Art therapy jobs in Southwark, greater london

At TLG, we’re passionate about building an exceptional staff team that’s committed to making a real difference in the lives of struggling children across the UK. We’re always on the lookout for great people to journey with us towards our vision, and we’re excited to offer a unique opportunity for a motivated and mission-driven individual to join us as Therapeutic Hub Head of Service in Greenwich.

We’re looking for a skilled and innovative individual to lead one of our pioneering Therapeutic Hubs, developed in partnership with a local church. This role sits at the front line of responding to the growing mental and emotional health needs of children, young people and families, offering high-quality therapeutic support to intervene early and prevent crisis.

As Head of Service for the Hub, you will provide strong clinical leadership, delivering targeted therapeutic support for complex cases while overseeing referrals and therapeutic pathways within the Hub. You will lead and support a multidisciplinary team of volunteer counsellors, trainees and therapeutic coaches, modelling trauma‑informed, relational practice shaped by PACE values and reflective supervision.

Alongside direct delivery, you will play a key role in developing the Hub’s reach and effectiveness, working collaboratively with TLG, the partner church and local referrers. Safeguarding, quality and professional excellence are central to the role, with responsibility for ensuring the hub is a safe, welcoming and effective space for children and families from diverse backgrounds to find healing and hope.

If you are a skilled clinician with a heart for children, families and the local church, and you’re excited to help shape an innovative model of care, we would love to hear from you.

TLG is a Christian charity and, as a team, we want to bring our faith to the work we do; as such, we are recruiting an individual with a strong and vibrant Christian faith. We would welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds to enable us to better reflect the needs of the communities we serve.

Hours: Part-time, 2.5 days (18.75 hrs) per week (0.5 FTE)

Closing Date: Sunday 17th May

Initial Interviews: Monday 1st June – Online

Final Interviews: Mon 8th / Tuesday 9th June – at Emmanuel Church London

Sydenham Garden is seeking to appoint a Grants, Trusts and Statutory Fundraising Lead for two days per week on a fixed term contract for two years. They will join our team of 14 staff and 70 volunteers supporting people living with mental ill-health and dementia in south-east London. 

Position:  Grants, Trusts and Statutory Fundraising Lead 

Contract:  Fixed term for 2 years 

Hours:  0.4 FTE 15 hours per week

Salary: £38,000 pro rata

Annual leave: 33 days including bank holidays pro rata

Location: Sydenham Garden Resource Centre, SE23 2LW or working from home – minimum 1 day a month in office

Application closing date: 9am Monday 13 April 

Interview date: Friday 1 May 

Our Organisation 

Sydenham Garden, based in Lewisham in South-East London, is a special, unique and beloved wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people living with and recovering from mental and physical ill-health. We were established in 2002 and will celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2027. We provide nature and arts based creative, social and therapeutic activities for co-workers (the name we give our primary beneficiaries). People are referred to us from community organisations and health professionals and we use an integrative approach where those with different degrees of mental and physical ill health come together with volunteers from the local community to reduce social exclusion and prejudice. Each year we work with on average over 250 co-workers and over 70 volunteers. 

About you 

You’ll have experience in building relationships with a range of Trusts, Foundations and statutory funders, drafting compelling funding proposals and demonstrating impact through high-quality reports. You’ll have excellent communication and people skills and feel comfortable both thinking strategically and managing competing priorities day-to-day. Most importantly, you’ll thrive in a small team working to make a big impact for people living with mental ill-health and dementia. 

Why you should join us  

Sydenham Garden is a small team rooted in our local community, and that community is at the centre of everything we do; from the people we support, to the volunteers and neighbours who get involved in our gardens and our work in all sorts of ways. 

We work collaboratively, support each other across different areas of the organisation, and aren't afraid to try new approaches and learn from what doesn't work. We're values-led, we care deeply about our impact, and we hold ourselves accountable to the people and communities we serve. 

We're also confident advocates for our work, and comfortable making the case for Sydenham Garden to funders, partners and the wider community. 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

Sydenham Garden is committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). We want to build a diverse and inclusive staff, volunteer and trustee team where everyone feels that they belong and that reflects the profile of the communities we serve. Therefore, we will welcome and consider applications from candidates of all backgrounds and protected characteristics, and we particularly encourage applications from people of African or Caribbean heritage to ensure our staff team represents the communities we serve. 

Sydenham Garden is seeking to appoint a Community Engagement and Fundraising Lead for two days per week on a fixed term contract for two years. They will join our team of 14 staff and 70 volunteers supporting people living with mental ill-health and dementia in south-east London. 

Positions:  Community Engagement and Fundraising Lead 

Contract:  Fixed term for 1 year,

Hours: 0.4 FTE 15 hours per week 

Salary: £38,000 pro rata 

Annual leave: 33 days including bank holidays pro rata

Location: Sydenham Garden Resource Centre, SE23 2LW or working from home – minimum 1 day a month in office

Application closing date: 9am Monday 13 April 

Interview date:  Friday 24 April

Our Organisation 

Sydenham Garden, based in Lewisham in South-East London, is a special, unique and beloved wellbeing centre utilising its gardens, nature reserve and activity rooms to help people living with and recovering from mental and physical ill-health. We were established in 2002 and will celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2027. We provide nature and arts based creative, social and therapeutic activities for co-workers (the name we give our primary beneficiaries). People are referred to us from community organisations and health professionals and we use an integrative approach where those with different degrees of mental and physical ill health come together with volunteers from the local community to reduce social exclusion and prejudice. Each year we work with on average over 250 co-workers and over 70 volunteers. 

About you 

You’ll have experience in building relationships with individual donors, increasing income from community sources and engaging and enthusing volunteers and supporters around a cause. You’ll have excellent communication and people skills and feel comfortable both thinking strategically and managing competing priorities day-to-day. Most importantly, you’ll thrive in a small team working to make a big impact for people living with mental ill-health and dementia. 

Why you should join us  

Sydenham Garden is a small team rooted in our local community, and that community is at the centre of everything we do; from the people we support, to the volunteers and neighbours who get involved in our gardens and our work in all sorts of ways. 

We work collaboratively, support each other across different areas of the organisation, and aren't afraid to try new approaches and learn from what doesn't work. We're values-led, we care deeply about our impact, and we hold ourselves accountable to the people and communities we serve. 

We're also confident advocates for our work, and comfortable making the case for Sydenham Garden to funders, partners and the wider community. 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 

Sydenham Garden is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). We want to build a diverse and inclusive staff, volunteer and trustee team where everyone feels that they belong and that reflects the profile of the communities we serve. Therefore, we will welcome and consider applications from candidates of all backgrounds and protected characteristics, and we particularly encourage applications from people of African or Caribbean heritage to ensure our staff team represents the communities we serve. 

PURPOSE OF THE JOB

We’re searching for a dynamic and innovative project leader who is skilled in supporting marginalised young people and who is able to forge a new approach to meeting their needs.

Westminster City Council, Young Westminster Foundation and John Lyon’s Charity are working with DreamArts to help join up services for young people with caring responsibilities. The Carers Express Project Lead will be responsible for leading Carers Express, DreamArts flagship project for young people with caring responsibilities living or studying in Westminster.

You will be responsible for producing and delivering creative and therapeutic activities for the Juniors (7-11) and Seniors (12-18) Carers Express cohort. The project should be thought of with a strategic and long-term vision that supports young people to use creativity to explore and extend meaning to the challenges they face, build a sense of belonging with peers sharing their experience and be supported with their emotional wellbeing. This will include projects in school holidays, residentials (e.g. attending the UK Young Carers Festival) and phases of evening/weekend workshops. You will act as lead facilitator and will be supported by a freelance Wellbeing Practitioner.

You will also manage a caseload of Young Carers aged 11-16, providing 1:1 support to newly identified carers and/or young carers experiencing key life transitions, e.g., primary school to secondary school. Where possible, you will assess and respond to individual needs, build positive mentoring relationships, and signpost or refer young people to appropriate support services within DreamArts or external partner organisations. Outside of your case load, you will build relationships with all Carers Express participants and their families to sustain their engagement through regular check-ins.

The role includes training and development in therapeutic approaches applied within DreamArts, including the PACE attachment model, and you will receive regular reflection spaces with our Therapeutic Consultant to process your work and ‘therapeutic lens’ sessions exploring approaches for supporting the wellbeing needs of young people in your planning, delivery and evaluation.

MAIN ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES​

1.  Producing, delivering and managing the ongoing Carers Express project to meet the needs and interests of Young Carer participants with a strategic and long-term vision.
2. Coordinate with facilitators and partner organisations to deliver engaging and relevant sessions. This includes conducting team planning and debriefs and working with the Young Carers Programme Manager to ensure the team has the necessary skills and training to deliver the project.
3. Ensure that Carers Express maintains a high standard of quality and is managed and delivered within the context of DreamArts Theory of Change, including implementing monitoring and evaluation systems
4. Ensure the project and its delivery are underpinned by autonomous participation and equality of opportunity. This includes engaging young people at every level of the programme, identifying and responding to their needs and interests, and positively challenging and expanding their knowledge and experience.
5. Apply a relational approach underpinned by the PACE model (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy. Training in PACE will be provided.
6. Deliver outreach activities to increase awareness and referrals to Carers Express.
7. Liaise with referral partners, including Westminster Early Help Service, schools, professionals and partners to identify Young Carers and inform them of participants’ development.
8. Lead and line-manage a Wellbeing Practitioner who will support the pastoral needs of the group.
9. Manage resources, including ensuring venues are booked and collating all expenditure receipts.
10. Implement safeguarding and welfare and ensuring the project adheres to DreamArts Safeguarding Policy.
11. Take responsibility for Health and Safety within the project, including risk assessments, incident reporting and accident reporting.
12. Provide support for young people who may be facing particular challenges. This includes managing a caseload of young carers aged 11-16, providing tailored 1:1 support through home visits or online sessions with the aim of integrating them into the wider Carers Express project and Young Carers Pathway offer.
13. Aid the Young Carers Programme Manager to produce qualitative and quantitative data on the Carers Express Project for the end-of-year Young Carers Impact Report.
14. Keep abreast of developments in the young carers sector, identifying strategies, partnerships and key individuals. This includes initiating and responding to collaborative projects with other agencies.
15. Supporting the development of other aspects of the Young Carers Programme. This may include contributing to the delivery of Young Carers Awareness Training, providing relevant content for newsletters and other social media content, and cultivating/maintaining relationships with partner schools using our Young Carers Schools Package.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

1. Proven track record of supporting the development of marginalised young people.
2. Proven track record of building relationships with young people and families.
3. Experience of organising and producing youth programmes for children, young people and/or communities.
4. A proven track record of delivering creative activities and a developed practice in facilitating for young people.
5. Strong interpersonal and communication skills
6. Experience of cultivating relationships with community groups, senior internal and external colleagues and voluntary sector organisations.
7. Working knowledge of current issues facing Young Carers, and within the arts/cultural sector.
8. High level of initiative and leadership qualities.
9. Available to work during unsociable hours, including monthly Sunday sessions and a monthly evening session for our Juniors cohort.
10. Ability to listen, show empathy and support young people through different challenges. 
11. Good IT skills and confidence with Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft Office Apps.

DESIRABLE

1. Experience of working with Young Carers.
2. Experience of working within London.
3. An understanding of or qualification in therapeutic practice.
4. Basic understanding of Canva.
5. Experience of collecting and presenting qualitative and quantitative data for project reports and outcomes.

"I can honestly say my three years at Settle have been the best years of my fundraising career." (outgoing Head of Fundraising and Senior Leadership Team member Penny Day).

100% of staff would recommend Settle as a great place to work.
95% of staff would agree that Settle is a welcoming and inclusive organisation. 

When young people in care turn 18, all the support they’ve relied on can fall away, literally overnight.  Suddenly, they have to navigate adulthood on their own. This would be tough for any teenager, even if they could fall back on their family for help. So it’s not surprising that two out of three care-experienced young people feel unprepared to leave care. Too many still don’t get the support they need to make it safely past this cliff edge.

Care leavers aged 18-21 are nine times more likely to experience homelessness than their peers.

Settle exists to change this. We’re an award-winning charity, supporting care-experienced young people as they move into their first home, so they can confidently transition into independent living, avoid eviction and homelessness, and establish the foundations they need to thrive in adulthood. We are on a mission to end homelessness among care-experienced young people.

With our current Head of Fundraising leaving us to go travelling, we’re seeking someone new to help us achieve this ambition. You’ll have a lot to build on. Over the last three years, we’ve grown our income dramatically, and diversified our funder portfolio. We have strong relationships with our committed and supportive funders, underpinned by an organisation-wide commitment to fundraising.

This is a crucial role for Settle, and you’ll have the support you need to excel. In 2025, we grew our fundraising team from one (this post) to three. You’ll take on the leadership of an engaged and enthusiastic team, increasingly responsible for day-to-day management of trust and foundation fundraising. As well as inspiring the team to great things, you’ll have the opportunity to develop and deepen our relationships with philanthropists and high net worth individuals. You’ll have active support and engagement from me and the Board, with regular opportunities to involve trustees in your work.

As we head into future years, you’ll lead the development and delivery of our next fundraising strategy. We’re proud of our welcoming, inclusive and collaborative culture. We’re committed to staff wellbeing, with regular socials and time away as a team, and four wellbeing days every year on top of generous annual leave. You’ll play a key leadership role in fostering this culture and shaping Settle as we grow.

If this opportunity sounds as exciting to you as it does to us, we’d love to hear from you. We are also happy to share more about our fundraising so do request this when you get in touch. 

We’d love to hear from you if:

✷  You are passionate about making a significant contribution to our mission to end homelessness among care-experienced young people, and want to use your skills to help Settle reach more young people

✷  You are an outstanding communicator, with excellent storytelling skills in person and in writing, and the ability to craft and share a compelling vision and case for support

✷  You’re a strategic thinker with excellent analytical skills and the ability to translate strategy into clear decisions and action

✷  You are a values-driven leader, committed to bringing out the best in your team and supporting them to stretch and develop

✷  You are self-motivated and organised, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines, and maintain progress while responding to emerging opportunities

✷  You are financially literate and able to work effectively with numbers and financial information

✷  You are willing and able to support managers in other teams, cover for other members of Settle’s Senior Leadership Team when necessary, and play a wider leadership role in the organisation

✷  You are dedicated to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into all areas of your work

EXPERIENCE NEEDED FOR THIS ROLE

ESSENTIAL

✷  Significant track record of raising funds from trusts and foundations

✷  Experience of securing major gifts, donations or grants from high net worth individuals or family foundations

✷  Experience of building and maintaining strong relationships with funders or other senior external stakeholders

✷  Substantial experience of preparing funding applications and reports

✷  Experience of line managing and leading high performing teams, with the ability to coach, motivate and develop others

✷  Experience of developing and effectively delivering strategy

DESIRABLE

✷  Knowledge of youth homelessness, the care system or other relevant issues facing young people

✷  Experience of leading a growing team or contributing to organisational growth

BENEFITS

✷  Scope to take real ownership of a key strategic priority in a fast-growing charity

✷  Flexible working arrangements

✷  40 days paid leave per year: 25 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, 3 days between Christmas and New Year and 4 personal wellbeing days

✷  Regular 1:1s with the Chief Executive and active support of the Senior Leadership Team and Board for Settle’s fundraising strategy

✷  Strong commitment to professional development with a dedicated individual training budget and a line manager dedicated to supporting your growth

✷  Annual performance and pay progression reviews

✷  Up to 6% pension contribution

✷  Cycle to work scheme

✷  Employee Assistance Programme offering free therapy

✷  Work phone and laptop

✷  A supportive and inclusive culture with regular team social events and annual all staff away day

MORE KEY INFO

Hours: The hours are full-time (35 hours per week) preferred, with attendance at funder events outside core hours as needed from time to time – part-time will be considered for the right candidate but we envisage at least 0.8FTE / 28 hours per week

Location: Hybrid working between our office in London Bridge and working from home – our standard expectation is at least 2 days a week of contact time (in the office, funder meetings or events). We have a monthly in person team meeting on a Wednesday, and hold our monthly SLT meetings in person on a Tuesday. 

Flexibility: Settle is committed to flexible working and will work with the successful candidate to agree mutually positive working arrangements

HOW TO APPLY

Charlotte Wilmot at Eardley Wilmot is managing this appointment on our behalf and will be delighted to support you with your application. Please send your CV together with any questions to her directly in the first instance.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and a member of the Care Leaver Covenant. We are actively trying to increase the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds. Please see our website for more information on our approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

We also guarantee an interview for care-experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role because we want to increase the representation of lived experience in the team.

We aim to make the interview process as accessible as possible so please do not hesitate to let Charlotte know if you require any reasonable adjustments.

The closing date for the role is Friday 17 April with interviews taking place in the week commencing 27 April.

We really look forward to hearing from you!

Volunteer Centre Hackney is a thriving charity (annual income circa £1.1m, with 29 paid staff) providing volunteering infrastructure to the voluntary sector across the City of London and the London borough of Hackney. We support over 1500 residents a year to realise their skills and passions through volunteering and social action, and to share these for the benefit of others. We also provide volunteering resource, and advice and guidance on best practice in volunteer management, to hundreds of charities and community organisations.

Through our specialist programmes, our impact on the lives of residents is huge. We match volunteers to housebound residents to help them engage with communities and leave their homes; we provide long term personalised support to people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities to help them volunteer and find paid jobs; we support patients to deliver hundreds of their own activities and peer support groups at GP practices across City and Hackney; and in partnership with Public Health, we support over 250 Community Health Champions to share vital health messaging with their own diverse communities.  

This is a hands-on and strategic role for an experienced fundraiser who thrives in a small to medium sized charity environment. You will have autonomy to develop a whole new fundraising strategy, utilising diverse fundraising methods, and building and developing new project ideas and partnerships. You will lead on income generation primarily through sourcing and applying to multiple trusts and foundations, but diversified by building new corporate partnerships, community campaigns and individual giving. You will build authentic relationships with funders and supporters, and together with VCH colleagues, will identify new programme models as ways to generate income. You will contribute to the development and production of compelling stories, evidence and marketing and build and maintain the infrastructure needed to track and achieve progress against annual income targets.

Post holders need to have excellent communication skills, to represent the charity in writing and in person. You must be enthusiastic, self-motivating and confident to work primarily alone, but also able to engage and collaborate with staff from across the organisation to share information and impact evidence to support your role. If you are successful in securing funding there will be the potential to recruit additional support, and for you to become the Head of Fundraising of a small team.