Youth advocate jobs in london

Job Description

Brent Mencap has been passionate about a healthier and fairer Brent since 1979. We’ve developed and run successful housing, employment, health, advice, wellbeing and self-advocacy services. During austerity and Covid we diversified, successfully taking on NHS work with people with long-term health conditions. We provide social prescribing support and health and wellbeing coaching to patients for Brent GPs. In 2024-5 we helped over 18000 people. We’re a leading partner on the Brent Health Educators Programme. Recently we’ve focused on developing and retaining a much larger staff group, using our data better and improving our marketing.

Brent Mencap offers fantastic free creative and wellbeing activities for people with a learning disability, autism and long-term health conditions. These have flourished since Covid. People love yoga, poetry, singing, gardening, Breathe and Move, self-advocacy, campaigning, awareness raising, CREATE art activities for young people, external trips and parties. Small grants, donations and our reserves fund this while we get longer term funding. Our self-advocates want us to focus on paid employment, youth services and making Brent Council use accessible information properly. People with a learning disability, neurodiversity and their family carers are inclusively supported by social prescribers for advice and by health educators/coaches for health-related matters if needed.

Our current Executive Director, who has led Brent Mencap so well for 25 years wants to retire. The successful candidate will build on Brent Mencap’s history, current success and potential so our long-term passion for a healthier and fairer Brent can evolve and improve the lives of Brent People. Are you the amazing successor to lead and inspire our talented, committed team?

We are looking for someone who  

· Has the relevant voluntary sector experience, vision, determination and leadership skills

· Is committed to developing and supporting our diverse staff group

· Can see the bigger picture but also focuses on the important details

· Supports our ethos of person-centred service delivery and activities

· Can communicate well with users, partners, staff, trustees and funders

· Enjoys influencing and raising awareness

· Is entrepreneurial, savvy, confident and can maintain our current  financial stability and diversify our income streams

· Understands the lived experience of disability, long term health conditions and inequality  and wants to improve their lives

· Understands the importance of marketing and data to challenge inequality, promote positive change and attract new funds.

· Can prioritise reviewing and improving our data collection

· Can develop funding project plans that includes staffing for enhanced  wellbeing and creative activities, for  young people, employment  related support and other identified needs

In addition, they will have to:

· Work with the Board of Trustees and staff to develop our vision, implement strategic plans and  deliver agreed objectives

· Be able to ensure all aspects of our work are done safely, legally, in line with our articles/constitution  and able to assess risks and mitigate them

· Be responsible for staff development, management and all aspects of the administration of the organisation

· Be an ambassador for Brent Mencap, meeting and working with leaders with statutory and voluntary sector, Royal Mencap and local Mencaps

· Represent the lived experiences and voices of people with learning disabilities, neurodivergence, long term conditions and their families who inform our work and the work of others in Brent

· Work late occasionally, attend evening events, meetings and occasional weekends and undertake any other necessary tasks as required to ensure Brent Mencap functions safely.

In order to deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is required and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. This job description will be subjected to review with the post holder, from time to time to ensure it accurately reflects the duties and range of the post.

This post is:

• subject to Enhanced DBS Disclosure

• subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. It will be necessary for a disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and barring Service for details of any previous criminal convictions.

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK

• Please note: Our office base is on the first floor of a Victorian building with steep stairs.

To be shortlisted,

· Candidates must fully complete our application form, and show clearly how their previous experience and knowledge meets all aspects of the person specification with examples given of actual actions/experience relating to the person specification. Please go to our website to complete the application by 9.00am on 28th August. We do not accept CVs

· Be prepared to visit Brent Mencap so key staff and self-advocates can meet them informally before the interview day  or have a 60–90-minute Teams meeting with them. To arrange a face-to-face or Teams  meet up on a Wednesday only  please contact our office manager Simon via the website.

Interview details

· A 4-part Interview with senior staff, self-advocates, operational managers and trustees, will take place at Brent Mencap on Friday 5th or 12th September 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be given a paper-based scenario to complete and send to us on the Thursday before the interview

· We anticipate the full interviews will take 2.5 hours with a 30-minute break at some point.

Finance Manager Job Description

Brent Mencap has been passionate about a healthier and fairer Brent since 1979. We’ve developed and run successful housing, employment, health, advice, wellbeing and self-advocacy services. During austerity and Covid we diversified, successfully taking on NHS work with people with long-term health conditions. We provide social prescribing support and health and wellbeing coaching to patients for Brent GPs. In 2024-25 we helped over 18000 people. We’re a leading partner on the Brent Health Educators Programme.

Our income has substantially  increased from £382k in 19/20 to £1.71 million in 23-24. We’ve had to adapt quickly, developing and retaining a much larger staff group, using our data better and improving our marketing.

Brent Mencap offers fantastic free creative and wellbeing activities for people with a learning disability, autism and long-term health conditions. These have flourished since Covid. People love yoga, poetry, singing, gardening, Breathe and Move, self-advocacy, campaigning, awareness raising, CREATE art activities for young people, external trips and parties. Small grants, donations and our reserves fund this while we get longer term funding. Our self-advocates want us to focus on paid employment, youth services and making Brent Council use accessible information properly.

Our current finance manager has been pivotal to Brent Mencap’s recent growth, adapting to paying more people, dealing with complicated invoices, making sure we get paid promptly, being as diligent about a project budget worth 5k as our overall budget and supportive with staff  wage queries. While there is lots of data input, reconciling, processing purchase orders, the role involves real involvement in project development, monitoring with other managers and face-to-face involvement with users and staff. It’s never boring and definitely not for the faint hearted!!

As Finance Manager for Brent Mencap, you will have a key leadership position. You will be responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of our finances, ensuring compliance with all statutory requirements while ensuring our services are sustainable through sound financial planning. You will work closely with the Executive Director and Trustee Board to provide accurate insights and projections that support long-term growth and resilience.

You will play a pivotal role in reviewing and maintaining our robust finance and administrative system and procedures, managing risks and ensuring our charity finances can support delivery of our mission. You will also contribute to the development of funding applications, tenders, and financial strategies. You will play a key role in supporting funding applications, demonstrating impact through financial reporting, and building processes that enable future growth.

This post is:

• subject to Enhanced DBS Disclosure

• subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. It will be necessary for a disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and barring Service for details of any previous criminal convictions.

• Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK

• Please note our office base is on the first floor of a Victorian building

To be shortlisted,

· Candidates must fully complete our application form, and show clearly how their previous experience and knowledge meets all aspects of the person specification with examples given of actual actions/experience relating to the person specification. Please go to our website to complete the application by 9.00am on 28th August. We do not accept CVs

Interview details

· A 2-part Interview with senior staff will take place at Brent Mencap on Monday 8th or 15th  September 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be given a paper-based scenario to complete and print at Brent Mencap before the interview

· We anticipate the interviews will take 2.0 hours with a 15-minute break  between scenario and actual interview.

Making The Leap is an innovative social justice charity that aims to make a big difference. From direct delivery, to advocacy and leadership, we refuse to stay in our lane and believe passionately that those we exist to serve have the right to be anything they want to be. To say that this is an exciting time for the organisation would be an understatement, as our incredible funders, donors, partners and supporters have given us the chance to move to the next level, and have further influence and delivery nationally.

The shared soul of the organisation is to be passionate about helping young people from less-advantaged backgrounds; build up other charities and community groups and want to partner with them or support them; want to work with businesses and organisations to get things done; and care deeply about addressing racial inequity.

The organisation has two pillars: Programmes – which is direct delivery to young people from less-advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds to raise their aspirations and increase their access to opportunities, and Leadership and Advocacy -  which covers the UK Social Mobility Awards; the Social Mobility Podcast, the Social Mobility List, our research function and a number of strands: core Making The Leap, your remit would be directly with the first three strands and  your team will be responsible for generating the income for core Making The Leap.

Role overview:

As a member of MTL’s senior management team, you will take responsibility for the organisation’s growth and outward facing initiatives. You will lead and manage the organisation’s portfolio of social mobility leadership strands, and develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders. You will provide dynamic day-to-day leadership for the MTL’s directorate responsible for income generation, impact, research, communications and policy, and ensure the organisation continues to be an exemplar of innovation, integrity and collaboration. You will also be contributing to, implementing and monitoring delivery of the organisation’s strategic plan.

Making The Leap is an innovative societal change charity that aims to make a big difference. From direct delivery, to advocacy and leadership, we refuse to stay in our lane and believe passionately that those we exist to serve have the right to be anything they want to be. To say that this is an exciting time for the organisation would be an understatement, as our incredible funders, donors, partners and supporters have given us the chance to move to the next level, and have further influence and delivery nationally.

The ethos of the organisation is to be passionate about helping young people from less-advantaged backgrounds; build up other charities and community groups and want to partner with them or support them; want to work with businesses and organisations to get things done; and care deeply about addressing racial inequity.

The organisation has a number of strands: core Making The Leap; the UK Social Mobility Awards; the Social Mobility Podcast; The Social Mobility List and Black Charity Leaders.

We are seeking a Manager  of ISVA for our Advocacy service. If you are an experienced ISVA looking for a rewarding new role and overseeing the Advocacy serviceRespond has an exciting opportunity for you.    

The Advocacy Services Manager has responsibility for managing and developing Respond’s advocacy services for young people and adults with learning disabilities, autism or both who have experienced trauma and abuse. The postholder works alongside the Psychotherapist services manager to deliver best practice services as well as improving practice across the advocacy sector. 

About Us
The National Landscapes Association represents and supports the UK’s National Landscapes (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) – places where we want nature and people to flourish together. These living, protected landscapes are vital to the UK’s nature recovery, climate resilience, sustainable farming and wellbeing.

We work collaboratively and inclusively to ensure these treasured places are protected, restored, and accessible to all. Our policy work is central to this mission – and we’re looking for a proficient and motivated individual to help shape and drive it forward.

About the Role
As Policy & Advocacy Officer, you’ll be a core member of our dynamic policy team, helping to influence positive change at the heart of environmental, planning, and community policy in the UK. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on creating and communicating impactful policy positions, can build strategic relationships, and wants to make a real difference.

You’ll work across a broad range of issues – including agriculture and land management, planning and sustainable development, wellbeing and recreation and access and engagement – supporting National Landscape teams to engage effectively in national debates and policy processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Policy research & analysis: monitor emerging policy trends, conduct research and analysis, and develop robust evidence-based positions across key topics.
• Strategic advocacy: Help design and deliver targeted advocacy strategies; draft position papers, consultation responses and policy briefs.
• Stakeholder engagement: Build and maintain trusted relationships with government officials, partner organisations and local teams.
• Communication & outreach: Translate complex issues into clear, compelling messages for internal and external audiences, contribute to communication strategies and represent the organisation at external meetings.
• Monitoring & evaluation: Track policy impact and advocacy initiative progress, providing updates and insight to the Head of Policy & Advocacy.

See the role description for more information.

Why Join Us?
At the National Landscapes Association, you’ll be part of a passionate and forward-thinking team making a meaningful impact. You’ll gain exposure to a wide range of high-profile policy issues, work alongside experts across the UK, and help shape the future of our most valued landscapes.

About Bright Futures UK

Bright Futures UK supports children and young people aged 5 to 24 whose education has been disrupted due to serious long-term physical or mental health conditions. We offer online one-to-one tutoring, befriending, and mentoring programmes, as well as group programmes including hospital workshops, industry events, and advocacy actions initiatives. Working in close partnership with hospitals, families, and other services, we ensure that children and young people experiencing health-related challenges are not left behind.

Role Overview

This is a key role in the delivery of our online personalised programme. The Coordinator will oversee the children and young people referral pathway, acting as the first point of contact for new referrals and guiding children, young people, and their families, educators, or hospital contacts through every stage of the onboarding process.

You will be responsible for gathering detailed and sensitive information about each young person’s health, education, and wellbeing, to ensure the support they receive is tailored, appropriate, and trauma-informed. Maintaining accurate and comprehensive records is a central part of this role. You will also line manage the Personalised Programme Coordinators, work closely with the wider Programme and Volunteer Teams, and play a key role in external outreach and stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Referral and Programme Oversight

• Act as the lead contact for all incoming referrals, including those from hospitals, statutory services, community organisations, and families
• Hold safe, compassionate, and confidential conversations with CYPs to understand their needs and gather relevant information around education, physical health, and mental wellbeing
• Ensure all referral documentation, risk assessments, consent forms, and safeguarding procedures are completed to a high standard and in line with organisational policy
• Maintain strong working relationships with referral partners, providing updates and sharing appropriate feedback
• Oversee the matching of referred CYP to suitable volunteers in collaboration with the Volunteer Senior Coordinator
• Monitor programme delivery through regular check-ins with Personalised Programme Coordinators to provide support and identify emerging risks or additional needs
• Liaise with internal colleagues to escalate safeguarding concerns and ensure support plans remain up to date
• Contribute to the development of our personalised support model, helping us adapt and evolve our offer based on the needs of our community

Team Management and Coordination

• Provide day-to-day line management and supervision to the Personalised Programme Coordinators
• Delegate tasks effectively and oversee the coordination of team workloads and timelines

Stakeholder Engagement and Promotion

• Promote Bright Futures UK’s personalised programme offer to relevant professionals and services
• Represent the organisation at external meetings, events, and forums
• Work with the Communications Team to ensure referral resources and information materials are accessible, clear, and up to date

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Administration

• Maintain accurate records using our CRM systems (Better Impact and Asana), ensuring compliance with GDPR and safeguarding standards
• Support ongoing monitoring and evaluation through data collection and feedback

Person Specification

Essential:

· Demonstrated ability to hold sensitive conversations in a trauma-informed, empathetic and professional way

· Knowledge of the education or healthcare systems affecting children and young people

· Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills

· High level of organisation and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain accurate records

· Commitment to safeguarding, confidentiality and ethical practice

· Proficiency in using digital systems and confidence in learning new tools (e.g. Better Impact, Asana, Canva)

Desirable:

· Experience working with or supporting children and young people with complex needs, including health, SEND or mental health challenges

· Experience working in a charity, school, hospital or youth work setting

· Understanding of trauma-informed approaches and inclusive practice

· Experience supporting or supervising team members

· Mental Health First Aid

Job Title - Caseworker (Immigration and Asylum Law)

Contract - Permanent

Hours - 35 hours per week

Salary - £27,000 - £29,000 dependent on experience

Location - Coram Campus, London, with the possibility of hybrid working

About Coram

Coram is committed to improving the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.

We support children and young people from birth to independence, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive

About the role

This role is a newly created position working within the Youth Access to Immigration Representation and Advice (YAIRA) project providing immigration and asylum support to young people who are in care or are care leavers.  The YAIRA Project was set up by Coram CLC and 4 local authorities – Enfield, Islington, Barnet and Camden - to increase access to representation and advice for children in care and leaving care.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a keen interest in upholding the rights of vulnerable children and young people with experience of the care system who is seeking to progress their legal aid career in the charity sector. Our lawyers benefit from a good work-life balance and realistic financial and chargeable hour targets. The role can be split between working from home/office-based with flexibility as to the balance between the two.

The successful candidate will work alongside a senior caseworker already working on the project and together you will liaise with the local authorities involved in the project to implement an effective referral mechanism for children and young persons in their care and have conduct of and be responsible for a caseload of immigration, asylum and associated human rights law matters concerning children, young people and families referred by the local authorities. You will be expected to provide high quality legal advice, assistance and representation to these clients through legal aid casework.

The candidate will also be involved in providing ad hoc training as required to the local authority partners on areas relating to the immigration needs of children in care and care leavers and as agreed with the local authorities.

When not working on the YAIRA project, the postholder may be asked to provide paralegal casework support to the wider immigration and asylum team.

We welcome applications from caseworkers at different stages of their careers provided that they have experience (ideally 1 years+) of conducting immigration & asylum cases. The successful candidate should be able to manage a caseload independently, but we also offer excellent supervision and training opportunities, and we support all our employees in their career progression.

We welcome applications from candidates with direct personal or lived experience of the issues that CCLC works on, such as the UK immigration and asylum system, the care system, the family justice system or children's educational law rights.

To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.

Closing date: 23.59pm 7th August 2025

Interview date: 14th August 2025

Coram is an equal opportunities employer, and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from, Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.

If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Registered Charity No. 312278.

Job Title: Policy and Influencing Manager
Organisation: Kids
Location: Remote (with travel to London up to once a week for meetings)
Salary: £33,000–£35,000
Contract: Full-time or 4 days/week (Flexible working available)

Make change happen – for every child.

At Kids, we believe every child should have the opportunity to thrive – regardless of disability or circumstance. As our Policy and Influencing Manager, you’ll play a vital role in making this a reality. You’ll help shape policies that amplify the voices and experiences of disabled children and young people, turning insight into influence and ideas into action.

This is a unique opportunity to lead bold, evidence-based policy work that reflects the lived experiences of the families we support. Working closely with colleagues across the organisation and sector, you’ll inform decision-makers, respond to developments in the SEND landscape, and ensure that young people’s voices are at the heart of the change we seek.

We’re looking for a passionate and proactive policy professional who’s ready to help build something powerful – and lasting – at a critical time for SEND reform in the UK.

What you'll do

Policy & Influencing

• Develop accessible and compelling policy briefings, consultation responses, reports, speeches, and presentations for a range of stakeholders, including MPs, government officials, and sector partners.
• Translate complex ideas into clear, persuasive communications that support positive change.
• Collaborate with our Youth Voice Manager to ensure our policy positions reflect the real experiences of the young people and families we support.
• Help deliver and monitor our policy and influencing strategy in collaboration with the Head of Policy, Voice and Influencing.

Research & Evidence

• Carry out high-quality research and analysis from both internal and external sources.
•  Centre the experiences and insights of disabled children, young people, and their families in policy solutions
• Monitor policy developments across the SEND landscape and lead on timely, evidence-led responses.
• Track progress against our influencing goals and ensure our actions remain targeted and impactful.

Engagement & Relationship Building

• Build strong relationships with decision-makers across government and the public sector.
• Support the Head of Policy, Voice and Influencing to plan and deliver our strategic external engagement plan in order to focus and drive our wider influencing work
• Represent Kids at meetings and events, including engaging MPs, civil servants, and other key influencers.
• Work closely with internal teams and front-line colleagues to ensure our influencing work is grounded in practice and informed by those delivering services.

Collaboration & Strategic Partnerships

• Work alongside the Head of Policy, Voice and Influencing and Youth Voice Manager to deliver our external engagement strategy including deputising at meetings when required.
• Support collaboration across teams to bring in parent, carer, and young person voices.
• Contribute to external coalitions and alliances – attending meetings, aligning with others’ work, and championing Kids' policy priorities.

What you'll bring

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in a policy role and demonstrable experience of using policy and evidence to influence outcomes– ideally within the disability sector.
• Strong understanding of the SEND system and related policies and legislation (through lived or professional experience).
• Excellent writing skills – able to craft persuasive policy briefings, consultation responses, and reports with clarity and purpose.
• Confident communicator, able to engage a range of audiences in person and in writing.
• Strong research and analytical skills – able to sift through evidence and develop insight-driven policy recommendations.
• Ability to build and manage relationships with senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Highly organised, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Passionate about inclusion, equity, and social justice – with a strong motivation to elevate the voices of disabled children and young people.

Why work at Kids?

We’re a mission-driven organisation, building a fairer world where all children have the opportunity to flourish. You’ll join a growing team in a pivotal role, helping to shape the future of policy and advocacy at Kids.

We’re committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We’re especially keen to hear from people with lived experience of disability or SEND, either personally or within your family or community.

Ready to create change that counts?
Apply now and help us influence a better, more inclusive future for disabled children and young people.

Note: We may close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. Please apply promptly

The Education Access Coordinator will equip young asylum seekers and refugees to access further (FE) and higher education (HE) through advice and guidance, 1:1 casework and training for other professionals. 

This role sits within the Education Access team: everything we do is focussed on supporting young refugees and asylum seekers into an appropriate form of education from primary school right the way up to university.

The team is separated into three work streams: access to schools, access to FE and access to HE. We also run a national email and telephone advice service through which young people, their families and the professionals who support them, can receive timely and accurate advice and support about any aspect of accessing education in the UK.

This role straddles the access to FE and HE streams of work and, although it would be helpful to have some experience of working in these sectors, our experience is that this knowledge can be taught and is not as important to us as other qualities and experience.

The successful candidate will, however, need to be able to understand and retain a great deal of complex information and then clearly articulate this to others both verbally and in writing. The ideal candidate would be someone who would relish becoming an expert in refugee access to FE and HE and would enjoy the problem solving element of navigating complex regulations to find the right solution for an individual struggling to access education. 

The successful candidate will also need to have experience of and enjoy working with vulnerable young people both individually and in groups. A key element of this role is ongoing casework with individuals - where you will need to build a supportive and trusting relationship over the long term - alongside running one-off workshops for large groups where the priority is to quickly gain young people’s confidence and attention. 

Finally, the successful candidate will be responsible for representing REUK’s access pillar externally.  You will co-deliver training to a high standard as well as maintaining relationships with key stakeholders including local authorities, FE colleges, universities and other NGOs - it is therefore imperative that you have excellent people skills.

This role can be done 4 or 5 days per week, depending on preference (salary would be pro rata for 4 days). 

Are you passionate about sport and physical activity and want to use this to share the good news of Jesus to children & young people across South England?

About the role 

Scripture Union England & Wales (SU) one of the UK’s longest-established children and youth ministry organisations is  working in partnership with Activate, an exciting local sport and wellbeing project, to offer this unique role to reach many more young people in the Bushy Park area and across the South of England through physical activity. 

We’re looking for a creative and entrepreneurial individual with a passion for using sport to help children and young people across the South of England to explore and respond to the good news of Jesus. 

This unique role combines the benefits of direct face-to-face engagement with young people in a local context, delivering mission through sport activities and programmes, while also developing and mentoring others to expand ministry across the South region. The ideal candidate will have equal passion and experience in both contexts. 

Key details: Employed by Scripture Union you will spend three days per week developing sports mission across London and the South. For two days per week, you will work on the Activate sports and wellbeing project working across the Bushy Park area.

Location: Home based with travel across London and the wider south region for SU & St Peter’s Church in West Molesey for Activate. 

Important things to note before you apply.  

1. This role will focus on Bushy Park, London and the South of England and will require extensive regular travel across the region.

2. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workforce. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from people, regardless of their background.  

3. We take Safeguarding seriously. This role will require a Disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service and has an occupational requirement to be filled by a committed Christian, active in church life. Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9 applies. 

A flexible role shaped around you 

The role is full-time, offering the best of both worlds by working with two partner organisations that collaborate synergistically. This position suits a candidate who enjoys face-to-face interactions with young people locally and strategic work regionally, training others for delivery. You’ll work closely with the Activate team and maintain weekly connections with the SU Sports Mission team as well as contributing to the wider work of the SU South region team. 

Who we’re looking for team

You are someone who loves variety in your work and thrives on the fact that no two days are the same. You value a blend of face-to-face interaction with children and young people through sports coaching and leading, while also adopting a facilitating approach; equipping, training, and motivating others. You enjoy being rooted in a local context but are also happy travelling and working in a range of settings. 

You’re a connector who relishes being in the community, with experience in leading teams whilst working with diverse groups of people. Your creative mindset, combined with excellent organisational skills, enables you to spot and create opportunities for impact. You love Jesus and are filled with energy and passion for sharing the gospel. You excel with people and thrive when given a blank canvas to drive projects from conception to completion. You are a confident communicator with experience in training, coaching, and empowering others. You have a passion for sport and experience in using this as a tool for sharing the gospel with children and young people. You’ve got a Level 2 coaching qualification or you’re willing to work towards one. 

If this describes you and you would like to join a like-minded organisation that offers the flexibility of an exciting, varied role, provides a competitive salary, a generous pension scheme, and other valuable benefits, then read on.

Invest in our mission, as we invest in you: Our Benefits: 

This joined-up role with Activate and Scripture Union means being part of a vibrant team dedicated to making a real, positive difference in the lives of children and young people. We’re proud to be employers that truly value and support our staff. This role offers the flexibility you need for a healthy work-life balance, alongside a competitive salary. Your benefits package includes 23 days annual leave plus bank holidays, plus an additional 5 days for volunteering at  Scripture Union events and two days for spiritual refreshment.

We offer a comprehensive group pension scheme with an employer contribution of up to 12%, as well as life insurance (death-in-service coverage). We offer generous maternity, paternity, and adoption leave benefits. You will also have access to SU’s bible notes, and the opportunity to join daily staff prayers.

About Scripture Union  

You might have heard of us before if you're one of the 1.5 million+ who have attended one of our Christian holidays or missions over the years, or maybe you're one of the 40,000+ subscribers to have used our brilliant devotionals or been stirred by our exceptional bible resources. We've been at this for a fair few years... over 150 to be precise. Over this time, we’ve remained passionate about helping children and young people develop a vibrant faith in Jesus. As our name describes, the radical power of God's word has always been central to our approach.

We still do all the great stuff with resources and holidays, but in the last few years, we have sharpened our vision with a renewed focus to help the 95% of young people (primary and secondary school age) across the UK who have never stepped foot inside a church, to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus. We do this through equipping and resourcing the local church, training up volunteers from local churches (we call them ‘Faith Guides’) and collaborating with local and national partners across the UK to connect with children and young people and support them on a journey of exploring faith in a way that is relevant and meaningful.

In the last few years we’ve developed a brand new approach to how we do this, it’s deceptively simple and incredibly effective, we call it Revealing Jesus, and its making a massive difference, in the last couple of years we’ve trained up nearly 600 faith guides across 400+ churches all over the UK, collectively we’re seeing over 50,000 young people across the UK on a journey of exploring the Christian faith and responding to an invitation to become followers of Jesus. We have 24 staff organised into four regional mission teams, and alongside our local and national partners, we’re playing our part in a network of organisations that seeks to reach children and young people in every context, across every town and city across the whole of the UK. The journey ahead is significant, and we invite you to be a part of it! 

Since 2015, SU has had a dedicated Mission Through Sport team which contributes directly towards this outreach to the 95. We have recently developed some innovative new resources, aligned with the RJ framework, which the post holder will be involved in both delivering and equipping others to utilise. These include our flagship programme called Holy Ground which empowers churches to adopt a local sports space in their community to connect with the 95 in their context. Half Time is our brand new Explore-Respond resource which uses sports-themed videos and fun games to help the 95 to explore the life of Jesus by journeying through Mark’s Gospel. 

About Activate 

Activate is a sport and physical activity-based programme, formed in 2018, seeking to build community through wellbeing that invigorates faith.  Activate seeks to release God’s people to join in his mission through sport and physical activity in the areas surrounding Bushy Park. This includes gathering, encouraging and empowering local Christians involved in sports ministry, including expressions of chaplaincy and missional communities centred around sports clubs, centres, educational settings and gyms.  A number of local churches across denominations and Dioceses have been supporters of the project. 

In the past Activate has supported sports projects in local schools, an activity-based church service, wellbeing cafe sessions, exercise sessions for the elderly and youth activities.  The successful candidate will be involved in re-launching Activate’s mission after a break due to staff changes. 

About your team

With this role, you will have the benefit of being part of a national-focused sports team at SU, as well as the south team with a regional focus and the local context with Activate. You’ll work out of the office of St Peter’s Church, West Molesey, benefiting from the support of a local parish-based team including clergy and youth workers. You’ll contribute your expertise in a variety of settings, ranging from urban and suburban to coastal and rural areas across the south. You’ll have a brilliant time getting acquainted with this rich tapestry of local and national partners. Across the south region, we currently work with 130 churches and have 150 faith guides. We’d like to see these numbers grow significantly over the next few years and believe that a vibrant sports ministry can contribute meaningfully to this. 

Interview date: 11th September 2025 

Interview location: St Peter’s Church, West Molesey

* (CONTRACT) Funding is in place for year one and partly secured for year two. We are confident that through the development of innovate partnerships via the Activate role, including within the church of England, the funds can be generated to not only fulfil the two initial years but also beyond that to ensure longevity in this vital mission. We invite interested applicants to contact Mark Oliver, Sports Mission Team Leader at Scripture Union, for an informal conversation.

Job Title: Family Support and Graduation Coordinator

Salary: £28,000

Working Hours: 35 hours per week

Contract: Fixed Term until 31 March 2026 (extension subject to funding)

Location: Newham office based (with some hybrid working) 

About us at the NCT

NCT is a charity with a clear mission: to support people as they become parents, through pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood.

With a 65-year history of transformative change, we are a vibrant community of volunteers, practitioners, peer supporters, members and advocates. We are the largest parenting charity in the country and over the decades we’ve supported millions of people on their unique journey into parenthood.   

While many know us for our antenatal classes, we also do much more. We campaign on issues that matter to parents, provide infant feeding support, and run thousands of free community events and activities led by our amazing volunteers. We also support families facing challenges like social isolation, feeding difficulties, and poor mental health. We offer support in communities, in hospitals and online.

NCT is committed to social justice and equity. We are dedicated to being an anti-racist charity and believe that inclusion is everyone's responsibility. Being there for every parent requires bold action to challenge inequalities. By creating inclusive spaces and services that are built on collaboration and trust, we welcome and celebrate diversity and strive to meet the needs of the pregnant women, new parents, families and communities that we serve.

As the world changes and new challenges are thrown up for parents, our charity must change too. Join us now and be part of this journey, and ensure that every parent feels connected, confident and safe. 

About the role

This post will work as part of a community partnership programme, a small team providing accessible and bespoke perinatal care including, antenatal education, postnatal sessions, peer support, counselling and practical support to women from low-income migrant marginalised backgrounds. 

The role will provide non-judgmental, compassionate and trauma-informed care to women accessing the service helping them to navigate complex needs and overcome barriers to access through a creative, solution-focused approach. Working alongside the Perinatal Programme Manager building and maintaining a network of local support services, helping to develop clear referral pathways and strong partner relationships.

To be successful in this role you will have: 

• Experience of supporting or working with marginalised or vulnerable groups and understanding the barriers they face to accessing support and an awareness of ways in overcoming them  

• Knowledge and experience working or volunteering with women and birthing people during pregnancy and early years  

• Experience working within a relevant sector e.g., maternity, children’s services, homelessness, women’s services, mental health, supporting asylum and refugee families

• A good knowledge and understanding of local support and services for the client group
• Experience in empowering women to make informed decisions about their lives and advocating for their needs and rights

• Ability to handle challenging situations and behaviour with a calm, flexible and confident approach to reach a positive resolution

• Able to work reflectively, developing an awareness of any judgements, biases or assumptions that may impact upon your work.  

What we offer

We are taking positive action to increase diversity throughout our organisation, at all levels, and to nurture a culture of inclusion for all our people and the parents and families that we support. 

We are committed to zero discrimination both internally and externally regardless of visible or invisible difference such as sex, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, religion or belief, gender identity, economic class, marital/civil partnership, family status including single parents, socio-economic background and pregnancy and maternity.   We provide reasonable adjustments and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process.

We welcome and actively encourage applications from all candidates including those from under-represented groups within NCT such as individuals from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQI+ people and people with a disability.

The welfare and safety of individuals is at the heart of everything that we do. NCT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Closing date for applications: 10th August 2025

Interview: In person at a venue in Newham on Thursday 14th August 2025

Purpose of the post

The Engagement and Involvement Lead will engage with young people, families, schools and other interest-holders in the process of designing, delivering and ensuring the best outputs from the Adolescent Health Study, and is critical for the success of the project.  We are at the early stages of laying the foundations for this and in this new role we are seeking an experienced and passionate individual to co-ordinate and lead AHS’s cross-UK participant and public involvement and engagement activities.

This is a role that requires high levels of confidence, autonomy, enthusiasm and skill. The postholder will be responsible for delivering the project’s new Engagement and Involvement Strategy, including:  establishing and coordinating a Young Persons’ Advisory Group for AHS; developing and delivering AHS public engagement and involvement activities; outsourcing and supervising engagement and involvement activities that are better provided by external partners; scoping and advising on which routes for involvement and engagement activities are best suited to different tasks. 

Main responsibilities

Planning & strategy delivery

· Ensuring the study delivers the values and approaches set out in the AHS engagement and involvement strategy

· Planning, delivering and reporting on an ongoing, regular and important programme of engagement events and activities

· Reviewing/revising/adding to existing policies, processes and procedures to support effective working together with people and communities (such as reimbursement, compensation, making reasonable adjustments)

· Developing and implementing appropriate evaluation, monitoring and reporting of Community Engagement & Involvement

· Keeping up to date with good practice & sector advances and sharing these with the AHS team.

Practical engagement and involvement

· Developing methods to enhance engagement and involvement, and helping to build positive relationships with young people and stakeholder groups, including charities, third sector & advocacy groups

· Overseeing day-to-day planning & delivery of a high-quality engagement and involvement programme.  To include, for example:

o Managing and supporting Youth Advisors

o Recruiting and running a standing Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG)

o Organising & delivering other ad hoc engagement activities as necessary

· Securing external partners where necessary, and managing contracts and delivery of their work across the UK

· Ensuring that any external parties (e.g. organisations, freelancers, consultants) supporting AHS’s involvement and engagement work have clear roles, responsibilities & goals

· Working with the Head of Communications to develop and manage provision of relevant information to members of the public, teachers, young people & researchers

· Keep clear records of involvement and engagement activities, ensuring results are used to inform the study and the wider research community.

Team support

• Checking for and capitalising on possible opportunities for engagement and involvement to be embedded in the work of the wider team
• Ensuring appropriate induction, training, mentoring and support is organised for the research team and communities involved
• Sharing examples of emerging good practice and CEI (Community Engagement & Involvement) impact across the research team.

Wider

• Contributing to shared learning and future sustainability as part of wider CEI communities of practice
• Acting as a key point of contact for community members and partners involved in the research
• Representing and presenting the AHS study’s engagement and involvement work to the wider research community at a senior level, including in national engagement & involvement networks as necessary.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential criteria

· Undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field

· Experience developing and delivering engagement and involvement activities with young people and other relevant interest-holders (such as parents, families, teachers and schools)

· A proven track record or professional background in working with young people – such as in youth work, counselling, mentoring, education, or a related setting

· Understanding and experience of good practice in youth engagement and involvement,  including the principles and implementation of safeguarding, data protection, and inclusive practice

· Awareness of culturally sensitive approaches and methods to be inclusive of all relevant perspectives, including  marginalised and vulnerable groups

· Experience of successful project management and ability to deliver, working independently.

· Ability to design and deliver workshops, focus groups or meetings that encourage open dialogue and collaboration

· Ability to manage a budget and report on financial activity accurately

· Ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team, with experience of working alongside and influencing senior level professionals

· Research literacy, with a clear understanding of large UK-wide research initiatives and the various competing demands and pressures the study will face

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills - able to communicate effectively and confidently with a range of stakeholders and to summarise and report key information clearly and accurately, both verbally and in writing

· Demonstrated commitment to youth participation and the meaningful inclusion of young people’s perspectives.

· Confident using online tools (e.g. MS Teams, Zoom), and collaborative platforms (e.g. SharePoint, Microsoft 365)

Desirable criteria

· Relevant qualification in engagement and involvement

· Post-graduate degree or equivalent experience

· Understanding of key concepts and challenges in young people’s health and wellbeing and the transition to adulthood

· Familiarity with health research and data governance frameworks

· Understanding and knowledge of key potential partners across the UK for delivering youth engagement in the sector.

· Experience using digital engagement and facilitation tools for online workshops (e.g. Miro, Mural, Mentimeter, Canva, PowerPoint)

Dimensions

· This has been designed as a full-time role, although part-time work could be considered for the right candidate.

· Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK.  Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations.

· AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK.

Application Process

This post is subject to receipt of satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and right to work in the UK (visa sponsorship is not available). Please apply with a CV and a covering letter (of no more than two pages) explaining what you can bring to this role, and including your current salary.

The closing date for this position is midnight on Sunday 17 August 2025.

Interviews are currently expected to be held during the week commencing 08 September, tentatively scheduled on Thursday 11 or Friday 12 September 2025.

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Beyond these protected characteristics, we acknowledge the importance of socio-economic background, childcare and caring responsibilities, educational background, neurodiversity, and any other factors that shape an individual’s identity and opportunities. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to contribute fully.

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.