Support assistant jobs in East of england

The arts for mental health – peer support delivered creatively

Sound Minds is a user-led charity transforming lives through music, film and art. We are a thriving community bound together by creativity and a shared belief in mutual learning and peer support.

Our Canerows Programme delivers a ward visiting service at Springfield Hospital and community-based Peer Support.

Main purposes of the job:

 Sound Minds is recruiting a Peer Support Worker to join our team in Wandsworth.

The Peer Support Transformation Project is funded by and delivered in partnership with South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust, Mushkil Aasaan, and Wandsworth Carers Centre. It is an integral part of Sound Minds’ Canerows programme; a user led service working to improve the lives of people who are overcoming mental health challenges.

This is a new role at Sound Minds, developed to provide proactive and responsive administrative support across the Peer Support project. The role will provide efficient administration, ensuring that clients on the wait list for peer support are contacted in a timely fashion, and that databases are well maintained.

The postholder will have a passion for maintaining organised systems, whilst also having a friendly approach, communicating with clients with care and empathy.

Salary: £26,936 per annum (pro rata) & 3% contribution to pension

Hours: 14 hours per week

This fixed term contract ends on 31 March 2027 and is renewable depending on funding.

Strong IT skills are essential for this role. You will be required to have a DBS (criminal records check) and satisfactory written references before starting.

The full job description and application pack are available from Sound Minds’ website.

Closing date: 10:00am, Monday 29th June 2026

First interviews: Wednesday 8th July 2026

Specialist Teaching Assistant – Autism / SEND

We are Ambitious about Autism, a national charity with a clear goal: to create a world where autistic children and young people are heard, included and supported.

We are looking for patient, empathetic and resilient STAs to join our Ofsted “Outstanding” TreeHouse School in Muswell Hill.

• Full time, permanent (term time only)
• Hours: 8.45am – 4.35pm
• Salary: £27,770 to £28,005 per annum
• Location: Muswell Hill, North London (N10 3JA)
• Start date: September 2026

The role:

This is a role where no two days are ever the same! Some days can be very challenging, but they can also be incredibly rewarding. As a LSA, you will be working on a 1:1 basis with our autistic pupils and assisting them with:

• Access learning
• Developing communication, confidence and independence
• Celebrate progress - however big or small
• Take part in community based activities like swimming, skiing and horse riding
• Responding to behaviours of distress with patient and supportive care
• Supporting pupils with personal care
• Helping our pupils feel safe, understood and proud of themselves

Why join us:

• This is a term time only role (yet you are paid across 52 weeks!)
• You will be placed on a training programme when you join the role with continued CPD
• Be part of a warm, supportive and collaborative team
• Progression opportunities to grow your career in SEND
• Be part of a national charity with a clear mission and shared values
• Varied, meaningful work with real impact
• Access to staff discount schemes, including Blue Light Card eligibility
• Full benefits package is on our website

The official internal title for this role is Specialist Teaching Assistant, but it is advertised externally as Learning Support Assistant to reflect the nature of the role and maximise reach.

Ambitious About Autism is committed to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion at every level of our organisation. We warmly welcome applications from all qualified candidates, valuing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives they bring. We encourage applications from individuals regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or parental status, disability, or age.

Our recruitment process promotes equal opportunities, and we are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities or additional needs throughout the recruitment process. Please contact our Recruitment Team for accommodations. We recognise disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly and long-term affects a person's ability to perform day-to-day activities, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010. All applications will be considered solely on merit, aligned with our mission to support autistic children and young people.

Ambitious About Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search may be carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The safeguarding responsibilities of the post are as per the job description and person specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.