6 Support worker jobs in Manchester, Greater Manchester

SEND Experienced Creative Youth Support Worker

Location: Gorse Hill Studios, Stretford, Manchester, with occasional trips, outreach work and residentials
Contract: Sessional / Freelance
Hours: Evenings, weekends and school holidays as required
Responsible to: Head of Inclusion and Participation 

Purpose of the Role

To support the delivery of high-quality, inclusive and creative youth work sessions for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The postholder will create safe, engaging and accessible opportunities that help young people build confidence, develop social and life skills, improve wellbeing, and achieve their personal goals through arts, creative activities, youth work, sports and community-based experiences.

Key Responsibilities

Supporting Young People

• Build positive, trusted relationships with children and young people with a range of SEND needs.
• Provide practical, emotional and behavioural support during sessions.
• Promote independence whilst ensuring young people remain safe and supported.
• Adapt activities, communication methods and approaches to meet individual needs.
• Support young people to participate fully and confidently in activities and discussions.
• Encourage the development of social skills, friendships, self-esteem and resilience. 

Session Delivery

• Support the planning and delivery of creative, recreational and youth work activities.
• Contribute ideas for arts, music, drama, film, sports, nature-based and wellbeing sessions.
• Assist with setting up and clearing away resources and equipment.
• Ensure sessions are engaging, inclusive and responsive to young people's interests.
• Contribute to showcases, performances, exhibitions and celebration events.

Safeguarding and Welfare

• Maintain professional boundaries at all times.
• Follow all safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and organisational policies.
• Report safeguarding concerns and incidents immediately through agreed procedures.
• Ensure young people are appropriately supervised throughout sessions.
• Support positive behaviour using trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches. 

Administration and Teamwork

• Arrive in good time for briefings, set-up and preparation.
• Complete registers, session records and outcome monitoring following each session.
• Contribute to debriefs and share relevant information with colleagues.
• Attend staff meetings, supervision sessions and required training.
• Work collaboratively with staff, freelancers, volunteers, parents and carers. 

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience working with children and young people with SEND.
• Understanding of autism, neurodiversity and inclusive practice.
• Experience supporting group activities, youth work, education or community projects.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to remain calm, patient and adaptable.
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends and school holidays.
• Enhanced DBS check (or willingness to obtain one)

Desirable

• Qualification in Youth Work, Education, SEND, Health & Social Care, Creative Arts or a related field.
• Creative skills in areas such as art, music, drama, film, photography, dance, crafts or digital media.
• First Aid qualification.
• Experience of trauma-informed practice.
• Experience supporting young people with complex needs or behaviours of concern.
• Knowledge of person-centred planning and outcome-based youth work. 

Values and Behaviours

We are looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about inclusion and youth participation.
• Believes every young person has strengths, talents and potential.
• Is enthusiastic, reliable and proactive.
• Works positively as part of a team.
• Can think creatively and adapt activities to suit different needs.
• Creates welcoming, safe and fun environments where young people can thrive. 

Typical Activities

The role may involve supporting:

• SEND Short Breaks sessions.
• Arts, music and creative workshops.
• Youth clubs and social groups.
• Community events and festivals.
• Nature-based, wellbeing and outdoor learning activities.
• Trips, visits and residential experiences

Our Commitment to Diversity

We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those who bring lived experience, perspectives and voices. We celebrate the richness of our differences, including social class, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation, faith and age. We are committed to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

Job Title: Recovery in Community Peer Support Worker (2 posts available)
Accountable to: Head of Community
Reporting to: Recovery in Community Team Coordinator
Location: Hybrid including Inpatient psychiatric settings across Greater Manchester, community settings, home or office working (central Manchester), occasional travel outside of Greater Manchester
Salary: £14,945.40 pro rata (FTE £24,909)
Hours: One post at 21 hours per week and one post at 28 hours per week
Contract: Permanent

Role Context

Recovery in Community is a collaborative initiative delivered in partnership between Gaddum and Manchester Mind. The service supports people to leave inpatient mental health settings and return to their community with the support they need to recover and remain well.

As a team, we deliver psycho-social interventions, advocacy, housing and welfare rights advice, peer support to adults as well as tailored support to young people (those under the age of 25).All we do is underpinned by listening and ensuring people feel heard – because we know that when people are listened to, they recover. The team works with colleagues within the mental health, primary care, inpatient and community sectors.

Role Purpose

As a Peer Support Worker, you will have lived or living experience of receiving mental health care or treatment in hospital. Using your expertise gained through this experience, you will support peers in their mental health recovery who are ready to leave hospital or are already in the community. Receiving support from your colleagues, you’ll develop and manage your casework practice and hold a small case load. 

You will walk alongside people to set achievable goals to ensure they get the support that they need, ultimately feeling connected to their communities – the right services and support network.

This role will work with a small but intensive caseload (max 12 cases for a full-time peer support worker) to focus on: 

• Repatriate: when people are sent to an out of area placement (OAPs) advocate to get them back to Greater Manchester so they can recover in their community. 

• Discharge: Supporting people when they’re ready to be discharged from inpatient mental health services to get back to the community and recover. 

• Prevent re-admissions: Work with people, post-discharge, to ensure they continue to get the support they need to make informed choices, stay well and ultimately thrive.

Main Duties and Responsibilities 

• To provide bespoke support to people that are ready to be discharged from inpatient psychiatric care to return to the community, building (with support) packages of care so they have a positive and sustained recovery. 

• To work alongside people post-discharge, in their community setting (e.g. home or supported accommodation) to ensure they get what they need to stay well. 

• To effectively manage a small caseload (about 7 people), being flexible to people’s needs and short-term changes in schedule. 

• To work in a person-centred, trauma informed, empowering and culturally appropriate way that enables people to feel listened to and heard.

• To help people engage with services and make sustainable links with their communities. 

• To use and develop your knowledge of community care, policies, legislation and services to get people the support they need to recover and stay well. 

• Identify when cases need escalation or onward referral and keep your line manager aware of case developments. 

• Independently visit people in inpatient and community settings in Manchester and across Greater Manchester, adhering to lone working and risk management procedures. 

• Occasionally visit people out of the Greater Manchester area who need to return to their community in Manchester (all travel expenses will be paid and non-commute travel time will be part of your working day). 

• Build relationships with colleagues within services (e.g. inpatient staff, social care, CMHTs etc) to enable improved collaborative working 

• Take part in multi-disciplinary meetings, representing the views of people, and their aspirations on returning to community settings. 

• Support the ongoing service development, drawing on your role as an ‘Expert by Experience’ and using what you hear from the people you support to contribute to the development of the services by reviewing and contributing to improvements. 

All staff are expected to work within all Gaddum policies and procedures. This role is subject to a enhanced DBS check.

Neurodiverse Living Experience Peer Support Worker
Contract Length: Fixed term to 31 March 2029
Hours: Part-time, 22.5 hours (three days) per week
Line Manager: Living Experience Manager
Location: Various sites across Salford
Salary: £24,785 per annum, pro rata
Annual Leave: 27 days per annum pro rata, plus bank holidays

About us

At Mind in Salford, we’re more than a local mental health charity, we’re a community working to ensure no- one has to face mental ill health alone.

Every day, we support people across Salford to improve their wellbeing, build resilience, and create positive change in their lives.

About the Service

Salford Neighbourhood Mental Health Team (SNMHT) is a community mental health service delivered in partnership between Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Mind in Salford, Six Degrees, Wellbeing Matters and START.

The team brings together a range of professionals, including occupational therapy, nursing, recovery work, psychiatry, psychology, peer mentoring and social work. The role will contribute to this multidisciplinary approach by bringing a living-experience perspective into support planning and service delivery.

SNMHT works in a strengths-based way, focusing on people’s skills, aspirations and experiences. Support is designed to help people recover, stay well and remain connected to their communities.

About You and the Role

We are seeking a Living Experience Peer Support Worker who will use living experience of neurodiversity and mental health challenges to offer hope, practical support and recovery-focused encouragement to people accessing Salford Neighbourhood Mental Health Team.

The postholder will work across Salford in community settings, supporting people to identify their strengths, work towards personal goals, improve wellbeing and connect with opportunities in their local communities.

The successful applicant will work alongside Key Workers and other professionals to provide person-centred peer support. They will use their own experience safely and appropriately, maintaining clear boundaries while offering empathy, practical guidance and encouragement.

Application deadline: 5PM on Friday 25 September

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are committed to achieving equal opportunities in employment and the service we provide, and welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health issues. We encourage applications from everyone, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity.

We work with children and adults who may be at risk of abuse and therefore everyone is subject to a DBS check (level of check is dependent on the nature of the role) and receipt of two satisfactory references.

No agencies please.

Living Experience Male Peer Support Worker
Contract Length: Fixed Term to 31st March 2029
Hours: Part- time. 15 hours (2 days) per week
Line Manager: Living Experience Manager
Location(s): Various sites across Salford
Salary: £24,785 per annum, pro rata
Annual Leave: 27 days per annum pro rata plus 8 bank holidays

About us

At Mind in Salford, we’re more than a local mental health charity, we’re a community working to ensure no- one has to face mental ill health alone.

Every day, we support people across Salford to improve their wellbeing, build resilience, and create positive change in their lives.

About the Service

Salford Neighbourhood Mental Health Team (SNMHT) is a community mental health service delivered in partnership between GMMH, Mind in Salford, Six Degrees, Wellbeing Matters and START, with support from local NHS and primary care partners.

SNMHT is multidisciplinary, and includes an occupational therapist, nurse, recoveryworker, psychiatrist, psychologist, peer mentors and social workers.

We do mental health support differently, with a focus on your skills, aspirations and experiences. We put your strengths and living experience at the centre to help you recover and stay well as part of your community.

About You and the Role

We are seeking a male Living Experience Peer Support Worker to use his own experience of mental health challenges to offer hope, practical support and recovery-focused encouragement to people accessing Salford Neighbourhood Mental Health Team.

The role will involve working across the City of Salford, supporting individuals in a range of community and clinical settings. As travel throughout the city is required, access to a car would be desirable, although this is not essential.

The successful applicant will work alongside key workers and other members of the multidisciplinary team to provide person-centred support. Using their own living experience, they will help build hope, confidence and resilience, empowering individuals to achieve their goals and improve their wellbeing.

Application deadline: 5PM on Friday 25 September

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are committed to achieving equal opportunities in employment and the service we provide, and welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental health issues. We encourage applications from everyone, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity.

We work with children and adults who may be at risk of abuse and therefore everyone is subject to a DBS check (level of check is dependent on the nature of the role) and receipt of two satisfactory references.

No agencies please.

Up to 37.5 hours per week ¦ Full and part-time opportunities

Do you want to make a real difference every day?

Are you an experienced Support Worker or care professional ready to take the next step in your career?

At Stockdales, you'll support people with learning and physical disabilities, including people with complex health needs, to live full, active and meaningful lives.

We're a charity with over 70 years' experience, and we're proud to create an environment where the people we support can enjoy life, try new things and be as independent as possible.

And that means your days are anything but ordinary.

You could be supporting someone with their personal care in the morning, heading out into the community in the afternoon, and helping them enjoy an activity, day trip or new experience later that day.

Our activities include swimming, trips to the seaside, museums, sensory walks, activity breaks and holidays in the UK and abroad.

What you'll be doing

As a Care Practitioner, you'll:

• Provide dignified, person-centred personal care and support in line with individual support plans.
• Support individuals with health care needs and complete health care procedures following appropriate training and guidance.
• Promote independence, self-help skills, community involvement and positive outcomes.
• Recognise and appropriately respond to distressed behaviour, safeguarding concerns and changes in health or wellbeing.
• Support colleagues, including staff who are new to the role or completing their probation.
• Take on Shift Leader responsibilities when required, including delegating duties, supporting medication and stores processes, liaising with families and professionals, and escalating concerns appropriately.

You'll be supported throughout your development, with comprehensive induction, refresher training and opportunities to complete relevant professional qualifications such as an RQF/NVQ Level 2 or 3.

About you

You'll ideally have at least one year's experience in care and be ready to take on more responsibility and lead shifts.

Most importantly, you'll be caring, reliable and passionate about supporting people to live the lives they choose.

You'll also need to:

• Be flexible to work evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
• Be comfortable working as part of a team and taking responsibility when required.
• Have basic IT skills, including Microsoft Word and email.
• Have good English reading and writing skills and basic numeracy.
• Be physically able to carry out the role, including using hoists and pushing wheelchairs.

The role is subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check, references and successful completion of a 6-month probationary period, as well as all required training.

What we offer

We want our staff to feel valued, supported and able to develop their careers with us. In return, you'll receive:

• A competitive salary
• Enhanced pay for bank holidays and on call
• Excellent internal and external training offered
• Comprehensive induction and ongoing training
• Mileage paid for travel during work hours
• 28 days holiday per year pro rata inclusive of bank holidays
• Increased holiday entitlement with service
• Pension Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to Wage Stream
• Medicash – includes access to 24hr GP, money off shopping and going out, wellbeing aids
• Life Insurance Scheme
• Monthly staff prize draw

Why Stockdales?

Because this is more than a care job.

You'll build relationships, develop your skills and help people do things that matter to them. Whether that's supporting someone to become more independent, enjoying a day out, trying a new activity or simply having a really good day - you'll know you've made a difference.

If you're ready to take the next step in your care career, we'd love to hear from you.