s) and Free2B tools, to monitor progression and impact.
• Maintain relationships to work across multiple community and school settings, collaborating effectively with organisations to ensure positive service delivery.
• Maintain accurate and up to date written client database records and complete all admin tasks within required timeframes.

General Duties

• Attend regular case supervision and team meetings and events as appropriate.
• Adhere to Free2B’s Equality and Diversity policies with respect to staff and service users.
• Comply with Health and Safety legislation and Free2B policies, to ensure safe working practices.
• Undertake any other appropriate tasks, as agreed. 

Person Specification

Essential  / Desirable

1. Experience of working with young people in 121 and group settings providing support and guidance to improve outcomes. E

2. Knowledge & experience of the key issues impacting on LGBTQ+ young people (including trans and non-binary young people). E

3. Ability to set & work within clear and appropriate professional boundaries including challenging negative behaviours. E

4. Experience of responding appropriately to child protection and vulnerable adult safeguarding issues, following policies and procedures. E

5. Ability to manage client appointments and administrative tasks effectively within the required timeframes and utilising relevant IT applications (such as Word, Outlook, Teams etc)  E

6.  Experience of remaining flexible and adapting your ways of working in order to meet client and service needs. E

7.  One of our four core values is Listening, reflecting our commitment to being client-led.What do you believe is important in delivering truly client-led support? E

8. Experience of working independently across multiple settings (preferably including within secondary schools). D

9. Qualification in a relevant area such as social work, community work, gender studies or teaching, psychology etc D

Starting Salary: £44,766 - £48,225 (including London weighting) 

Contract: Permanent 

Location: UK, Hybrid working with a minimum of 40% of your time in the London Office

Job Profile

This role will lead CAFOD’s policy and advocacy work aimed at building a fairer global financial system. The post holder will have a solid understanding of contemporary global economic issues, including the global debt crisis, development finance and the workings of international multilateral organisations. Working closely with CAFOD’s overseas partners and within UK and global networks, this role will hold policy expertise on behalf of the organisation. This will involve developing policy positions and representing the organisation externally. The role will work closely with CAFOD’s government relations and campaigns colleagues to lobby decision-makers and mobilise supporters as part of our economic justice work. Sitting within the Advocacy, Policy & Campaigns team, the role is managed by the head of department.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the development and delivery of CAFOD’s global economic justice advocacy strategy 

• Working in partnership with UK and global organisations to develop evidence‑based policy positions 

• Influencing UK, regional and global policy debates on the global debt crisis, and other economic justice issues 

• Representing CAFOD in coalitions, to decision makers, in church networks and at international forums 

• Writing policy briefings, reports and communication outputs 

• Building relationships with external stakeholders and decision makers and UK and global levels 

• Ensuring advocacy is grounded in strong analysis, partner experience and a commitment to social and environmental justice 

• Supporting advocacy work of partners and global networks on debt cancellation and financial system reform 

• Providing strategic and technical advice across the organisation 

• Any other relevant duties reasonably required

Safeguarding  

All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.   

Job Specific Competencies 

1. Strong background working in international economic policy and/or international development policy 
2. Excellent analytic and research skills and an understanding of how to form strategic policy positions
3. Experience of developing strategic advocacy plans 
4. Experience of lobbying decision makers 
5. Background working with partners and coalitions, both in the UK and overseas 
6. Excellent written and verbal communication skills

CAFOD is a welcoming, supportive workplace committed to a safe, inclusive culture where everyone is respected. CAFOD will make reasonable adjustments at every stage of the recruitment process to ensure candidates with disabilities or individual needs are fully supported. 

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults 

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures. 

Citizens UK

Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.

Living Wage Foundation

The Living Wage movement began in 2001, after Citizens UK brought together communities in East London to discuss poverty and low pay. The campaign grew in momentum and soon required a mechanism to recognise employers who wanted to join the movement, which saw the establishment of the Living Wage Foundation in 2011.

Still part of Citizens UK today, the Living Wage Foundation continues to work with community organisations to make sure the voices of both workers and businesses are part of the Living Wage movement. We now work with over 16,000 employers, benefitting half a million people and winning over £3bn of better wages for people who need it most. 

Citizens UK works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take the same deliberately broad-based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty.  As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies. We are a non-partisan organisation and work with partners across the political spectrum to advance our mission.

Purpose

The Living Wage Foundation is seeking an experienced and driven Senior Media and Communications Manager to join our team for a 12-month contract. This is an exciting opportunity for a highly organised and proactive communications professional with a strong background in media relations, public messaging, and team leadership. The ideal candidate will be experienced and confident in working to tight deadlines, responding to last-minute changes, and prioritising competing demands in a high-profile environment. They will be motivated to amplify the Living Wage Foundation’s mission of tackling low pay and insecure work.

The postholder will lead all media, messaging, and external affairs work, developing and implementing a proactive media strategy that supports our mission and key campaigns, such as Living Wage Week and the annual Rates announcement. As a skilled media professional, you will oversee all communications outputs, ensuring consistency and strategic alignment, while delivering media training and refining key messaging to maximise reach and impact. 

In this role, you will be instrumental in advancing our political engagement efforts, building cross-party support and working with political leaders, mayoral teams, and other key stakeholders to promote our initiatives. You’ll manage two direct reports (Events Manager and Media Manager) who each hold line management responsibilities, and you will play a critical role within our Senior Management Team, collaborating closely with the Head of Communications to shape the overall direction of our communications work. This role will work closely with Citizens UK colleagues, including the Citizens UK communications team on cross-organisational priorities.  You will report to the Head of Communications.

As a senior leader, you will be responsible for managing and allocating part of the communications team budget, expanding team capacity, and driving the team’s effectiveness. In collaboration with other senior managers, you will help foster a culture that values creativity, innovation, and strategic impact.

Main Responsibilities

Contribute to CUK mission and its strategic objectives:

• Provide strategic oversight of the organisation’s media strategy, ensuring it aligns with broader organisational, communications, and campaign goals, and establish clear processes for evaluating its success.

• Work alongside other Senior Managers across Citizens UK on cross-organisational activity including through the Senior Management Group

• Support the Living Wage Foundation’s Political Engagement Strategy by building and sustaining cross-party support for the organisation’s mission and objectives.

Situational awareness and research:

• Lead regular updates on key audiences, tracking positions on issues of interest and ensuring the team is fully informed.

• Guide the team in proactive media monitoring, enabling timely responses to significant developments.

• Collaborate with the Senior Research Manager to conduct and commission impactful research, driving media campaigns that effectively reach and engage target audiences.

Strategy development:

• Work alongside other Senior Managers in the Communications Team to shape and guide the overall communications strategy.

Lead on all media and messaging outputs, including developing high-quality materials, coordinating media events, and delivering media training.

Reputational & risk management:

• Develop and manage the organisation’s risk register, offering strategic oversight and serving as a primary contact for crisis communications.

• Manage and respond to reactive media enquiries promptly, ensuring alignment with the organisation’s values and objectives.

• Draft key messages and FAQs for media interviews and public responses, and advise senior leadership on sensitive media or reputational issues.

• Represent the Living Wage Foundation effectively in senior stakeholder interactions and participate in out-of-hours press duties when needed.

Materials development and dissemination:

• Oversee the Media Team in producing engaging press releases, blogs, opinion pieces, and media briefings to elevate the Living Wage Foundation’s profile and the voices of workers and employers within the Living Wage movement.

• Ensure media outputs and communications reflect the organisation’s values and uphold a consistent voice.

• Create and refine key messaging for public communications, including FAQs and response guides.

Social media and website

• Ensure consistency in messaging and alignment across all media and digital platforms in collaboration with the wider communications team.

External relationships (including media and press)

• Lead employer case study development, identifying and preparing Living Wage employers to speak to media and champion a real Living Wage.

• Drive stakeholder engagement efforts, cultivating valuable relationships with Living Wage employers, campaign partners, and media contacts.

• Build and maintain relationships with journalists across print, digital, and broadcast media to secure quality coverage.

• Collaborate with the Public Engagement Team to draft emails, speeches, speaker notes, briefings, and press notices for political engagements.

• Strengthen and maintain broad cross-party support for the Living Wage agenda.

Campaign & events management

• Provide a link between Events team and Senior Leadership Team to ensure efficient decision-making around key events.

• Lead on media and messaging elements of agreed comms-led campaigns.

Internal comms & knowledge management

• Oversee the development and maintenance of a comprehensive press database, mapping key media contacts and publications in line with the Living Wage Foundation’s objectives.

Internal relationships

• Work closely with the Senior Digital and Communications Manager to guide and oversee team initiatives.

• Provide line management and development support to the Media Manager and Events Manager.

Learning, expertise & DEI

• Lead media training sessions for LWF staff and Living Wage employers, enhancing their confidence and effectiveness in media engagements.

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the LWF and Citizens UK, including communications and DEI teams, to develop and implement ethical storytelling practices, ensuring lived experience is represented responsibly, inclusively, and in line with organisational guidance.

• Contribute to a positive and inclusive team culture.

• Ensure accessibility is embedded across communications and events, working with relevant teams to implement best practice and organisational guidance.

Person Specification

(D) Desirable, (E) Essential

Experience

· Proven experience and a strong understanding of the UK media landscape, with experience building relationships with journalists and securing high-quality media coverage. (E)

· Experience in line managing and leading a team. (E)

· Demonstrated experience in managing sensitive reputational issues, including risk assessment and crisis communications. (E)

· Skilled in leveraging real-life stories and case studies to drive engagement, including experience in leading media training for spokespeople. (E)

· Strong track record in designing and executing high-impact communications strategies that achieve measurable results. (E)

· Experience of working collaboratively across teams and influencing senior stakeholders to achieve shared objectives. (E)

· Experience of working with a range of voices and perspectives, including community, worker or lived experience storytelling. (D)

Key skills and knowledge

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce and edit clear, engaging content suitable for media, digital and public audiences. (E)

• Competence in using social media platforms to engage audiences effectively, understanding their role in broader media strategies. (D)

• Proficiency in evaluating campaigns and media outputs, with the ability to derive insights that inform future strategies. (E)

• Strong interpersonal skills for building effective relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders, including political audiences. (E)

• Solid understanding of the political landscape and public affairs, with experience engaging cross-party stakeholders (E).

Personal qualities & values

• An enthusiasm for media and communications, coupled with a strong commitment to the mission of the Living Wage Foundation. (E)

• Ability to lead, support and develop high-performing teams, fostering a collaborative and inclusive working environment. (E)

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, with an understanding of how to communicate responsibly and ethically about lived experience. (E)

About the application process

We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role.

For questions and reasonable adjustments regarding your application including information in a different format, or our recruitment process, please email us.

Interviews will be held 17th and 18th August.