Student pastoral support worker jobs

Location: Based in Reading with hybrid working arrangements and regular travel

Contract: Fixed term role to 31 March 2028. Full time, 37 hours per week or part time, 30 hours per week (please state on your application if you would prefer full or part time)

Salary range: Starting full time equivalent salary from £35,502 per annum 

Would you like to become a vital part of our collaborative and innovative team to make a lasting difference to families?

Every day at PACT, we are building adoptive families and empowering women, children and parents to embrace a positive future. PACT is an outstanding adoption charity and award-winning trauma recovery service provider that is passionate about creating brighter futures for women, children and families from many different backgrounds. We believe that every child deserves a loving and supportive home and we are committed to providing the highest quality services to help make that a reality. We are proud of our four successive outstanding ratings with Ofsted.

We are looking for an Adoption Support Education Advisor to join our Reading team.

Our Adoption Support Education Advisor will work in PACT’s adoption support service and support our Lead Specialist Education Worker in the implementation and development of our Early Education Pathways pilot project for a fixed term period to March 2028 to:

· foster positive and effective relationships between schools, educational and other professionals and adoptive families

· contribute to meeting the objectives of the pilot project, maintaining delivery momentum, data quality and consistency to ensure the project’s success

About you:

We are looking for an individual with demonstrable experience of training and education ideally within a primary school setting. You’ll have an understanding of the needs of looked after children and child development and the impact on behaviour of interrupted development.

You’ll hold a degree (or equivalent), and professional qualification/s preferably in education (or related field). With great organisational and communication skills, you’ll be adept at managing assigned project deliverables to agreed timelines to ensure the pilot project’s success.

You will make a real difference to the lives of children and families.

For further information and details on how to apply and contact details for an informal conversation, please visit our website.

Closing date: 4pm Friday 10 July 2026

We look forward to hearing from you.

Early application is encouraged. We will review applications received throughout the advertising period and may close the vacancy earlier than stated.

Please do not submit your CV; only completed application forms will be accepted. No agencies please.

PACT is a supportive and respectful place where people are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of women, children and families from many different backgrounds. We continuously look to progress the ways in which we create families and bring people together and encourage applications from people across all communities. We are committed to ensuring that our people and our services reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and applications from people from under-represented groups are particularly welcomed.

PACT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Anyone joining our team is subject to PACT’s Safer Recruitment pre-appointment enquiries. These include the provision of documentation of the right to work in the UK, Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check, overseas police check where applicable and references covering a minimum 5-year period.

All opportunities are based in the UK.

Other relevant roles you may have experience of could include: Designated Teacher for LAC/PLAC, Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Adoption Support Advisor, Specialist Education Advisor, Education Advisor, Adoption Teaching Advisor, Education Psychologist, Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, Head Teacher, Virtual School, Virtual School Head, SENDCO, Special Educational Needs Coordinator, SEND, SEND Educational Advisor, Primary School Pastoral Care Lead.

We’re an award-winning charity running local learning centres in the heart of the communities where the young people we support live. Our centres provide a high-impact education programme which includes practical learning support, pastoral care, and motivational and confidence-building activities for young people aged 7-18. Our aim is to enable students from the least advantaged neighbourhoods to realise their ambitions and achieve their wonderful potential.

As the UK’s leading university access organisation, our staff team is helping over 60,000 young people each year at its 46 learning centres and extension projects across England and Scotland, and we plan to scale-up our provision to 50 centres over the coming years.

We are looking for graduates who will enjoy working each day with young people and who will thrive in a frontline, community-based, fast-paced and rewarding role. You will be taking up a permanent role as an Education Worker on IntoUniversity’s Graduate Scheme, helping to change the lives of young people.

We believe that our Graduate Scheme is one of the most exciting in the charity sector, an excellent career opportunity with exceptional training and hands-on experience, opportunities for promotion, and the chance to work with young people and colleagues who will challenge and inspire you. 

The role at a glance 

Contract

Full-time, permanent 

Start date

August 2026

Working hours

Mon and Thurs: 09:30-18:00

Tues, Weds, Fri: 09:00-17:30

(Some out-of-hours work will be required from time to time - for example, early starts to deliver workshops in schools.)

Education Workers are based at one of our IntoUniversity learning centres and work directly with young people, schools and families on a daily basis. It is therefore not a hybrid role and is based full-time in our centres.

Salary

£28,250 per annum

This will increase to £29,050 per annum from 1st September 2026. 

Location

We have positions available in Great Yarmouth.

The role requires intermittent travel in your region (usually within the day) this can involve journeys times of 1 hour+. Occasional travel out of your local area e.g. to London is also required, this may include overnight stays. 

Annual leave

33 days (inc bank & public holidays) + 3 closure days (two in December and one in July) + additional length of service entitlement (one day per year of service, up to 5 days) 

Application deadline

9am Monday 13th July 2026 

Interview Day (online)

Friday 17th July 2026

Please ensure that you are available on these dates

Hours:            25 hours per week

Base: Shipley office with travel to other offices (Skipton/Harrogate)

Salary:            £32,000 – £35,050 (Full time equivalent)

We are seeking an experienced and proactive Volunteer Manager to lead the development, coordination, and growth of our volunteer programme supporting unpaid carers (both adults and young carers).

This role will focus on recruiting, training, and supporting a diverse volunteer base, including members of the public, college students, and student social workers to deliver a range of support across our services. Alongside this, the Volunteer Manager will play a key role in building internal capacity by equipping staff with the skills and confidence to effectively support volunteers in their roles. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and strengthen a volunteer offer that has real impact for carers in our community.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement:

• Develop and deliver effective volunteer recruitment strategies
• Promote volunteering opportunities through outreach, partnerships, and campaigns
• Build relationships with colleges, universities, and community organisations to attract volunteers
• Manage the end-to-end recruitment process, including onboarding and safer recruitment checks

Volunteer Training & Development:

• Design and deliver induction and training programmes for volunteers
• Ensure volunteers are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed for their roles
• Support student placements (e.g. social work students) to meet learning objectives

Volunteer Supervision & Support:

• Provide ongoing supervision, guidance, and pastoral support to volunteers
• Monitor volunteer wellbeing, performance, and development
• Address any issues or concerns in a timely and supportive manner
• Foster a positive, inclusive, and rewarding volunteer experience

Supporting Staff to Work with Volunteers:

• Train and support internal staff to effectively supervise and work alongside volunteers
• Develop guidance, tools, and best practice resources for staff
• Promote a culture where volunteering is valued and embedded across the organisation

Quality, Safeguarding & Compliance:

• Ensure all volunteering activity is safe, ethical, and compliant with organisational policies
• Maintain accurate records of volunteer activity and engagement
• Support safeguarding processes and ensure volunteers understand their responsibilities

Service Development:

• Contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of the volunteer programme
• Gather feedback from volunteers, staff, and service users to inform improvements
• Support reporting on volunteer impact and outcomes

For an informal discussion, please reach out to: Dolly Dalton.

This is an opportunity to join a dedicated organisation that is committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of carers. If you are passionate about supporting others and making a difference, we encourage you to apply.

Carers’ Resource values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 28th June 2026

Proposed interview date: Friday 10th July 2026 (Shipley)