Social work jobs

Do you thrive on initiative and balance kindness and understanding with strong organisational skills?   Can you support 24 older women to move from temporary accomodation to their new homes?

The Sheppard Trust provides homes for older women in housing need, and we support them to live independently.  We reduce loneliness and isolation by fostering a supportive community spirit. 

We're planning to move to brand-new, purpose built accommodation near Hampton Court village in Surrey.   Whilst we wait for the build to complete, 20 of our existing residents are temporarily housed in Mill Hill, with 4 housed in Greenford.  Their new homes are expected to be ready in July 2026.   The aim of this role is to support these residents before, during and after our move, as well as to plan, organise and deliver the logistics of the moves.

We're a small friendly team who are currently flexibly hybrid working.  This role is based on 21 hours a week, with two visits per week to Mill Hill and occasional visits to Greenford and Hampton Court.  The rest of the work could be carried out from home if desired.  From July to September when the moves take place the workload will be higher and more on-site attendance may be necessary on move days.   

The right appointment is important to us, so we're willing to discuss proposals for alternative working arrangements including adding additional responsibilities to create a full time role. There will be the opportunity to apply for permanent positions at the  new site if wished.

You’ll bring:

• excellent people skills, and the ability to build trust with a wide range of people
• an understanding of the needs and concerns of older people and the desire to make a difference to their wellbeing
• the ability to work proactively and independently using your own initiative
• a strong commitment to safeguarding. 

We can offer:

• hybrid working
• a salary in the range of £35K – £37.5K pro rata
• membership of the Social Housing Pension Scheme (defined contribution)

For more information please see the full job description and person specification attached.

Job Title: Engagement and Employability Coach x2

Location: Kent and Medway (Hybrid/ Field-based)

Salary: £27,058 – £31,086 per annum

Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week) OR Part-time (4 days per week)

Contract: Permanent

Report to: Area Manager – Engagement Programmes

About CXK

CXK empowers people to succeed in employment, education and training. The charity strives for a fairer society where everyone can grow and realise their potential. “The CXK Way” embodies the following core values:

· Ethical – We work with professionalism, honesty and integrity

· Passionate – We reach out enthusiastically to all who need out support

· Innovative – We inspire, enhance and improve

· Collaborative – We engage, support and share with others

The Team

The Targeted Support Team deliver a wide variety of programmes to empower young people and adults to improve their confidence and skills and progress into training and employment. Leading group sessions and individualised mentoring, the team deliver with passion and expertise to individuals from a range of backgrounds, offering person-centred guidance and support.

The Role

CXK is looking for x2 Engagement & Employability Coaches to drive our programmes across Kent and Medway. As an Engagement & Employability Coach, you'll use your creativity and mentoring skills to provide tailored support to individuals in various community settings, preparing them for the workforce or further education. Whether through one-on-one sessions or group activities, you'll foster personal, social, and employability skills, equipping beneficiaries with the tools they need to move into education, training, an apprenticeship, or sustained employment.

Your role will extend beyond direct beneficiary support; you'll collaborate closely with partner organisations, ensuring seamless referrals and continued progress for our beneficiaries post-programme.

The main responsibilities of the role are to:

· Deliver personalised mentoring, advice, and guidance to unemployed young people and adults, nurturing their growth and employability.

· Conduct engaging unaccredited/accredited training sessions and workshops, incorporating both face-to-face and online formats to suit diverse learning styles.

· Employ a person-centred approach, adapting strategies to suit individual or group dynamics.

· Identify the additional support needs of young people and adults and work with appropriate providers to ensure this is available to them.

· Support work placements and other community opportunities and be confident working in detached and outreach settings.

· Advocate for young people and adults, working to support them and their families to address barriers to progression with sensitivity and confidentiality.

Skills and Knowledge

At CXK we are proud to be a disability confident and equal opportunities employer. We actively promote diversity within our workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Minimum Criteria

· To be successful in this role, you will have experience of successfully planning, delivering, and evaluating programmes for young people or adults.

· You will have experience of delivering programmes with embedded numeracy/literacy and working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and needs.

· You will have a full UK drivers’ licence and use of own vehicle to travel across Kent and Medway and deliver provision across the county.

· You will also need to be fully committed to taking on all necessary training for the role.

Core Competencies

· An understanding of the factors that affect young people and adults' lives and experience of supporting them to overcome barriers.

· Experience of supporting someone on a one-to-one basis and of delivering group sessions.

· Knowledge of local agencies and organizations’ that could support CXK services.

· Experience in fulfilling administrative responsibilities and meeting deadlines.

· Proven experience of meeting and exceeding outcomes and targets

· Experience of Microsoft products and ability to use them effectively, including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint

Employee Experience

A career with CXK is rewarding work, enabling you to fulfil your potential. This fulfilling and exciting role provides the opportunity to develop and grow meaningful relationships with a range of services and employers in East Sussex. You will build upon the specialised skills and knowledge relating to Supported Employment and be a positive influence on the lives of people entering work.

Benefits of working with us

Our employee benefits include:

· 30-33 days holiday, plus bank holidays

· Defined contribution pension scheme (matched by CXK up to 10% depending on length of service criteria)

· Benenden private healthcare cover

· Flexible working

· Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

· Training and development programmes and opportunities

· Mental and physical healthcare initiatives and more

Recruitment Timeline

Vacancy closing date: Monday 26th January 2026

Application review date: Tuesday 27th January 2026

Interview dates: Tuesday 3rd and Thursday 5th February 2026

Useful Information

If you have any questions or wish to have an informal conversation before submitting your application, please contact the Recruitment Team at recruitment @ cxk. org

Please note: Applicants will need to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide references before any offer of employment is made.

Join BBS UK and help deliver compassionate support within NHS highly specialised clinics, supporting children and families living with Bardet-Biedl syndrome.

At Bardet-Biedl Syndrome UK (BBS UK), we are dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by this rare genetic condition. Our charity provides specialist support services that help children, young people and families feel informed, supported and able to navigate complex health and care systems, working in partnership with NHS Highly Specialised BBS Clinics.

We are seeking a compassionate and organised individual to join our Clinics Support Team as a Patient Liaison Officer (PLO). This role offers a unique opportunity to deliver charity-led support within specialist paediatric clinics at Great Ormond Street Hospital, working alongside NHS multi-disciplinary teams while remaining part of a close-knit and supportive charity team.

About the Role

As a Patient Liaison Officer, you will play a vital role in ensuring families feel prepared, supported and heard before, during and after their clinic appointments. You will provide emotional and practical support, advocacy and system navigation, helping families to understand their care and access appropriate support, while referring more complex casework to BBS UK’s specialist Advice Service.

You will:

• Support families before, during and after NHS Highly Specialised BBS clinic appointments

• Facilitate clinic attendance by preparing families for appointments, addressing concerns and helping to reduce “Did Not Attend” rates

• Attend specialist BBS clinics at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and St Thomas' Hospital, providing on-the-day support to families and clinicians (Approximately 2-4 days per month)

• Act as a key point of contact between families and clinical teams, supporting communication and information-sharing

• Provide light-touch advocacy, information and signposting in relation to health, education, social care and local authority support

• Identify unmet needs or emerging issues during clinic interactions and refer families to the BBS UK Advice Service for specialist advocacy and follow-up

• Support families during key transition points, particularly the move from paediatric to adult services

• Maintain accurate and confidential records using BBS UK’s CRM system (CharityLog)

• Contribute to service evaluation, quality improvement and the wider work of BBS UK

This is a home-based role with attendance at clinics in central London and occasional travel to other clinic sites and BBS UK events. Travel expenses will be reimbursed in line with BBS UK policies.

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for an experienced individual with a background in supporting children and families, who can work confidently in a clinic-based, people-facing role.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Experience working with children, young people and families, ideally within health, social care, education or the voluntary sector

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage sensitively with families experiencing distress or uncertainty

• Experience providing emotional and practical support to individuals with complex or long-term conditions

• Ability to organise and manage multiple tasks, prioritise effectively and work independently

• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and case management/CRM systems (e.g. CharityLog)

• Understanding of safeguarding principles and professional boundaries

• A strong commitment to improving outcomes for people living with rare or complex conditions

Desirable Experience & Skills

• Knowledge of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome or other rare or genetic conditions

• Experience working alongside or within NHS services or multi-disciplinary teams

• Understanding of education, health and social care systems in England

• Experience supporting families affected by disability or visual impairment

• Ability to travel for work, including clinic attendance (travel expenses reimbursed)

Why Join BBS UK?

BBS UK is a small, dedicated charity making a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people and families affected by Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. Our Clinics Support Team is widely recognised by families and clinicians as an essential part of the specialist BBS service.

By joining us, you will:

• Have a direct and positive impact on families at critical points in their care journey

• Be part of a supportive, values-driven charity team

• Work flexibly from home while delivering face-to-face support in specialist clinics

• Receive training, supervision and ongoing professional development

• Contribute to a nationally recognised rare disease support service

Additional Information

• DBS Check: An enhanced DBS check is required for this role

• Safeguarding: Completion of safeguarding training within the first month of employment

• Flexible Working: Occasional evening or weekend work may be required, with time off in lieu provided

• Hours: This is a permanent, part-time role (20 hours per week)

How to Apply

If you’re passionate about supporting children and families living with a rare condition and would like to be part of a dedicated charity team, we’d love to hear from you.

If you would like to discuss the role before applying, details can be found in the application pack.

Application Deadline: 8th February 2026

JOB TITLE: SEND Engagement and Participation Officer
LOCATION: Slough
HOST ORGANISATION: Together As One
RESPONSIBLE TO: Senior Manager – Together As One

Purpose of the Role:
To work across Slough to develop and embed processes that enable the participation of children and young people (CYP) with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in decision-making and service planning, delivery, and evaluation.

This role involves empowering CYP with SEND to make a difference, helping them develop their skills, abilities, and confidence to contribute positively to outcomes for other children and young people. The postholder will work collaboratively with partners across education, health, social care, and the voluntary sector to ensure best practice in participation, and that SEND CYP have a strong voice in shaping local services.

This is a specialist role requiring a senior participation officer with knowledge of reasonable adjustments, safeguarding, service design, and co-production, as well as experience of working with CYP with SEND. Creative, enthusiastic candidates with a desire to learn are encouraged to apply.

The post links directly to Slough’s SEND improvement outcomes, particularly empowering CYP with SEND to influence local policy, service design, and review services to better meet their needs.

Interview Process: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to deliver a presentation or lead a short activity with a small group of young people with SEND as part of the interview process. Interviews are scheduled to take place in the afternoon and early evening of Wednesday 11th February.

Key Tasks

1. Work collaboratively with relevant partners (education, health, social care, voluntary sector, parents/carers) to promote an ethos of inclusive participation.

2. Build and coordinate a network of participation and co-production across Slough to enable CYP with SEND to give their views and contribute meaningfully to service development.

3. Co-produce a range of additional participation opportunities with CYP and partners to ensure their input informs services, policy, and decision-making.

4. Apply a range of participation and engagement methodologies, including face-to-face, digital, and social media, to engage CYP with SEND.

5. Identify and support CYP with SEND to participate, providing appropriate mechanisms and support for diverse communication needs.

6. Collaborate with other ‘Youth Voice’ workers and youth participation initiatives to share best practice and develop training/resources for authentic inclusion.

7. Act as an advocate for SEND CYP’s rights to be heard in decision-making, recruitment, training, and policy development.

8. Promote accessibility and inclusivity, championing diversity across age, gender, gender orientation, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, socio-economic status, and disability.

9. Promote understanding of inclusive participation practices, challenging under-representation and unconscious bias.

10. Establish processes to report findings strategically and via diverse communication channels.

11. Engage in regional or national youth participation projects as required.

12. Demonstrate understanding of inclusion, diversity, and equality in all aspects of work.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

(assessed at application and interview stage)

• Strong understanding of the needs of CYP with SEND, including autism, learning disabilities, speech, language and communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health needs, demonstrated through professional experience in a variety of settings.

• Knowledge of, or willingness to learn about, different communication needs, including non-verbal communication and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), and the ability to make reasonable adjustments to enable meaningful participation.

• Ability to plan, design, and deliver fun, creative, and inclusive sessions for CYP with SEND that actively engage participants, build confidence and skills, and meet pre-identified objectives.

• Direct experience supporting CYP to engage in social action, youth forums, consultations, campaigns, or other participation initiatives.

• Confidence in applying a range of engagement techniques for both face-to-face and digital settings, including creative use of social media to reach CYP with SEND.

• Demonstrated empathy and understanding when working with CYP, parents, and carers.

• Ability to inspire and build positive relationships with CYP, recognising potential barriers and difficulties they may face in participation.

• Positive attitude towards diversity and inclusion, with experience of embedding equality of opportunity into daily practice.

• Knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, and frameworks relating to CYP and participation (e.g., Children and Families Act 2014, Equality Act 2010, UNCRC, Children Act 1989, safeguarding procedures).

• Experience of producing engaging reports and communications for different audiences, including CYP, parents/carers, commissioners, and partner organisations.

• Flexible and able to manage priorities across a fast-moving workload, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.

• Ability to meet the travelling requirements of the role and availability to work evenings and occasionally weekends.

Desirable Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

(assessed at application and interview stage)

• Knowledge of the role of key services (education, health, and social care) in the lives of CYP with SEND.

• Experience in planning, coordinating, and delivering projects or events with/for CYP, on time and within budget.

• Experience of empowering young people to develop their own projects and articulate their views to decision-makers.

• Experience in planning and facilitating engaging training or group work with young people and/or professionals.

• Experience in service user evaluation programmes or youth consultation initiatives.

• Knowledge of relevant social media channels and creative methods for engaging CYP with SEND.

• Experience of innovative methods to promote participation and co-production with CYP, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.

• Qualifications or experience relating to youth engagement, youth work, social work, teaching, volunteering, or similar professional settings.

• Professional qualification in Youth Work, or working towards one.

Reasonable Adjustments and Accessibility

Together As One is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work, including recruitment. We welcome applications from candidates with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the application and interview process.

If you require any support or adjustments, such as accessible formats, additional time, alternative ways to complete assessments, or assistance at the interview, please contact Rob Deeks (details below). We will work with you to ensure the process is accessible and allows you to demonstrate your skills and experience fully.

Join Our Team – Youth Support Worker

Ready for a new challenge in 2026?
Do you have a passion for working with young people, helping them grow in confidence, discover their strengths, and explore new opportunities?
If so, we'd love to hear from you!

About the Role

The Barnardo's Co-op Partnership is an exciting, innovative project aiming to support over 1 million young people to build positive futures.
Our Sedgemoor for our Future service is co-designed by young people and built around a social kitchen concept. We create welcoming spaces where young people can:

• Learn to cook healthy, nutritious meals
• Share food and eat together
• Have fun through games and activities
• Explore topics that matter to them
• Build confidence, teamwork, and life skills

Session Details

• Tuesdays – Highbridge, 4:30pm–6:00pm
• Wednesdays – Bridgwater, 4:30pm–6:00pm

Applicants must be available to facilitate these two sessions, you will need to be able to design and deliver these workshops in different places and spaces to help young people develop confidence, teamwork, and skills. You will also need to attend events, find creative ways to engage young people across Sedgemoor, and evaluate sessions by recording outcomes.

Contract Hours

Hours will be between 18.5 – 25 per week (flexible, including evenings).

What We're Looking For

• Experience engaging with young people aged 10–25
• Creativity and confidence in designing inclusive group sessions and workshops
• Ability to provide emotional and practical support in line with safeguarding policies
• Flexibility to adapt to young people's needs
• Strong partnership skills to work with Co-op, Children's Services, and the community

If this sounds like a role you would be interested in please apply and if you would like more information please Contact Jess Hanson, Children's Service Manager

When applying, please refer to your skills and experience in relation to the Person Specification and Job Description.
Apply early – this advert may close before the stated deadline due to high interest.

About Social Investment Business:

By providing finance and support, at SIB we enable charities and social enterprises to exist, grow and thrive. We have disbursed nearly £0.5bn to thousands of organisations since 2002. Our team believes in the power of the social economy, champions the charities and social enterprises we support - and we are all working together to build a more equal society. 

It is a hugely exciting time to join the organisation. We are growing, investing in our expert team, and building on the successes of the last few years. 

Our values are: People First, Curious, Bold, Collaborative, Accountable

For further information on what it is like to work with us and our generous benefits please visit our website.

About this role: Reporting to the Deputy CEO, the Head of Business and Market Development will build on SIB’s existing research and findings on market scope and scale, organisational financial resilience, the cost of capital and fund financial modelling to support the delivery of SIB’s ambitious new strategy, and hit our business development targets as part of an ambitious growth plan. This new post will develop SIB’s work and the rigour and robustness of our market and financial analytics in order to grow the organisation, the amount of investment under management and the annual disbursement of grant funds.

Key responsibilities

1. Working closely with the CEO and Deputy CEO support the delivery of ambitious growth targets under the new strategy.

2. Oversee the regulatory transition to FCA regulation for a defined number of SIB subsidiaries, drawing together the relevant internal documentation, working with the FCA – and any specialist retained consultants – to ensure that SIB is quickly and effectively accredited.

3. Work with the CEO and Deputy CEO to advance SIB’s applications for capital from Public Finance Institutions including the National Wealth Fund.

4. Working with the wider BD team, draw on market and financial modelling that incorporates existing data on SIB’s customers across its funds (using e.g. IMD, turnover, assets, age, business model) to develop excellent bids and tenders for new grant funds and to structure successful investment raises.

5. Oversee the reporting of all funds managed through the SIB group subsidiaries to their investors. This should include quality control of regular analytics, KPIs and case studies, regular catch up calls with investors and occasional presentations remote and in person.  

6. Oversee the regularity and quality of analytics of SIB’s enterprise level impact to provide a consistent snapshot across all funds, including for SIB’s internal subsidiary board meetings.

7. Work with the Market and Financial Analyst to develop a strategic approach to financial modelling of funds. This should include an approach to cost base calculations (taking into account variability in disbursement rates, portfolios under management, loan vs. grant, capital vs. revenue, pace and automation), consistent treatment of interest payments, management and administrative fees and internal investment. The base model should be able to inform forward planning and business development, as well as serve to stack up the financial viability of BD opportunities as they arise.

8. Work with the Systems and Data teams to ensure that the base model is embedded within SIB’s operations and informs fund and programme management.

9. Lead a horizon scanning function that effectively drives comparative benchmarking against competitor / peer organisations.

10.  Oversee the team’s work with the Finance and Governance teams to ensure that market analytics include effective customer feedback, collected regularly and embedded in key performance indicators.

11.  Alongside the Deputy CEO and the wider Data, Insights and Advocacy team, oversee the delivery of the annual impact report, bringing colleagues together to identify key findings and deliver each report. Ensure that the impact report reflects market analytics, providing context that identifies SIB’s leadership and place within the wider sector.

12.  Oversee the management – as needed – of any external consultants working on more complex financial models / additional research and learning that contributes to market or business development.

13.  Alongside the Deputy CEO and the wider BD team, design and facilitate general learning sessions and programme specific learning sessions with small and large groups, this may include partners, customers and the SIB Board as well as colleagues. Elicit learning from these sessions, share findings and support your colleagues to integrate action points into our systems. This learning approach should particularly reflect how customer need / satisfaction is met by different fund and programme structures.

14.  Line manage the Market and Financial Analyst, Marketing Manager and BD Manager.

15.  To work in line with the organisation's values, principles and processes to achieve operational excellence.

16.  To adopt our continuous improvement and learning ethos

17.  To support and embed equality, diversity and inclusion into day-to-day behaviours and activities within your role as well as contributing more widely across SIB’s commitment to E, D & I

18.  To support and contribute to the implementation and delivery of SIB’s strategy

19.  In agreement with manager to undertake other tasks and work on cross team projects that support the objectives of SIB as required

Core competencies

• Familiarity with raising investment
• Experience of managing a high functioning business development team achieving strategic objectives
• Knowledge of financial analytics
• Excellent excel skills
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent project management to tight deadlines
• An understanding of how to share research and data analysis with audiences of mixed experience
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire teams across functions to work in an integrated way
• Strong planning skills and an ability to multi-task, work well under pressure and meet deadlines
• Excellent IT skills and the ability to learn new programmes quickly

Desirable competencies

• Understanding of FCA regulation
• Prior experience of working in a regulatory environment
• Understanding of the UK charity and social enterprise sectors

Education / Professional experience

Team leadership experience

Introduction

East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) working with Mind CHWF and other voluntary sector partners is delighted to offer a secondment as a community connector to support the mental well-being of people with complex mental health and social needs in the Neighbourhoods in City & Hackney.

This is a new role and we are looking to work with individuals from the voluntary sector to help us co-design and test out the role.  You will help to shape the role, working closely with people in Neighbourhoods to reflect their strengths, interests and ideas for what matters to them about good mental well-being.

You will be a welcome member of the multi-disciplinary (MDT) mental health team, with day-to-day managerial and professional supervision provided within the team. You will also be able to access training and other staff support within ELFT during this time.

Background

In the autumn of 2019 ELFT was successful in securing funding from NHS England (NHSE) for community mental health transformation. It is one of 12 national pilot sites. City and Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets are all part of the ELFT pilot. The aim of the transformation is to develop a model of support for people with serious mental illness (SMI) that recognises complexity and social determinants over and above diagnosis, and supports them through a blended team of voluntary sector, mental health and primary care staff to connect better into a range of activities in their neighbourhoods. The new teams are organised around City & Hackney Primary care networks (PCNs) / Neighbourhoods, and will provide wraparound support for people with varying levels of need. These teams will develop a rich understanding of population mental health need, and work with individuals, families, and communities to develop capacity for self-management, and provide local treatment and support for individuals when they need it.

The teams include the new community connector role. This will be someone from the voluntary sector, well connected in the neighbourhoods and bringing expertise in wider social support and well-being. We are working with voluntary sector partners to design and test this role.

Responding to Covid 19

Since the Covid 19 emergency began in mid-March much of the transformation programme has had to be adapted. ELFT is keen that where the transformation can support the Covid 19 response it should continue. In particular the role of the community connector could be valuable during the Covid 19 emergency and recovery.

The role obviously needs to be different and we will work closely with the connectors and the voluntary sector to design and test out the role. The description here is intended as a starter for ten to give some idea about the shape the role might take.

During the Covid pandemic, the community connectors will be part of the ELFT community MDT team, making links to specific Neighbourhoods. Also the face to face work in terms of assessments, interventions, group work, partnership working may need to be carried out differently. The role will now include:

· providing support to service users by phone/virtually

· connecting service users to the fast developing range of Covid 19 resources in each neighbourhood and keeping the mental health and primary care teams up to date about these resources and how to refer people to the/access them. Including supporting the new Neighbourhood MDTs as these develop.

· developing a good knowledge of all the online resources in each neighbourhood and connecting service users and staff to these

· we will keep the option for face to face work and group work under review, depending on the government guidance on social distancing. As lockdowns are lifted there may be some possibility to offer this type of support

The following five design principles have guided our model development to date:

1. Service users and citizens will be active, equal partners: leading the design, implementation, governance, and delivery of our new mode

2. We will integrate mental and physical health, wellbeing and social care: our services will feel fully integrated to service users and carers

3. The right support in the right place and the right time: services will be delivered in the PCN footprint, and service users will not be “bounced around” services

4. A focus on what matters to service users: care planning will look beyond health goals to life goals and wider determinants of health; and we will work to connect people to each other and their communities

5. Evidence-based interventions: Service users will be confident that our services provide the latest evidence-based care, treatment and support.

The role

The Community Connectors will support individuals to connect within neighbourhoods, and use local assets to self-organise.

Who you will support

The post-holder will work closely with individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or personality disorders (PD), developing an understanding of complexity in order to provide the most appropriate support. Some of the service users you will work with will have been supported by community mental health recovery teams, seen in outpatients and are not care co-ordinated, so could be better supported by their local neighbourhood team. Other service users will be on primary care SMI registers and likely to benefit from additional support, but do not meet the thresholds for traditional secondary care. Other people might not be known to our services currently, and could benefit from the more personalised, local, holistic offer you will be developing.

Your approach

The ethos of this work will be recovery focused, move away from a traditional referral model, blur the boundaries between primary and secondary care, explore needs through complexity (rather than diagnosis), focus on a person’s strengths and assets, and focus on the wider determinants of health and wellbeing. This approach is as important as your experience and expertise. You will develop a strengths based biopsychosocial assessment, and supportive approach, and work with colleagues and local people to develop the MDT approach in its infancy. 

Although not exhaustive, below is a list of the skills and responsibilities that may be required:

Individual Support

· Strong interpersonal and communication skills. It is important that you listen to service users and carers to find out what is important to them, and that you build open, supportive and trusting relationships (working with the challenges of not meeting face-to-face, at least initially, due to the current Covid-19 public health crisis. We will keep the option for face to face work and group work under review, depending on the government guidance on social distancing. As lockdowns are lifted there may be some possibility to offer this type of support.)

· A strong sense of what factors influence health and wellbeing.

· The ability to assist service users in setting goals and making changes that are meaningful to them.

· You will conduct regular innovative and engaging sessions (currently with individuals, over the phone) in order to work towards support plan goals.

· You will ensure ongoing assessment and management of risks within an attitude of 'positive risk taking'.

· You will give people time to tell their stories and focus on ‘what matters to me’, build trust, providing non-judgemental support, respecting diversity and lifestyle choices.

· You will use health coaching and motivational interviewing techniques, identify barriers to people accessing services, and work with service users to overcome these. You will support people to identify the wider issues that impact on their health and wellbeing, such as debt, poor housing, employment circumstances and unemployment, loneliness, isolation and caring responsibilities.

· Where people may be eligible for a personal health budget, help them to explore this option as a way of providing funded, personalised support to be independent, including helping people to gain skills for meaningful employment, where appropriate.

Community Development

· You will act as the ‘glue’, linking people in with experts and local assets, and undertaking support work in partnership with external stakeholders to complement their interventions.

· You will stay up to date with the constantly developing environment, local offer, and national policies, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Significant experience in local statutory and/or voluntary sector services.

· You will have a deep knowledge of City & Hackney (or a specific local area or demographic), what is available locally and how to signpost and support people (network creation, mapping).

· You will develop productive relationships with local partner organisations to improve service outcomes, and involve service users and carers in the design, development and delivery of the service.

· You will need to triage referrals and signpost to specialist support quickly where necessary, and deal with general queries to contribute to the overall smooth running of the neighbourhood team.

· Where appropriate, introduce people to community groups, activities and statutory services, ensuring they are comfortable.  Follow up to ensure they are happy, able to engage, included and receiving good support.

· Where appropriate you will connect people to each other through shared common interests and the need for mutual support.

· You will have the ability and drive to build networks with local community resources such as activities and services that may have an impact on health and wellbeing, and support individuals to access these. To be proactive in encouraging self-referrals, and connecting with all local communities.

· You will work in partnership with existing community navigation roles in City & Hackney.

Project Management

· You will monitor and record outcomes of all those accessing the service through the use of recognised assessment tools and outcome measures. With the wider team, you will gather and collate statistical and other information and data as required, reporting on activity and outcomes and ensuring effective qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation of the services.

· You will help to develop and adapt this role as the societal circumstances we are operating under change (as the Covid-19 public health situation develops and/or social distancing is relaxed).

General

· You will reflect on practice and participate in team meetings, practice development forums and peer supervision. You will identify own training and development needs in conjunction with your Line Manager and participate in training opportunities.

· You will develop an awareness of local and national developments and best practice in this area of work and to attend relevant conferences, meetings and training events as required.

· You will adhere to organisational policies and procedures relating to risk and personal safety. You will refer all safeguarding issues in line with local policy.

· You will manage volunteers and other team members as required.

· You will identify issues relating to systemic challenges and disconnects, and report these to the Programme Manager, developing an eye for service improvement opportunities.

Person Specification

As a community connector, you will become a local expert, gathering and sharing information about local opportunities, activities, and support, bringing people together and supporting them to remain confident and independent in their everyday lives.

We are looking for community connectors with experience supporting with people with their mental health, with significant experience in statutory and/or voluntary sector services, knowledge of City & Hackney (or a specific local area or demographic), and strong interpersonal skills.

Skills and experience:

Person Centred

- Enjoys social interaction and the company of others.

- Exudes a warm friendly presence and open behaviour. Is approachable and open-minded.

- Prefers working as part of a group or team.

- Has a practical and logical mind.

- Well organised and knows how to prioritise tasks. Able to plan own workload.

- Thrives on change and enjoys dynamic diverse environments.

- Is respectful, articulate and sensitive in style of communication.

- Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgmental.

- Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential.

- Experience of supporting people, families and care in a related role (including unpaid work).

- Experience of supporting people with their mental health, either in a paid, unpaid or informal capacity.

Community Development

- Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities.

- Able to work from an asset-based approach, building on existing community and personal assets.

- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with people, their families, carers, community groups, partner agencies and stakeholders.

- Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals.

- Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity.

- Is motivated towards excellence and improvement of personal performance with a can do attitude.

- Ability to cope positively with challenging and diverse behaviour.

- Demonstrates a desire for continuous professional development.

- Experience of working directly in a community development context, adult health and social care, learning support or public health/health improvement (including unpaid work).

- Experience of partnership/collaborative working and of building relationships across a variety of organisations.

Knowledge:

- Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities and how adverse circumstances and structural barriers can affect people's relationships

- An understanding of the experiences of people who live with significant mental distress.

- Knowledge of community development approaches.

- Knowledge of IT systems, including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports.

- Knowledge of motivational coaching and interview skills.

- Knowledge of voluntary and community services in the local neighbourhood.

Essential:

- Educated to GCSE level (or equivalent by experience).

- NVQ Level 2/3 or equivalent.

- Significant experience in statutory or voluntary sector services.

- IT literate.

Desirable:

- Mental Health First Aid or willingness to work towards the qualification.

- Training in motivational coaching and interviewing or equivalent experience.

- University degree and/or professional qualification.

- Experience of delivering peer support groups.

Job Title: Team Leader - Social Prescribing Link Worker

Reference: TLSP1225

Location: London Borough of Islington

Working Hours: 37.5 hours - 5 days per week

Salary: £36,792 per annum

Benefits: 30 days annual leave, Pension Contribution, Employee Assistance Programme. Hybrid Working (1-2 days working from home)

Contract: Permanent

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced team leader to support a team of social prescribing link workers, currently working across two Primary Care Networks (PCNS) in Islington

The Team leader role includes referral screening and case allocation alongside specialisms in e.g. working with specific service user groups, project development, referral pathway development, new service implementation, coaching and mentoring and multi-disciplinary service integration.

This role is well suited to an individual with experience of supporting and developing staff to achieve their goals and service objectives, whilst ensuring quality of service.

The role requires both Team Leader responsibilities and case managing a quota of clients, triaging referrals, actively connecting people to specialist services or community services to promote independent healthy living.

You’ll need excellent IT and organisational skills, be adept at seeking out the information for relevant community services and have a tenacity to help people achieve sustainable outcomes and improvements in their wellbeing.

This role is subject to an Enhanced DBS check with Adult and Child Barring.

Age UK Islington recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

​About the role   

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, and energetic supervisor or team leader to take up a full-time role within our organisation as a Operations Supervisor to be part of our small and dedicated team. The role will be based in Southwark as well as potential for wider London working as you will be part several innovative housing projects in London supporting vulnerable households to sustain their tenancies. As well as a team line manager, you will be maintaining and developing partnership with the Council’s housing officers, solicitors, landlords, community services, social prescribers, and mental health support workers to ensure tailored support can be offered for each client. The objectives of these programmes are to avoid evictions, sustain tenancies, increase employment opportunities, improve wellbeing, and increase educational outcomes. You will be working in partnership with other stakeholders such as schools and local authorities to improve family health, build relationships and engage families and individuals and their networks of support.    

About you   

We are seeking an experienced and motivated professional to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in staff management and project leadership, knowledge of housing polices, and with proven experience working with individuals who have complex needs. 

You will be responsible for managing and developing partnerships, supporting data collection for reports and monitoring, and contributing to quality assurance processes. In addition, you will hold a small caseload, providing direct, holistic support to individuals as part of your role. 

We’re looking for someone who is enthusiastic, self-motivated, and highly organised. You should be confident working independently, with a genuine passion for driving positive change. Strong interpersonal skills are essential, along with the ability to provide holistic support and think creatively to find solutions. 

You will have:

• Experience leading and supervising other support workers, or volunteers, including delegation, training, and mentoring. 

• Ability to monitoring staff performance, and ensuring continuous professional development 

• Demonstratable experience of building and maintaining partnerships with stakeholders, statutory and  community organisations 

• Understanding of housing law, direct experience of working in partnership housing associations, local authorities, homeless organisations and public sector stakeholders  

• Good understanding of policy and procedures related to homelessness, benefits and housing market  

• Experience of organising project delivery and development 

• Experience of writing reports to showcase records and impact 

• Ability to work sensitively and empathetically with people in vulnerable circumstances

About Kineara   

Kineara is a unique community interest company that supports people in poverty across London who facing barriers to housing, employment and education. We break down barriers, provide holistic support for families, vulnerable adults, and school pupils, and deliver intensive one-to-one interventions to those in need of extra help through challenging times. We use holistic, trauma-informed methods, partnership working and a flexible, non-judgemental approach that puts the needs of those we work with first.

The successful candidate will work within an innovative tenant-led partnership called Ageing Well in Place in Hulme (AWiPiH) which includes tenants and community groups; local and national charities; GPs; housing providers; and support from a local university. 

You will enable older and vulnerable people experiencing multiple disadvantage in high rise accommodation to 'age well in place' through one-to-one casework within a managed caseload and with supervisory support from a GP Fellow. You will work in collaboration with tenant committees; an Ageing Well Development Worker; the GP Fellow; and housing provider neighbourhood teams across two high-rise blocks. AWiPiH takes a preventative and proactive approach to wellbeing including health promotion, improved access to social care, housing adaptations, signposting on welfare rights, income maximisation and social participation. This role requires a person-centred and solution-focused approach to supporting people experiencing multiple and complex issues.

You will have a hybrid working arrangement including some working from home; some working based at a local GP practice; and on-site working across two neighbouring accommodation blocks in Hulme, central Manchester.

About You:

• You have a passion for enabling older/vulnerable people to live with dignity and independence in their own home.
• You are good at building trusting relationships with people while also maintaining boundaries and being mindful of your own levels of resilience.
• You are confident carrying out solution-oriented casework with people experiencing multiple-disadvantage amidst the current crisis in health and social care services.
• You are experienced in person-centred support planning and risk assessment.
• You are excited by the opportunity to work in collaboration with tenants, community groups, and charities, as well as with statutory service providers.

Please view our application pack and visit our website for more information.

Women's Refuge Deputy Service Manager (Female Only)

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Please note, due to the nature of the service, it is an occupational requirement that the post holder is female and the post is therefore exempt from the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 in terms of Schedule 9, Part 1, and Paragraph 1 of the Act.  

Job Title: Deputy Service Manager 

Location: West London (This location is hidden due to the sensitive nature of the service) Please note that this service has no step free access.

Salary: £30,000

Shift Pattern: 37.5 hours per week Monday to Friday between 09:00 - 17:00. You may be required to work outside these hours dependent on service and resident requirements and you will also be expected to take part in the out of hours on call service.

About the Role

We're hiring a Specialist Women’s Refuge Deputy Service Manager someone who is passionate about supporting women and their children and is committed to their rights and safety. This role offers the opportunity to lead and support a refuge for women and children surviving domestic abuse, many of whom are living with trauma. You'll ensure the team are empowered, with the right tools and resources to deliver a seamless service that supports residents through their healing journey, helping them overcome personal challenges and work towards independence and their goals.

The service spans over 3 buildings and you will help lead a team of support mentors and children and family workers. We’re looking for a solution focused leader who is passionate about the resident group, committed to trauma informed and inclusive practice, and driven to make lasting change. You will ensure full contract and regulatory compliance while leading your team to meet KPIs and service requirements.

Some Key Responsibilities include:

• Line management and leadership, offering guidance and support throughout the employee lifecycle.
• Support the Service Manager in leading the day to day operational delivery of the service.
• Risk Management ownership, ensuring processes and policies are followed.
• Property and housing management, ensuring accommodation standards, timely maintenance and reporting.
• Financial Management, including petty cash and budget management.
• Contract management and Internal auditing, admin, and general other duties as required.
• Striving to ensure excellence and quality in our service delivery.

About You

We're looking for someone who’s driven to provide high quality, person centred support to staff, colleagues, residents and participants, with a passion about supporting women who have faced complex trauma and domestic abuse. You enjoy working as part of a team, communicating well and building professional relationships with people from all backgrounds. You're confident supporting service level enquiries, offering advice on employment matters and resident or participant queries. Most importantly, you're compassionate, supportive and thrive in a fast paced, ever changing environment.

• Due to the nature of the service, it is an occupational requirement that the post holder is female
• Ability to provide high quality support and line management to staff
• Ability to motivate and empower a team to achieve KPI's
• Ability to provide advice, guidance, and support to the team on all aspects of service delivery including resident related queries
• Knowledge of the needs of women experiencing domestic abuse and will have strong leadership and team development skills.
• Understanding and/or experience of working with people of complex backgrounds, ex-offenders, mental health, substance misuse, challenging behaviours
• Willingness and ability to work flexibly to meet service needs
• IT Proficiency, including Microsoft Office, and the ability to navigate and learn new case management systems and other types of organisational software.
• Alignment with our values of Ambition, Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Transparency

Please refer to the JDPS attached for more details on the vacancy and our requirements/key criteria.

What we Offer

• 25 days (Full time equivalent) annual leave, increasing with the length of service
• Employer Pension Contribution
• Eligibility to register with Blue Light Discount Card
• Access to discounted tickets for music events, shows, sports and more
• Reflective Practice regular sessions with a therapist provided by an external provider to support Mental Health and Wellbeing at work
• Training and Development, including access to courses, upskilling, and progression plans
• Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Annual Staff Awards
• EDI Ambassador programme

About Social Interest Group (SIG)

SIG is a not-for-profit organisation providing thousands of people with good-quality support and care in residential, drop-in centres, community floating support settings, probation settings, and hospitals. We do so across London, Brighton, Bedfordshire, Luton, Kent and Liverpool. Our goal is to transform lives through empowering change. 

We believe good care and support improves lives with the vision to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive communities. Join us on our mission to empower independence through trauma-informed solutions and dynamic partnerships that keep people out of prison, out of hospital, and off the streets.
Want to know how we work? Watch our short Theory of Change video to see how we support people towards a brighter future: Theory of Change Further details can be found on our website here: Theory of Change - Social Interest Group - Social Interest Group. 

Additional Information

Please note that this job advert may close early due to screening applications on an ongoing basis. We advise applying as soon as possible for your application to be taken into consideration at the early stages.

Please note that as part of our process, we complete an enhanced DBS check, some roles may require further vetting. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us on the details below. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide sponsorship, please ensure you have full right to work in the UK prior to applying to our positions. 

Additional information on our company policies including Gender Pay, Equality and Diversity, Company Benefits and our Candidate Privacy Policy can be found on our website.

Healthier Me Coach

Are you passionate about health and wellbeing? Do you want to support people with a learning disability to improve their health and wellbeing? Do you want to be part of real, lasting change in your area? (North Yorkshire - Richmond and Northallerton)

If your answers are 'YES', please keep reading! 

The Healthier Me Coach is key to the delivery of our exciting new Omaze funded activity. This is a part-time, fixed-term position of 22.5 hours per week, ending in December 2027. The working days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. A valid driving license and access to a vehicle are essential for this role.

In our new programme called "Healthier Me" we want to: 

• Improve health outcomes for people with a learning disability. 
• Empower people we support and our staff teams to have better tools when it comes to health and wellbeing 
• Make community health offerings more accessible for people with a learning disability.

You will be working within a team of Healthier Me Coaches across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Healthier Me Coach will work both independently and collaboratively. 

In the Healthier Me Coach role, you will support people with a learning disability to improve their understanding of, and access to, health and wellbeing.

A key part of this work will be to support around 100 people with a learning disability to set and achieve personal health goals over 2 years. You will do this through1:1 coaching, delivering workshops and signposting, amongst other things. The post holder will be responsible for supporting individual progression and connecting the people Mencap supports with each other and appropriate opportunities in the community. 

In addition to this you will be managing at least one ‘Healthier Me Champion’ . The Champion role is for people with a learning disability, and it will strengthen the delivery of this work. 

This role involves working with a range of stakeholders to promote healthy living and to improve understanding of the barriers to health faced by people with a learning disability. 

Stakeholders will include: 

• Local staff in Mencap services 
• Community organisations 
• Local health teams 
• Families and Carers 
• Internal Mencap teams   

We want the Healthier Me Coach to use a community-led approach, giving people we support and the wider community opportunities to contribute and be part of local solutions. The coach will establish strong working relationships that enable Mencap to secure positive outcomes for people with a learning disability. The Healthier Me Coach will work closely with the Programme Manager to ensure good monitoring processes are followed to reach set targets and goals. You will support with monitoring progression, collecting and inputting data.

You will model our 5 values -Positive, Kind, Inclusive, Brave and Passionate. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Line management of colleagues with a learning disability – Healthier Me Champions.
• Effectively manage a caseload of individuals, supporting them to set and achieve personalised health goals. 
• Ensure that all contractual outcomes linked to your caseload are achieved, captured and documented. 
• Deliver workshops and training to Mencap teams, people with a learning disability and community members. 
• Implement community-led ways of working and co-production in approach to work. 
• Provide signposting, support and tools to individuals, carers and support staff. 
• Take responsibility for own professional development, and where needed use feedback to continually improve own performance. 
• Develop relationships with stakeholders and gather feedback. 
•  Complete reporting required for internal and external monitoring, accurately and on time. 
• Generate community opportunities with local organisations (e.g. allotment, leisure centre, social groups). 
• Highlight and report any practice issues or safety concerns to secure support and improvement in line with organisational policies. 

The successful candidate will: 

• Be passionate about making health and wellbeing accessible. 
• Have excellent communication and relationship building skills. 
• Demonstrate enthusiasm and flexibility for the team and its work. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of community-led ways of working. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of a duty of care to the individuals supported. 
• Understand responsibility for Prevent, safeguarding and critical incident reporting in accordance with both internal and external procedures. 
• Demonstrate an interest and commitment to the broader work of Mencap by attending meetings as required to support collaboration. 
• Live Mencap's values - Inclusive, Brave, Positive, Kind and Passionate.

Person Specification. Essential/Desirable - E/D 

Skills & abilities 

• Professional conduct and relationships -E 
• Effective communicator -E  Effective record keeping and reporting - E 
• Building positive relationships/partnerships - E 
• Judgement/troubleshooting skills - E 
• Working to targets - E  Managing and developing team members -E 
• Excellent team working skills -E 
• Good ICT skills -E 
• Hold a driving licence and access to a vehicle-E 

Knowledge and experience 

• Experience of supporting people- E 
• Experience of delivering against targets - E 
• Experience of coaching - D  Experience of delivering training - D 
• Experience of risk management - D 
• Experience of caseload review - D 
• Experience of gathering stakeholder feedback - D 
• Experience of community led ways of working -D 
• Knowledge of sector -D 
• Knowledge of safe working practices - E 

Applications close on Friday, 26 January. Interviews will be held on Thursday, 5th February via Microsoft Teams. If you’re passionate about making a difference, please review the job description for full details, and if you meet the criteria, we encourage you to apply!

Benefits

Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.

Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.

For more details on what we have to offer, please see the attached document outlining all the fantastic benefits available to you as a member of our team!

About Mencap

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.

At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues.

Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere.

· Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation.

· Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes

· Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves.

We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies.

We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for.

About Us

Our vision is for every child and young person to be safe, loved and happy, to achieve their potential and have a bright future.

St Christopher's is a leading charity for children and young people and we are proud of our history for providing fostering, children's homes and a range of innovative leaving care services across the UK & Isle of Man.  We have a passionate commitment to our young people, placing them at the centre of everything we do.  We provide positive life experiences for young people who are unable to sustain a placement in their parental or foster home.

We are an equal-opportunity employer keen to develop an inclusive workforce where people feel they belong.  We hope to attract applications from under- represented groups, including people from different cultures, nationalities, socioeconomic backgrounds, ages, disabilities, religions, faith, sex, orientation, childcare responsibilities, and gender-diverse identities.

St Christopher’s Academy

At St Christopher's we can offer you a career where you can develop your skills and knowledge while making a difference to young people’s lives.

When you join St Christopher’s, we will set you up in your career with a tailored development plan. Whether you want to move across to a different service, become a Manager or just explore further your current role, we will support you to map out your career trajectory and help you achieve your professional ambitions. If you want to learn more about St Christopher’s Academy, please visit our website.

We are proud that 84% of all our Team Leaders, Deputies and Managers are internal promotions. 

Watch our short video to gain an insight into our working life here at St Christopher’s

About the Role

As Team Leader, you will assist the Manager in the running of a 16+ semi-independent supported accommodation service, supporting the delivery of high quality transition services for young people that promote their independence and increase their life skills.

We have an enthusiastic team including Support Workers, Waking Night Staff and Management who all have different interests which they bring to the service. If you’re ready for a challenge and think you have the skills to drive St Christopher’s forward we would love to hear from you!

Applicants should have

· At least two year’s relevant experience providing housing and/or support services to vulnerable individuals

· A good understanding of the regulatory framework relevant to the provision of housing services for young people

· Knowledge of the welfare benefits system in relation to young people.

· Ability to lead, motivate, supervise and support staff and be a positive role model.

· Ability to prioritise own workload and to work flexibly to meet deadlines or service requirements.

· Ability to use own initiative as well as be an active team member.

· Flexibility to occasionally work evening and weekend shifts and participating in the On-Call system.

In return we offer:

· Salary of £30,784 per annum.

· Competitive pay and reward structure offering salary progression based on performance.

· A friendly working environment, a fun, open and honest culture.

· 25 days holiday rising to 27 days after 3 years’ service, plus Bank Holidays, pro-rata.

· Industry leading training programme including access to level 3 qualifications, children’s right and participation, CSE, empowerment, mental health and social pedagogy.

· Contributory pension scheme, enhanced maternity and company sick scheme.

· UK Life Assurance (Death in service) to the value of 3 times your annual salary.

· BUPA employee assistance programme, offering counselling, financial advice and legal support.

· Cycle to work scheme.

· Bluelight card; discount shopping scheme at hundreds of retailers across the UK.

· Discretionary funded training programs.

· Employee awards based on performance and length of service.

· Fantastic opportunities to develop your career within our range of services.

Recruitment Process

At St Christopher’s we are committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people in our care. During the recruitment process you will be expected to complete an online application form to ensure we capture essential information to meet legislation, best practice and vetting requirements.

Applicants will ideally already be on the DBS Update Service; if this is not the case St Christopher's will carry out a DBS (police) check prior to starting.

Your online application must include a supporting statement addressing the criteria stated in the Person Specification. For the full Job Description and Person Specification visit our website. CV’s will not be accepted.

For more information or assistance during the application process, please contact us via our website.

Closing date:  30th January 2026

We advise to apply as soon as possible as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note that it is against the law to apply for work with Children/Young People if you are barred from working in Regulated Activity and if your name is added to a Children Barred List.

All shortlisted candidates invited to interview will be asked to submit a Self-Declaration and Disclosure form which will need to be returned prior to an interview being booked.

Please note this post has a minimum age restriction of 21 for roles working directly with children and young people in our residential and semi-independent Homes in line with the Equality Act ‘occupational requirement’.

Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?   

Do you have experience of successful delivery of safeguarding strategies and initiatives?  

Are you keen to make a difference to people who want to be heard through a profound commitment to safeguarding, protection and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults? 

Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility.  

We have an exciting opportunity for a Designated Safeguarding Lead to join our team to Act as the expert organisational designated safeguarding lead (DSL) for all work 

covering children, young people (CYP) and adults in equal measure. Your role will be homebased but may require you to travel to locations such as hospitals and care homes nationally to meet with stakeholders; therefore, a suitable home internet connection is essential.

About us  

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of service contracts funded by local authorities, health trusts and other voluntary and private sector organisations.  

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most.  For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website.  

About you 

You will have at least 2 years’ experience of working as a Designated Safeguarding Lead with line management responsibility, developing, implementing and evaluating of CYP and Adult safeguarding policies, procedures, and training programmes, reflecting current legislation and best practices.You will also have demonstrable experience in leading, managing, influencing diverse teams on safeguarding, focusing on developing a positive culture and promoting continuous professional development. 

You should have experience in managing complex safeguarding cases, including conducting risk assessments, deciding on immediate actions, and coordinating with external agencies and key stakeholders. 

How will you make a difference? 

You will be called upon internally and/or by external bodies as a source of organisational expert knowledge. 

You will provide leadership and accountability for the advancement of safeguarding best 

practices. 

You will work resourcefully and collaboratively across agencies and adapt child protection systems to address risks in diverse social environments as part of a contextual safeguarding approach, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of young people, vulnerable groups and adults alike.

Benefits  

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time colleagues) rising to 30 days upon 5 years’ service  

5% employer pension & minimum 3% employee contribution  

Salary sacrifices pension scheme  

Separate Life Assurance Cover (equivalent of two times your annual salary)  

Staff discount scheme including retail discounts, entertainment, holidays, gym membership etc  

24/7 Employee Assistance programme  

Access to remote counselling service  

Paid Disability Leave  

Paid compassionate Leave  

Home Working Allowance   

Support with continuous professional development  

Access to Clifton Strengths Coaching for development   

Personal Development Plans  

How are staff supported to work remotely?  

VoiceAbility has a small number of offices. Employees including Team Leaders are homebased for Administration and meetings will be held online as well as in person in the relevant community.  

When you need to travel for work, expenses will be paid (mileage or public transport costs).   

VoiceAbility offers the usual regular manager one to ones, Staff forums and communities of practice depending on role. Team meetings with a mix of virtual and in person approach.  

Equality and Diversity 

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential. 

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview.