Play worker jobs in Milton keynes

Communities Manager x2
Contract type: 12-month fixed term contract
Full time: 34.5 hours, we are open to a conversation about how you work these hours
Location: Mobile worker with regular travel expected across either the North East OR London and the South East of England (typically 1-2 days a week, with occasional overnight stays) plus occasional travel elsewhere in the UK.
Salary range: £44,000 - £49,000

About us

At Macmillan you'll find talented people working together to do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. We're going all out to find even better ways to help even more people who need our support. Our values are at the heart of who we are and everything we do, inspiring our thinking and guiding our actions.

Our new organisational strategy sets out how we’ll fight even harder to make every pound raised count for even more. With your help, we’ll transform cancer care for good.

About the role

As a Communities Manager, you will play a vital role in building trusted relationships with communities, community organisations and partners to ensure the voices of people affected by cancer are heard, valued and embedded in decision-making.

You will provide leadership and expertise in community engagement, helping to empower and mobilise communities to influence improvements in cancer care and support. Working collaboratively across Macmillan and with external stakeholders, you will develop sustainable community networks, strengthen local capacity and capability, and support communities to become equal partners in co-design and systems change initiatives.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about tackling health inequities, building meaningful partnerships and creating lasting impact for underrepresented and marginalised communities.

Key responsibilities:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with community organisations, grassroots groups and system partners.
• Develop and deliver community engagement plans that increase participation and amplify underrepresented voices.
• Support communities to influence decision-making, service design and systems change initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen community capacity, capability and sustainable networks.
• Use insight and data to prioritise communities where the greatest gaps exist.
• Support community organisations to access funding, resources and campaigning opportunities.
• Plan and deliver community engagement activities and events.
• Measure and evaluate the impact of community engagement and participation activity.

About you

• Experience of community engagement, partnership development and stakeholder management.
• Experience of building relationships and working collaboratively across diverse communities and organisations.
• Deep understanding of and passion for tackling inequities and amplifying the voices of marginalised communities.
• Strategic thinking and ability to work effectively in a matrix environment.
• Knowledge of co-design, co-production and community-led approaches.
• Strong communication, influencing and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to use insight and data to inform decisions and drive impact.
• Understanding of the wider health and care system (desirable, not essential)

In return, we offer a range of benefits including:

• 25 days holiday plus flexible bank holiday options, increasing by 1 day every year of service up to 30 days
• Pension matched up to 7.5%
• 120+ learning and development offers, with access to external professional qualifications
• Flexible working patterns, such as compressed hours, flexibility to work earlier or later around our core working hours of 10am-4pm
• Holiday buying and selling scheme, life insurance, free wills, retail discounts and much more

Recruitment process

Application deadline: 23:59 on Sunday 2nd August
1st stage interviews: Online interviews will take place on the week commencing 17th August (exact dates TBC)
2nd stage interviews: Online interviews will take place on the week commencing 24th August (exact dates TBC)

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed.

So we can support you to be at your best during the application or interview process, please contact Macmillan TA Team for advice and reasonable adjustments.

We welcome applications from everyone who meet the criteria and strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Macmillan. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy along with our internal employee representation body, ‘Our Voice’ and 8 Employee Network groups help us promote fairness and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.

About Us

We are an environmental charity with science at our heart. We help people to take action to protect the nature around them; by connecting them with it and giving them the tools they need to do so. We passionately believe in citizen science and are leaders in it. Our current focus areas include helping to create nature-friendly urban spaces, growing the impact of internationally known citizen science programmes such as Freshwater Watch, developing early career scientists and sharing learning internationally, and working with partners to advance the science, tools and thinking behind citizen science.

What we are looking for

Earthwatch Europe is recruiting a Director of Science and Impact. We are looking for someone with a deep understanding of the pressures facing our natural world and how citizen science and community action can help address these challenges, using high quality data, knowledge and practical demonstration to influence governments and corporations.

You will have a background in citizen science and an in depth understanding of current and future environmental policy trends and priorities.  You will be an experienced leader with excellent interpersonal skills and a track record of successful relationship and partnership development at all levels. You will have strong project and budget management experience, and you will be an exceptional strategic thinker with the ability to create and deliver effective strategies and action plans

Please see the full job description attached.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK; Earthwatch is unable to support visa applications. 

Earthwatch is committed to making any adjustments we can for short-listed candidates, to facilitate participation in our interview process. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a DBS check and other due diligence checks, given the nature of this position within the charity.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

This is a Youth Worker Maternity cover (FTC - 11 Months), hybrid role, with a combination of home working, community-based work and regular travel to sites within the Buckinghamshire area such as, Aylesbury and High Wycombe.

For the full job description, please visit our website for the full recruitment pack. 

PURPOSE OF ROLE

Caudwell Youth exists to level the playing field for Young People at risk.

To change this, we:

• Shape Futures: person-centred support through long-term volunteer mentoring and targeted intervention
• Shape Community: positively impacting the community by connecting people together
• Shape Change: reduce stigma, amplify youth voice and demonstrate best practice in the sector

Our core service is a person-centred volunteer mentoring service, delivered across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Slough, Milton Keynes and Luton, for up to 18 months.

We also offer a short term intervention programme, in Buckinghamshire. The Shaping Futures programme 8 - 12 weeks of targeted work to support reduction in offending behaviour.

The Operations Team play a key role in achieving this vision.

You will be responsible for ensuring the Charity achieves its aims and objectives and fulfils its operational plan effectively by providing high quality support services, providing person centred long- term mentoring for young people.

Key Duties:

• Coordinate onboarding of young people, including the initial assessment, and developing 12 individualised sessions bespoke to each young person.
• Ensure a 12-week programme is written and sent to the young person with agreed outcomes after initial meeting.
• Responsible for a case load of young people up to 20 young people at any one time.
• Lead sessions and activities with appropriate resources to empower young people to make more positive choices to reduce violent behaviours, reduce risk of exploitation and other offending behaviours.

Coordination & Development

• With support from your line manager, ensure the delivery, development of services, community-based activities, and development opportunities are in line with regulatory requirements, our own policies, including safeguarding, social media, health & safety and data protection.
• Develop services and activities and opportunities for inclusion, community engagement and personal development for young people as agreed with your line manager.
• Ensure appropriate planning, risk assessment and evaluation for all activities relating to your area of responsibility is completed, with support from your line manager where appropriate.
• In collaboration with the Operations team, support activities for the needs of the young people across the charity’s wider geographies.

Partnerships & Liaison

• Work closely with the team and the stakeholder steering group to promote good communication and shared focus.
• Ensure effective, relevant and appropriate communication at all times.
• Represent the Charity to other organisations, funders and supporters.
• Establish and develop good relationships with other charities and agencies to increase partnership and effective joint working where appropriate.
• Be a point of contact for referrers and external contacts as regards to activities and service provision.
• Maintain strong working partnership with Thames Valley Police and Buckinghamshire Council to deliver the Shaping Futures Programme.

On appointment, you are expected to have:

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years' experience working with young people in formal or informal settings
• Experience working with statutory services to support at-risk young people
• Experience planning and delivering activities or support services for young people
• Experience working to agreed delivery targets, monitoring outcomes, and report writing
• Full UK driving licence with no endorsements or convictions, eligible for business insurance

Desirable

• Experience of liaising and relationship building with local networks
• Hold a Certificate in Youth Work and Community Practice or a relevant equivalent (minimum Level 2 - JNC, NYA, or equivalent)

Knowledge & Skills:

• Excellent knowledge and understanding of young people services in the UK
• Strong understanding of young people at-risk and trauma-informed practice
• Good understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality, and child protection procedures
• Knowledge of local referral pathways and support services
• Basic experience using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and CRM systems (Beacon CRM)
• Excellent presentation skills to external stakeholders

Personal Attributes:

• Strong people skills: demonstrates empathy, leads by example, and contributes to positive team culture
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Positive attitude with proactive and flexible approach to work
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently while accepting guidance and supervision
• Resilience and ability to manage challenging situations
• Cultural competency and awareness of diverse communities

You will have key and major responsibility for coordinating service areas and develop the Charity’s programmes, supported by your line manager. One of your key roles will be developing positive working relationships with key partner organisations.

The Community Engagement & Support role is about providing greater sustainability and resilience for the Fahr’s Disease community and Fahr Beyond as a charity. The post holder will be building the capacity for Fahr Beyond to provide support for people living with Fahr’s and their families through creating a volunteer network that can provide an ongoing fortnightly support group. Additionally, through working with other organisations, the post holder will develop more support pathways and opportunities for patients; this is envisioned as strategic work within the Parkinson’s and Dementia space.

This post will also play a key role in bridging Fahr Beyond’s work with the community and medical professionals to develop awareness of Fahr’s Disease.  

What will you do in the role?

Volunteer Mobilisation & Management

• Support the development of a volunteer strategy for Fahr Beyond
• Actively manage the establishment of a volunteer network utilising prior expressions of interest, and you will support the onboarding of volunteers
• The main point of contact for volunteers and help resolve matters they may have

Engagement & Communication

• Monitor and respond to incoming correspondence to Fahr Beyond, along with assigning any actions for response to the appropriate volunteer
• Support the trustees and volunteers with managing Fahr Beyond’s social media
• Work with Fahr Beyond volunteers to ensure that Fahr Beyond maintains regular communications with patients, medical professionals, and key partners
• ·Represent Fahr Beyond at sector events and/or meetings, particularly with organisations we are a member of

Project & Event Management

• Support (and if required coordinate) Fahr Beyond’s education and awareness events for Fahr’s Disease, and events connecting multiple stakeholders in the Fahr’s Disease space
• Support volunteers in creating fundraising and community involvement activities (online and potentially in-person) 

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Central Bedfordshire Mental Health Recovery and Prevention Service, covering Ampthill/Flitwick, Biggleswade, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard.

Community Wellbeing Navigator
Post no: 657
Salary: £24,454.04 per annum FTE (£13,218.40 per annum, actual for 20 hours per week)
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part-Time, 20 hours per week
Covering: Central Bedfordshire – Ampthill, Flitwick, Biggleswade, Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard.
Work Pattern:
Wednesday – Admin base (HQ in Flitwick)
Tuesday, Thursday – In the Community (Ampthill and Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable)
Fridays – Group sessions (Dunstable)

Could you be an integral part of the Central Bedfordshire recovery service by delivering support to individuals that enables them to access the wider community and that promotes good mental health and wellbeing. This includes delivery of 1-2-1 support and the facilitation of drop in and structured group activities?

About Us

Mind BLMK works across our communities to support positive mental health and wellbeing. Working closely with a range of partners, we offer a number of activities from our wellbeing centres and local venues to make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, and our aim is to make sure that no-one has to face a mental health problem alone.

About You and the Role

The Community Wellbeing Navigator will play a key role in delivering a person-centred service, supporting individuals to improve their mental health and wellbeing and progress in their recovery journey.

The post holder will provide focused 1:1 support, enabling individuals to access appropriate services within Mind BLMK and the wider community. This includes offering information, guidance and practical support to reduce isolation, improve wellbeing, and ensure timely access to the right support.

The role will also involve:

• Delivering structured group wellbeing sessions on psycho-educational topics
• Facilitating drop-in sessions that offer a safe and supportive space
• Assessing individuals’ suitability for the service and signposting where necessary
• Engaging with community partners to strengthen pathways and raise awareness of the service

The post holder will be empathetic, professional and always bring a non-judgemental approach, working collaboratively with individuals to build on strengths, promote independence, and support positive outcomes. The role is underpinned by Mind BLMK core values of compassion, hope, inclusivity and respect, ensuring every individual feels heard, valued and supported.

Entitlements/benefits:

• 25 days (pro rata) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays (pro rata)
• Auto-enrolment NEST pension scheme (employer contributes 3%, employee contributes 5%)
• Optional Health Plan
• Discounts available through Blue Light Card & Tickets for Good
• In-house and external Learning and Development as appropriate for the role.
• Flexible Working On request (in line with Mind BLMK policy on Right to Request Flexible Working)

If you have a passion for working in mental health and possess the required skills, we would love to hear from you.

Closedown: 5pm on Thursday 30th July 2026
Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early if enough suitable applicants apply.
Start date: ASAP

Candidates may also be searching for similar roles such as: Support worker, Group Facilitator, Mental Health Support Worker, Recovery Worker, or Wellbeing Support Worker.

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.

We are proud to be an inclusive employer and actively promote equality, diversity and fairness. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of background or circumstances.

Mind BLMK has been committed to the Mindful Employer charter and the Disability Confident Employer Scheme since 2008.

Please note: Mind BLMK follows Safer Recruitment practices and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. Therefore all our roles are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

No agencies please.

Salary – Grade 6 - £44,323 per annum plus £312 homeworker allowance 

Hours – Full time – 35 per week 

Contract: Fixed term until 30th June 2027 

Location – Home Worker with regular travel to London for events and meetings

Closing date: Sunday 26th July 2026 at 11:30pm

Join Shelter as our Race and Housing Equity Lead in our mission to drive systemic change and fight for housing justice. If you have strong experience of programme management and working with professionals or as a professional supporting people facing homelessness and with complex needs, then we welcome you to apply for this role. 

At a time when the housing emergency continues to deepen, your experience could help transform lives and challenge the systems that perpetuate injustice. Come and play a central role in our mission to defend the right to a safe, and secure home. Working with Shelter means being part of a passionate team that believes a safe home is a fundamental right. Here, your skills don’t just change lives - they shape a fairer housing system.

About the role

Your role will be to ensure that Shelter’s service delivery model is truly inclusive and accessible. We have a Strategic Goal to improve our clients’ journeys and streamline internal referrals, so you will make sure that changes are inclusive and also sustainable so that our service provision is equitable. We will build on previous Race and Housing Research carried out in 2023-4, to further understand systemic discrimination and work with communities and partner organisations to find solutions. You will be responsible for the implementing and embedding the recommendations, working closely with the Services and Equity, Inclusion and Culture teams as well as a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience of homelessness. 

About you  

You have a values centred approach, with a strong track record of co-designing and delivering Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and planning and implementing strategic plans to drive these forward. With strong communication and influencing skills, you are able to demonstrate your ability to form and maintain good relationships with internal and external stakeholders and your EDI expertise will mean you have experience as a subject matter expert support people at all levels of an organization. You are able to produce progress reports and evaluations, as well as demonstrating excellent project management and team leadership skills. 

Benefits 

We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave (pro rata), enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme. 

About the team

The Services Quality team supports the England Services Directorate by working to integrate compliance and quality into all services. The team also gathers evidence to shape service design and deliver systemic change. 

How to apply 

Please click ‘Apply for Job’ below. You are required to submit your work history and a supporting statement. The supporting statement should include your responses to the five points in the ‘About You’ section of the job description, of no more than 1500 words in total.

Please provide specific examples following the STAR format and ensure you demonstrate how you address the behaviours below in your responses:

•  We prioritise diversity and have an inclusive and open mindset 

About Shelter 

Home is a human right. It’s our foundation and where we thrive. Yet every day millions of people are being devastated by the housing emergency. 

We exist to defend the right to a safe home. Because home is everything. 

We need ambitious, passionate people to join us. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve. 

Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. To win this fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, equitable and transparent. We are committed to combating racism both within and outside Shelter. We welcome you on our journey to becoming truly anti-racist. 

Safeguarding Statement

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.