Refugee education coordinator jobs

Are you passionate about creating positive opportunities for children and young people? Do you enjoy organising activities, building partnerships and helping families access the support they need?

Refugee Action Kingston (RAK) is seeking a dedicated and highly organised Youth Activities and Enrichment Coordinator to join our award-winning Bright Futures Children and Young People's Programme.

In this rewarding role, you will plan and coordinate engaging and inclusive educational, recreational and enrichment activities that help refugee and asylum-seeking children and young people build confidence, develop skills, improve wellbeing and feel connected to their local community.

Location: We have offices in Kingston Upon Thames, greater London.

Hours: 14 hours per week – 2 days a week* (including paid half-hour lunch break).

Salary:  £12,740 (FTE £31,850) for 2 years.

Leave: 26 days per annum Pro Rata plus bank holidays.

Starting Date October 2026.

Responsible to Head of Services/Family Support and Supplementary School Manager.

*The peak activity periods for this role happen during school half-terms, which means extra hours will be required during these times. In return, we offer full flexibility with Time Off in Lieu (TOIL), allowing you to reclaim your time outside of busy half-term periods. Afterschool club is currently on Wednesdays and you will be expected to attend in person until 6pm. 

Purpose of the Role

The Youth Activities and Enrichment Coordinator will play a key role in planning, coordinating, delivering and monitoring educational, recreational and enrichment activities as part of our award-winning Bright Futures Children’s and Young People’s Programme. Working closely with the Head of Services/Family Support and Supplementary School Manager, Primary Teacher, external partners and volunteers, the post holder will ensure the provision of engaging, inclusive and memorable opportunities. In addition, they will support the delivery of RAK Bright Futures After School Club and Supplementary School and contribute to education-related casework for children and young people and monitoring and evaluation of all above activity.

All staff are expected to adhere to the Equal Opportunities Policy of RAK at all times.

Refugee Action Kingston (RAK) is a well-established charity dedicated to supporting refugees and people seeking asylum from anywhere in the world who find themselves in the Royal Borough of Kingston and neighbouring boroughs. Since its foundation in 1991, RAK has been the main provider of direct services to refugees and people seeking asylum as well as promoting refugee rights.

RAK aims to support refugees through the process from their initial reception in the borough through to final integration into the local community in order to enable them to live a fulfilling life and become accepted and active participants in our local communities.  We achieve this by accomplishing a variety of outcomes for refugee and asylum-seeking families through delivering a holistic service including advice, information, counselling, education, training, and assistance to access mainstream services and employment opportunities to help them rebuild their lives.

What we can offer you

· Work in a highly respected organisation punching above its weight – providing quality support to around 1300 individuals and families a year.

· A friendly and supportive environment, with an experienced team of professional teachers, counsellors, solicitors and advisers working to quality standards.

· Flexible working.

· A committed community in South West London that supports RAK through volunteering, sharing information about our work, and donations.

· Generous annual leave.

· Paid 30 minute lunch break if working 6 or more hours per day.

Our values 

• Empathy: we put ourselves in the shoes of those we work with. 

• Enterprise: we are innovative and resourceful in our approach to supporting refugees and people seeking asylum. 

• Empowerment: we strive to empower our clients, helping them achieve their aspirations. 

Key Responsibilities

• Research, plan and coordinate holiday activities, trips and workshops that promote learning, wellbeing, community engagement and social inclusion.
• Develop and maintain relationships with activity providers, venues, schools, community organisations, cultural institutions and other partners to secure and coordinate activities, trips and enrichment opportunities.
• Manage invitations and registrations. Communicate with families regarding activities, permissions, travel arrangements and other relevant information.
• Organise the provision of lunches and refreshments through partnerships with local organisations and suppliers. Ensuring compliance with relevant food hygiene standards.
• Track project expenditure, process invoices, reconcile activity-related expenses, and maintain accurate budget records.
• Maintain records of attendance and activities. Administer questionnaires to monitor outcomes and obtain feedback to support evaluation and project reporting requirements.
• Take photos and prepare short commentary for social media whilst prioritising online safety of children and young people and ensuring all necessary permissions are in place.
• Deal sensitively with children, young people and families, identifying needs and making referrals to appropriate RAK services, external organisations and community opportunities. 
• Keep up to date with local community activities and services and ensure youth activities notice boards are regularly updated.
• Promote the welfare and safety of children and young people at all times.
• Adhere to RAK’s safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Conduct appropriate risk assessments and ensure health and safety requirements are met for activities and trips.
• Ensure compliance with data protection and confidentiality requirements.

Support Duties

• Support the delivery of RAK’s After School Club and Supplementary School programmes.
• Provide support to the Head of Services/ Family Support and Supplementary School Manager and Primary Teacher with education-related enquiries and casework.
• Support and work alongside volunteers involved in the delivery of Bright Futures.
• Ensure client details and case records are accurate, confidential and recorded on the RAK database and other relevant platforms.

Other duties and shared responsibilities

• Attend team meetings, training and other activities required to support the successful delivery of the programme.
• Represent RAK professionally with partners, stakeholders and the wider community.
• Undertake any other duties reasonably required by the Head of Services/Family Support and Supplementary School Manager that are consistent with the nature of the role.
• Undertake other duties such as implementing cleanliness procedures, and assisting in fire practices.
• Implement Refugee Action Kingston’s Equal Opportunities, Confidentiality, Health and Safety and other policies in all areas of work.

Please note the duties outlined in this Job Description may be reviewed and amended from time to time.

Person specification

•  Experience of organising activity and enrichment programmes and events for children and young people.
•  Experience of working with children and young people at risk of violence or exploitation.
•  Experience of managing administrative processes and maintaining accurate records.
•  Experience of monitoring budgets and handling financial administration.
•  Experience of working with volunteers.
•  Digital proficiency – experience of working with database systems, Microsoft 365, Canva.
•  Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion.
•  Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
•  Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to build positive relationships with children, young people, families and partner organisations.
• Ability and willingness to work flexibly.
• Available to work during school half term holidays.
• A commitment to the aims and objectives of Refugee Action Kingston and an understanding of the challenges faced by people seeking asylum and refugees in the UK.

Desirable criteria

• Spoken competency in one or more key client language groups.
• Lived or learned experience of the challenges faced by children and young people affected by displacement, disruption to education, youth violence or exploitation.

Our workplace

We want RAK to be a great place to work and to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thought. Our values are clearly set out in our strategy RAK Strategy 2023-28 which is available on our website.

RAK is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to recruiting staff, trustees and volunteers who reflect the communities we serve and the wider community of London where we live and work. We particularly welcome applications from people: from Black, Asian and other minority-ethnic communities; refugee and migrant backgrounds; LGBTQ+ communities; with disabilities; and neurodiverse communities.

Asking for adjustments - RAK is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making changes for neurodiverse people, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions. If you would like us to do anything differently during the application, interview, or assessment process, including providing information in an alternative format, please contact us.

RAK is obliged to comply with the Asylum and Immigration Act (1996), and this requires certain documents to be presented by candidates before an offer of employment can be made. If you are invited to interview, we will ask you to bring these documents with you. For jobs which involve, for example, working with, or having access to children and/or vulnerable adults and their records, we will require an Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and need to have information from you regarding any previous, existing, or pending convictions or cautions. This will form part of the recruitment process if you are successful after interview.

Interviews will take place w/c 21 September 2026.

About Hope for the Young

Hope for the Young removes the obstacles to young refugees and asylum-seekers’ education and wellbeing through mentoring, advocacy, and financial support.

The Mentoring Programme supports young refugees and asylum-seekers aged 16-25 by matching them with trained volunteer mentors who provide weekly one-to-one support tailored to the young people's needs. Mentors can help with teaching English, enrolment advice, study skills, confidence and trust building, and can provide emotional and practical support that will help the young people access new services, adapt and settle into their communities.

The Grants and Advocacy Programme supports young people who, due to their immigration status, have no access to student finance or other financial support to enable them to go to college or university. We provide small grants to pay for tuition fees, living allowances and travel expenses, alongside tailored advocacy support to enable young refugees and asylum-seekers to access education in the UK.

About this role

We are recruiting both a full-time and part-time Mentoring Programme Coordinator to manage our high-quality Mentoring Programme that supports young people seeking safety in the UK to achieve goals tailored to their needs. The programme aims to help them access education, improve their English, increase independence skills, build confidence, access appropriate services, reduce isolation, and adapt to life in the UK.

We are looking for an outstanding candidate who is passionate about supporting young people seeking sanctuary to adapt to life in the UK and reach their full potential. You will have volunteer management experience and be enthusiastic about the impact they can have on those in need. You will also have a background in, or strong knowledge of, the needs and common challenges of young refugees and asylum seekers.

You will be responsible for building and maintaining strong partnerships with refugee support organisations, colleges and social services to maintain steady referrals to the programme. You will be required to assess young people’s needs and carefully match them with mentors with the relevant skills and experience. You will simultaneously recruit, train and support volunteers to provide weekly one-to-one support to their mentees and carefully monitor the progress of each relationship. Further to this, you will be responsible for responding to safeguarding concerns and providing casework support for young people when issues arise that are beyond the remit or capacity of the mentor. You will also need to maintain strong professional boundaries.

You will also be required to evaluate and monitor the progress of your mentoring relationships, keeping databases up to date and maintaining accurate reporting. Due to the nature of the programme, flexibility will be key to success and you will be required to travel across London and attend meetings in the early evenings (you can take this time back according to our Time Off In Lieu Policy). We offer a flexible and hybrid working environment, however you will be expected to come to our office in Brixton for a minimum of 1 day per week (on a Wednesday, which is our office team day).

You will also be part of an out-of-hours safeguarding rota, approximately once every six weeks, with time given back in lieu.

You will be one of 8 members of staff working alongside a team of dedicated volunteers. Being part of a small team, you will get the opportunity to contribute ideas and help to shape Hope for the Young as we grow and support more young people than ever before.

Main duties and responsibilities

Volunteer Management and Support

1. To co-ordinate a team of volunteer mentors who will provide targeted practical, educational and emotional support to young refugees and asylum seekers on a weekly basis.

2. To ensure the volunteer mentors support young people to access services and develop skills which lead to increased levels of education and employment and support them in making choices which will help them improve their physical, psychological and social well-being.

3. To facilitate a shared culture of co-operation and joint learning.

4. To increase retention of volunteers by ensuring all mentors feel welcome, valued and part of Hope for the Young.

5. To ensure safeguarding and child protection processes are in place and adhered to at all times, as well as maintaining professional boundaries.

6. To keep mentors and mentees updated regularly with relevant events and opportunities to support their learning and personal development.

Recruitment, Training and Matching

7. To develop relationships with potential sources of volunteer mentors and post role descriptions on various platforms to expand the volunteer base.

8. To recruit a diverse range of volunteer mentors, including those with lived experience. This will include reviewing applications; interviewing candidates; taking up references; processing DBS checks; and inducting and training volunteer mentors into their role.

9. To deliver further training to volunteer mentors, with the support of external organisations, which will support them to deliver effective mentoring sessions to their mentees.

Outreach and Partnerships

10.  To work with refugee community organisations and statutory agencies to create referral and access pathways into and out of the mentoring programme, and to promote the programme as widely as possible.

11.  To ensure that partners are kept up to date with information about the mentoring programme and are supported to make referrals on an ongoing basis.

12.  To report back to referral organisations to highlight progress achieved within the mentoring relationships, as well as any challenges.

13.  To represent Hope for the Young at external networking meetings.

Youth Assessments and Support

14.  To carry out thorough assessments of vulnerable young people referred to Hope for the Young, to understand their support needs in order to provide appropriate support.

15.  To build a relationship of trust with the young people so that they can inform you of any problems arising within their mentoring sessions, and so that you can effectively track their progress.

16.  To provide ad-hoc casework support to young people when issues arise that are beyond the remit or capacity of their mentor; signposting and referring on to other organisations for additional support when necessary.

17.  To keep in contact with young people throughout their mentoring to ensure they are being supported effectively and are happy with their mentoring sessions.

Monitoring and Evaluation

18.  To ensure Salesforce records are up to date and have accurate information, including updating case notes and safeguarding concerns in a timely manner.

19.  To ensure mentors complete session reports after every meeting, and to carry out 3-week, 3-month and 6-month reviews with mentors and mentees.

20.  To monitor and evaluate the service, including gathering and uploading data from evaluation forms and surveys.

21.  To attend regular supervisory sessions with your line manager and produce verbal/written reports on the programme as appropriate.

Other Duties

22.  To help organise and facilitate Hope for the Young’s annual party and quarterly social events to celebrate young people’s achievements and create a sense of community within Hope for the Young.

23.  To process all expenses, invoices and receipts in line with financial management systems and adhere to budgets in line with funding requirements.

24.  To act at all times in compliance with all policies and procedures of HftY, and ensure filing and storage systems are managed in line with GDPR.

25.  To undertake training relevant to the job in order to keep up to date with issues relevant to providing a good service for refugee and asylum-seeking young people.

26.  To undertake any other appropriate duties relevant to the post.

This job description will be reviewed on a regular basis to respond to any changing needs of the post.

Benefits

• 25 days' annual leave (pro rata), excluding bank holidays, plus additional time off over the Christmas period

• Flexible/hybrid working arrangements

• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – a confidential counselling/support helpline

• Regular development opportunities to support professional development

• Quarterly wellbeing afternoons – group outings or activities to relax and unwind

Further Information

• You must have the right to work in the UK to apply for this job.

• You must adhere to Hope for the Young’s Equal Opportunities Policy at all times.

• Your employment at Hope for the Young is subject to two satisfactory references and an Enhanced DBS check.

• There is a 3-month probation period for this role

To Apply

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those with lived experience of forced migration. If you think you have the skills and experience to be our new Mentoring Programme Coordinator, we would love to hear from you.

We understand that AI can be a helpful tool when writing job applications. However, our advice is to not over-rely on AI and ensure your application is a true reflection of you and your voice. We can often tell when AI has been over-relied on and, in many cases, this is not giving applicants the best chance of success.

Here are all the details to apply:

• In the application form, please demonstrate how you meet the person specification for this post and explain why you would like to work for Hope for the Young.

• Please also complete our equal opportunities form which will appear once you have submitted your application.

• The deadline to apply is 8am on Tuesday 25th August

• Interviews will be held on 2nd, 3rd and 4th September

Employment Coordinator – London

Role Details

Job title:  Employment Coordinator

Reports to:  Client Services Manager - London

Location:  London – hybrid working (2 days/week based in our dog friendly London office, with additional 1-2 days a week based in delivery locations in Croydon)

Salary:  London- £29000 (Salary band:£29,000 - £32,000)

Hours:  37.5 hours per week

Contract: Fixed term contract to end of June 2027

Background

Breaking Barriers is a national charity dedicated to helping refugees and asylum seekers build new lives through employment. We work with individuals facing complex barriers to the labour market, providing tailored employment support and partnering with statutory, voluntary, and community organisations across the UK.

This role has been created to support the delivery of multiple employment projects in London. The postholder will work directly with asylum seekers and refugees across a range of community settings, including asylum contingency accommodation, and in Breaking Barriers offices, helping them access employment & integration support and connect with our services.

Overall Purpose

The Employment Coordinator will support the delivery of a Breaking Barriers employment projects in London by conducting outreach across community locations, co-delivering employability workshops, enrolling eligible participants into the programmes, providing information and guidance to the programme participants, and contributing to monitoring and reporting requirements.

 In summary, this role will be responsible for:

· Conducting targeted outreach in community locations, including asylum contingency accommodation, to raise awareness of the service and engage potential participants.

· Enrolling participants into the employment project, ensuring accurate initial assessments and data capture.

· Co-delivering in-person and remote employability workshops and group sessions at both Breaking Barriers and partner venues

· Providing 1:1 information, advice, and guidance to the programme participants.

· Supporting monitoring and reporting activities to track client engagement and outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

We are a fast-paced charity that prides itself on its flexibility and responsiveness, so your responsibilities may change, develop, and grow in line with the needs of our services.

Outreach & Engagement

· Conduct regular outreach visits to community locations across London, including asylum contingency accommodation, libraries, community centres, and partner venues.

· Build and maintain positive relationships with accommodation providers, community organisations, and referral partners to promote the service and identify potential participants.

· Provide clear, accessible information about the programme to individuals from diverse backgrounds and with varying levels of English.

· Represent Breaking Barriers professionally at outreach events and partner-led activities.

Client Onboarding

· Triage: apply agreed triage processes to understand each participant’s circumstances, employment goals, barriers, support needs and readiness for different types of support.

· Programme allocation: make informed recommendations about the most appropriate support pathway, taking account of participant profile, eligibility criteria and available programme options.

· Enrolment: complete participant enrolment accurately and efficiently, ensuring all required documentation, consent and data are captured in line with project requirements.

· Communication and handover: explain onboarding outcomes clearly to participants and provide warm handovers to caseworkers, Client Services Managers or other colleagues for ongoing support.

· Records and escalation: maintain clear CRM records of triage, allocation and enrolment decisions, escalating complex cases to a line manager where required.

Workshops & Group sessions Co-Delivery

· Co-deliver in-person employability workshops at partner venues, leading the employment support strand of the sessions.

· Coordinate and deliver remote group sessions and job clubs.

· Design and adapt workshop content to meet the needs of participants, including those with low levels of English and limited prior work experience in the UK.

· Work collaboratively with partner organisations to ensure workshops are well-coordinated, participant-centred, and delivered to a high standard.

· Gather and respond to participant feedback to continuously improve the quality and relevance of group sessions.

Monitoring and Reporting

· Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of outreach activities, workshop delivery, and participant enrolments in the CRM system.

· Support monthly and quarterly reporting by providing timely data and qualitative evidence of participant engagement and progress.

· Contribute case studies and participant stories to evidence impact for funders and internal reports.

· Adhere to data collection and monitoring processes to ensure quality and consistency across the project.

Safeguarding

· Identify and escalate safeguarding concerns appropriately, following Breaking Barriers’ policies and procedures.

· Act as a first point of contact for safeguarding concerns arising during outreach visits and workshop delivery, recording and notifying management as required.

Person Specification

Essential

· Experience providing support, advice, or guidance to individuals facing multiple barriers.

· Experience working with refugees, asylum seekers, or other marginalised communities facing complex and multiple barriers.

· Understanding of the refugee and asylum seeker experience and the systemic challenges they face in accessing employment.

· Confidence in conducting outreach in community settings and engaging individuals from diverse backgrounds.

· Experience co-delivering or facilitating group sessions or workshops, including adapting content and approach to different needs.

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work sensitively and effectively with people with varying levels of English.

· Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied workload independently on a part-time basis.

· Experience using a CRM or case management system to maintain accurate client records.

· Knowledge of safeguarding principles and experience handling safeguarding concerns appropriately.

· Knowledge of the London employment, education, and training landscape.

· Willingness and ability to travel to community locations across London.

Desirable

· Experience working in or alongside asylum contingency accommodation or similar residential settings.

· Experience supporting monitoring, data collection, or reporting for funded projects or services.

· A second language relevant to the communities served (e.g. Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Tigrinya).

· Lived experience of seeking sanctuary or forced migration to the UK.

Additional Information

· This role will require travel to community locations and partner venues across London.

· Some flexibility around working hours may be required to support outreach or workshop delivery (TOIL provided).

· This role is subject to an DBS check.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Breaking Barriers is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion, or belief.

We aim for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society and our clients. We celebrate diversity within our workforce and are committed to creating a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued.

We belong to the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative, which advocates and supports organisations to employ more people from a refugee background. With this in mind, we particularly welcome applicants with experience of seeking asylum and/or a refugee background.

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, we are committed to offering an accessible recruitment process and guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role.

Working within Baobab's welcoming and dynamic admin team in our Therapeutic Community, the Engagement and Administrative Assistant is a dual role. In your Admin assistant role you will provide comprehensive administrative support to operational, research and advocacy teams. In your Engagement Assistant role, you will lead on developing a successful programme of youth activities at the Baobab Centre (as Baobab Youth Activities Coordinator) and will focus on prioritising young people’s engagement in advocacy and research.

Help build a community where everyone belongs.

Join the Renewal Programme as our Community Hub Connector and help create a welcoming, inclusive space where local people can connect, access support and thrive. You'll build trusted relationships with residents, community organisations and faith groups, helping people overcome barriers and become active participants in their community.

You will have a strong understanding of the challenges affecting refugees, asylum seekers and people experiencing homelessness, together with the ability to coordinate day-to-day activities, work collaboratively with volunteers and partners, and contribute positively to the charity's ongoing development.

One morning you might be meeting with a local mosque to develop a new partnership. That afternoon you could be welcoming someone who has recently arrived in the UK, introducing them to activities at the Hub and connecting them with the support they need. No two days are the same—but every day is about helping people feel they belong.

Based at our RenewALL Hub in East Ham, you'll coordinate activities, lead community outreach, support volunteers and work alongside statutory, voluntary and community organisations to create opportunities that improve people's wellbeing and strengthen local communities.

This is a varied and rewarding role for someone who enjoys working directly with people, building partnerships and making a tangible difference. You'll support residents facing a range of challenges, including migration, loneliness, disability, digital exclusion and social isolation, ensuring everyone can access opportunities and services in a way that works for them.

This role is funded by the Mercers' Company, and you will contribute towards delivering the agreed outcomes and objectives of the grant.

You'll join a friendly, supportive team within the Renewal Programme, a respected Newham charity that has been serving local communities for more than 50 years. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. In return, we offer ongoing training and development, an Employee Assistance Programme, generous annual leave and the opportunity to be part of an organisation making a genuine difference every day.

If you're passionate about community development and creating opportunities for people facing disadvantage, we'd love to hear from you.