Youth work jobs

About Spear

Spear is a national youth employment charity. The award-winning Spear Programme was launched over 20 years ago, and is now running in 18 Spear Centres across the country, equipping unemployed 16–24-year-olds facing barriers to employment with the skills and mindset they need to secure work and thrive in work and life. 

Please see the 'Work with us’ pack for more information. 

About the role

We're looking for an ambitious, proactive and relationship-driven individual who excels at securing strategic, long-term corporate partnerships that drive the growth and impact of Spear. Joining our dynamic and growing Corporate Partnerships team, you will play a key role in developing and stewarding high-value partnerships that generate significant income and enable Spear to reach more young people facing barriers to employment.

This role is ideal for someone with strong business development and relationship management skills, who enjoys working both strategically and hands-on to generate income, develop compelling partnership opportunities and build lasting relationships with corporate supporters.

Key Information

• Salary: from £38,000, with considerable flex depending on experience
• Full-Time permanent role (4 days per week considered)
• Annual leave: 28 days annual leave (including Christmas gift days) plus bank holidays, increasing with long service. Please see our 'Work with us' pack for details of our other great benefits.
• Closing Date: 9aqm on Monday 14th September, though we interview on a rolling basis and may close the role early if we find the right candidate

For more information please read through our Job Specification.

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please let us know.

Person Specification

• A practising Christian, passionate about Spear's values and mission, with a desire to engage and inspire corporate partners to support young people facing barriers to employment into sustainable work.
• Significant senior-level experience in corporate fundraising, corporate social responsibility, business development or strategic partnerships.
• Proven ability to raise funds, develop business partnerships or drive sales. Excellent client management using CRM tools such as Salesforce are desirable.
• An excellent communicator with strong relational skills and the confidence and ability to develop a rapport with and positively influence a variety of people from diverse backgrounds in the corporate space.
• Excellent writing skills, attention to detail and accuracy, including the ability to produce compelling proposals for a professional, corporate audience.
• Demonstration of leadership capabilities; proactive, responsive and a self-starter. Ability to manage multiple priorities to meet targets and deadlines.
• Strong numerical, reporting and organizational skills, including the ability to establish appropriate and effective processes and structures.
• Line Management experience desirable but not essential.

Faith Expressions

Spear is a Christian charity, working in a range of settings, in partnership with people from all faiths and none. Although the Spear programme itself has no faith element, Our Christian faith underpins everything we do; it motivates and sustains us and is core to our mission. Prayer and worship are embedded into our daily working practises, and all staff are required to lead a team prayer meeting from time to time. As such, there is a Genuine Occupational Requirement for our team to be practising Christians – our team share a belief in a triune God and we welcome applications from people of all denominations and expressions of Christianity.

CONTRACT: Permanent (dependent on funding, with 3 years funding initially).

HOURS: Part-time, 28 hours per week.

LOCATION: Based at home with work across the region as needed, and a regular working day (at least fortnightly) in Area Meeting Office in Birmingham (40 Bull St, B4 6AF).

Quakers in Britain is looking for someone personable and self-motivated with experience of working with children, young people and families, to support Quaker communities in Central England and Leicester. We aim to create loving, inclusive and all-age communities where children and young people feel embraced and engaged.

To deliver this work you will need to be organised and adaptable, with good communication and planning skills, and knowledge of Quaker beliefs and practices, including Quaker decision making, culture and structures.

For further details and to apply, please visit our website.

Closing date: 8am on Monday 21 September 2026.

Interviews: Friday 2 October 2026. At the Priory Rooms, 40 Bull Street, Birmingham.

Quakers are committed to equality and welcome applicants from all identities and backgrounds. Selection is based solely on skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities. We aim to prevent age, belief, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, neurodivergence, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or social class from being a barrier to employment. We aim for an equitable, user-friendly application process, and reasonable adjustments can be made if needed. As a Quaker organisation we expect all applicants and employees to uphold our values.

We are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. All candidates will undergo pre-employment checks in line with our Safer Recruitment guidelines.

The Baobab Centre is a non-residential therapeutic community supporting unaccompanied minors who have experienced human rights abuses and are seeking asylum, refugee status and settlement in the United Kingdom.

The role of a Therapeutic Community Caseworker at the Baobab Centre is to support unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee adolescents and young adults to access care, basic rights and entitlements and to support their social development and rehabilitation.This role involves working closely with the clinical key worker of each young person and with our wider multidisciplinary team. As a Caseworker you will aim to empower individuals to build stable, independent lives in the UK, including by supporting them to communicate their views, needs and experiences in decision-making processes, and supporting them to make challenges when necessary. Caseworkers assist young people to make effective choices about what happens in their lives and encourage them to speak up and build agency.

Baobab aims to be a non-residential therapeutic community with a holistic and integrated perspective.As a Caseworker, you will play a key role within our multidisciplinary team. We aim to be a thinking organisation and place a high value on shared thinking time and shared responsibilities. Our team work together with each other and with agencies and key individuals in young people’s lives, both within and outside of Baobab. A key aspect of the role is communicating with members of the clinical and admin staff team within the Baobab Centre and with other workers in the network around each young person including social workers, teachers, foster carers, lawyers, hospital consultants, housing and benefits workers. etc. You will strive to develop relationships across networks and advocate access to rights and entitlements for our community members. 

It is critical that as a Caseworker: 

• you have an insight to the backgrounds and experiences of both the internal and external factors impacting on the lives of unaccompanied young people attending our centre and an understanding of the broader context in our society as it impacts on young asylum seekers (including invisibility, marginalisation, discrimination and the fact of waiting in uncertainty for a long time.

• You have an insight in how trauma and the many human rights violations and persecution that most members of our community have experienced impact on all aspects of a young person’s internal and external world. 

• You have an insight in how current immigration rules and social care system procedures act as barriers to rehabilitation, including by restricting access to education, adequate benefits, housing and healthcare provision.

We need a Programme Director to lead a tri-borough initiative tackling serious youth violence across Kilburn, Queen's Park and surrounding communities.

This is a challenging and a rewarding role where you will be exercising your considerable judgement, diplomacy and practical project management skills.

Shared Ground is an innovative, co-funded project, seeking to work for the benefit of young people at risk of serious youth violence, with buy-in from stakeholders including Local Authority senior leads and Central government.

If you have a passion for the value and importance of community-based work in supporting positive futures for young people, why not help ensure that this ambitious programme thrives?

See the job description for more details.

Are you motivated to give our young people their first taste of working life and give them an opportunity to shine?

We are looking for a Senior Project Lead to champion our young people and secure them work experience opportunities that middle class peers often source from friends and family networks. In Tower Hamlets, The Switch steps in to provide that vital support and open doors to the world of work.

As a Senior Project Lead within the Work Experience team, you will take ownership of key elements of the delivery and development of The Switch's work experience programmes. You will manage relationships with employers and schools, lead on specific projects and workstreams, and provide oversight and support to ensure programmes are delivered effectively, safely and in line with agreed targets. 

You will take a proactive role in identifying and developing new employer relationships, coordinating complex placements and supporting the Work Experience Manager with the planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of projects. You will also provide guidance and support to colleagues where appropriate, using your experience to help ensure consistency and quality across the team's work. 

As a small charity we are able to provide a great work-life balance with early finishes on Fridays, Christmas shut down, training opportunities, a friendly office near Spitalfields, and a cash-back health plan.

This role is hybrid for the majority of weeks per year, with WFH normally 2-3 days per week. (NB Please note that during delivery weeks, the team is responsible for providing responsive support to employers and schools. In case of any issues, you may be required to work from the office up to five days per week during these periods.)

This is an opportunity to help shape one of the UK's most ambitious youth development charities as we move from a founder-led organisation to a nationally recognised institution. The successful candidate will help build the systems, culture and capability that will enable 20/20 Levels to scale its impact over the next decade.

This role owns the 20/20 Levels brand and turns it into growth. It leads the Branding, Marketing & Communications stream of our 2026–2028 strategy: one consistent brand narrative across our 'in real life' and online presence, youth-centred storytelling that puts young people and alumni at the centre of every touchpoint, and a structured content operation that reduces our reliance on agencies and on CEO visibility.

The 'Commercial' half of the role is focused on our income-generation mandate. Our income strategy commits us to building unrestricted income, and this role builds the engine: tiered sponsorship propositions and renewals, a consultancy pipeline, licensing and digital products, monetised research and insights, and the commercial forecasting that makes this income plannable working hand in hand with the Business Development function, which leads the employment partner sales pipeline.

WHAT YOU OWN

• Brand strategy : positioning, narrative, visual identity and brand architecture.

• Marketing budget : the full branding, marketing and production budget, including agency and freelance spend.

• Communications calendar : the master content and communications calendar across all channels.

• Brand governance : brand guidelines, approval standards and their enforcement across the organisation.

• Commercial propositions : sponsorship packages, consultancy offers, licensing and digital products.

• Reputation & PR : media strategy, press activity, awards and crisis communications.

• Marketing technology stack : the tools used for content, email, social, analytics and campaign management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Brand & Messaging ~ Extend and enforce our digital brand guidelines (with agency input), aligning tone, visuals and youth-centred storytelling across every channel so participants, alumni and mentors are visible at all touchpoints.

2. Content & Engagement ~ Build and run a structured master content calendar across all channels, replacing high-volume unstructured output with purposeful, story-led content.

3. Reputation, PR & Research ~ Lead the PR and awards strategy: targeted press activity, quarterly media features and two award submissions per year.

4. Partner Network (Corporate & Commercial) ~ Design the 20/20 Levels Partner Network proposition, intentionally articulating what partners and mentors give and receive, to strengthen commitment, retention and long-term reciprocal relationships across all partner types.

5. Commercial Development & Unrestricted Income ~ Design and package tiered corporate sponsorship propositions with clear, differentiated value for partners at each level.

6. Employer Brand ~ Worrking with the Chief of Staff to develop the employer value proposition, recruitment pack and employer presence (LinkedIn, Glassdoor) to support recruitment of staff, facilitators and mentors as the organisation grows.

7. Team Leadership & Budget ~ Lead and develop the brand and content team, including recruitment, task allocation, coaching and performance management.

8. Evaluation & Reporting ~ Track performance against strategy targets using Impact Hub data and platform analytics, and report quarterly to senior leadership and the board on achievements, risks and opportunities.

9. Organisational Leadership ~ Contribute to organisational strategy, annual planning and budgeting as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Read the full Job Description attached to see the full Key repsonsibilites, Person specification and 12 month success metrics.

CXK empowers people to succeed in employment, education and training. The charity strives for a fairer society where everyone can grow and realise their potential. “The CXK Way” embodies the following core values:

· Ethical – We work with professionalism, honesty and integrity

· Passionate – We reach out enthusiastically to all who need out support

· Innovative – We inspire, enhance and improve

· Collaborative – We engage, support and share with others

This role you will be ensure the Hub provides access to education, training and skills development opportunities, including a structured programme of activities that builds confidence and skills, raises awareness of career pathways (including vocational routes, apprenticeships and traineeships), and links closely and signposts to relevant training, accredited and non-accredited provision.

 Act as the primary point of contact for DWP Work Coaches, and lead engagement and co-ordination of delivery partners and employer using the Hub.

 Manage day-to-day operational performance and provide regular reporting to DWP.

All appointees will be subject to an enhanced DBS Check.

Recruitment Timeline

Vacancy closing date: Friday 4th September 2026

Application review date: Monday 7th September 2026

Interview dates from: Friday 14th September 2026

Community Engagement Lead

Oasis Ashburton Park | Croydon

Salary: £33,725

Contract: 1 Year Fixed Term

Hours: 40 hours per week (including some evenings and occasional weekends)
Location: Oasis Ashburton Park (Croydon), working alongside Oasis Academy Shirley Park, Oasis Academy Arena and the wider community

Do you believe strong communities can change lives?

Do you want to help young people thrive, strengthen communities and create lasting change?

Oasis Ashburton Park is seeking an exceptional Community Engagement Lead to join our Youth & Community team and play a pivotal role in supporting children, young people and families across Croydon. Working closely with Oasis Academy Shirley Park, Oasis Academy Arena, local partners and residents, you will help build the relationships, opportunities and support networks that enable young people to flourish.

This role was established as part of Oasis' commitment to strengthening communities and creating safer futures for young people. At its heart is a belief that strong relationships, meaningful opportunities and connected communities are the most effective protective factors in a young person's life. 

About the Role

As Community Engagement Lead, you will lead the delivery and development of our Prevention Programme a proactive, relationship-based initiative designed to help young people build confidence, belonging, aspiration and positive pathways for the future. 

You will:

• Build trusted relationships with young people and families.
• Coordinate support across schools, community organisations and statutory services.
• Connect young people to mentoring, volunteering, youth provision, employment pathways and leadership opportunities.
• Develop projects and responses that address gaps in local provision.
• Champion relational, restorative and trauma-informed approaches.
• Help create a joined-up neighbourhood model that brings together education, youth work, family support and community development. 

About You

We're looking for someone who believes in the power of community and is passionate about helping young people realise their potential.

You will have:

• Experience working with young people in education, youth work or community settings.
• The ability to build positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• An understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing young people and families.
• Strong communication, organisational and partnership-building skills.
• A commitment to empowering young people as active contributors and leaders within their communities.
• The ability to think creatively, work collaboratively and turn ideas into action. 

Why Join Oasis?

At Oasis, we're committed to creating thriving communities where everyone is included, valued and able to contribute. You'll join a passionate team working at the forefront of community-led change, with the opportunity to shape innovative approaches that improve outcomes for young people and influence practice across the wider system.

If you're ready to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people and help build stronger communities across Croydon, we'd love to hear from you.

As part of the package, Oasis offers:

· A pension scheme, offering 7% employer contribution.

· A generous holiday allowance, starting at 25 days per year (plus 8 Bank Holidays).

· Policies which promote well-being and are family friendly.

Apply now and be part of creating a community where every young person can belong, thrive and succeed. 

To apply, please send your CV and a Supporting Statement (no more than two A4 pages).

Please expand on your CV to tell us about relevant skills, experience and qualification you have, that relate to the job description and person specification.

We actively encourage applications from people of all ethnic backgrounds and underrepresented groups. If you require any assistance to overcome potential barriers during the recruitment process, please let us know. 

If you would like a conversation about the role, please contact us via the Oasis Charity Jobs website. 

Closing Date: 9am Monday 7th September

 Interview Date: to be confirmed

Oasis is committed to making a difference to the lives of the communities it works in, and as such you must show a willingness to demonstrate commitment to the values and behaviours which flow from the Oasis ethos.  We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff to share this commitment and to undergo appropriate checks, including enhanced DBS checks. 

The successful candidates must have the right to work in the UK.  Oasis cannot assist with sponsorship or visas.

Oasis supports Equal Opportunities.  Registered Charity No. 1163889

Location: Hybrid working in a CAKLC office base in Gravesend, Dartford, Swanley, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells in Kent. Regular travel around Kent will be needed to meet young people and community partners. There will be scope for some home working, depending on needs of the service.

Are you passionate about empowering young people and helping them develop the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to thrive?

North & West Kent Citizens Advice and Kent Law Centre is looking for an enthusiastic and creative Youth Engagement Officer to lead an exciting project that puts young people’s voices at the heart of advice and support services.

In this role, you’ll work directly with young people across Kent, supporting them to create engaging digital content including videos, podcasts, graphics and social media campaigns. Together, you’ll transform complex topics such as money management, housing, consumer rights, benefits and employment into practical, accessible information that helps young people make informed decisions about their futures.

What you’ll be doing:

• Engaging and inspiring young people from diverse backgrounds
• Delivering workshops, creative sessions and outreach activities
• Supporting youth-led content creation across digital platforms
• Building partnerships with schools, colleges and community organisations
• Helping young people develop confidence, leadership and life skills
• Measuring impact and shaping the future of our youth engagement programme

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has experience working with young people or community groups
• Understands how social media can be used positively for education and engagement
• Is creative, organised and full of ideas
• Can build strong relationships and motivate others
• Is passionate about helping young people realise their potential

For further information, please download the job pack on our website via the Redirect button.

How to apply

Please send your CV, together with a short covering statement explaining why you are interested in the post and how your experience meets the role requirements.

There is no closing date — we are accepting applications until the position is filled. Early applications are encouraged.

This role is funded by The Crisis and Resilience Fund, on behalf of the UK government.

Salary: Balham Home- Waking Nights: £30,227 or Days: £29,635 & Ealing Home- Waking Nights: £30,227 or Days: £27,929 

Contract: Full time/ Permanent

Hours:40 hours per week (including weekends, bank holidays and occasional sleep-ins) 

• Day Shifts: work between 8 am and 10:30 pm 

• Waking Night Shifts: work between 10 pm and 8 am 

Additional Benefits: 

• £50 per sleep-in 

• Time-and-a-half pay for overtime (over 40 hours per week) and bank holidays 

• Two weekends off per month

Locations: Ealing (W13) and Balham (SW12) 

Looking for fantastic career progression, excellent training and therapeutic support? Join our committed and professional team and make a difference to young people living in residential care, where no two days are the same! 

About Us 

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future. 

St Christopher's is a leading charity caring for children and young people. We are proud of our history of providing fostering, children's homes and innovative leaving care services across the UK.We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.We provide positive and life-changing support experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home. Our offering in underpinned by therapeutic expertise and young people in our care also benefit from extensive life-skills and participation opportunities as well and learning support regarding their education. 

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy 

At St Christopher’s, we offer more than a job in social care— we offer a real career pathway. You’ll have the chance to build your skills, grow your knowledge, and make a lasting difference to young people’s lives, as well as your own. 

When you join us, you’ll receive a tailored development plan designed around your goals. Whether you want to move into a different service, progress into a leadership role, or just explore your current role further, we’ll support you every step of the way. If you want to learn more aboutSt Christopher’s Academy, please clickhere 

Our development programme, St Christopher’s Academy, is built to help you reach your full potential — and the results speak for themselves: 
84% of our Team Leaders, Deputies, and Managers are promoted internally. 

About the Role 

As a Support Worker in a Children’s Home, you will provide direct support and care for our young people, who have complex emotional and mental health difficulties (such as trauma and loss) and can struggle to regulate their emotions. Working within a therapeutic framework, you will develop a direct programme of work aimed at developing authentic relationships with our children and young people (aged between12 – 17 years old), you will also have responsibility for making sure our those in our care are safe, providing support, liaison with other external professionals and completion of support documents to record information.

If applying for the Waking Night role, you will have the additional support of an on-call manager should there be any emergencies. Further to this, you will be involved in monthly team meetings and receive monthly one-to-one supervision with your manager. 

Applicants should have 

• Minimum of 1 years’ experience working and supporting Young People in residential, semi-independent, fostering settings or youth work centres, caring for Children and Young People with emotional behavioural difficulties, neurodivergent or SEND, etc. 

• Willingness to achieve the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare within 2 years as per Children’s Homes Regulations 2015 (England) 

• Genuine commitment to working with and supporting children and Young People to achieve their full potential; with the ability to build and promote trusted relationships while maintaining professional boundaries. 

• An understanding of the issues facing children and Young People and a basic understanding of safeguarding Regulations and Procedures. 

• The ability to cope effectively with challenging behaviour. 

• Good communication and team working skills. 

• Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends and bank holidays, and if applicable, sleep-in’s. 

• Commitment to undertake any mandatory training (outside of working hours) and continuous learning to ensure a high level of service. 

• Creativity, enthusiasm and energy to inspire and encourage young people to achieve their goals. 

What you should expect from us 

• Competitive pay. 

• 4 weeks full induction and training program (paid). 

• Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services, Tailored career development plan through our“St Christopher’s Academy”. 

• Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy. 

• 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata. 

• Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme. 

• UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary. 

• BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support. 

• Cycle to work scheme. 

• Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK both in store and online. 

• Discretionary funded training programs for you to explore and attain new and relevant skills. 

• Employee awards based on performance and length of service. 

Recruitment Process 

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. CV’s will not be accepted. 

Application Process 

1. Application:Complete our online form and include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification.Please note that applications without supporting statement will not be accepted. 

1. Interview:Shortlisted candidates attend a face-to-face interview at our Putney office. 

1. Second Stage:Successful candidates will visit the home they applied to. 

We advise applying as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Important note: 

• This post has a minimum age restriction of 21 year for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and supported accommodation Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’. 

• It is illegal to applyfor any role that involves working with children and young people under the age of 18, if you know you are barred from working with children. 

• All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit aSelf-Declaration and Disclosureform which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked. 

• It is a requirement that practitioners working in Children Homes are qualified with the Diploma 3 in residential childcare within 2 years of starting in the job role. (Children Home Regulations England 2015). St Christopher’s provide access and funding to undertake this qualification. Applicants who have Citizenship or Visa status restrictions that may preclude them from being able to meet the qualification requirement may be considered for other options such as fixed term contracts. Each applicant’s situation will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. 

Spear Stockton is a partnership between Spear and Stockton Parish Church!

The Spear Programme offers young people professionally recognised coaching, for free, to support them into sustainable work or education. They leave Spear equipped to thrive in work and life. For more information about the programme see the Work with us pack.

We're looking for a Centre Manager to work as part of the Stockton Parish Church team to oversee delivery of the Spear Programme.

Please see attached for full Job Specification 

About Spear Stockton

Stockton Parish Church (SPC) is an Anglican Church with an Evangelical Charismatic tradition in the centre of Stockton on Tees. SPC is a diverse worshiping community of around 200 people, a quarter of which are under 18. 

Their mission at SPC is: ‘for everyone to know who they are, whose they are, and the difference they are called to make in the world around them’. They launched a 5 year vision in January 2022 to see their worshiping community grow to 500 people and to plant 3 churches. As the 30th most deprived parish in the country, part of their vision is committed to the long-term transformation of Stockton, seeking the peace and prosperity of the town for generations to come. This is expressed through a number of initiatives and partnerships, including the development of the Spear Centre. Spear Stockton forms part of this wider strategy, supporting young people into work and education as a key contribution to the flourishing of the local community. 

Centre Manager Person Specification

• Passionate and committed to the vision, values, and purpose of SPC and Spear.
• Self aware and teachable with the ability to accept feedback and change working practices as a result.
• Experience in leading, motivating and developing others, including line management or informal leadership experience.
• Ability to use initiative to solve problems and make good decisions independently 
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage workload, prioritise effectively and deliver outcomes against targets.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Friendly, with the ability to build positive relationships and relate well to young people from a range of backgrounds

Key Information:

• Salary: from £27,088 - £31,691 
• Full- time or Part-time considered (29.6 hours per week, 4 days, Monday to Thursday)
• A relocation package may be available for the successful candidate, subject to 
  circumstances and agreement. 
• A DBS check will be requested in the event of a job offer
• The Spear Programme offers a rewarding opportunity to work with young people, but it requires a dedicated commitment. Due to the term-based nature of the programme (i.e. two consecutive 4-week programmes in autumn, spring and summer), we expect annual leave to be taken between, rather than during terms

Recruitment Process

Application Deadline: 14th September 

Informal Call

Short Administration Task

Assessment and Interview Day: Tuesday 29th September 

If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process please let us know.

When you click 'redirect to recruiter' you'll be re-directed to Stockon Parish Church's work with us page which will give you full details on how to apply and which forms to submit. 

Assistant Youth Worker

Are you passionate about supporting young people and helping them thrive? YMCA St Helens is looking for enthusiastic and approachable Assistant Youth Workers to join our growing Youth Team.

Working across our Youth Hub and community venues, you will support the delivery of engaging activities, build positive relationships with young people aged 11-18 (and up to 25 where appropriate), and help create safe, inclusive environments where young people can develop confidence, wellbeing and life skills.

We're looking for someone with:

• Experience of working, volunteering or engaging with young people.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• An understanding of safeguarding and the needs of young people.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• The ability to work flexibly, including evenings and weekends.

Why join YMCA St Helens?
Join a values-driven organisation that believes in creating opportunities for young people to connect, grow and flourish. You'll be part of a supportive team making a genuine difference across the borough.

YMCA St Helens is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

Closing date 11-09-2026

Do you want to help us unlock potential with young people and their communities? Do you love a challenge?

We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and inspiring Fundraising and Engagement Officer, who will work within our Marketing and Fundraising team.

About the job

Location: Devon-Wide, based in Exeter

Employment Type: Permanent

Hours:  37 hours per week

Salary: £30,024 - £32,597

Deadline for application: 5pm on 22nd September 2026

Interview Date: Week commencing 12th October 2026

About Space

We are an ambitious and innovative charity committed to ‘unlocking potential with young people and their communities’. Building on an established reputation of successful youth work and other services, Space is seeking to support even more young people by developing current and new services and increasing the scope of what we do. 

Space’s core values are: 

★ Integrity - doing what's right even when no one is looking 

★ Respect - interacting with fairness, kindness and dignity 

★ Determination - we give people a second chance and a third, fourth

★ Collaborative - doing great things together and with others 

★ Accountable - managing risk, taking responsibility and be accountable to each other and our stakeholders 

★ Dynamic - creating fun and a little bit of weirdness 

Job Overview

We are seeking a proactive fundraising professional with a proven track record to join our growing
team. This role offers the opportunity to shape our fundraising strategy and develop new skills within a
collaborative environment.
Working with the Business Development and Fundraising Lead, you will identify, initiate, and lead
fundraising activities across various income streams, including:

• Grants
• Philanthropy and individual giving
• Community and corporate support
• Events and challenges

Key Responsibilities and Day-to-Day Duties

Bid Writing & Evidence Gathering

• Collaboratively write funding bids that help deliver on Space’s strategic objectives and income generation plans.
• Collate evidence that strengthens Space’s ability to write informed and comprehensive funding bids

Relationship Management

• Work with the Business Development and Fundraising Lead to develop and manage a supporter stewardship process to attract new and sustain existing donors and other supporters.

Systems & Administration

• Adhere to and build effective processes and systems for tracking fundraising activities, money, contacts, records, and reporting.

Corporate Partnerships & Business Development

•  Identify local businesses to engage with Space Youth Centres and Chances School.
• Create opportunities for corporate partnerships and income support that align with the organisation's mission and values.

Marketing & Campaigns

• Collaborate with the marketing team to create fundraising and engagement campaigns and materials, such as brochures, emails, newsletters, and social media content.
•  Develop campaigns and content for engaging staff and the public in their own fundraising initiatives for Space Youth Services (e.g., managing JustGiving pages, best practice guides, and website content).
• Recognise, reward, and celebrate young people’s achievements, learning, and successes - acting as the vital link between on-the-ground success stories and the Marketing team.

Community Engagement & Local Events

• Work with local Youth Work managers to develop and implement local fundraising plans, including the planning and delivery of community events.
• Manage and attend events when required. Work at times that are conducive to community fundraising activities and participants, including evenings and weekends on occasion.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute central fundraising events, community outreach, and engagement strategies.

Volunteer Support

• Work with the volunteer coordinator and Social Action Manager to support local fundraising volunteers.

What We Offer

• Annual leave: 6 weeks for the first 5 years then increased to 7 weeks (pro-rata’d for part-time roles)

• Additional 3 Statutory days given between Christmas and new year plus bank holidays

• Pension contributions starting at 6% rising to 8% in the third year

• Employee assistance programme 24/7

• Casual dress code 

• Social occasions

• Continuous Professional Development: Formal and informal training opportunities

• Enhanced sick pay

• Chromebook and work mobile 

• Value-driven culture

• Level 3 Youth Work training Programme (for Apprenticeships)

How to Apply

Please read the job description and apply by completing our application form, describing your passion for this role even if you don’t feel you meet every point in the description.

For more information please visit our website.

To apply for this post please complete the attached application form.

Deadline for applications is 5pm on 22nd September 2026. The Interview will be held at The 100 Club, Exeter week commencing 12th October  2026.

Safeguarding Statement and Pre-Employment Checks

At SPACE, we work with young people and are fully committed to ensuring their safeguarding and welfare is a priority at all times. As part of our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, all of our employees, contractors and volunteers will be expected to comply. Upon a conditional offer of appointment being made, all employees will also be required to satisfy our pre-employment screening process which will include:

• An identity check (photo ID)

• Receipt of satisfactory references cover for 3 years to current

• Documentary evidence of right to work in the UK

• A satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

The Research & Evaluation Officer, Children and Young People is part of the Research & Evaluation team with a focus on supporting authentic co-creation and young people’s engagement. The role supports the Head of Research & Evaluation and Reading Rewired project team, as well as our programme teams supporting children’s and young people’s reading, in exploring methods of engaging more young people in reading and demonstrating the value, reach and impact of the Charity’s work in the delivery of reading-related benefits.

Travel across England will be required as part of this role, with some co-creation sessions expected to take place during the evenings or at weekends, depending on scheduling preferences of the young people involved in the project.

Purpose of the post

The Research & Evaluation Officer, Children and Young People role will deliver co-creation activity with young people aged 10-16, related to the Arts Council England (ACE)-funded new Reading Rewired project, which aims to develop young people’s reading engagement in libraries. As part of this activity, the role will:

·Work with The Reading Agency, Libraries Rising, immersive digital creative studio RamJam and nine library authorities across England to develop youth-led approaches to reader development in libraries, to enhance young people’s skills, reading engagement and library use, and support library skills and confidence in working with young people.

·Be responsible for championing youth participation across the Reading Rewired project, ensuring young people are central to the design and decision making of the programme. 

This role will also support wider functions across our children and young people’s work, combining a mix of skills and experience including co-production, research, evaluation and programme development. 

What you will do

Co-creation

·Design and deliver co-creation activities with young people aged 10-16 for the new Reading Rewired project, ensuring the project listens and responds to young people, particularly those who are often left out of conversations around reading.

·Facilitate co-creation sessions alongside library staff in nine library authorities across England: Camden, Devon, Kent, Kirklees, Knowsley, Norfolk, North Northamptonshire, Sandwell and Stockton, supporting library skills and confidence in working with young people.

·Work alongside immersive creative studio RamJam to deliver co-creation sessions focused on digital engagement tools (for example, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, etc.).

·Analyse data collected through co-creation sessions, producing outputs such as overview reports or presentations of insights to key stakeholders.

·Use insights gained through co-creation to support the development of youth-led approaches to reader development in libraries.

·Remain an advocate for uplifting youth voices within the Reading Rewired project and in relation to the Charity’s wider work with children and young people.

Evaluation support and delivery

·Support with the maintenance of a robust, consistent organisational approach to data collection, programme monitoring and evaluation, ensuring methods and outputs align with Reading Rewired project outcomes and Arts Council England reporting requirements.

·Day-to-day oversight of research and evaluation datasets related to Reading Rewired, including answering queries from and providing support to the project team and our delivery partners.

·Support with the design and delivery of wider organisational research and evaluation and data insight projects, with specific reference to our work with children and young people.

·Support with the delivery of actionable data insights to inform evidence-based decision making around future project development in relation to the Charity’s work with children and young people.

·Handle data in line with The Reading Agency’s data protection, data storage, data sharing, and data collection policies and protocols.

Research

·Support with consultation and qualitative research in relation to wider organisational research and evaluation and data insight projects, with specific reference to our work with children and young people.

·Remain aware of key research developments, evidence and methodologies relevant to the Charity’s delivery of activity supporting children and young people, sharing these with colleagues where appropriate. 

·Contribute up-to-date, reliable content for the research and impact sections of The Reading Agency’s website, newsletters and other external communications, with specific reference to our work with children and young people.

·Contribute to the delivery of an original research programme, as led by the Head of Research & Evaluation, to inform and guide the work of The Reading Agency and raise our profile in this field. 

General Support

·Represent The Reading Agency’s Research & Evaluation team at meetings, events and conferences as required.

·Contribute to internal planning and project development.

·Carry out other projects or duties as may be requested by The Reading Agency management where capacity allows. 

What you will need to know

Qualifications:

·Relevant education, qualifications and/or working experience in the areas of social or qualitative research (including co-creation or participatory approaches), data analysis, or evaluation.

Skills/Knowledge:

·Excellent understanding of appropriate methods and approaches for working directly with young people using co-creation, co-production or participatory approaches. 

·Understanding of systems and process for analysing data plus awareness of effective research tools, in particular designing and delivering appropriate methods for use with children and young people.

·Effective project management skills.

·Strong understanding of safeguarding and experience of supporting teams to adhere to policies as well as supporting risk assessments.

·Competence in Microsoft Office applications and qualitative data analysis platforms such as Nvivo or equivalent.

·Able to deliver results in a highly organised manner.

·Writing skills with the ability to communicate effectively to different audiences.

Experience:

·Experience of delivering co-creation, co-production or participatory and/or action research, including translating data into tangible learnings or outputs. 

·Experience in working with young people from diverse backgrounds, and of facilitating meaningful opportunities for young people to influence decision making, being an advocate for youth voice.

·Experience of working in or liaising with schools, libraries or youth organisations desirable.

·Experience designing questionnaires and surveys, using Survey Monkey or similar platforms, desirable.

·Able to work effectively independently and as a member of a team, where colleagues work in separate locations and communicate via email, Teams and Zoom.

This role is offered on a fixed term contract (12 months) and is subject to a DBS check. To be considered for this role you must have the right to live and work in the UK for your application to be progressed.Unfortunately, we are not in a position to offer visa sponsorship.

Application process

For full details of the recruitment process, please see the application pack on our website.