120 Youth development worker hours jobs

Job Title: Digital Content & Community Lead
Location: London, Salford or Belfast, based from an RFF office with hybrid working arrangements and extensive travel across the UK and Ireland
Salary: £30,000-£35,000 per annum, depending on experience
Hours: 36 hours per week
Reports to: Deputy CEO & Director of Development

Job Description:

You’ll lead RFF’s Instagram and TikTok presence, creating distinctive social-first content and building engaged digital communities around our work.

This is a hands-on role. You’ll spend time with young people, staff, partners and ambassadors across the UK and Ireland, spotting, capturing and creating content that brings the Foundation to life. While Instagram and TikTok will be at the heart of the role, you’ll also support RFF’s wider digital and communications activity as required — including creating and adapting content for platforms such as LinkedIn, X and YouTube, supporting email communications and press activity, and helping strengthen RFF’s media presence around key events and opportunities.

We’re open to emerging talent and care more about what you can create, your understanding of digital communities and your creative instincts than where you learned your skills.

KEY DUTIES:

Social Content & Community

• Take day-to-day ownership of RFF’s Instagram and TikTok channels, growing active and engaged communities around our work.
• Develop a forward content plan while responding creatively to trends, conversations and opportunities in real time.
• Listen to our audiences, engage actively with our communities and use insight and performance to continually improve our content.

Content Creation & Production

• Proactively identify content opportunities across RFF’s work, partnerships and events, and plan, film, photograph, interview and edit high-quality social-first content across a range of formats.
• Create content specifically for digital platforms, particularly short-form video for Instagram Reels and TikTok, and maximise content captured by adapting it effectively across formats and channels.
• Use and advise on appropriate production equipment, software and tools, while maintaining an organised digital content and asset library for the Foundation.

Young People & Youth-led Content

• Build positive and appropriate relationships with young people, creating content with them rather than simply about them and representing their personalities, perspectives, interests and achievements authentically.
• Create opportunities for young people to contribute as creators, presenters, interviewers and storytellers and, over time, help identify and develop aspiring young content creators from across RFF.
• Ensure all content involving young people is created, captured, stored and used in line with RFF’s safeguarding, consent and data-protection requirements.

Partnerships, Ambassadors & Collaboration

• Work creatively with RFF’s corporate and industry partners, ambassadors and wider network to develop co-created content, campaigns and opportunities that benefit both RFF and its collaborators.
• Build strong relationships with partner communications and social teams, identifying opportunities for collaborative content, cross-platform amplification and reaching new communities and audiences.
• Work confidently across different environments - from community youth sessions to major corporate, media, sporting and cultural events - adapting your approach to different people, audiences and opportunities.

Wider Digital Content

• Support the creation and adaptation of content across RFF’s wider digital ecosystem, including YouTube, LinkedIn, X and the Foundation’s website, while keeping Instagram and TikTok as the primary focus.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to support wider communications activity, including email communications, press and media activity, campaigns, launches and events, and make effective use of strong content across channels.
• Bring ideas about new platforms, formats, technologies and approaches that could strengthen RFF’s digital presence and help our content reach and engage different audiences.

Insight & Performance

• Monitor channel and content performance, using analytics to understand engagement, community growth, reach, audience behaviour and what content is creating meaningful interaction.
• Test new approaches and formats, learn from performance and audience response, and use those insights to continually develop RFF’s social content and community approach.
• Keep up to date with developments across social media, digital content, creator culture and platform changes, sharing clear insights and emerging opportunities with the Director of Development and wider team.

The purpose of this Children in Need funded role is to work closely with our established Youth Advisory Board to ensure that the voices of young people affected by PANS and PANDAS are heard, valued, and reflected in our work. The successful applicant will support the Youth Advisory Board in identifying, developing, and delivering youth-led projects that align with their priorities and lived experiences.

Current Youth Board priorities include:

• Influencing decision makers and key stakeholders such as MPs, health care professionals and school staff to shift attitudes and increase understanding of PANS and PANDAS
• Raising public awareness of PANS and PANDAS through campaigns and merchandise
• Informing PANS and PANDAS research to ensure their experiences are represented
• Creating more avenues for peer support

We require the successful candidate to have relevant qualifications and a minimum of two years' experience working directly in youth voice, participation or youth leadership.

Please see our recruitment pack for more information about PANS PANDAS UK, the conditions and the role.

The Youth Worker (Mentoring) will support Inspiring Inclusion’s Our Schools, Our Change programme by providing trauma‑informed, one‑to‑one support to Black and racially minoritised young people with adverse childhood experiences. Working closely with Camden schools and community partners, they will build trusting relationships that help young people feel seen, heard, and empowered while wider systems change progresses. They will use holistic, strengths‑based, participatory approaches, contribute to a test‑and‑learn model, and bring strong reflective and organisational skills. Personal experience of racial profiling in state education is essential, enabling deep empathy and authenticity. The postholder will be a collaborative practitioner committed to equity, inclusion, and ensuring young people have real influence over decisions shaping their education and futures.

Community Youth Work Manager

Oasis Community Hub, Waterloo

Hours: 40 hours per week

Contract type: 1-year fixed term

Salary: £34,030 per annum (including London Weighting)

Supporting young people to thrive in Waterloo

Do you believe in the potential of every young person? Are you an experienced youth practitioner who can combine excellent frontline practice with leadership, strategic thinking and partnership working?

Oasis Hub Waterloo is looking for a Community Youth Work Manager to lead and develop our youth services for young people aged 10+ across North Lambeth.

Oasis Hub Waterloo has been part of the Waterloo community for more than 20 years. We’re an ambitious, inclusive and Christ-centred organisation working alongside local people to build a community where everyone is included, can contribute and can reach their potential.

Our youth service has been working with young people in North Lambeth for more than a decade. We provide accessible, supportive and trauma-responsive services that help young people build confidence, make positive choices and thrive in our community.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to shape and lead our youth work at a time of development

You’ll manage a small team of youth practitioners and sessional workers while staying connected to frontline delivery. You’ll oversee and deliver group activities, after-school drop-ins and one-to-one mentoring, as well as developing holiday programmes, youth leadership and social action opportunities.

You’ll also help shape the future of our youth provision, working with colleagues across Oasis Hub Waterloo to develop our 0–18 strategy and create new, collaborative services.

Partnership working is central to the role. You’ll develop strong relationships with Oasis Academy South Bank, local youth organisations, community partners and statutory services, helping connect education, health and community provision around the needs of young people.

About you

You’ll bring significant experience of working directly with young people aged 10+, alongside the skills and confidence to lead and develop a youth service.

You’ll have:

· Strong youth work practice, including group and one-to-one work.

· Experience of developing and delivering youth programmes or projects.

· Experience of managing or supervising staff, sessional workers or volunteers.

· Strong partnership and multi-agency working skills.

· A thorough understanding of safeguarding and child protection.

· Experience of monitoring, evaluating and improving services.

· Creativity, initiative and the ability to develop new opportunities for young people.

· A genuine passion for helping young people thrive.

Knowledge of youth services in Lambeth or Southwark, and experience of education, youth leadership, social action or statutory services, would be particularly welcome.

Join us

You’ll join an innovative and supportive charity where you’ll have the opportunity to make a tangible difference to young people and help shape the future of youth work in Waterloo.

Oasis is committed to inclusion and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds.

The role includes regular evening and some weekend work and is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

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.

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

Please expand on your CV in your cover letter to explain why you would be a good fit for the role.

Please include how you would balance frontline youth delivery with leadership and management responsibilities.

Please also give an example of a piece of youth work you are particularly proud of, explaining what you did and what difference it made.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Completed applications should be returned by 9am Tuesday 6th October 2026.

Interviews: Date to be confirmed.

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. 

We appreciate you may wish to use AI to support elements of your application but we strongly encourage all candidates to submit applications that genuinely reflect their own skills, achievements and lived experiences. It's what makes your application stand out!

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

YEF Detached Youth Work Area Lead

Relationships change lives.

At M13 Youth Project, we believe every young person deserves trusted adults who believe in them, walk alongside them and help them discover who they are, what they have to offer and the difference they can make. For over 30 years, we've built those relationships through detached youth work - meeting young people where they choose to be, listening deeply and creating opportunities for belonging, belief and hope.

We're now looking for an experienced Detached Youth Work Area Lead to join our team and play a key role in one of the UK's most ambitious detached youth work research pilots.

M13 is leading the Greater Manchester consortium delivering the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) Detached Youth Work Pilot. The Pilot aims to build a strong evidence base for detached youth work, combining outstanding frontline practice with rigorous evaluation to shape the future of youth work nationally.

Reporting to the YEF Detached Youth Work Project Lead, you'll work across three neighbourhoods and lead detached youth work in at least two of these, within M13's delivery of the pilot. You'll be responsible for delivering high-quality detached youth work outdoors in public spaces (on streets, in parks and other community spaces), modelling excellent relational detached youth work practice, supporting less experienced colleagues through day-to-day practice, contributing to monitoring and evaluation, and building positive relationships with young people, local residents, community organisations and partner agencies.

This is first and foremost a frontline detached youth work role. You'll spend much of your week in outdoors in parks, streets and neighbourhoods, building trusted relationships with young people through conversation, consistency and purposeful informal education. Alongside this, you'll help ensure high-quality implementation of the YEF Shared Practice Model within your neighbourhood patches, contribute to monitoring and reporting and work closely with the Project Lead and wider team to support the successful delivery of the pilot.

We're looking for someone who is a qualified (NVQ L2 in Youth Work) and experienced (2 years) detached youth worker, confident leading excellent practice and passionate about relational detached youth work. You'll be organised, reflective and proactive, with experience of taking responsibility for detached youth work within a neighbourhood, maintaining high-quality records, building effective local partnerships and supporting colleagues through encouragement, reflection and shared learning. Most importantly, you'll share our belief that relationships are the foundation for meaningful change.

This is a 22.5- 25 hour per week, community and office-based role (M13's full-time week is 37.5 hours). Your week will include six detached youth work sessions (three afternoons and three evenings), alongside planning, monitoring, partnership working and reflective practice. Some flexibility can be offered around when office-based work is undertaken, where operationally possible.

In return, we offer a supportive, reflective and values-led working environment, regular supervision, ongoing professional development, a generous employer pension contribution, TOIL for out-of-hours working, additional Christmas gift leave and the opportunity to contribute to nationally significant research that could shape the future of detached youth work.

If you're an experienced detached youth worker, confident in leading work in ourdoor community public spaces, ready to combine outstanding frontline practice with leadership of detached youth work across neighbourhoods, learning and innovation, we'd love to hear from you.

At One YMCA, we work alongside young people to help them develop confidence, skills, resilience, and positive futures. We are looking for an inspiring, experienced and motivated Youth Work Manager to lead and develop our local youth work provision, ensuring that high-quality, impactful services reach young people across our communities.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering our Youth Work Strategy, managing a dedicated team, driving quality and developing services that make a real difference in the lives of young people.

About the role:

Reporting to the Head of Youth Work, you will take operational responsibility for the delivery, development, monitoring, and quality assurance of our youth work services. You will lead and support Youth Work Coordinators and wider youth work staff, ensuring services are safe, effective, youth-centred, and aligned with One YMCA's strategic priorities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the development and delivery of youth work programmes, specialist support services, mentoring initiatives, life skills courses, and large-scale youth events.
• Managing and supporting staff through recruitment, induction, supervision, training, and performance development.
• Monitoring contract performance, outcomes, impact data, and key performance indicators to demonstrate the difference our services make.
• Building strong relationships with schools, local authorities, partner agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Leading quality assurance, compliance, safeguarding, and continuous improvement across the service.
• Acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and participating in the safeguarding on-call rota.
• Working with young people and teams to ensure youth voice is at the heart of everything we do.

We're looking for someone who combines strong operational leadership, experience in managing contractual compliance, with a genuine commitment to young people.

You will bring:

• Significant experience delivering and managing youth work programmes, projects, or contracts.
• A strong understanding of issues affecting young people's lives and a passion for helping them achieve positive outcomes.
• Experience leading, motivating, and developing staff teams.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and partnership-working skills.
• The ability to analyse data, monitor impact, and use insight to improve services.
• A youth work or related community-focused qualification at degree level, or significant equivalent experience.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Location: Home-based role but with regular travel to YMCA youth work delivery sites across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, as well as to support the broader youth work within One YMCA. 

Driving licence and access to a car is essential for this role.

If you are an experienced youth work leader ready for your next challenge, we would love to hear from you! 

Important: Please include a supporting statement with your application/CV.

We do not provide visa sponsorship; you must be eligible to work in the UK. You must reside in the UK for the duration of your employment and provide Right to Work evidence.

As some of our roles involve working with vulnerable members of society, this position may require a Basic or Enhanced Criminal Disclosure, which will be conducted once a conditional offer is made

Previous Applications: We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. However, if you have applied for a similar role within the last 6 months and were not successful, please consider whether your experience has developed further before reapplying

Accessibility & Adjustments: We are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and will strive to be as accommodating as possible. Please inform us in advance of any arrangements you may need to fully participate in the process.

At One YMCA we are an inclusive organisation and actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We do not discriminate on the basis of Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage/Civil Partnership, Pregnancy/Maternity, Race, Religion/Belief, Sex and/or Sexual Orientation. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities, and industries, and are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences, and abilities.

Working hours: 37.5 hours per week, generally Monday to Friday but with flexibility of working pattern to support both the ideal candidate and business need. Some evening work expected, and occasional weekend, overnight stays or residential work.

Active Essex Foundation is a successful and growing charity dedicated to creating the conditions for young people and communities across Essex to thrive. Our work focuses on three core areas: improving young people’s mental health, reducing vulnerabilities to youth crime and exploitation, and strengthening communities through trusted relationships and positive engagement.

A defining feature of our approach is our network of more than 100 Locally Trusted Organisations (LTOs) across Essex. These community-based organisations are at the heart of our delivery model, providing trusted relationships, local insight and direct support within the communities they serve. Working closely with our LTO network enables us to reach those who may be least likely to engage with traditional services and ensure support is tailored to local needs.

Through partnerships with our LTOs, we deliver programmes that use physical activity, mentoring and community support to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. This role will play a key part in developing and strengthening these relationships, helping our LTO network to maximise its impact and deliver positive outcomes for young people and communities across Essex.

Everything we do is shaped by the real experiences of the people we serve, ensuring our interventions are meaningful, accessible and rooted in what communities tell us they need.

Active Essex Foundation works to improve life chances for young people and communities across Essex by focusing on three core areas: mental health, youth crime prevention, and strengthening communities. Through our programme structure, we co-design community-led initiatives that use physical activity and positive engagement as tools to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities.

The Sport for Development Officer will play a key role in supporting the delivery and growth of these programmes. Working closely with our programme leads, locally trusted organisations (LTOs), and community stakeholders, the postholder will help strengthen organisational capability, and ensure high-quality delivery across our mental health, youth crime prevention and community strengthening work. The role will also contribute to the leadership of workstreams aligned with our strategic Outcomes, supporting the Foundation’s mission.

The ideal candidate will bring strong relationship-building skills and experience of working collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders. They should demonstrate a track record of delivering impactful projects or initiatives at local or county level, applying a systems approach to complex community issues, and using strengths-based methods to build resilience and capacity within local organisations.

The post holder will work with AEF staff across the business to deliver the duties and responsibilities set out below.

Youth Outreach and Community Worker (London - Waterloo)

Railway Children (UK Programme)

£32,000 per year plus 10% London weighting

Full-time – Permanent

WE STAND FOR CHILDREN, THEIR CHILDHOODS AND THEIR FUTURES - WILL YOU? 

Looking for a rewarding role where you can make a difference? Do you have the drive to create positive change in children’s lives and inspire others to do the same?

If the answer is yes, then read on to hear about this exciting opportunity.

We’re Railway Children, an international charity working to create long-lasting change for street-connected children and young people in the UK, India and Tanzania. Founded in 1996, we’ve dedicated over a quarter of a century to developing outstanding practice and services for vulnerable children and their families. As part of our current strategy to 2027, we have ambitious plans to ensure no child is left behind, wherever we work.

The role
We are looking to recruit a Youth Outreach and Community Worker in London as part of our UK Programme.

This role requires close working with partners, engaging and safeguarding young people in and around Waterloo Station, helping to identify and safeguard young people at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation, county lines, missing from home, homelessness or family breakdown. This role involves working regular unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.

You will be working closely alongside key partners such as British Transport Police, security staff, Train Operators, Youth Services and other local stakeholders.

You’ll play a key role in the development of our UK Safeguarding on Transport Programme and part of a dynamic team delivering Railway Children’s safeguarding programme in the UK.

About you
We are looking for someone who brings experience of successfully engaging and supporting young people as well as experience of working in an outreach or similar community setting, in a creative and engaging way with young people with a range of needs and vulnerabilities.

Alongside this you will be able to work effectively with community and statutory partners to safeguard young people.

You will have completed relevant training, have experience in safeguarding and in the issues relevant to vulnerable young and families. Therefore, you will be an experienced practitioner with an excellent understanding of safeguarding processes and procedures, who is able to work creatively, independently and within professional boundaries.

Your base would be at Waterloo station with regular travel to other stations and some home working. This role involves working regular unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.

A full job specification can be found in the job pack.

For further information about this post and working for Railway Children, including how to apply, please visit our website.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates with a diverse range of backgrounds and lived experience.

Railway Children is committed to safeguarding anyone who comes into contact with us and implements a range of policies to ensure only those suitable to work with vulnerable groups are employed.

Closing Date: Wednesday 23rd September

Online Interviews: Wednesday 30th September/Thursday 1st October

In person interviews: Wednesday 7th October/Thursday 8th October

We are looking to enhance our team by recruiting a part-time Youth Development & Wellbeing Worker. This will enable us to support the services we currently offer with a particular focus on our work with our partners within the community.

This role will suit someone who is suitably qualified and experienced and has a passion for supporting young people’s wellbeing and a strong commitment to co-production and collaboration. 

Key Responsibilities

· Provide 1:1 personal development sessions to help build young people’s confidence and wellbeing

· Support with the design, delivery, and evaluation of personal development and wellbeing group activities for young people aged 11-25 years

· Co-create activities and services with young people

· Deliver Relationships and Sex education (RSE) and mental health sessions in schools and community groups

· Assist with the providing 1:1 drop-in support and group activities within the community (e.g. with care experienced young people and those engaging in youth services)

About You

 · A recognised qualification or equivalent experience in youth work or relevant profession.

· An understanding of the issues affecting young people and a commitment to helping young people reach their full potential

· A minimum of 2 years’ experience of working with young people, including those who identify as LGBTQ+, looked after children, care experienced, asylum seekers and NEET young people.

· Experience of working in an organisation that provides support services to young people

· A proven track record of providing structured group activities which will help young people in their personal and social wellbeing

· Experience providing 1:1 health/wellbeing support to young people

Working with Step Forward

We pride ourselves on providing inclusive, flexible, professional and young people friendly counselling and wellbeing support services.  We provide services both in our own purpose built centre and also on an outreach basis in schools and community/ youth settings. 

As Step Forward is a small charity our multi-disciplinary team work closely together to provide a holistic support service to young people. We expect all members of the team to take part in activities which help ensure the smooth running of the organisation and help us to reach organisational objectives.

Why Join Us

Work in a small, dedicated organisation where your expertise directly influences children and young people’s lives. Join a passionate and reflective  team of staff and volunteers who embrace and uphold our organisational ethos and values to ensure we are: Inclusive, Warm, Empowering, Inspirational and Innovative.

Other terms/benefits include:

· 35 hour working week (FTE)

· Generous holiday allowance -28 days per year plus bank holidays (FTE)

· Organisational closure for 3 days between Christmas and new years

· Employer pension contribution of 5%

· Access to enhanced sick leave after probation

· Ongoing learning and development opportunities

· Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave and pay

Purpose of the job

This is an exciting opportunity for those with strong relationship building skills looking to generate partnerships with businesses to deliver better futures for young people. This role focuses on identifying and securing new income generation opportunities with Corporate Partners.

You’ll work closely with the Corporate Partnerships Manager in researching and identifying potential new supporters, building our prospect pipeline, making first contact, and helping to develop and present tailored proposals.

While you don’t need to be an expert from day one, you will bring energy, curiosity, and great interpersonal skills, along with the ability to think strategically, work well within a team and effectively engage external stakeholders about the importance of UK Youth’s work.

Why work at UK Youth?

Every young person deserves a youth worker. UK Youth exists to make that a reality. Our vision is a society that backs every young person - through each spark, struggle and success.

As the UK’s national infrastructure body for youth work, we strengthen and champion a diverse network of youth organisations, unlock investment, shape policy and build the evidence base for what works. At a time of growing need and inequality of access, our work has never been more important.

We are entering an exciting new phase of our strategy - focused on long-term resilience, income diversification and a transformational Capital Appeal to develop Avon Tyrrell as a national centre of excellence for outdoor learning. Joining UK Youth means being part of an ambitious, impact-driven organisation committed to strengthening youth work for generations to come.

Key responsibilities

• Support the Corporate Partnerships team to secure income from new corporate organisations and achieve new business targets, including funding for outdoor learning.

• Identify new corporate opportunities to add to the new business corporate pipeline

• Pro-actively engage new businesses using a range of methods: e.g.  networking at events, cold calls, emails, LinkedIn

• Lead on the completion of the due diligence process for new partnership opportunities.

• Support the development of warm relationships with prospective funders and find opportunities to engage them in the work of UK Youth

• With the support of the Corporate Partnerships Team, develop corporate bids, budgets and proposals, managing the process across different teams, cultivating strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders

• Support on the creation and presentation of high quality, persuasive funding bids to C-suite audiences and senior stakeholders

• Ensure all donations are accurately recorded and recognised, working closely with the finance team

• Ensure that the CRM is up to date and accurate at all times, including monthly updates of the pipeline report.

• Support the Corporate team to keep up to date with trends, research and data on fundraising and corporate partnerships, helping to inform long-term strategy.

Experience we're after

• Experience in  a sales or corporate fundraising role.

• Proven track record of corporate partnerships fundraising/ securing sales targets from new organisations

• Experience of working in a busy and deadline-driven environment and achieving ambitious targets

• Experience negotiating, pitching and presenting to senior (C-suite) internal and external stakeholders

• Experience of using a donor database/ CRM system (eg. Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics)

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave (24 days + 3 days winter closure) plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: 5th October 2026 at 23:59

Interview Dates (In person at London Office): W/C 12th October

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.

Earliest Start Date: 2nd November 2026

Contract: 12 Months with Potential for Exentension

Job Title: Known internally as "Key Work Manager (Maternity Cover)"

Location: 30 Petworth Street, Battersea, SW11 4QW. The post will also involve working in the community so some local travel will be required.

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, including some evening & occasional weekend work

About the Role

As Key Work Manager you will lead on and oversee all Key Work activity at Carney’s Community. This includes undertaking key work yourself on a one to one basis with young people involved in the criminal justice system as well as managing a small team of key workers.

You will provide advice, practical support and befriending to a caseload of participants, aged 11-30, who are at risk of/involved in offending; to encourage and enable them to participate in Carney’s Community’s personal development opportunities and to access the wider services and support they may need in order to give them the best chances of being “the best they can be”. This will involve supporting young people to engage in positive and constructive activities, attend Youth Justice Service or Probation appointments and creating opportunities for their personal, social and emotional development

You will work alongside the employment support manager to plan and deliver the employment group, supporting participants that attend this group and leading specific employment programmes. As manager of the key work project you will oversee the small team of key workers, provide support, guidance and supervision. You will be involved in monitoring and reporting for the project, collecting feedback from participants. You will manage referrals to the project from other organisations including schools, social services, probation and the youth justice service.

About You:

You must have proven experience of working directly with young people in a youth work or key work setting, providing one to one support. You will have the ability to empathise and mediate for young people, a strong understanding of the local area, barriers facing young people, the interplay between material disadvantage, vulnerability and social exclusion and be highly skilled in diplomacy, professional distance, demonstrating empathy, boundaries and sound judgement. You will have experience managing other staff or volunteers.

About Carney’s Community

We support young people living in and around Wandsworth, targeting ages 11-30 facing extreme challenges including criminal justice system involvement or care experience. Carney’s works differently by providing long-term, consistent, unconditional support with empathy; a safe space and activities including boxing, bike workshops, employment support, studio sessions, mentoring and key work. Inspired by boxing legend Mick Carney, the charity was founded in his name after his passing in 2011, building on work led by our co-founders. We aim to create a “virtuous cycle”: while support is free of charge, we ask that when young people are ready, they channel the positivity they have received into others. As a result, many go on to volunteer, mentor, join our staff team or even set up their own community initiatives. Former participants make up the majority of our workforce. They provide the most authentic role models, people who genuinely understand the challenges our young people face and who show what is possible. For our young people we strive for equality and aim to: Improve Physical and Mental Health; Improve Education, Skills and Employability; Improve Community Engagement; Reduce Offending and Reoffending.

Young People Support Worker

We are seeking a compassionate and resilient Support Worker to help young people experiencing homelessness build safer, more independent futures.

Position: Young People Support Worker, Day
Location: Durham
Salary: £26,436 per annum
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Closing Date: 4 October 2026

Please note that access to transport is essential due to the location of the projects and limited public transport links.

About the Role

At Depaul UK, we believe in people’s potential and take action every day to help unlock it. As a Young People Support Worker, you will support residents living in supported accommodation to develop essential life skills, strengthen their resilience and move towards greater independence.

Using an assets-based and psychologically informed approach, you will build positive relationships with young people and provide personalised support based on their individual strengths, needs and ambitions.

Key responsibilities include:

· Creating and reviewing SMART support plans with residents

· Completing risk and needs assessments

· Supporting young people to access education, training, employment and volunteering

· Promoting physical health, emotional wellbeing and independent living skills

· Helping new residents settle safely into the service

· Responding appropriately to incidents and safeguarding concerns

· Working with colleagues, external agencies and community partners

· Maintaining accurate records and contributing to a safe, welcoming service

About You

You may already have experience within supported housing, homelessness, social care, youth work or another support environment. More importantly, you will bring empathy, resilience and a genuine belief in the strengths and potential of young people.

You will be able to communicate clearly, maintain appropriate professional boundaries and remain calm when faced with challenging situations. You will also be organised, proactive and confident working both independently and as part of a team.

About Depaul UK

Depaul UK works to end homelessness and change the lives of people affected by it. Established in 1989 in response to rising youth homelessness, the charity now provides accommodation, prevention and support services to thousands of marginalised young people across the UK each year.

Depaul UK offers tailored training and development, 26 days’ annual leave rising with service, a pension with employer contributions of up to 7%, a cash health plan, 24/7 GP access, an Employee Assistance Programme and a range of retail, travel, food and fitness discounts.

Depaul UK is committed to safer, fair and inclusive recruitment. Where required, the successful candidate will be subject to an appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Other roles you may have experience of could include Support Worker, Youth Support Worker, Housing Support Worker, Homelessness Support Worker, Supported Housing Worker, Project Worker, Key Worker, Residential Support Worker or Young Person’s Support Worker.

You will have autonomy and will need to help guide the team, shape priorities, and will be working closely with Foundation colleagues delivery partners, funders and communities, the postholder will lead on the collection, analysis and communication of evidence to demonstrate impact, improve delivery and inform future investment decisions. This role will work closely with the Impact Manager and Sport for Development Officer. 

The role will support a range of programmes including: 

• Sport and Life Skills 

• Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing 

• Youth Crime Prevention

• Community Development and Strengthening Communities 

• Other Foundation-funded programmes and initiatives 

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring that learning and evidence are translated into action, helping Active Essex Foundation maximise its impact and continuously improve its programmes. You will be a self starter with strong motivation to drive the work.

Active Essex Foundation is a successful and growing charity dedicated to creating the conditions for young people and communities across Essex to thrive. Our work focuses on three core areas: improving young people’s mental health, reducing vulnerabilities to youth crime and exploitation, and strengthening communities through trusted relationships and positive engagement. We collaborate with a network of over 100 community organisations and local partners to design and deliver programmes that use physical activity, mentoring and community support as tools to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. Everything we do is shaped by the real experiences of the people we serve, ensuring our interventions are meaningful, accessible and rooted in what communities tell us they need.

The AEF Impact Leadwill operate within a matrix management structure.Professional line management, technical supervision and quality assurance will be provided by the Impact Manager and Intelligence Manager within the Insight & Evaluation Team.

Operational direction and programme priorities will be provided by the AEF Operations & Development Manager and the 3 AEF Project Managers ensuring the role is fully embedded within Foundation activity. The post holder will require relationship building and negotiation skills to work with AEF team to scope the priorities and the work required whilst maintaining consistent research and evaluation standards across Active Essex.

UK Youth has launched an ambitious new strategy to widen the reach and deepen the impact of youth work and outdoor learning. At the heart of that strategy is a clear commitment: We Back Youth Work Leaders.

As our new Head of Network Development, you will turn that commitment into action.

You will lead the development and delivery of a powerful national offer that equips youth work leaders with the investment, support, relationships and connections they need to thrive. This includes leading our Grants+ approach—combining significant, multi-year grant funding with tailored organisational-development support—and developing partnerships that strengthen youth sector infrastructure locally, regionally and across the UK nations.

This role is about much more than managing a network. We are evolving towards a more relational way of working: listening deeply to youth-work leaders, understanding the realities they face, involving them in shaping our work and building relationships founded on trust, respect and shared purpose. You will ensure organisations can access the right support, expertise and opportunities—and that their insight continually shapes UK Youth’s work.

You will have the opportunity to lead the delivery of the £13 million UK Youth Fund, strengthen the resilience and effectiveness of grassroots youth organisations, and help create a more connected and equitable system of support for the wider sector.

We are looking for someone with deep knowledge and experience of youth work and the youth sector—someone who can talk the talk and walk the walk with youth organisation leaders. You will bring substantial experience of the youth work sector and infrastructure, organisational development and capacity building, alongside the strategic and operational leadership needed to deliver significant grant-making activity and complex partnerships.

You will be an inclusive and credible leader who can turn ambitious strategy into excellent delivery, bring people and organisations together, and remain focused on what youth work leaders need to succeed.

Across the country, youth workers are changing—and often saving—young lives. This is your opportunity to ensure the people and organisations doing that vital work have the investment, infrastructure and support they deserve.

Purpose of the job

The Head of Network Development will lead the operationalisation of UK Youth’s new We Back Youth Work Leaders strategic pillar. The role will turn our ambition to equip youth-work leaders with the skills, networks and confidence to deliver exceptional support into a coherent network development offer—leading our Grants+ approach of multi-year funding alongside tailored organisational development, and strengthening youth-sector infrastructure locally, regionally and across the UK nations.

Central to the role will be embedding UK Youth’s increasingly relational approach to its network: building trusted, mutually beneficial relationships with youth-work leaders; listening to and understanding their needs; involving them in shaping our support and connecting organisations to the right opportunities, expertise and infrastructure. Reporting to the Director of Network Delivery, the postholder will be responsible for translating this strategic ambition into high-quality, well-governed delivery, while ensuring that learning and insight from the network continually improve our work and contribute to securing sustainable investment in youth work and outdoor learning.

Why work at UK Youth?

Every young person deserves a youth worker. UK Youth exists to make that a reality. Our vision is a society that backs every young person - through each spark, struggle and success.

As the UK’s national infrastructure body for youth work, we strengthen and champion a diverse network of youth organisations, unlock investment, shape policy and build the evidence base for what works. At a time of growing need and inequality of access, our work has never been more important.

We are entering an exciting new phase of our strategy - focused on long-term resilience, income diversification and a transformational Capital Appeal to develop Avon Tyrrell as a national centre of excellence for outdoor learning. Joining UK Youth means being part of an ambitious, impact-driven organisation committed to strengthening youth work for generations to come.

Key responsibilities

 Portfolio leadership and delivery

• Lead the strategic and operational delivery of UK Youth’s network development portfolio, translating organisational strategy and funded commitments into clear plans, outcomes, budgets, milestones and accountabilities.

• Ensure programmes and services are delivered to a high standard, on time and within budget, with effective governance, performance management, risk control and escalation to the Director of Network Delivery.

• Mobilise new initiatives and partnerships, establishing proportionate delivery models, systems, teams and governance arrangements.

• Lead continuous improvement across the portfolio, responding effectively to evidence, partner feedback, changing needs and the external environment.

• Be a champion of UK Youth’s network across all of UK Youth’s work.

Grant making and organisational development

• Lead the delivery of UK Youth’s significant, multi-year grant-making portfolio, including the £13 million UK Youth Fund, ensuring responsible stewardship of charitable and restricted funds.

• Ensure effective management of the full grant lifecycle, including programme design, application and assessment, due diligence, decision-making, contracting, payments, monitoring, reporting, complaints and closure.

• Maintain robust and proportionate grant governance, financial controls, safeguarding assurance, risk management, data quality and compliance with funder and regulatory requirements.

• Lead an integrated organisational development offer alongside grant funding, enabling smaller youth and outdoor learning organisations to strengthen their financial sustainability, leadership, governance, workforce and resilience.

• Embed open, trusting, accessible and equitable grant-making practice, reducing unnecessary barriers while maintaining appropriate accountability.

Network and sector infrastructure support

• Develop and deliver UK Youth’s approach to engaging, connecting and supporting our national network, informed by the needs and experiences of youth work leaders and organisations.

• Create opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, knowledge exchange and access to relevant support across the network.

• Lead major initiatives that strengthen youth sector infrastructure locally, regionally and nationally, working with partners to improve the consistency, coordination and accessibility of support.

• Support regional and national partners to understand need, develop shared plans and approaches, and deliver locally relevant infrastructure and organisational support.

• Work with the Communications Team and relevant colleagues to ensure network communications are timely, accessible, coordinated and purposeful.

Experience we're after

• Substantial leadership experience within the youth sector, grounded in an in-depth understanding of youth work practice, youth work leadership and the realities facing youth organisations and their leaders.

• Experience of leading a complex, multi-year network development or comparable portfolio, translating strategy and funded commitments into successful delivery and managing significant budgets and risks.

• Experience of leading substantial grant making or onward funding activity, including governance, due diligence, financial oversight, risk and accountability.

• Substantial organisational development and capacity building experience, including diagnosing organisational needs and designing practical support that strengthens leadership, governance, financial sustainability, workforce and resilience.

• Experience of developing networks, partnerships or infrastructure across multiple organisations, regions or systems, with demonstrable credibility among youth organisation leaders.

What we can offer you

We offer a competitive range of benefits, good work/life balance, excellent learning and development opportunities and vibrant organisational culture:

• Flexible/Agile Working

• 27 days annual leave (24 days + 3 days winter closure) plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time employees)

• Funded training provided in; Safeguarding, GDPR, Information and Cyber Security & Equality & Diversity

• Other training available in support of your personal and professional development

• Pension scheme (currently UK Youth match employee contributions up to 5%)

• Membership of our life insurance scheme which would pay-out up to 4 times your salary

• Employee Assistance Programme to support employees both professionally and personally

• 20% discount off bookings at Avon Tyrrell, our New Forest Outdoor Centre, including camping, lodges and outdoor activities.

• IT equipment provided for the duration of contract

• CycleScheme and TechScheme

How to apply

If you would like to be considered for this fantastic opportunity, please complete an application via our completely anonymised recruitment system provided by Applied which looks to create a fair and unbiased application process for all. Scroll to the top of the page and start your application.

Closing date: 29th September 2026 at 09:00

Provisional First Stage Interview Dates: 5th & 6th October 2026

Provisional Final Stage Interview Dates (in person): 9th October 2026

As this role involves working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks, which include criminal record check and employment reference.

Please note CVs will be reviewed as the first stage of the recruitment process. Candidates who are shortlisted following the CV review will then have their sift questions assessed. Only candidates who meet the requirements at both stages will progress further in the recruitment process.