Support and information team members jobs in south harrow, greater london

Starlight has a long and successful track record of delivering high-profile, high-value special events, including the prestigious Blenheim Ball, Newbury Race Day, and until recently, the Highclere Clay Pigeon Shoot. These events are supported by influential committees and play a critical role in raising income, stewarding donors and connecting supporters with our purpose.

With a gap in our Philanthropy team and maternity leave expected to begin in March, this 18-month fixed-term role exists to lead and deliver Starlight’s flagship events at a senior level, with immediate responsibility for the Blenheim Ball (April) –  the event Tatler refers to as “ society’s smartest ball “chaired by Lady Alexandra Spencer Churchill; and Newbury Race Day (May) – one of Starlight’s longest-standing and most successful supporter events, hosted by Nicky Henderson and his Committee.

This is a senior, delivery-focused role designed for an experienced events professional who can hit the ground running and immediately take ownership of two flagship events. Working closely with the Committees, you will bring leadership, strategic judgement and outstanding project management to ensure these events continue to excel in reputation, income and supporter experience.

We are specifically looking for talented individuals who have a short notice period and are available to start in January. Candidates need only apply if available through to April 2026 with no planned significant periods of leave.

We’re looking for a talented Graphic Designer to help shape and elevate the Dogs Trust brand, crafting compelling multi-channel content that supports our strategic goals. You’ll also provide day-to-day guidance to fellow designers, ensuring high-quality, on-brand work is delivered on time, to budget, and to a consistently high standard.

What does this role do?

As a Graphic Designer you will: 

• Develop and evolve Dogs Trust’s visual identity and campaign concepts across digital and print,
• Produce a range of marketing materials for internal and external channels, including digital and print assets,
• Lead multiple design projects from brief to delivery, working with colleagues and external suppliers to ensure on-brand results,
• Champion best-practice design, including accessibility and EEDI, while staying current with trends, tools, and maintaining key brand assets.

Interviews for this role are provisionally scheduled for week commencing 12th January 2026.

Could this be you?

We are looking for a highly creative and technically skilled Graphic Designer with a strong portfolio across digital and print, excellent knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, and a solid understanding of digital accessibility and print production. The ideal candidate has strong strategic thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining a consistent brand identity. Excellent communication and collaboration skills, combined with a passion for animal welfare and experience in the charity sector, are essential.

We are seeking a dedicated Grants Officer to join our Online Grants Team ensuring that members of the Armed Forces Community receive crucial financial assistance when they cannot cover essential welfare needs themselves. This role is a vital link in providing immediate, life-changing support.

Come and be part of the leading Armed Forces charity, making a difference to the lives of those who have served to keep us safe and protect our way of life.

The Grants Department is dynamic, adapting its focus based on RBL strategy and emerging community needs. The team operates across two primary functions: the Online Grants Team and the Central Grants Team, and flexibility is essential to meet high service demands and ensure continuous support across the department.

Key responsibilities underpin our service delivery including:

- Case Advocacy: Assess case priority and know when to advocate for established policy exceptions to meet the applicant’s needs most appropriately.
- Customer Service Excellence: Deliver considered, tailored support and communicate all decisions and updates clearly, professionally, and within a 24-hour response time.
- Expert Knowledge: Maintain working knowledge of welfare benefits and relevant statutory provisions.
- Value & Compliance: Identify the most cost-effective products and ensure all data handling adheres to GDPR and charitable requirements.
- Professional Conduct: Manage challenging situations and complex client issues with the utmost compassion, dignity, and professionalism.

You will be contracted to your home address, and you will perform most of your work remotely there using our collaboration tools to work with colleagues, with occasional travel (incl. for monthly team meetings).

Employee benefits include

- 28 day’s paid holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing with service, with optional annual leave purchase scheme of up to 5 working days
- Generous pension contributions, with Employer contributions ranging from 6% to 10%
- Range of flexible working options may be available, depending on your role
- Employee Assistance Programme providing confidential counselling, financial and legal advice
- Range of courses delivered by learning specialists to support your development goals and objectives
- Opportunities to volunteer
- Travel loans, Cycle to Work, and more!

For more detailed information about the role, please see our Vacancy Information Pack attached to our direct advert. Our shortlisting is performed on the evidence provided in your application against the Essential and Desirable criteria in the Person Specification.

RBL is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive organisation, reflecting the diversity of the armed forces community and of wider society. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and personal characteristics.

We may close this vacancy early if we believe we have enough strong applications to be able to successfully fill the role(s). Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
 

Are you an exceptional fundraiser who excels at cultivating high-value relationships and securing transformational gifts? Do you enjoy working with senior volunteers and philanthropists who are deeply committed to changing children’s lives?

Step into a pivotal role within one of the UK’s leading philanthropy teams as you lead our flagship Tick Tock Club appeal — inspiring major donors and volunteers to drive extraordinary impact for seriously ill children.

Salary

The salary for this position is £52,526 per annum and we operate a hybrid working policy of a minimum of 2 days per week in the office. 

In line with our EDI strategy and Total Reward policy, we calculate our salaries based on benchmarking data across the charity sector. To ensure fairness for existing staff and new joiners, we do not offer salaries above the advertised rate.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver a personal fundraising target of £1.5m+, securing six- and seven-figure gifts and multi-year commitments from high-net-worth individuals and charitable trusts.
• Lead the £20m Tick Tock Club appeal, shaping strategy and driving one of GOSH Charity’s flagship philanthropic initiatives.
• Recruit, inspire and collaborate with senior volunteers, campaign boards and influential supporters to accelerate high-value fundraising.
• Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, using insight-led approaches to build long-term engagement and maximise impact.
• Oversee campaign events, communications and tailored proposals, ensuring activity aligns with income targets and delivers an exceptional supporter experience.
• Provide motivating line management to a small team, fostering professional development, wellbeing and high performance.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• A strong track record of securing six- and seven-figure philanthropic gifts.
• Experience partnering with senior volunteers and campaign boards on major fundraising initiatives.
• Strategic leadership skills with the ability to galvanise a team around ambitious goals.
• Exceptional relationship-building, influencing and presentation abilities.
• A creative, solutions-focused mindset with resilience under pressure.

Please refer to the full job description below for more information.

About the team
 

You’ll join our sector-leading Philanthropy team — recognised as one of the most high-performing and respected in the charity sector. We partner with some of the most generous and committed philanthropists in the UK and beyond to transform the lives of seriously ill children.

Our talented and supportive team of 20+ works closely with colleagues across fundraising, clinical, and research teams to create inspiring, high-impact opportunities for supporters. In partnership with senior volunteers and committees, we drive landmark campaigns including the £300 million Build It. Beat It. appeal and the Tick Tock Club, with exciting plans for a major new research-focused campaign on the horizon.

Would you like to join our small, dedicated, international team to make a difference to the lives of seafarers and their families worldwide?

ISWAN has recently reorganised the management of our helpline services and created this new role, which will be pivotal to further developing our quality service to seafarers. We have seen significant growth in the number and usage of our helplines and now seek to recruit a second Helplines Operations Manager to ensure we have a management structure capable of coping with further growth.

As one of two Helplines Operations Managers, you will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of ISWAN’s helplines to ensure our services provide accurate information, appropriate advice, and comprehensive support to seafarers and their families.  

You will manage the development of Salesforce and be familiar with Salesforce reporting, particularly using advanced tools like Power BI and Tableau. You will be confident liaising with our IT support service on system issues and developments. 

We have no preconceptions about where the successful applicant will come from but you will bring experience of managing multi-channelled contact centre operations and best practice as well as delivering user and client service improvements.

You will need to be capable of working effectively within a complex international context and have sound experience of service development. This is a full-time role (35 hours per week) but we are keen to find the right person and therefore happy to discuss flexible working patterns. The role is fully remote and we are flexible about where you are based but you will be working with staff across the UK, India and the Philippines so you will need to be a great team player.

Are you a brilliant event coordinator? Do you have experience developing training events? Can you spot opportunities to inspire, educate and engage audiences?  

The SLA supports approximately 2000 members with advice, training and advocacy across the UK. The Training and Events Manager will form an essential part of the SLA team working to run a high quality, inspiring and engaging events and training to help us deliver on our mission to support members, so that more children and young people reach their full potential through the school library. You will lead on the organisation of our annual conference; develop and maintain a calendar of events and training for members and non-member audiences; and support the team with all event related administration and logistics.  Events at the SLA include member meet ups (in person and online), events in our branch network across 23 regions, professional development and training, and our SLA Awards ceremonies.

Your work will be at the forefront of our member offer, helping to build links with membership, support members, build relationships with key stakeholders and sponsors, delivering high-quality training and impactful events offer across the year. An agile and flexible thinker, you will be creative, with a flair for spotting opportunities for professional development, and have a keen eye for detail with an ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines. Using your project management experience, you will work with the CEO, SLA team colleagues and subject matter experts and facilitators to develop and deliver a high quality and competitive calendar of events and training. 

This is a full time role (37 hours per week) working remotely throughout the year and will require travel and occassional overnight stays. Find out more about the role including full job description and how to apply by downloading the job specification pack. 

Application deadline: 19th December 

Interviews: First round interview (online): 13th/14th January

Second round interview in person TBC: 20th/22nd January 

Applications without a covering letter will not be considered. No agencies please.   

Due to the volume of applications we cannot provide individual feedback. We really appreciate your interest. If you haven’t heard from us within four weeks of the deadline, it means we’ve moved forward with other candidates on this occasion. We encourage you to apply again in the future. Please note we may close recruitment early should the right candidate be identified. 

This is a fascinating role for a dynamic commercial property professional with an appreciation of the property needs and experience of the voluntary sector.  We are looking for a surveyor with a proven track record in revenue generation and new business development who can work with a small team of dedicated professionals. 

ABOUT THE ETHICAL PROPERTY FOUNDATION

The Ethical Property Foundation (“EPF”) is unique: the UK’s only dedicated property advice charity for the voluntary sector. (Registered Charity number 1101812 in England & Wales) Incorporated in 2003, we have supported thousands of voluntary organisations to manage their premises successfully whether rented or owned. Since 2015, we have been the lead referral partner to the Charity Commission for land & property advice and preferred supplier to the Lloyds Bank Foundation. 

Our mission is to equip voluntary organisations with the knowledge and confidence to make the most of the property they occupy and manage, for the benefit of their services and beneficiaries, without crises or compliance failures.

We are a small, dynamic, and enterprising not-for-profit. Our services comprise  free, independent property guidance and support; affordable consultancy; plus online property education. Our combined expertise and unique perspective mean we are much in demand from policymakers, and sector thought leaders. Funding comes from philanthropic donations, grants, corporate partnerships and earned income from affordable consultancy.  In 2023, we launched the voluntary sector’s first interactive online Weston Property Manual for which we were finalists in two major voluntary sector awards. In 2024 we celebrated the 21st Anniversary of our incorporation.

We employ four part-time employees: the CEO, Head of Property Services, Operations Manager, and Administrator - 2.45FTE, supported by a further nine self-employed Associates and Volunteers of whom eight are chartered surveyors. In addition, we run an expert Register of fifteen property professionals, primarily commercial property solicitors, who provide advice on a pro-bono and discounted fee basis. 

 JOB DESCRIPTION

The Head of Property Advisory is the lead member of the Property Advice Team comprising Associate Property Advisors. The team is supported by The Foundation’s Register of Property Professionals. The Property Advice Team provides advice, consultancy and educational services. This service is delivered by providing on-line information, free helpdesk guidance, training events and consultancy projects to assist organisations in making informed property decisions. The Head of Property Services will have the following key areas of activity and responsibility:

1. Developing the Affordable Consultancy  

The Head of Property Services leads on all aspects of building our affordable consultancy and delivers sales income in line with agreed targets. This will include:  

· Identifying potential clients and proactively seeking opportunities to bid for work.

· Responding to enquiries from potential clients, conducting initial meetings to ascertain support required and putting together carefully priced proposals tailored to client needs.

· Developing and maintaining relationships with key partners, including Lloyds Bank Foundation.

· Tracking of enquiries and work in progress with support from the Operations Manager; ensuring accurate records are maintained and providing information and reports to the CEO and Trustees for invoicing and fundraising purposes.

·  Developing new products for the charity sector, making the EPF relevant and providing new and growing income streams.

· Ensuring EPF communication channels appropriately promote our services.

2. Management of Property Advice Team 

The Head of Property Services directly line-manages the Associates in delivery of the Affordable Consultancy:  

·  Developing and maintaining appropriate processes and templates for development and delivery of work.  Disseminating as necessary and ensuring processes followed by team members.

·  Oversight of all support, advice and training provided by the team to ensure consistent high levels of content quality and customer care are maintained.

· Oversight of the free Property Advice Service, co-ordinating with the Property Advisors running the service and responding to enquires who may require affordable consultancy services.

· Ensuring consultancy projects are allocated to team members with appropriate knowledge, experiences and availability. 

· Developing excellent working relationships with members of our Register of Property Professionals to introduce charities for effective support. 

· Delivering excellent customer care by coordinating the Foundation’s support to charities until their project is resolved.

· Supporting the team to ensure property materials for training and online guidance are accurate and appropriate.

3. Additional duties may include:  

· Representing the Foundation and presenting at external events.

· Working proactively to ensure that the Property Advice Team remains up to date with property and charity sector knowledge.

· Develop a broad knowledge of complementary organisations and services that can provide support to enquirers to the Property Advice Service, or opportunities for partnership working or collaboration with the Foundation.

· The Foundation requires all employees to work with due regard for the Foundation’s ethos and policies including health and safety, equality and the environment.  All our team must have DBS clearance.

Family Support Worker 

Maternity Cover up to 12 months

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

Essex and surrounding areas, including Romford, Ilford, Harlow, Loughton, Chelmsford

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

We are looking to appoint a Family Support Worker for a fixed term period of up to 12 months, on a full time basis (35 hours per week) to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Essex Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Essex Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

Location:

This role covers Essex and surrounding areas, including Romford, Ilford, Harlow, Loughton & Chelmsford.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

· We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris Skills Development Programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, introduction to play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

Please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Interview Date to be confirmed

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Essex Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful. If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation.

Kingston Bereavement Support

Service Manager

Kingston upon Thames (On-site)

£45,000 - £49,000 (DOE) pro rata

Part-time 0.4 or 0.6 per week depending on experience and availability.

Permanent via Website

About The Role

Kingston Bereavement Support (KBS) is the only bereavement service in Kingston Upon Thames. We are a registered provider to local GPs and an organisational member of the Childhood Bereavement Network. We are organisational members of British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and we work in accordance with their Ethical Framework.

The Service Manager will provide strategic leadership in the development and delivery of a  high-quality service for our clients. This role will drive continuous learning, service improvements, and strong partnership engagement to ensure that KBS provides the best support possible. We are looking for a committed and passionate person who can work as part of a small team to provide a professional, effective, and quality service, ensuring that equal opportunities are available for everyone.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience of managing experienced staff including personal development and objective setting.
• Experience of managing, monitoring and evaluating service or organisation provision.
• Practical experience of operational functions, ideally including IT, finance and marketing.
• A track record of fundraising through grants and other channels.
• Excellent leadership skills demonstrated in organisations experiencing major change.

Recruitment Process

Safeguarding the children, young people and adults we support is our top priority. We are committed to recruiting candidates who share this commitment to safeguarding, and we therefore apply robust recruitment and selection procedures to ensure all candidates are appropriate for the roles they apply for and are appropriately screened prior to appointment including DBS checks and social media background checks.

Please read the Job Description and Person Specification documents and complete the application form.

If you have any questions about the role or process, please get in touch. 

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented within our organisation.

No agencies please.

Closing date for applications: Midday Tuesday 6th January 2026

Interviews:   Likely to be online week beginning 19th January 2026

Our Benefits

We are a small and dedicated team.

• Annual Leave of 25 days and eight Bank Holidays (pro rata according to contracted hours).
• Access to learning and development to enable you to progress your career.
• An attractive pension scheme.

Mental Health Recovery Worker

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.

Job Title: Mental Health Recovery Worker

Location: Catford.  There is step free access at this location. 

Salary: £27,000

Shift Pattern: 37.5 per week on a pro rota between Monday To Sunday, Hours may include 08:30 - 16:30 13:00 - 21:00 08:30 - 21:00 10:00 - 18:00 . Shift patterns and weekly hours may vary dependent on service and resident requirements. You may be required to work Bank Holidays.

About the Role

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Recovery Worker to join our team. you will empower and motivate both our  male and female residents and participants to achieve their personal goals and gain greater independence, supporting their reintegration into the community. You will provide tailored, person-centred support using a recovery model, ensuring our services are flexible and responsive to individual needs while meeting the expectations of our commissioners and stakeholders.

Your focus is on successful community reintegration and a sustained quality of life, guided by a recovery model that enables clients to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities through interactive and preventative approaches. We provide intensive accommodation-based support (six flats) and floating support (dispersed flats) designed to address the complex and challenging needs of our residents and participants.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents and participants at all times
• Focusing on empowering our residents to take control over their lives and meet their personal goals
• Planning activities to engage residents with other people, communities, and opportunities
• Building trusting professional relationships with residents, helping them to achieve their goals and aspirations which could be through tailored one to one sessions, group sessions, in and out of service activities, and general wellbeing check ins
• Be a valued and reliable member of the team, completing handovers for night colleagues for a seamless service

About You

We are looking for someone compassionate and driven individual, with a genuine desire to support others in achieving their goals and overcoming challenges. You thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, and can remain calm and non-judgmental in difficult situations. Strong communication skills are essential, allowing you to build meaningful relationships with residents, colleagues, and external partners. You are proactive, solution-focused, and possess a solid understanding of the complex needs faced by individuals with mental health issues. You are adaptable, able to work flexibly, and committed to SIG’s mission of empowering individuals through innovative and inclusive support.

• Experience of working with people of complex backgrounds and/or a good understanding of the sector, particularly mental health and substance dependency
• Ability to show empathy and compassion to our residents, and different challenges they face
• Ability to use, learn and adapt to IT at an intermediate level, including Microsoft and other software programs
• Ability and willingness to show flexibility of working patterns, responding to the needs of the service and residents
• Ability to promote the service and provide outreach-based provision, with an ability to liaise and work effectively in partnership with stakeholders
• Understanding of the different needs people with multiple and complex needs have and be aware of the social marginalisation that can be attached to people who face personal challenges
• 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. 

Policy Specialist (children and young people)

Are you interested in improving the lives of children and young people with a learning disability? Can you turn complex ideas into evidence-based policy? Are you a skilled communicator able to influence decision-makers? If so, we would love to hear from you!

We are currently looking for a Policy Specialist to join Mencap. This position sits within the Policy and Public Affairs teams of Mencap’s Campaigns, Advocacy and Activism Directorate (CAA). You will work closely with our influencing, information and advice, campaigning, and research work, as well as sector partners like the Disabled Children's Partnership.

This is an exciting new role to deliver policy change and enhance the rights of children and young people with a learning disability. At a key time to influence Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) education reform, we are seeking a policy specialist to shape policy work that reflects the needs and experiences of children, young people, and their families. Working within the policy team, you will be responsible for developing evidence-based policy work and influencing decision-makers. 

This is a full time position (37.5 hours per week). We are flexible with your work location, but there may be some occasional travel needed to our London office or Westminster.

You will:

· Translate complex work into clear and persuasive policy briefings, consultation responses and reports.

· Work within wider coalitions of charities, building collaborative relationships and ensuring that the needs and priorities of our community are addressed.

· Develop and expand Mencap’s ‘Policy Shapers’ work, ensuring our work reflects the experiences of children and young people with a learning disability and their families.

· Support our information and advice team, briefing them on important developments, inputting into casework discussions relevant to your areas of work, and supporting the creation of public information resources.

· Represent Mencap at meetings and events, with MPs, civil servants, and sector partners.

· Identify and analyse relevant research to develop evidence-based policy recommendations.

You will bring to this role:

· Experience of working on public policy issues.

· Strong communication skills: experience tailoring your messaging to a variety of different audiences and representing an organisation.

· Experience building positive relationships and working collaboratively to achieve outcomes; able to positively challenge, negotiate and compromise.

· The ability to work on your own initiative while contributing to team priorities and sustain enthusiasm under pressure.

· Experience analysing evidence to develop recommendations.

· Knowledge the issues facing children and young people with a learning disability and/or the SEND system, as well as the wider parliamentary system.

· Passion about making the world a better place for people with a learning disability.

If you're passionate about driving meaningful change for children and young people with a learning disability and you're ready to use your policy expertise to make a real impact, please apply now with an up-to-date CV. This advert has been extended and will now close on Sunday, 4th January, 2026. Interviews are scheduled to take place via Microsoft Teams during the week commencing 12th January 2026.

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.

Our members are looking for an enthusiastic indovidual to join our Network Hope Activities team as staff cover for 9 months.

You will work under the direction of the Project Manager and alongside, tutors to deliver activities, support networks, health and wellbeing and training support to beneficiaries and to recruit, train and support a network of volunteers to facilitate the support groups. 

The role will involve collaboration with other local businesses and third sector organisations to deliver the activities. This Project’s aim is to support vulnerable disabled people (including those with learning disabilities, autism and those affected by mental health issues and their families) through consistent provision of health and wellbeing activities, pathways into employment training, sport and social activities, advice, signposting and peer support based both at our Resource Centre in W10 and out in the community.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES  
 
1. Supporting Tutors, volunteers, senior staff and beneficiaries 
 
Utilising EPM’s resources to lead in locally sourcing beneficiaries and volunteers from the local community. Liaise with the NHS and Social Services, partner providers and schools, colleges, community centres, voluntary organisations and referral agencies. 

· Facilitate and support local support groups, 

· Plan, arrange and run a variety of activities and training programmes. 

· Recruit and support a network of volunteers to co-facilitate support groups and activities 

· Under the direction of The Project Manager conduct home visits to assess the needs of the families and inform them of support available through Network Hope. 

· Arrange the selection and delivery of healthy food and drinks and running the catering and gardening training groups. 

· Work with sports and fitness tutors to ensure all equipment used in sports/fitness sessions are secure and meet health and safety standards. 

· Coordinate and oversee respite and peer group support to the families. 

· Develop, monitor, update and review individual action plans for all beneficiaries. 

· Conduct evaluation reports (including case studies) and work with senior management to collate the information. 

· Assist senior management in leading  advisory group meetings and lead/facilitate local support group meetings. 

          Other duties as required

About us

REMAP is a unique national charity. It brings together two groups of people: volunteers skilled at making things and disabled people who need specialist equipment. Each year, around 3,000 pieces of custom-made equipment help transform the lives of disabled people.

REMAP’s army of ingenious inventors designs and makes equipment for young and old alike and then provides it free of charge. The aim is always to help people achieve quality of life, filling the gap where no suitable equipment is available commercially.

With an exciting strategy that will continue to place the client at the heart of our work, we seek an experienced charity sector Volunteer Recruitment Officer to help us deliver on our mission and vision.

REMAP is an organisation that encourages its team members to contribute their thoughts and ideas actively and work together to achieve its aims and ambitions. You will be given the space to work autonomously and grow in the role, but with the support of your colleagues and line manager when you need us. You can work to your strengths and share your successes and learning with the broader team, who will, in turn, look to share their experiences and learning.

The Role

The Volunteer Recruitment Officer role is critical to the charity's long-term sustainability and is pivotal in ensuring our branches have the volunteers and guidance they need to support our clients going forward.

This is both an internal and external-facing role, focused on recruiting volunteers and developing initiatives that will streamline how we recruit and welcome new volunteers into our network of branches.

We are seeking an experienced volunteering officer, who has a strong background in both volunteer recruitment and project delivery. Experience in being part of a team going through a change programme involving volunteers is advantageous. You will thrive in a busy environment, have excellent people skills and have a positive ‘can-do’ attitude.

As a small charity, the role will require balancing practical tasks with project delivery and innovation. Building on the strategy that has already been prepared for you, you will work closely with our Volunteer Administration Officer and our Operations Manager to help REMAP support our branches across the UK.

About You

We want you to bring relevant experience, passion, dedication, creativity, and flair to our work.

To be considered for this role, you will have demonstrable experience in a similar position and be comfortable working with a diverse range of volunteers/people. As a self-starter, you can work at pace and quickly assess and deliver to changing priorities in a busy remote team. You will have excellent interpersonal skills, be able to coordinate multiple tasks/activities and have the flexibility to respond to changing demands.

You will be proactive, enthusiastic, and excited about joining an organisation with ambitious plans to future-proof its services and reach more disabled people. Experience working in a remote environment is highly desirable.

Additional information about the role

Place of work: Fully remote, with occasional 1/2 nights away for year-round events.

Working Hours: 22 hrs (pattern to be discussed)

Salary: 13,400 - £15,000 (actual salary), dependent on experience

Holiday entitlement: Begins at 25 days per annum (pro-rata), in addition to public holidays.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send your CV and a separate cover letter of no more than two A4 sides, setting out how you meet the job description and personal specification. 

We are a Disabled Confident employee.

Candidates who fail to follow the instructions will automatically be screened out of the selection process.

Closing date for Applications: 12th January 2026.

Interviews: Interviews for the role will be held on the week commencing 19th January 2026.

If you would like further information about the role, or have any questions, please contact Kelly, Operations Manager via the contact us information on the REMAP website.

Family Support Worker - Essex Care Team

£24,000 pa + Company Car and benefits (including 25 days annual leave, reward scheme and pension)

Essex and surrounding areas, including Romford, Ilford, Harlow, Loughton, Chelmsford

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is going through an exciting time where we are growing, with the aim of reaching more families in need.

About the role:

This Best Companies Top 100 mid-sized organisation and Top 20 Charity is looking to appoint a Family Support Worker on a full time basis (35 hours per week), to deliver a high-quality family support service as part of our Essex Care Team.

Reporting to the Family Support Manager of the Essex Care Team and working in partnership with health, education and social care professionals, you will take responsibility for providing needs-led emotional, social and practical support to families where a child/young person has a life threatening or terminal illness.

Having worked in a stressful and emotional environment you have a genuine interest in building supportive relationships and helping people; and having provided bereavement support to families, you understand processes of grief, loss and change - and how best to help others deal with its impact.

Location:

This role covers Essex and surrounding areas, including Romford, Ilford, Harlow, Loughton & Chelmsford.

What we’re looking for:

· An experienced child health, education or social care professional - applications will be particularly welcome from those who have worked in a community environment and those with a recognised qualification in education, health or social care

· A warm, inclusive approach to achieving goals quickly and correctly

· Practiced in child protection, information sharing and the rules around data protection - you lead by example, drawing on your own professional experience and working within established guidelines

· Practical and people-oriented - you will thrive working at a fast pace whilst maintaining accuracy and be a confident user of IT (including MSOffice)

· A persuasive and open communicator - you will work collaboratively with your team and volunteers to ensure delivery of a high-quality service and support fundraising colleagues by writing case studies and family updates

· A practical knowledge of diversity issues affecting children, young people and their families – aware that being responsive to others needs and concerns, is essential.

What we offer:

· We have a range of fantastic benefits that we offer our employees, including:

· Flexible working hours to balance home and working life

· Employee Assistance Programme with access to remote GP, counselling, physiotherapy, resources to support your mental health and financial wellbeing, as well as a 24/7 helpline via Help@Hand

· Company car for front line care posts

· 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays – rising to 26 days after 1 year, 27 days after 5 years and 30 days after 11 years, with an additional 5 years to use in your 10th or 20th year of service (pro rata for part time)

· Time off in Lieu

· Access to the Blue Light Card Scheme, and other rewards and discounts

· Bike to work, season ticket loan and payroll giving schemes

· A recommend a friend recruitment bonus scheme

· Family friendly policies, focused on employee wellbeing, and an active cross-organisational wellbeing group running a number of initiatives throughout the year

· Pension scheme where we contribute 5% of your salary and you contribute at least 3%

· The option to buy/sell annual leave, as well as additional leave for your birthday, wedding/civil ceremony and an extra half day off for Christmas shopping

Robust training and development programmes to support your learning and growth

If you’d like to find out more about these benefits and working with us, please visit our website.

As part of our learning and development Anne Harris Skills Development Programme, we aim to provide a high level of training and development opportunities for all staff, so you are able to perform to the best of your ability, achieve individual and team objectives aligned to Rainbow Trusts strategic plan, supporting staff to be their best and feel a valued member of a high performing organisation.

Our Family Support Teams are given the opportunity to complete a number of diverse training courses in their first 12 months, including but not limited to: Mental Health First Aid, Makaton, counselling skills, introduction to play.

The programme aims to provide a building block for you to individually tailor your own learning and development needs.

About us:

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity enables families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness to make the most of time together, providing expert, practical and emotional support, where they need it for as long as it is needed. For families living with childhood illness, time is everything. Right now, there are too many families coping alone with no support, no time to think, no time to make memories and no time for each other. We believe that no family should go through this alone, so we are here to change that.

How to apply:

Please visit our website via the link and apply online.

Interview Date to be confirmed

Please disclose on your application form if you have used AI for any part of your job application.

Interviews will take place at our Essex Care Team office with the dates to be confirmed. We will only contact those applicants who have been successful. If you require any adjustments during the interview process, please let us know.

There will be a requirement for flexible working and a full current driver’s licence to accommodate team and family need. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this post.

Rainbow Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.

Rainbow Trust is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Best Companies One-Star rated organisation.