Support and wellbeing worker mental health jobs

Are you looking for a rewarding, flexible role that fits around everyday life? Passionate about positive change while helping create opportunities for young adults with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities. InterAct is seeking an enthusiastic, self-driven individual to support groups of young adults aged 18–25 across Essex who have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).

This role focuses on empowering young people to develop independence, confidence, and meaningful social connections through personalised support and engaging community activities. Whilst seeking opportunities within local communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and deliver individual personal development pathways tailored to each young person’s goals, strengths, and aspirations.

• Organise and coordinate fun, innovative clubs and activities that encourage participation, social inclusion, and the development of long-term, meaningful friendships.

• Build positive relationships with families and carers to gain a deeper understanding of each individual’s achievements, skills, and support needs.

• Engage with local communities and partners to identify and promote enrichment opportunities that benefit service users.

• Support young adults to achieve meaningful outcomes by breaking down barriers, encouraging independence, and demonstrating measurable successes.

Contract:  Permanent, full time 

Salary:  £40,000 - £45,000 per annum 

Location: Hybrid, Burford, with a minimum of two days per week in the office and regular travel to other sites 

Closing date:  Monday 6 April 2026 

First stage interviews: 14 and 16 April 2026 

Second stage interviews: week commencing 20 April 2026 

We are looking for a Learning & Development Partner to join our People Services team. This is an exciting opportunity to help build capability across Blue Cross, supporting colleagues, managers, and volunteers to develop the skills and confidence they need to deliver great outcomes for pets and the people who love them.

More about the role

As a Learning & Development Partner, you will work across the organisation to design and deliver high quality, blended learning solutions. You will partner with teams and managers to understand development needs, creating practical and engaging learning experiences that support both individual growth and organisational priorities. 

You will deliver a mix of workshops, coaching, and mentoring, as well as contributing to key programmes such as onboarding, apprenticeships, and leadership development. Alongside this, you will play an important role in organisational development initiatives, ensuring learning is inclusive, accessible, and aligned with our values. 

This is a hybrid role, based from Burford with a minimum of two days per week in the office. Regular travel to other Blue Cross sites will be required to deliver training. 

About you

You will be confident working with people at all levels and comfortable influencing and advising on learning and development approaches. You enjoy building strong relationships and take a proactive, flexible approach to your work.

With strong communication and facilitation skills, you are able to create engaging learning experiences and adapt your style to suit different audiences. You are organised, detail focused, and able to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high standard of delivery.

Essential qualifications, skills, and experience

• Proven experience in learning and development, designing and delivering blended learning solutions.
• Experience of delivering workshops and coaching sessions for colleagues, managers, or volunteers.
• Demonstrable ability to conduct learning needs analysis and design development solutions that meet organisational objectives.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and influencing decisions.
• Strong IT skills, including MS Teams, MS PowerPoint, and other digital learning tools.
• UK driving licence.
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values.

Desirable qualifications, skills, and experience

• Associate or Chartered CIPD accreditation, or equivalent.
• Accreditation in Insights Discovery or similar personal profiling tools.
• Experience designing or implementing digital learning solutions.
• Experience supporting leadership development or succession planning initiatives.

How to apply 

Click the apply button and submit your application. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 

Interview process

First stage interviews will take place on 14 and 16 April and will consist of a competency-based interview, along with an activity where you will be asked to deliver an interactive workshop via MS Teams.

Candidates successful at first stage will be invited to a second stage interview, which will be held face to face at our Burford offices during the week commencing 20 April.

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.  

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  

Our generous benefits package includes: 

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)  
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family   
• Health cash plan  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution   
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.  
• Life assurance   
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance   
• Enhanced family friendly policies   
• Recognition scheme   
• Annual volunteer days  
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers 

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.  

About Blue Cross

If you’d like to learn more about Blue Cross, our mission, and the work we do to support animals and people, take a look at our About Us page

37 hours per week / £32,565 per annum / fixed-term Maternity cover (12 Months) / working Monday - Thursday 9.00-1700, Friday 9.00-16.30.

At YMCA DownsLink Group,is to help children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be. We do this by providing a safe home, building life skills and self-confidence, and supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Our Values - we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections - guide and shape how we show up for children and young people we support and for each other.

YMCA is our specialist project supporting children and young people across Sussex and Surrey who are affected by, or at risk of, exploitation. Through education, awareness-raising and empowerment, we help young people understand healthy relationships, recognise harmful behaviours, and build safety and resilience.

We now have an exciting opportunity to join our WiSE team as a Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Practitioner. In this vital role, you will work alongside the Service manager, an Early Intervention worker, and two experienced Practitioners. You will be co-located with the Exploitation team at Guildford Police Station, working collaboratively with partner agencies to support young people and contribute to multi-agency safeguarding responses.

The role involves a significant amount of lone working and frequent travel across Surrey to meet clients and attend meetings, with occasional travel further afield. Therefore, a full UK driving licence and access to a car are essential.

What you will be doing

In this role, you will hold a caseload of young people aged 10–25 who are vulnerable to sexual or criminal exploitation, providing intensive, person-centred support. You will work closely with professionals across multiple agencies to promote safety, disrupt exploitation, and empower young people to move towards safer, more stable futures. Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a caseload of vulnerable young people, helping them stay safe and move away from the influence of perpetrators.
• Work collaboratively with partner professionals to design and deliver tailored support packages, offering specialist consultation where needed.
• Maintain accurate case records and contribute to clear, timely, and professional reports.
• Liaise effectively with Children’s Services, Surrey Police, and other agencies to disrupt abuse and support safeguarding and prosecution processes.
• Deliver training and awareness workshops to professionals, foster carers, and partner agencies to strengthen community understanding and responses to exploitation.
• Contribute to strategic development, deputising at relevant meetings and helping shape best practice across the service.

This is a challenging role; many of the young people you support may not recognise the risks they are facing or the abusive dynamics within their relationships. Supporting victims can at times be emotionally demanding and distressing. To ensure you feel supported and able to deliver high-quality practice, you will receive:

• One-to-one clinical supervision
• Weekly team meetings
• Regular line management supervision focused on both casework and wellbeing

 We recognise the emotional weight of this work and prioritise a reflective, supportive environment for all team members.

If you are enthusiastic about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply. Your skills and experiences may be more transferable than you think, and you could be exactly the person we’re looking for.

Qualifications, experience and knowledge

We are looking for someone who brings a strong combination of professional understanding, practical experience, and a commitment to safeguarding young people. You will ideally have:

• A relevant qualification in Youth Work, Social Work or an equivalent field — or significant comparable experience working directly with vulnerable young people.
• Proven safeguarding experience involving children and young people, with the ability to identify, respond to, and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Direct casework experience supporting young people aged 10–25, delivering structured, person-centred interventions.
• Experience facilitating group work that engages, educates and empowers young people.
• Experience delivering and risk-assessing outreach work, ensuring safe, effective practice in community settings.
• A strong understanding of the risks faced by vulnerable young people, including sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, and harmful sexual behaviour.

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 29 March at midnight. 

PLEASE NOTE that we are unable to offer a work permit or visa sponsorship for this role; applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment. 

Accessibility If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. 

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead CPAG’s strategic legal work at an important time in the organisation’s fight to end child poverty. As Head of Strategic Litigation, you will oversee and carry out CPAG’s work using legal cases for positive impact, to benefit families and children in poverty. You will be responsible for setting the strategic direction of CPAG’s legal work, in addition to managing CPAG’s legal practice and playing an active role in conducting high-profile litigation on a day-to-day basis.

We are looking for someone who is strategically minded and passionate about using the law to advocate for the rights of, and directly improve the lives of, families in poverty. The ideal candidate will be a solicitor (E&W qualified) with substantial post-qualification experience. You will have experience of conducting public law litigation and legal aid (publicly funded) work. You will be able to supervise the casework of colleagues, such as CPAG’s junior or trainee solicitor(s) and welfare benefit advisers, and support the professional development and wellbeing of your team. You may have experience of working with clients in vulnerable situations or with additional needs, for example, survivors of domestic abuse, refugees, disabled people or children and young people.

We welcome applications from individuals with the skills and experience outlined and we can be flexible about working arrangements. We operate a hybrid working system and would be happy to discuss any flexibilities required. CPAG is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion which you can read more about in the job pack. 

For more information about this post and to apply download the Head of Strategic Litigation job pack and application form. 

If you have questions or need specific arrangements or reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process please contact us.

To apply, please return to us the application form, taking particular care to provide full details of how you meet the person specification. 

Closing date for applications: 11.59pm, Wednesday, 15 April 2026

Interviews will be held at our London office: w/c 27 April 2026

Contract type

Permanent

Location

Whittington with some flexibility for remote working

Hours

Part time (22.5 hours per week) with flexibility to work evenings and weekends when required

Annual salary

E1 £39,224.42 to E3 £46,068.16 - Pro rata for part time hours.

Last day to apply

29/03/2026 

Reporting to the Fundraising Development Manager, the Legacy Manager is responsible for leading and delivering the long term growth strategy for legacy income at St Giles Hospice.

The post holder will develop and implement a sustainable and scalable legacy programme that increases the number of legacy pledgers, strengthens the future pipeline of legacy gifts and delivers consistent income growth aligned to organisational objectives.

The role will own the legacy value proposition, marketing strategy and support journey from initial engagement through to pledge stewardship. The post holder will champion a culture of legacy giving across the organisation and position leaving a gift in a Will as a meaningful and natural way to support St Giles Hospice.

In partnership with the Fundraising Administration team, the Legacy Manager will ensure legacy gifts are managed professionally and compliantly, with strong forecasting, reporting and internal oversight.

Knowledge and experience

Essential

·Experience of working within the third sector or a values led organisation

·Demonstrable experience of legacy fundraising or transferable experience within a strategic income stream with clear growth accountability

·Proven experience of delivering income growth against agreed targets and KPIs

·Experience of developing and implementing strategic plans

·Experience of managing budgets, financial planning and reporting with commentary on variances

·Experience of working collaboratively with marketing and data teams to develop insight led campaigns

·Track record of successfully managing and developing relationships with individual supporters, customers or professional partners

·Experience of analysing and interpreting data to inform decision making and maximise return on investment

·Knowledge of the regulatory environment for fundraising from individuals including data protection, Gift Aid and Fundraising Codes of Practice and regulation

·Experience of project management including budget setting and performance monitoring

Desirable

·Specific experience in legacy fundraising within a charity setting

·Experience of developing and delivering a legacy marketing strategy

·Experience of working with professional advisers such as solicitors or will writers

·Experience of contributing to senior leadership or board level reporting

·Experience using Donorflex or a similar CRM database

Values

·Exhibits our hospice values and behaviours

Skills

·Ability to think strategically and translate long term vision into operational delivery

·Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial and performance data and forecast future income

·Excellent written communication skills with the ability to create compelling and sensitive legacy messaging

·Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills

·Ability to build and maintain strong internal and external partnerships

·Confident presenting to a range of audiences including professional partners and senior stakeholders

·Ability to prioritise and manage competing deadlines

·Strong organisational and diary management skills

·Computer literate with experience of CRM systems

·Ability to understand when issues need escalation

·Ability to maintain confidentiality

·Ability to work effectively as part of a team

·Resilience when working towards ambitious targets

Personal Attributes

·Empathetic and emotionally intelligent

·Proactive and growth focused

·Commercially aware and results driven

·Collaborative and supportive

·Ambassador for St Giles Hospice

·Able to work under pressure

Other requirements

·Valid driving licence

·Eligibility to work in the UK

·Please note that St Giles Hospice does not hold a sponsorship licence and is therefore unable to accept sponsorship requests

Just so you know:

This post is subject to a Disclose and Barring Service (DBS) check.

We may review applications before the application review date, however, if you apply after the application review date, your application may not be considered. We will accept applications until we have successfully filled the role; this may be earlier than the closing date.

If you have not heard within 14 days of the application close date, then please consider that your application has been unsuccessful at this time.

As part of your application your data will be managed in line with St Giles Hospice Privacy Policy and kept for 6 months. If you would like to see this in full, please visit our website for our Privacy Policy. This is in extension to Charity Job Privacy Policy.

The Bumblebee Conservation Trust (the Trust) is looking for a part-time (0.7 FTE) Head of Outreach.

Our vision is for a world where bumblebees are thriving and valued by everyone.

This role will:

• Lead on the development and implementation of an Outreach Strategy that inspires people and organisations, including policy makers, to take action for bumblebees. (Aim 2 of the Trust’s strategy)
• Lead on behaviour change impact reporting, ensuring data collection methods and tools are fit for purpose, and staff and volunteers have the necessary training and support to confidently report on the impact of face-to-face outreach activities.
• Lead on project development activities and work with the fundraising team to generate income to fund the sustainable growth of the Trust’s outreach activities across the UK.

You will be an excellent communicator and problem solver with experience in managing change and leading and motivating staff and volunteers. You will have a proven track record in securing grant funding and building strong partnerships with third party organisations, as well as experience in monitoring and evaluating the impact of public engagement and volunteering activities, including social and wellbeing impacts and behaviour change.

Please refer to the job description and person specification for more details of the role.

This is a part-time post for 24 hours per week.  Some overtime work may be required and a flexitime system is in place.

This post will be employed on a permanent basis and can be based at the Trust’s office in Stirling, home-based, or hybrid between the Trust’s office in Stirling and home-working.

The Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer.  This means that whilst seeking employment or during such employment with the Trust, we will seek to ensure equality of treatment for all persons regardless of sex, race, age, marital or civil partnership status, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity status. 

At the Trust, we have a clear goal: to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay and do their best work. We pride ourselves on reaching for our vision, through the hard work and dedication of our passionate and creative employees.

The closing date is 5 p.m. 13 April 2026. Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

The interview date is 28th April 2026.  Interviews will be held online.

Catalyst is looking to recruit an exceptional leader to be our next Chief Executive.

Candidates should be values-driven, with a passion for leading an organisation which supports the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE). As Chief Executive, you must have the skills and experience to lead the dedicated, professional staff and volunteers in developing our services based on the needs of the sector, fulfilling the requirements of our funders, and actively seeking other opportunities for partnership work with statutory, private and VCSE partners.

The successful candidate will combine strategic and operational skills and have experience of effective leadership, including facilitating change in this sector. The role is offered at a salary of £51,500, plus pension and 28 days holiday a year.

You can find out more information and how to apply at Catalyst Chief Executive – Catalyst Stockton

Senior Corporate Fundraiser

Location: Primarily office‑based in Hemel Hempstead; however, hybrid working can be offered where appropriate and agreed.

Salary:IRO £36,000 (FTE) depending on experience

Vacancy Type: Permanent, 30 – 37.5 hours per week

Access to a car is essential for this role

We are searching for an experienced corporate fundraiser to join our dynamic and high-performing Fundraising Team. 

You will be an excellent communicator, confident in networking and presenting a compelling case for support, target driven and have a background and successful record in securing high value (5/6 figures) gifts, business sales or similar.

You will be responsible for developing our DENS Business Partnership Programme, building a pipeline of high-value prospects, increasing engagement, and influencing the involvement of local businesses to support DENS ambitious growth plans.

You will represent DENS at regular networking events, business forums and external meetings to build visibility, grow networks and generate new corporate opportunities.

Why join DENS?

You’ll be part of a supportive, friendly, and dedicated team of fundraisers who foster a collaborative "One Team, One Goal" culture. We value and celebrate every member's contribution, ensuring you thrive in our positive working environment. Enjoy flexible working arrangements that support your work-life balance, along with ongoing training and development to enhance your skills. Your fundraising efforts will directly contribute to creating positive change and making a lasting impact in our community.

Overall Purpose: 

• Develop DENS Corporate Income Stream, creating and implementing an effective corporate fundraising plan to meet agreed targets and increase sustainable income for the charity, whilst supporting DENS ambitious growth plans.
• Build strong and influential external relationships through existing and new networks and deliver first-class donor stewardship to build a pipeline of high-value business prospects, secure new partners, and nurture existing partners – with the objective of building ongoing regular income and long-term support.
• Develop the DENS Business Partnership Programme as a framework to deliver an engaging and mutually beneficial programme of activity and network of partners, to encourage and inspire support.
• Actively represent DENS at regular networking events, business forums and external meetings to build visibility, grow networks and generate new corporate opportunities.
• Develop, manage and present a range of reporting tools to ensure efficient prospect stewardship, activity planning and income forecasting - to be used to manage and plan progress with Line Manager and Senior Leadership Team.

Skills & Qualifications

• A good standard of Education
• Experience securing partnerships in a Corporate Fundraising or Sales environment
• Experience developing and delivering a corporate fundraising or sales strategy
• Successful track record of building relationships and successfully influencing business stakeholders
• Experience managing and monitoring income and expenditure budgets
• Demonstrable track record of consistently exceeding targets
• Skilled in negotiating, pitching and winning partnerships 
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels
• Ability to manage multiple projects, identifying conflicting demands and establishing clear priorities to meet objectives and improve results
• Good written, verbal interpersonal and numeracy skills
• Diplomacy and ability to work in confidence
• Administratively self-sufficient, IT literate and knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Professional, confident, and well-presented
• The gravitas and drive to gain maximum impact, add value, and increase corporate income
• Self-starter, motivated to set and achieve goals and take own initiative in the role
• Persuasive, Can-do attitude
• People-focused and cross-team worker
• Tact and diplomacy
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential for regular travel to meetings, networking events and partner sites
• Available to attend regular early morning breakfast meetings and other networking events outside of normal working hours
• Available to work flexible hours including, on occasions, weekends, andevenings to support the wider Fundraising Team at events and fundraising activities.

Benefits include:

• 25 days or equivalent annual leave, excluding Bank and Public Holidays
• One additional day of annual leave after each 5 years’ service, up to 3 days.
• Flexible working environment
• Medicash plan, including Virtual GP, some dental and optical cover
• Employee assistance programme – 24/7 mental health support helpline
• Blue Light Card discounts
• Professional development and training, including on-going access to e-learning platform
• Staff Networks, Wellbeing Days and whole team events
• One day to volunteer for DENS or another organisation
• NEST pension scheme

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for DENS, please click apply to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

Key Information:

LOCATION: Bristol, Newcastle, Nottingham, London and Manchester (hybrid working pattern). We are prioritising applications for the Nottingham and Newcastle locations in line with our regional development strategy.

HOURS: 37.5 hours per week (flexible working around core hours of 10am-4pm)

START DATE: 10th August 2026

DURATION: 18-month graduate programme with optional apprenticeship opportunity upon completion. Permanent contract from August 2026. 

SALARY: £27,375 per annum (Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham and Newcastle), £30,025 (London).

DEADLINE: Thursday 2nd April at 12pm (noon).

The application process: written application > video interview > assessment centre.

Assessment Centres will take place between 20th April and 8th May 2026. They will be conducted on Zoom and consist of 3 tasks: An interview, a written exercise and a group task (with up to 3 other candidates)

In keeping with upReach's mission and values we would particularly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups and those with lived experience of barriers to social mobility.

We encourage all applicants to review our Application Pack before submitting your application.

About upReach

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from a disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2.

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about how we support our students, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

About the FCLP

upReach is recruiting for our unique Future Charity  Leaders Programme (FCLP). This is a great opportunity for anyone who is passionate about social mobility, and looking to gain exposure to various aspects of charity management whilst working with university students who are exploring their career options. We welcome applications from those in the corporate world who are looking for a career change as well as recent graduates wanting to kick-start their career in the third sector.

upReach’s Future Charity Leaders Programme (FCLP) combines delivery work (supporting our Associates) with exposure to a range of aspects of charity management.

As a Programme Coordinator on the FCLP, you will deliver personalised, employment-focused support to a cohort of approximately 80 Associates, helping to transform their lives by equipping them with the necessary skills to secure a top graduate job. During a typical week, you should expect to be working across a range of projects including:

• 1:1 undergraduate coaching

• Events organisation

• Application support

• Partnership management (with university partners or employer partners) 

• and more!

In addition to this, the programme offers the opportunity to develop skills in key areas of charity management by participating in 3 rounds of six-month 'rotations' across different functions. After your initial 18 months and the completion of 3, six-month rotations, you will have the opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship in Leadership and Management to further develop your skills and gain a level 3 qualification.

Throughout the programme, you will receive dedicated internal training developing your leadership skills and building your confidence in the role.Through our partnership with The Circle Line, you will be part of a supportive peer group, offered regular personal development training workshops online and in-person on their '12 Tools for Life'. You will also be able to choose your own practitioner to support you in 1:1 sessions throughout the programme to help you unlock more of your unique potential.

What will I be doing?

The FCLP is a fast-paced but rewarding role. Programme Coordinators spend 80% of their time (4 days per week) working directly with Associates to enhance their career knowledge and skills and 20% (1 day per week) on a charity management rotation (or an apprenticeship after 18 months). No two days are the same, but your responsibilities may include:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with Associates, helping them to achieve their career goals 

• Developing and delivering professional development-focused support

• Individual and small group work with Associates 

• Assisting Associates with their applications to undergraduate positions and graduate jobs 

• Developing sector and/or employability skill knowledge while building resources to aid all Associates 

• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with university and/or employer partners 

• Delivering informative workshops to enhance sector knowledge and employability skills

• Planning, delivering and reporting on events and workshops with partners

When applying for this role we ask that applicants are able to commit to the full 18-month training programme, and we encourage participation in the apprenticeship scheme beyond this. As you will be working directly with our beneficiaries throughout their degree, this consistency will allow you to build bonds with your Associates and ensure continuity, thus allowing us to have the most impact for the young people we work with.

What Skills and Experience do I need?

This programme would be suited to individuals who are committed to upReach’s mission, motivated to work with undergraduates and interested in learning about, and gaining experience in, charity management. We are looking for people who are passionate about social mobility and believe that background should not be a barrier to graduate employment. 

Essential Skills/Experiences:

• Working in a fast-paced environment and working independently to find solutions to problems

• Strong organisational and time management skills with a keen eye for detail and the ability to manage a varied workload

• A University degree in any discipline, or equivalent experience

• Self-motivation and an ability to work in a small team as well as solo

• Excellent communication skills and strong written English

• The ability to engage and communicate confidently with undergraduates, corporate volunteers (mentors) and employers via phone, email, and in person

• Confidence with public speaking or facilitating workshops

Desirable Skills/Experiences:

• Knowledge of the graduate labour market in the UK and experience supporting individuals through an application process 

• Working in one or more of the career sectors that upReach support Associates in applying to.

Team Culture & Benefits: 

By joining the upReach team, you will be joining a team who are dedicated to encouraging you in your career journey and fostering an inclusive culture. 

We offer: 

• Flexible working, hybrid working and reduced Summer Hours (June-August)

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days, plus bank holidays. (This increases to 27 days entitlement after 2.5 years and then to 30 days after 5 years of working with us)

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members

• 1 day of Birthday leave, 1 day of Volunteering leave and discretionary annual wellbeing days

• Optional extended unpaid leave

• 3% Pension Contribution, this increases to 5% after 5 years of working with us 

• Cycle-to-work scheme, Tech scheme

• Monthly socials, Annual in-person Team Day

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aid Training 

• A range of discounts through the Charity Workers Discount and Tickets for Good websites

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Diverse Roots Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network

  • Socio-Economic Background Network

  • (Im)Migrants Network

Ready to apply?

We are dedicated to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible. 

Unfortunately, upReach is unable to offer Visa Sponsorship.

Applications close at 12pm on Thursday 2nd April

Equal Opportunities

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Thus, we encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities, those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.

Contract: Permanent, full time (37.5 hours per week) 

Salary: £25,787 to £27,047 per annum 

Location: Southampton SO30 2HL  

Closing date: Sunday 29th March 2026 

Interview date: Wednesday 8th April 2026 

We're recruiting an Assistant Manager – Off-site Services to lead and streamline our home-based pet operations.

In this role you'll ensure that every pet finds the perfect match with their new family as quickly as possible, while maintaining top-quality care for both our pets and clients throughout the entire adoption journey. Join us in making a difference, one pet at a time! 

More about the role

Our beautiful centre opened in 1988 and occupies approximately three acres of land in a discrete location surrounded by fields where we can walk our dogs, providing some wonderful enrichment in a quiet environment. The centre has facilities to care for dogs and cats, as well as a specialised area for kittens. 

In this role, you’ll play a key part in ensuring exceptional care for both pets and clients while identifying efficiencies and making decisions that prioritise offsite pet welfare. As the leader of our home-based pet operations, you’ll oversee the smooth running of our foster and home direct services, placing pets directly from one home to another, with experience in practical animal handling and assessment. Your goal will be to prepare pets for adoption as quickly and effectively as possible. You’ll work closely with your team to ensure timely pet assessments, behaviour management, and training, while providing full support to foster carers and current owners.

You’ll also be responsible for achieving pet-related targets, ensuring your team of Pet Welfare Assistants and Foster Coordinators maintain the highest standards of animal care and adheres to national processes in case management. Teamwork is essential to address the most urgent cases effectively.

Motivating and managing your team is central to this role, enabling the centre to provide top-quality home-based pet care while helping your team develop professionally.

At our Southampton rehoming centre, we provide onsite accommodation for pets in our care 24/7. Overnight shifts are usually undertaken by team members who live on site.  Occasionally you will be expected to carry out night checks when the resident team members are either not working or away for a period of time.

This is a full-time position, working 37.5 hours per week and you will be required to work 1 in 3 weekends.  

About you

You’ll be a great people manager, bringing finely honed skills from your experience in an animal-related environment, along with extensive knowledge of pet welfare and care. 

As a dynamic and innovative leader, you know how to inspire and motivate your team, driving continuous improvement, empowering them through effective management and coaching. 

With excellent communication skills, you adapt your approach for different audiences, ensuring your message resonates. While juggling multiple tasks, you remain calm and organised, making confident decisions in high-pressure situations. 

Your strong analytical skills enable you to monitor and evaluate effectively, implementing meaningful improvements. Rather than resting on your laurels, you’ll have a genuine desire to enhance offsite pet care services, actively engaging your team in the process. 

Having worked in emotionally charged environments, you understand the importance of resilience. Your emotional intelligence and empathy will shine as you support your team and the public, creating a compassionate and effective workplace. 

Knowledge, skills, and experience 

• Significant experience in managing a team. 
• Significant experience in delivering high level Customer service in a fast-paced environment. 
• Expertise and application of pet welfare and handling of domestic animals 
• High standard of verbal and written communication. 
• Current full driving license 
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values 

It would be great (but not essential) if you also had: 

• Performance management and improvement experience.  
• Experience working with volunteers. 
• Understanding of safeguarding issues. 

Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached the job description which hopefully gives you everything you need. 

How to apply 

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 29th March 2026. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.  

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.  

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.  

Our generous benefits package includes: 

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)  
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support  
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family   
• Health cash plan  
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme  
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution   
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.  
• Life assurance   
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance   
• Enhanced family friendly policies   
• Recognition scheme   
• Annual volunteer days  
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers 

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.  

About Blue Cross

If you’d like to learn more about Blue Cross, our mission, and the work we do to support animals and people, take a look at our About Us page

We are currently looking for a Project Worker 2 to join our Early Help - Yardley and Hodge Hill Localities.

Initial Location of Post

Fox Hollies Children's Centre, 419 Fox Hollies Road, Birmingham, B27 7QA.

Objectives of the Early Help Service

Yardley and Hodge Hill Early Help are two of ten Early Help Localities across the city of Birmingham lead by Voluntary and Community Sector organisations (VCS) alongside Birmingham Children's Trust (BCT). The aim of the provision is to build capacity within local communities to ensure that children, young people and families have access to the right support at the right time before issues and concerns escalate.

Outcomes 

Our Early Help Advisors provide “light touch work” with families. This can be one off interactions and on-going support/intervention for a suggested maximum of four to six weeks. The role can involve; some introductory and exit scaling work with parents (outcomes wheel), referral completion, signposting to families, building trusting relationships with families, children and young people – using mixture of remote (by phone and email) contact and direct work and home visits. Relationships are built through empathy, listening, sound knowledge and understanding of local and national resources and responses to be able to respond to need. You should be confident in meeting with families in community spaces, schools and their homes when needed.

You will respond effectively and in a timely manner to needs as identified in Family Connect Forms referred into the service and tasks set by team manager as well as those needs that arise directly from families. Where applicable you will assist with identifying and speaking with the most appropriate person (such as a school) to undertake Early Help Assessments and Our Family Plans, so you will need to build rapport with families and professionals working with them.  You will record and report and concerns and explore any barriers with colleagues and manager. You will be able to make clear and meaningful case recordings.

You will work well remotely and independently as you do alongside Early Help colleagues in shared office space, and be able to manage your time well, whilst being motivated to make a difference to the families and children you support.

Initial Specific Responsibilities 

• To assist parents and carers to engage with and utilise personal, professional and local community networks to develop solutions to meet their personal aspirations and needs.
• Offer meaningful contact (communication) with families whether by phone, email, or in person.
• Write high quality and timely case notes and assessments using ECINS and other recording systems – to evidence work completed and the story of families through Early Help.
• To be able to develop rapport and understanding with families using excellent phone manner and verbal communication.
• Speak to schools and other professionals supporting a family as part of a multi-agency approach, including, collaborating with schools to encourage them to complete an Early Help Assessment and to offer to contribute to this via your support of families.
• Make referrals to third party organisations to support a family's needs e.g. to Shelter, DWP or Early Help services such as Early Help Mentoring.
• Develop an informed understanding of the key issues within the local area for Children Young People and Families
• Ability to work independently on a day-to-day basis and use own initiative whether working from home or offices (role will involve a combination).
• Able to work closely with other Early Help Advisors.
• Work with an understanding of the importance of consent in Early Help and an awareness of safeguarding issues and procedures, following them as required.
• To support other professionals across the locality to find solutions and support for families.
• To cover the duty role and phone line to ensure that enquiries into the locality are responded to in a timely manner.
• To provide advice, information and guidance to families to enable them to access relevant support to meet their needs.
• Provide support to the Team Manager and other Early Help colleagues to promote the work of the Early Help partnership and share good practice.
• To attend if/as requested allocations meetings and provide relevant information to progress support to families.
• Attend relevant Early Help meetings and training courses in the course of the work.
• Keep up to date on support and funds available for families to be able to offer robust support and advice.
• Liaise with Early Help Locality Lead to identify priorities funding applications.
• Support the production of promotional and publicity materials as required.
• Support the evaluation strategy and identification of case studies which contribute to the monitoring of the Early Help Offer
• Have an understanding of the lived experience of individuals from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
• To support induction/training of new staff
• To support staff supervisions
• To support with case screening for TAFN (Team Around Family Network) meetings
• To support with note taking at TAFN (Team Around Family Network) meetings

Education/Knowledge (additional to the Person Specification)

• Relevant Professional Qualification in relation to working with children, young people and families e.g. Social Care, Youth or Community Work
• In addition to experience with Microsoft packages, prior experience with some or all of the following is considered highly desirable: OpenText – Content Server, ECINS, RMM, RIO, etc.
• An in-depth knowledge and understanding of issues and challenges affecting families, financial difficulties, non-school attendance, worklessness, offending, emotional well-being and mental health, domestic abuse, impact of trauma etc. and suitable responses to these.
• Good working knowledge of services, resources and support available for Children and Families in Yardley, Hodge Hill and Birmingham would be highly
• Driver with car and/or ability to travel around Yardley / Hodge Hill as well as wider Birmingham effectively would be important.

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

Pay & Reward Framework

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people. 

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay. 

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application. 

Benefits

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

• Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
• Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
• The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave scheme
• A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
• Service related sick pay from day 1
• Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
• Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
• Cycle2work scheme
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
• 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
• Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
• Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
• Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

About Barnardo's

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Our basis and values