Community employment specialist jobs

About Working Well Trust

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London. All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment.

We are expanding our team of IPS Employment Advisors in our IPS service in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. You will be based in one of NHS mental health treatment teams in Bethnal Green, Isle of Dogs or Stepney and Wapping areas, working 35 hours per week. This IPS services at Working Well Trust has been awarded the IPS Grow quality mark and adheres to the principles of the IPS model in supporting people in to employment. This role will be working with clients who have mental health support needs, wanting to gain paid employment. 

Experience of employment support is not essential, it is more important that you share our passion and commitment to employment as an integral aspect of wellbeing and supporting people to find the right job for them. You will receive training on the IPS model and in supporting people with mental health issues. We welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health, either personally or through a close contact.

You need to have a desire to support people to achieve their employment goals, and the ability to multitask and manage your workload effectively. Good organisation skills are essential for this role, in addition to an interest in mental health, and the role it plays in the workplace. The successful candidate will need to become comfortable in approaching employers, and showcase the advantages of our service in order to work with them to recruit our clients to fill vacancies and sustain employment.

What you’ll be doing

You will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. You will deliver the IPS approach (for which training will be given); providing person centred support and guidance to clients, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.

You will work as part of a mental health team (NHS Trust) maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment. You will work closely with clinical teams, providing a coordinated approach that always remains client led.  

You will spend up to 65% of your week working in the community of Tower Hamlets to provide localised support to residents of the Borough.

You will also be working to contract targets whilst maintaining a high-quality service. 

What you’ll need

Experience in employment support is not essential. We are looking for someone who brings:

• A genuine desire to support people into meaningful employment.
• Commitment to person-centred work and either experience of or enthusiasm to learn the IPS approach.
• Confidence engaging with employers and promoting the benefits of our service.
• Good organisation skills and the ability to manage a caseload effectively.
• Beneficial (but not essential): experience working with people with mental health difficulties.
• Beneficial (but not essential): local knowledge/ experience of the Borough

What we offer

• £33,000 per year
• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, (FTE)
• Employer pension contribution of 6%
• Supportive environment within a growing, dedicated team
• Meaningful, rewarding work supporting people into employment
• Expenses paid for mandatory travel during work hours.
• Flexible, paid Wellbeing Hour every fortnight (FTE) ​

What’s next 

Before you apply, please note the following: 

• We actively recruit and carefully review all applications. Due to rapid service expansion, we have onboarded 20 external hires in the last six months. 

• To ensure we can best support the people and communities we serve, we progress applications only where candidates provide meaningful answers to the screening questions. 

• Career development is real here: in the past year, 10 colleagues have progressed internally into Senior roles, Project Lead, Team Lead, and Operations Manager positions. We value ambition and celebrate progression. 

• If you require any reasonable adjustments at the interview stage, for example due to a disability, learning difficulty or health condition, please let us know in advance so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities employer and Confident about Disabilities.​

If you are ready to help us build a service that supports people into meaningful work, click Apply to submit your CV and answer the screening questions. 

Start your application today and take the next step in a rewarding career. 

Closing date: Sunday 19th July 2026 (23:00). Please note, we may be actively interviewing during this time and may close the vacancy early.

First stage interviews (telephone): 22nd - 29th July 2026

Final Stage interviews: 3rd- 4th August in person in Bethnal Green.

IPS – Employment support

For people who need mental health support, getting back into work is a vital step on their recovery journey. The evidence backs this up, but although 90% of people with severe mental illness want to work, only 8% of them are in paid employment.

If you would like to join our team and champion our mission and help people who need employment support to get back into work. You will be supporting clients who are under the care of Secondary Mental Health services to gain and retain paid employment and will be based within a clinical team.

This is an incredibly rewarding role.  You'll have the opportunity to transform the lives of clients, to give them hope, direction and support with their recovery journey alongside other key professionals. This is also a challenging role, so you’ll need to be empathetic, adaptable and dedicated to finding clients a role that’s right for them.

As an Employment Specialist, you’ll build a good rapport with your clients, gaining a real understanding of their key skills, their aspirations and their career goals and finding them opportunities to match. You'll also spend time building productive relationships with employers in order to identify and negotiate job opportunities in the hidden labour market.

Successful applicants for this post will receive training in the IPS approach, giving you the tools, you need to provide expert support and advice to clients, staff within your clinical team (e.g. Psychiatrist, Social Workers or Mental Health Nurse), while also building positive relationships with employers, opening doors and changing perceptions around mental health.

We welcome applications from people with personal experience of using mental health services.

Job Summary

To provide support into employment for people with mental health problems including:

· Managing a caseload of clients who wish to return to paid work, enabling them to find or retain employment by liaising with work and training providers, accessing benefits advice and by personally providing on-going support to clients in job search and after gaining employment, in accordance with evidence based supported employment practice such as the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model of supported employment.

· Link with local employers and voluntary bodies in order to secure employment opportunities within the community

· Pro-actively support and motivate clients in obtaining employment opportunities

· Provide on-going support according to both the employee’s and employer’s needs to enable clients to both gain and retain employment.

Key responsibilities

 · To work in partnership with individuals to support them in finding paid employment, or taking steps towards this.

· To develop strong links with other agencies such as voluntary, statutory and businesses in the development of work opportunities for clients.

· To support Community Mental Health Team colleagues with information about work and training opportunities.

· To report on outcome measures for the service.

· To provide monitoring/audit information to the Senior IPS Employment Specialist responsible for Employment Services.

Main duties

 · Manage a caseload of people who have experienced mental health problems who wish to work.

· Prepare individuals for employment by assessing each person’s individual vocational needs which might typically include identifying strengths, help with benefits, support networks, travel to work plans, etc.

· Co create employment action plans with the individual, and provide this to the care co-ordinator and other professionals where appropriate.

· Assist individuals in job search and prepare them to apply for employment/education, liaising with colleagues as required e.g. Disability Employment Advisors, Jobcentre Plus, DWP contract providers and local colleges.

· Contact and meet with employers to identify job opportunities for individual clients.

· Have a proactive approach in developing jobs tailored to suit individual clients’ needs by contacting local employers, discussing mutual requirements and negotiating opportunities.

· Accompany job seekers to interviews if required.

· Provide education and support to employers, as agreed with the individual and provide job retention interventions to people at risk of losing their employment, negotiating adjustments to the job role with employers to enable the person to retain their employment.

· Support clients in the workplace by supporting them to learn the job role if necessary, and/or negotiating with employers to adapt the role at the start of employment or if difficulties arise in the workplace.

· Identify any barriers for return to work and develop appropriate strategies to overcome those barriers for clients who wish to gain or retain open employment maintaining a positive attitude to addressing challenges.

· Contribute to the opportunities for an individual’s increased social inclusion by developing partnership working with voluntary sector agencies, and linking with primary care employment and job retention initiatives.

· Promote the Mindful Employer initiative and best practice in mental health and employment within the mental health services and in other organisations in the local area.

· Maintain and develop close links with referrers, care co-ordinators and Community

· Regularly attend Team meetings.

· Complete data monitoring sheets and keep accurate caseload records.

· Maintain high standards of personal development and undertake further training as may be required.

· Undertake regular supervision and annual appraisal.

· Undertake other duties as may reasonably be required by the organisation

Person specification

Qualifications and experience

Essential

· Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

· Experience/understanding of working with people with mental health support needs, or a similar client group within health, social services or the voluntary sector

· Experience of working with someone on a one-to-one basis

· Experience of managing multiple tasks at any one time

Desirable

· Trained in IPS approach

· Experience of supporting people to obtain or keep work

· Experience of working within health, social services or voluntary sector with people who have experienced mental health problems.

· Experience of working assertively to influence decision makers

· Own personal lived experience of recovery from mental health difficulties

· Previous experience of delivering a service using the IPS model is a bonus

· Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets

Skills and knowledge

Essential

· An understanding of the employment needs, and challenges faced by people who experience mental health difficulties

· Developing a knowledge of a broad range of occupations and jobs

· Able to use IT systems, databases and tools such as MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel

· Strong motivational, communication and listening skills

· Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to build rapport with a range of people

· Good organisational ability

· Natural ability to build close, trusting and productive relationships with people

· Team orientated and able to work collaboratively within a mixed-disciplinary team

· Ability to work independently and use initiative to develop and promote a service

Desirable

· Knowledge of DWP and disability/employment related benefits

· Knowledge of good practice in employment legislation protecting Disability and Equality

Hillside Clubhouse is recruiting an IPS Employment Specialist to join our dynamic Islington team, supporting people with mental health conditions to gain and retain employment.  The IPS Employment Specialists within the Islington IPS Service work within the nationally recognised IPS (Individual Placement and Support) model within NHS secondary and primary care mental health teams, based in the heart of Islington.

Who We Are: 

Hillside Clubhouse is a co-produced mental health employment support charity working across Islington. We support people with mental health conditions into training, volunteering, and employment opportunities. People can access our services via our Clubhouse, where they can share their skills and expertise with others and support the running of the charity.  Alternatively, they can receive support out in the community from one of our Employment Specialists based within NHS mental health teams.

The Role: 

We are recruiting for one IPS Employment Specialist role within our Islington IPS Service. This position will be based within the North London NHS Foundation Trust mental health services in the borough of Islington.

As an IPS Employment Specialist, you’ll play an important role in supporting people with lived mental health experience on their recovery journey by supporting them back into paid employment. This is an opportunity to offer ongoing support, to motivate and provide people with hope, while developing the tools and skills required to recover – ultimately transforming their lives.

A variety of skills are needed in this post including but not limited to: a strong ability to develop empathy and rapport with clients; a determined approach to seeking out job opportunities; a person centric-approach to working with people; strong communications skills to motivate clients; strong administrative capabilities and an attention to detail engage with prospective employers via business development and face-to-face meetings, as well as to be able to challenge some perceptions around mental health. 

The postholder will be directly employed by Hillside Clubhouse but work under an Honorary Contract from the North London NHS Foundation Trust.  They will be managed directly by the IPS Operations Manager but work as team member within the clinical team. The role is dynamic and involves being integrated in a clinical team, working within the community, and we operate a flexible working policy where working from home is also permitted up to two days per week.

Overall Aim: 

To enable people with mental health issues to gain and sustain competitive employment by working within the evidence-based Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model.

Duties: 

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification attached for a full description.

Application Instructions:
We are a Disability Confident employer and actively encourage applications from people with lived experience of mental health conditions.

Hillside Clubhouse is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage applications from those who experience discrimination and / or prejudice based on their race, ethnicity or immigration status, women, new parents, people with disabilities and LGBTQI+ people.

All job offers are dependent on satisfactory references and a DBS check. The successful candidate will also be required to attend mandatory Safeguarding Adults, Children & Young People training.

The recruitment process will be an assessment centre approach, including a task, role play and individual interview. We envision the whole process lasting no more than 90 minutes.

About Working Well Trust

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London. All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment.

We are now recruiting for a role providing focused, time-limited information, advice and guidance to individuals experiencing mental health challenges, supporting them to return to, remain in, or move towards employment, with a particular focus on engaging those facing multiple and intersecting barriers to work.

This is a full-time, permanent role working 35 hours per week.

What you’ll be doing

If you were working with us, you would be:

• Managing a varied caseload of clients, providing tailored information, advice and guidance to support their employment goals
• Working collaboratively with clients to identify their individual needs and the level of support required
• Developing clear, realistic Action Plans with clients, and reviewing these regularly to reflect progress and changing circumstances
• Supporting clients to address workplace challenges, helping them to return to work, remain in employment, or secure new roles
• Monitoring and tracking progress towards agreed employment outcomes, ensuring support remains focused and effective
• Enabling access to wider opportunities such as training, education, volunteering and other development pathways
• Making appropriate referrals to external services and partner organisations to ensure holistic support for clients

This role requires a proactive and person-centred approach, with a strong focus on achieving meaningful and sustainable employment outcomes.

What we offer

• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays (FTE) 
• Flexible, paid Wellbeing Hour every fortnight (FTE) 
• 35 hours working week
• 6% employer pension contribution 
• 1 day per week working from home subject to completion of Homeworking Checklist
• Supportive environment within a small, dedicated team
• Meaningful, rewarding work supporting people into employment
• Paid carers' leave available

Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities employer and Confident about Disabilities.

What’s next 

Before you apply, please note the following: 

• We actively recruit and carefully review all applications. Due to rapid service expansion, we have onboarded 20 external hires in the last six months. 

• To ensure we can best support the people and communities we serve, we progress applications only where candidates provide meaningful answers to the screening questions. 

• Career development is real here: in the past year, 10 colleagues have progressed internally into Senior roles, Project Lead, Team Lead, and Operations Manager positions. We value ambition and celebrate progression. 

If you are ready to help us build a service that supports people into meaningful work, click Apply to submit your CV and answer the screening questions. Telephone and final interviews will be confirmed. 

Start your application today and take the next step in a rewarding career. 

Please note that this is a re-advertised vacancy. Previous applicants who have already been assessed through the interview process for this role will not be reconsidered at this stage.

About Working Well Trust

Working Well Trust is a mental health and employment charity in London. All of our projects share the aim of improving the lives of people with mental health support needs, learning disabilities and/or complex issues through training and employment.

We are expanding our team of IPS Employment Advisors in our IPS service in the London Borough of Newham. You will be based in one of NHS mental health treatment teams in Plaistow and East Ham areas, working 35 hours per week. IPS services at Working Well Trust have been awarded the IPS Grow quality mark and adhere closely to the principles of the IPS model in supporting people in to employment. This role will be working with clients who have mental health support needs, wanting to gain paid employment. 

Experience of employment support is not essential, it is more important that you share our passion and commitment to employment as an integral aspect of wellbeing and supporting people to find the right job for them. You will receive training on the IPS model and in supporting people with mental health issues. We welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health, either personally or through a close contact.

You need to have a desire to support people to achieve their employment goals, and the ability to multitask and manage your workload effectively. Good organisation skills are essential for this role, in addition to an interest in mental health, and the role it plays in the workplace. The successful candidate will need to become comfortable in approaching employers, and showcase the advantages of our service in order to work with them to recruit our clients to fill vacancies and sustain employment.

What you’ll be doing

You will work with clients (managing a caseload) who have mental health support needs, to assist them in securing sustainable paid employment in line with their preferences. You will deliver the IPS approach (for which training will be given); providing person centred support and guidance to clients, whilst building positive relationships with local employers to enable clients to move into suitable employment.

You will work as part of a mental health team (NHS Trust) maintaining positive and integrated relationships, fostering a holistic approach to recovery through employment. You will work closely with clinical teams, providing a coordinated approach that always remains client led.  

You will spend up to 65% of your week working in the community of Newham to provide localised support to residents of the Borough.

You will also be working to contract targets whilst maintaining a high-quality service. 

What you’ll need

Experience in employment support is not essential. We are looking for someone who brings:

• A genuine desire to support people into meaningful employment.
• Commitment to person-centred work and either experience of or enthusiasm to learn the IPS approach.
• Confidence engaging with employers and promoting the benefits of our service.
• Good organisation skills and the ability to manage a caseload effectively.
• Beneficial (but not essential): experience working with people with mental health difficulties.
• Beneficial (but not essential): local knowledge/ experience of the Borough

What we offer

• £33,000 per year
• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, (FTE)
• Employer pension contribution of 6%
• Supportive environment within a growing, dedicated team
• Meaningful, rewarding work supporting people into employment
• Expenses paid for mandatory travel during work hours.
• Flexible, paid Wellbeing Hour every fortnight (FTE) ​

What’s next 

Before you apply, please note the following: 

• We actively recruit and carefully review all applications. Due to rapid service expansion, we have onboarded 20 external hires in the last six months. 

• To ensure we can best support the people and communities we serve, we progress applications only where candidates provide meaningful answers to the screening questions. 

• Career development is real here: in the past year, 10 colleagues have progressed internally into Senior roles, Project Lead, Team Lead, and Operations Manager positions. We value ambition and celebrate progression. 

• If you require any reasonable adjustments at the interview stage, for example due to a disability, learning difficulty or health condition, please let us know in advance so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

Working Well Trust is an equal opportunities employer and Confident about Disabilities.​

If you are ready to help us build a service that supports people into meaningful work, click Apply to submit your CV and answer the screening questions. 

Start your application today and take the next step in a rewarding career. 

Closing date: Tuesday 14th July 2026 (09:00). Please note, we may be actively interviewing during this time and may close the vacancy early.

First stage interviews (telephone): 20th - 24th July 2026

Final Stage interviews: 29th- 30th July in person in Stratford.

Job Title: Employment Consultant (Northeast VALOUR)

Location: Home-based (within 1 hour travel to Durham) with regular travel across the Northeast

Salary: £33,174

Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week (part time or flexible working options considered)

Contract: 2 years fixed term with possibility of extension

At The Poppy Factory, we believe that everyone who has served our country deserves the opportunity to build a fulfilling life beyond the armed forces. For over a century, we have stood alongside veterans and their families, evolving our services to support veterans and adult family members to overcome barriers to employment and transform their lives.

We have been successful in becoming a delivery partner within the national VALOUR initiative, supporting the employment strand of the programme. This enables us to widen our impact for veterans and their families by ensuring individuals are supported into meaningful and sustainable employment, using an approach that is tailored to their specific needs.

We are seeking a passionate and person-centred Employment Consultant to join our team to deliver VALOUR in the Northeast. This is a role for someone who believes in potential, not limitations – someone who can walk alongside clients with empathy and determination, empowering them to take ownership of their employment journey.

You’ll provide tailored information, advice and guidance to help veterans secure meaningful and sustainable work, managing a diverse caseload with care and professionalism. Using coaching, mentoring and strengths-based approaches, you will help individuals identify their goals, build resilience and move confidently towards lasting employment outcomes.

Collaboration is at the heart of this role. You will develop strong partnerships with regional organisations to generate referrals and address wider barriers such as mental health, housing or addiction, while also building strong relationships with local employers to create real opportunities for your clients, and sharing best practice with your colleagues in the team.

With a strong understanding of local labour markets and safeguarding practices, you’ll maintain high-quality case records, contribute to continuous improvement, and actively participate in team development. Adaptability, initiative and resilience are key, as we respond to the evolving needs of our clients and the communities we serve.

Why The Poppy Factory?

• A chance to give back to our armed forces and make a positive and lasting impact to the lives of veterans and their families.
• Competitive salary and benefits package including generous holiday and pension contributions.
• A welcoming and empowering culture, with regular opportunities for team connecting and shared learning throughout the year.
• Variety in the role, a mix of delivering a community-based service in your region, home working and occasional visits to the historic Poppy Factory in Richmond, London
• The opportunity to develop your region and build relationships with employers and other support services that best meet the needs of the people you’re supporting.
• Be part of an iconic charity with a 100+ year history

For further information, including the full job description for the role, please refer to the candidate pack.

How to apply

To apply for this position please prepare your CV and a covering letter clearly outlining how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification as set out above and submit via the online application process. Please address your covering letter to Keiron Coombs, Services Manager.

For an informal conversation to find out more about this role, please call Keiron Coombs.

The closing date for this vacancy will be 2 May 2026. Please note, we cannot accept late or incomplete applications. Only applications submitted through the online process will be considered.

First stage interviews will take place on 8 May 2026, with second stage interviews scheduled for 13 May 2026. Please ensure you are available on these dates, as it’s not always possible to reschedule.

No agencies please.

Equality & Diversity

We are committed to equality, valuing diversity, and promoting inclusion within our workforce, including the volunteers who give their time to us.  We work to maintain an environment where the needs and aspirations of all employees are met, irrespective of characteristics protected under the legislative framework of the Equality Act 2010. We expect everyone to understand and accept their personal responsibility to recognise and value differences and the unique contributions that people make to the way we deliver our work.

As an equal opportunities employer our commitment is to take positive measures to recruit people from underrepresented groups, and we actively encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds. As a Disability Confident employer, we offer a guaranteed interview for any job applicant with a disability who meets the essential criteria for the role. Please indicate in your covering letter if you wish to be considered under this scheme. We are also happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the application or interview process to accommodate disabled candidates.

We are a family friendly employer and happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. We encourage applicants to contact us to discuss if they have any questions before applying.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Employment Specialist to play a pivotal role in our Employment Service in Camden.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

As an Employment Specialist, you will manage a caseload of up to twenty clients, applying the eight principles of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) to help individuals secure and sustain competitive employment. You will work closely with clinical teams, participating in case discussions and supervision while contributing to a multidisciplinary approach to client support. Responsibilities include developing employer relationships, identifying suitable job opportunities, supporting clients throughout their employment journey, and providing advice on benefits. You will monitor performance against key targets, maintain accurate records, ensure compliance with NHS and organisational procedures, provide ongoing in-work support, and actively engage in professional development, training, and service improvement activities.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

You will bring experience of managing a caseload and applying the eight principles of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) to help individuals secure and sustain employment. You will possess strong employer engagement and job development skills, with the ability to source suitable opportunities and build effective employer networks. A collaborative approach, working alongside clinical teams, external partners, and employers, will enable you to support integrated employment and mental health outcomes. You will demonstrate excellent organisational and administrative abilities, including KPI monitoring, record management, and compliance with procedures. With a client-centred mindset, you will provide ongoing support to clients and employers, alongside strong communication, relationship-building, time management, adaptability, professional resilience, and a commitment to continuous learning and development.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

Citizens Advice Woking is seeking a Community Outreach Adviser to join our new three-year National Lottery Community Fund project supporting residents in the Canalside area.

This community-based role will provide free, independent and impartial advice on issues including welfare benefits, debt, housing and energy. You will deliver outreach sessions, build strong relationships with local residents, community groups and partner organisations, and help improve access to advice for people who may face barriers to traditional services.

Working closely with South Asian communities and other residents whose first language may not be English, you will help ensure our services are inclusive, accessible and responsive to local needs. You will also work alongside volunteers and local organisations to develop the project through a co-production approach, empowering communities and creating lasting positive change.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about making a real difference and helping people improve their financial resilience, wellbeing and independence.

Are you passionate about supporting individuals back into employment?

Job Title: Employment Specialist – Connect To Work
Salary: £28,951 – £32,316 per annum
Hours: Full Time – 37 hours per week
Contract: Fixed Term initially until March 2028
Location: Newcastle

About us

Groundwork NE & Cumbria is a long‑established environmental and community charity with over 30 years of experience creating greener, healthier and more resilient places across the region. Our mission centres on Creating Better Places, Improving People’s Prospects, and Promoting Greener Living, helping communities thrive no matter the challenges they face.

We deliver hundreds of locally‑led projects each year, including initiatives that support young people into education, training and employment, helping them overcome barriers, build life skills, and reach their full potential.

About the role

We are looking for a passionate individual who will support individuals with health conditions to move into and sustain meaningful employment through the Connect to Work programme.

We’re looking for an Employment Specialist to support the delivery of our Connect to Work programme. You’ll use the Individual Placement & Support (IPS) model to provide person‑centred IAG support to a caseload of around 25 clients, helping them move into and sustain meaningful employment.

You’ll build strong employer relationships to source suitable vacancies and work closely with partners including health providers, mental health services, JCP, and other employment organisations to ensure joined‑up support.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Passionate in supporting young people to overcome barriers and achieve their potential.
• A strong communicator, confident engaging with clients, employers and partners.
• Equipped with strong analytical and problem‑solving ability, able to assess needs and identify effective employment solutions.
• Person‑centred, empathetic and passionate about helping others succeed.
• Skilled at building positive, trusting relationships.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage a varied caseload and meet deadlines.
• Confident working independently and collaboratively.

Closing date: Friday 17th July 2026
Please note, should we receive a high volume of applications, we may look to close the role early, therefore we recommend an early application.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

This role is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure endorsed by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Make yourself at home
We want you to be yourself at Groundwork and we value everything that makes you unique. We recognise and celebrate your difference and together we make Groundwork a special and great place to work. As a Disability Confident employer we offer a guaranteed interview to applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria for the role.

At Groundwork we ensure that we provide a safe environment for adults, children and young people to take part in any activity or service that we organise. We are committed to creating a culture that promotes safeguarding and the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk. Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and comprehensive process of obtaining, collating, analysing and evaluating information from and about candidates to ensure that all the people we appoint are suitable to work with our children, young people and adults

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.

No agencies please.

At The National Lottery Community Fund we are committed to making a bigger difference. Our 2030 strategy ‘It starts with community’ puts impact at the heart of what we do and our Evidence and Impact Strategy explains how we will do this. We want to transform the use of evidence in our organisation to identify the communities that most need our funding and demonstrate the difference we make.

We’re recruiting for an Evaluation Manager to join our Impact and Evaluation Team. In this role, you will design, commission and manage large-scale, complexity-appropriate evaluations, focused on programmes in England that are funded via Dormant Assets. You’ll also be involved in UK-wide work about the impact of Dormant Assets funding in other parts of the UK. And, you will advocate for the importance of high quality evaluation.

A typical week in the role might include:

• a contract management meeting with an external contractor to feedback on a Theory of Change they have developed
• developing an evaluation Invitation to Tender with internal funding colleagues
• discussing learning from a recent evaluation conference with peers in the Impact and Evaluation team
• meeting with analysts in the civil service to discuss overlap between an evaluation you are managing and work they are doing. 

Your strong evaluation expertise will be complemented by stakeholder management skills that mean you to get the best from contracts we procure. You'll effectively communicate evaluation findings to a variety of audiences, including those who are not evaluation experts. You'll be committed to professional development, staying up-to-date with best practice in evaluation design and delivery.

We are looking for someone with a passion for understanding the difference that the voluntary and community sector makes and using that evidence to improve practice. You will be motivated by helping ensure The National Lottery Community Fund makes the greatest difference for communities across the UK. 

Interview details:

• Date: 5 August 2026
• Format: Online
• Location: UK Wide

We have a hybrid approach to working. Work pattern and location will be agreed with the successful candidate. The role can be based at any of our UK offices: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, and Newtown. There will be some travel required within the UK.

We will be hosting a briefing session on: 6th July, 12.00-12.45. To register or ask any questions please email us.

How to apply:

Upload your CV in word format and write a supporting statement (1000 words) with the following criteria, we will use this to score your application.

Essential criteria

• A professional qualification or equivalent level of experience in a relevant discipline covering quantitative and qualitative research methods, and/or evaluation approaches.
• Knowledge of standards and best practice for evaluation, including the Magenta Book.
• Experience of designing tenders, commissioning evaluations and of managing external research/evaluation consultants.
• Knowledge of research ethics and data security requirements and experience putting these in to practice
• Experience of working with multiple stakeholders, often with competing priorities, to gain agreement.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with different audiences.

 Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of the voluntary and community sector and the funding landscape, and a passion for working in this area.
• A commitment to continuous professional development, learning about new approaches to evaluation and sharing this knowledge with others

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion  

Communities in the UK come in all shapes and sizes. National Lottery funding is for everyone – therefore, we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and we work hard to ensure our funding reaches where it is needed.  

We also believe our people should represent the communities, organisations and individuals we work with. That’s why The National Lottery Community Fund is committed to being an inclusive employer and a great place to work. We recognise and celebrate the fact that our people come from diverse backgrounds. We positively welcome applications from people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities or longstanding health conditions, people who are LGBTQ+, and people from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds, as well as people of all ages. 

As a Disability Confident Employer, we take a proactive approach in making reasonable adjustments, if needed, throughout the recruitment process and during employment. (This can be related to a physical and mental health condition.) 

MERSEYSIDE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LTD

Is seeking to recruit the following:

Youth Hub Intensive Mentor

(Black, Asian, and Minoritised Communities Engagement)

 Hours:

 28 per week

(May Include Evening and Weekend Work)

 Salary:

£27,391 - £30,103 p.a. (Pro Rata) - MYA Grade 5 Point 17-20

Fixed Term Funded to 31st May 2027

Youth unemployment remains a major challenge, and we're looking for a passionate Youth Hub Mentor to help young people from Black, Asian and Minoritised Communities overcome barriers and move into employment, education and training.

As part of MYA's friendly and energetic Youth Hub team, you'll build relationships in local communities, provide one-to-one mentoring, and connect young people with opportunities that can change their lives.

This is a varied, hands-on role where you'll:

· Deliver outreach and engagement in communities.

· Support young people to build confidence, skills and aspirations.

· Work closely with employers and partners to create opportunities.

· Provide tailored mentoring and support young people into employment.

· Help young people sustain and succeed in work.

We're looking for someone who is approachable, proactive and committed to making a genuine difference.

If you're passionate about supporting young people and tackling inequality, we'd love to hear from you.

Join MYA and help change lives across Liverpool City Region.

Merseyside Youth Association Limited Actively Promotes the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults, Young People and Children. 

The above post will be subject to Enhanced Disclosure,

If you are interested in this post please visit our website and complete the online application.

Please note, CV’s will not be accepted and should not be part of your supporting information.

Closing Date for Completed Applications: Midnight Wednesday 15th July 2026

Merseyside Youth Association Limited is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to maintaining a non-abusive environment

What you need to know: 

• Job Title: Community & Support Lead 
• Reports to: Head of Operations 
• Salary: £15,000 (FTE equivalent £35,000) 
• Hours: 15 hours per week, worked flexibly across the week between 7:00am and 7:00pm. Occasional evening and weekend working may be required to support organisational needs, with advance notice provided wherever possible. 
• Location: Fully remote with occasional UK travel 
• Contract Type: Fixed-term 1 year - This post is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Experience in one or more of the following areas is required for this role: oncology, cancer care, urology, gynaecology, adolescent and young adult services, community nursing, or a related healthcare setting. Please provide evidence of your relevant experience in your covering letter and/or CV.

The knowledge, compassion and communication skills developed through supporting patients and families affected by cancer are directly transferable to this role. 

You will be responsible for leading our community and support services, building meaningful relationships with people affected by cancer, and helping us continue to develop services that are shaped by lived experience. 

About Us 

The Robin Cancer Trust is looking for a Community & Support Lead to help shape and grow the support we provide to people affected by testicular and ovarian germ cell cancers across the UK.  Driven by our community built from lived experience - we support individuals and families navigating diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and life beyond cancer. We connect our community with trusted information, supportive communities, opportunities to share their experiences, and services designed to help them feel informed, empowered and understood. 

We do this by: 

• Connecting people affected by cancer through our community and shared lived experiences. 
• Providing trusted information, signposting and practical support when people need it most. 
• Creating opportunities for patients, families and supporters to help shape our services and future work. 
• Building a community that breaks isolation, starts conversations and reminds people they are not alone. 

Our values: 

• Respect: Not only for the important work we undertake, but also for the people who support our mission. We believe in open, honest and empathetic communication between ourselves and our community. 
• Creativity: We are a small team with a big vision. In order to drive the change we want to see in the world, we must innovate, disrupt and experiment. 
• Trust: We are accountable to each other and our community. We are responsible for upholding these values and the quality of work we undertake and will do so with integrity at all times. 

If our mission, vision and values inspire you and resonate with you, we would love to hear from you. 

About the role

This is a newly redesigned role created following a review of Robin Cancer Trust's support services. 

The Community & Support Lead will play a key role in ensuring that people affected by testicular and ovarian germ cell cancers can access compassionate support, trusted information, meaningful connections and opportunities to shape our future work. 

We particularly welcome applications from nurses and other healthcare professionals who may be looking for a career change, greater flexibility, or an opportunity to use their skills in a non-clinical setting. Whilst this is not a clinical position and does not involve providing medical advice, your understanding of the patient experience, treatment pathways and the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis would help us deliver high-quality, person-centred support to our community.

This role may particularly appeal to nurses seeking flexible, remote working arrangements, including those looking for school-hours working, a better work-life balance, or an opportunity to continue making a meaningful difference outside of frontline clinical practice. 

Our Culture: 

Our culture is the most important thing to us. 

We want someone to join our team with empathy, creativity, versatility and initiative. We are looking for someone who can make this role their own, help shape the future of our support services, and grow alongside the charity as we continue to evolve. 

We are looking for someone who cares deeply about people, is comfortable having meaningful conversations, and is passionate about building communities that make a difference. 

Job Purpose: 

The Community & Support Lead will act as the primary point of contact for Robin Cancer Trust's support services and community activity.

The role will lead the development and delivery of our support offer, including patient enquiries, community engagement, signposting, Thriver Packs, WhatsApp communities, lived experience involvement and service development. 

The role will work closely with the CEO, Head of Operations, Medical Advisory Board and Clinical Advisor to ensure our support services remain compassionate, effective, safe and impactful. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Community Support 

• Respond to support enquiries from patients, families and supporters. 
• Coordinate the delivery of Thriver Packs. 
• Signpost individuals to relevant organisations, services and resources. 
• Maintain accurate support records and impact data. 
• Ensure enquiries are managed professionally and compassionately. 

Community Development 

• Lead and develop the Thriver Community. 
• Manage and moderate Robin Cancer Trust's WhatsApp communities. 
• Build meaningful relationships with people affected by cancer. 
• Create opportunities for lived experience involvement. 
• Recruit, engage and support community volunteers. 

Service Development 

• Identify gaps, opportunities and emerging community needs. 
• Support the development of new support services and wellbeing initiatives. 
• Build relationships with charities, healthcare professionals and support organisations. 
• Contribute to the evaluation and continuous improvement of services. 

Governance & Administration 

• Coordinate Medical Advisory Board meetings and actions. 
• Maintain support service reporting and records. 
• Support safeguarding processes and escalation pathways. 
• Work alongside the Clinical Advisor where specialist support is required. 

 Equal Opportunities: 

Robin Cancer Trust is committed to being an equal opportunity employer. We recruit based upon capability and all applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. The Robin Cancer Trust is aware  that we are not as diverse as we want to be, so we are actively searching for people who share our passion for our mission, with different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, to collectively make a difference. If there is anything we can do to support you during the application or interview process, please let us know and we will do everything we can to ensure you have a positive and comfortable experience. 

We are Hestia. We make a difference.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Specialist Intervention Worker to play a pivotal role in our Domestic Abuse Services across London

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

This role provides specialist interventions to women living in refuge with multiple needs who have experienced domestic abuse and/or sexual violence. Holding a caseload across a number of refuges providing emotional and practical support and advocacy to the women accessing the refuge.

You will build strong partnerships with a range of statutory and community organisations, including mental health services, substance misuse teams, housing providers, healthcare professionals and voluntary agencies, to ensure women can access the support they need to recover and thrive. You will lead wellbeing-focused activities across refuge services, facilitate group programmes and community meetings, and support women to engage with services, appointments and opportunities that promote confidence, independence and social inclusion.

Using Hestia's trauma-informed and psychologically informed approach, you will provide personalised assessments, safety planning and strengths-based support for women with complex needs. You will deliver crisis interventions, support women to access therapeutic, financial and housing-related support, and help them develop move-on goals that enable long-term recovery and independence. You will maintain accurate case records, uphold confidentiality and GDPR requirements, and work closely with refuge teams to share knowledge and build confidence in supporting women with multiple support needs.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

Here's what the team will be looking for:

• Good standard of general education or equivalent experience.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Willingness to actively engage in undertaking relevant personal development and training.
• Experience of delivering high quality support to people with a range of needs and risks.
• Experience of identifying and managing risk for victim/survivors of domestic abuse.
• Good knowledge of welfare benefits, housing options and legislation related to statutory duty including the rights for survivors of domestic abuse in regard to housing in line with the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
• Knowledge of health and safety relevant within a refuge setting.
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and ability to address them appropriately.
• An ability to undertake person centered key working, support planning and risk assessments to maximise service users' independence.
• An understanding of needs of women from diverse communities and the barriers to accessing support.
• Commitment to equal opportunities and to promoting service users' rights, privacy, dignity, choice and control.
• Ability to liaise with external professionals to inform and develop service users' support package.
• Ability to travel across London and further afield when needed.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.

We are Hestia. We make a difference.

At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for an Employment Specialist to play a pivotal role in our Employment Service in Harrow and Hounslow.

Sounds great, what will I be doing?

An Employment Specialist helps people with mental health conditions, disabilities, or other barriers to find, keep, or return to work. They manage a caseload of clients, provide one-to-one support such as career guidance, CV writing, job searching, interview preparation, and workplace coaching, while also building relationships with employers to create job opportunities and arrange workplace adjustments when needed. They track client progress, maintain accurate records, and work closely with healthcare and community services to help clients achieve sustainable employment outcomes.

What do I need to bring with me?

You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.

The essential skills for this Employment Specialist role are the ability to build trusting relationships with clients, strong communication and interpersonal skills, knowledge of supporting people with mental health conditions or other barriers to employment, and the ability to motivate and coach people towards work goals. The role also requires good organisation and time management, experience managing a caseload, confidence engaging with employers and partner organisations, accurate record-keeping and administration skills, and proficiency with Microsoft Office and databases. Being empathetic, person-centred, self-motivated, and committed to equality and diversity are also important personal qualities.

Interview Steps

We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.

• Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
• Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.

Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.

We are a disability confident employer

Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.

Safeguarding Statement

Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.

Important Information for Candidates

If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.

We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered