Youth children jobs

Job Title: Advice & Information Worker x 2
Working Hours: 37 Hours per week
Salary: £28,050.00 per annum 
Contract: Permanent
Location: Hatfield Office / hybrid options

Herts Young Homeless is an independent charity and has been supporting vulnerable people in Hertfordshire since 1998. We are professional, passionate, collaborative and supportive charity that provides guidance to everyone who is in need of support.

We are looking for two dedicated and passionate Advice and Information Worker to join our team based in Hatfield! You will be the first point of contact for anyone needing to access the ‘hyh hub’ and will ensure that all referrals are triaged to identify the most effective pathway for support. The worker will deliver accurate advice and information to young people, parents and professionals, and work undertaken in a coordinated timely manner. You will carry out appropriate assessments, with other agencies where needed, to assess the needs of the family to prevent family breakdown and homelessness.

Role Responsibilities:
- Manage a varied, short term case load with conflicting deadlines
- To offer realistic advice and options to young people, family members and professionals to prevent family breakdown and homelessness, identifying any other needs within the process.
- To carry out service user assessments under the JHP and liaise with statutory agencies, non-statutory agencies and family members to assist with a planned move on/secure accommodation for
16/17 year olds as required.
- Develop and maintain smooth, accurate pathways on the database for gathering and maintaining all relevant service user and statistical information
- To chair and coordinate family meetings, housing support meetings and liaison meetings with other agencies as required
- To liaise and refer into Crashpad as required and work within the set timescales
- Alongside team members and external partners, co-ordinate and implement focused action plans, working with families for a maximum of 6 weeks
- Working in strengths based way, support 16/17 year olds to advocate for themselves when appropriate and necessary
- Carry out the necessary follow-up work and write ups of service users files
- Encourage and promote a planned approach to solving conflict alongside the ‘hyh hub’ and explore the mediation / family link worker processes to young people and their families, in line with the ‘single pathway’ model.

As a successful candidate you will have...
- A full driving license and use of own car or motorbike for business purposes (Compulsory)
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the problems facing homeless young people
- Ability to engage and motivate young people, strong interpersonal skills including the ability to be appropriately assertive
- General administrative skills (filling, record keeping and computer literacy)
- Ability to work effectively with a full and varied workload with conflicting deadlines
- Excellent understanding of confidentially with strict professional boundaries and personal integrity
- Commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice
- Excellent planning, organisational & time management skills
- Have a flexible working approach to the needs of the service users
- Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
- IT literacy including excel, word, teams and outlook
- An understanding of the voluntary sector and the constraints placed upon voluntary sector organisation (desirable)

What can we offer you?
-25 days annual leave per annum (in addition to Bank Holidays & Public Holidays)
-People's Pension Plan contribution
-Group Life Insurance plan
-Opportunities for personal and career development
-Hybrid working - option to work from home up to 2 days per week
-An additional annual leave day on your Birthday
-Monthly draws to win ‘lunch on your manager’ or ‘leave work early’
-Employee Assistance Programme - support with wellbeing & personal struggles
 

Please apply via the link on the vacancy found on our website submitting a cover letter  or a short video along with your CV . If you require any adjustments to support your application please let us know and we will be happy to help where we can.Closing Date 6th November 2025 

Recruitment morning will be held on 13th November 2025 that will involve a variety of group based and individual tasks following by a competency interview.  and if successful there will be a personal interview stage held on a date to be confirmed. 

Should you need any reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment day please confirm upon receipt of invitation.

Equal Opportunities

We treat everyone with equal dignity and respect, and promote equal opportunity for all and challenge any behaviour or practice which discriminates against any person on the grounds of race, colour, sex, marital status, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or any other perceived difference.

hyh strives to be an equal opportunities and inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

Our promise to you
Herts Young Homeless promises to act with the upmost integrity and respect when it comes to handling your data and will not share your details with any other client without 1) discussing the opportunity with you first and 2) without your verbal or written consent for us to do so.  

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.

*Please note that applicants with less experience may be considered for a communications officer role.

 Job Title: Research and Impact Lead

Contract type: Full time, 12 months maternity cover with the potential to extend

Salary: £46-£53,000 per year (depending on experience) 

Location: Hybrid with a minimum of 8 office days per month in either our London or Leeds office. The post will require some UK travel for project work and events, particularly around the North of England

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. Each year we reach over 1.4 million children and families across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We work with every local authority, delivering evidence-informed programmes that make a measurable difference to children’s reading behaviours. Our work is rooted in the belief that every child, especially those from low income or vulnerable family backgrounds, deserves the chance to enjoy reading and all the lifelong benefits it brings.  

Job Summary

The Research and Impact Lead role brings scope for collaboration and creativity working closely with BookTrust colleagues, our partners and families, as part of a team of research and impact specialists. In this role we are looking for an experienced and motivated mixed methods researcher and evaluator, with excellent partnership, collaboration and communication skills. The role is likely to suit someone with experience of taking overall accountability for delivery of research and evaluation projects. We are seeking candidates with previous experience of place-based learning and evaluation or strong skills that would be transferable to this context, alongside a strong interest in developing expertise in place-based learning and evaluation.

We will provide excellent opportunities for the postholder to further develop their research, leadership and partnership skills in support of a fast changing, purpose driven national charity. We offer a flexible and supportive working environment and provide on-the-job learning and formal training.

Application

Please apply using the BookTrust Vacancies website, where you can attach a copy of your CV along with a covering letter showing how you meet the person specification and your motivations for applying for the role. Your covering letter should not be longer than two sides. Please also answer this question in your cover letter:

BookTrust is setting up a new place-based pilot to develop a sustainable, place-led model for support which seeks to deepen impact and reach families in greatest need within a particular community. What are some of the principles of good place-based learning and evaluation that BookTrust should incorporate into this work?

Please also attach one or two examples of research, evaluation or learning outputs (reports, presentations etc) you have produced and also specify if you are applying to be based from our Leeds of London office.

Closing date: 14th November

Interviews: Interviews will be in two stages - 1st stage interviews will be on w/c 24th November, via Teams   

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity

We aim to provide an inclusive recruitment process and actively welcome applications from diverse talent pools: minority ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities and long-term conditions and candidates from underrepresented communities.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and want to ensure we have an accessible application process for all candidates. If you need any reasonable adjustments or would like us to do anything differently during the application process, please contact our HR team to discuss your requirements further.

BookTrust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The recruitment and selection process reflect our commitment to safeguarding therefore, the suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment, and pre-employment checks.

Do you have the ambition to make a meaningful impact on the lives of autistic children and young people?

At St. John's, we've been making a positive difference in the lives of children and young people for nearly 140 years. We are now looking for an incredible Residential Support Worker to help us continue making that difference!

As a Residential Support Worker, you will work under the supervision and guidance of the Care Management Team, Senior Residential Support Workers, and Therapy Teams. You will support learners in all residential houses and the community, assisting with social and academic activities.

Our aim is to ensure all learners have equal opportunities to develop their independence and social skills, preparing them for adult life.

What will you be doing?

• Supporting learners with self-care and independence skills such as eating, drinking, washing, bathing, using the toilet, managing incontinence, dressing, mobility, and medication administration.
   
• Ensuring learners' care files are kept up to date and accurate.
   
• At the start of each shift, reviewing communication and log books, and liaising with staff at handover to ensure learners' needs are well documented and addressed.
   
• Establish supportive relationships with learners and encourage the development of stable relationships.
   
• Promote the emotional health and self-esteem of learners and support them through changes in their living situation and personal circumstances.

• Accompanying learners into the community to take part in social and recreational activities such as bowling, cinema trips, and dining out, helping them build confidence and enjoy meaningful experiences beyond the college setting.
   

In return, we offer a fantastic working environment, generous holidays, career development opportunities, and more!

Please note that sponsorship for this role is not available at this time.

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 maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment 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.

About This Job

As Fundraising Assistant at sister charities, ACCT UK and CCFA, you will play a key role in the growth of existing fundraising and in the creation of new income streams. Stewarding fundraisers, helping to develop new and existing fundraising campaigns, building relationships internally within the cadet organisations and externally with Trusts and Foundations, corporates and major givers. You will provide administrative and operational support, including maintaining the fundraising database. Working closely with the rest of the Development team and in particular the Marketing department to ensure that both charities can provide increasing financial support to cadets and adult volunteers across the UK.

Essential Skills

• Highly organised 

• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written 

• Excellent interpersonal skills 

• Strong understanding of Word and Excel 

Please refer to the attached Job Description for further information.

Our charity

ACCT UK is a national youth charity dedicated to improving the life chances of young people. The Combined Cadet Force Association (CCFA) is a charity dedicated to the promotion of the ideals and activities of the Combined Cadet Force in schools. Together we want to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence and be inspired through their cadet experience.

We want to develop the youth leadership and training abilities of adult volunteers whilst also helping young people to access cadet activities through fundraising, grant-making, developing new resources and direct support.

We strongly believe that everyone benefits when you help young people to develop their character and values through activities that stretch and mature them. We also know that when young people engage with others at a range of levels in their communities it builds confidence and improves empathy for other’s lives.

Who we are

You will join a small, friendly and supportive team who believe collaboration is the key to success. By joining our team you will help us to reach more young people and make a greater difference and we look forward to working with you. We actively promote and encourage you to explore ideas that improve all aspects of the charity’s work in pursuit of its charitable aims.

The charities are proud of our diverse teams, with people on different working patterns, from different backgrounds and at different life-stages. Our experience has taught us that having people with different perspectives and different lived experiences leads to better outcomes for our beneficiaries. If you are wondering if our organisation is for someone like you, the answer is yes! Please apply and explain how you, your experience, your talent and your potential are the right fit for this role.

What we can offer you

In addition to your salary, we offer all staff:

· Flexible working arrangements (you agree a working pattern with your line manager).

· The ability to work both from home and from our London office.

· Personal Accident Insurance, including loss of earnings cover and death benefit.

· 15 days of sick pay in any 12-month period (after 12 months employment - pro-rata for part time staff).

· A contributory pension scheme (you contribute at least 5% and we will contribute 10%).

· Good leave allowances (which are offered pro-rata for part time staff):

o 20 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

o Additional privilege leave, on set days each year, such as between Christmas and New Year.

o An additional five days of volunteering leave.

· Support for qualifications and personal development.

· Employee Assistance Programme.

· Season ticket loan.

· Railcard (if you are eligible)

· A caring and supportive team environment.

How to apply

Please send a covering letter that details how you meet the requirements of the job description along with a CV by 23:59 hrs on Sunday 9th November 2025.

Interviews will be held at Holderness House, 51-61 Clifton St, London EC2A 4DW during the week commencing Monday 24th November 2025.

Please note that as a charity dedicated to improving the lives of young people, we require staff to make a declaration about any relevant convictions, undergoing a Disclosure and Barring Service check. In addition, we will follow up references.

Are you an Early Years practitioner with a love for getting outdoors? We’ve got a job for you!

Location: We are recruiting 6 Training and Development Practitioners to cover the following areas: 

• Scotland

• South/South West

• London/ South East

• Midlands/Central

• Wales 

• North/North East/North West 

You will play a vital role in bringing My Nature Play to life in Early Years settings across your region. You will deliver engaging, hands-on outdoor training sessions for Early Years practitioners and support them to build the confidence, skills and enthusiasm to embed regular, high-quality nature play in their settings.

You will need: 

• Experience working in Early Years settings (for example: nurseries, preschools, childminders, or family hubs, local authorities' Early years teams).

• Early Years qualification or equivalent (in Early Years Education, Teaching, Child Development, or Playwork).

• Strong understanding of Early Years pedagogy, child development and play-based learning.

• A passion for helping children and families experience the benefits of outdoor play and nature connection. 

• Experience of delivering training, workshops or adult learning sessions.

• Confidence in leading practical outdoor sessions with adults and/or young children. 

• Ability to inspire and motivate practitioners with warmth, empathy and creativity.

• Excellent planning and organisational skills with the ability to manage and deliver your own varied workload.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• A commitment to highest level of safeguarding and a clear DBS or PVG check. 

• Willingness and ability to travel across your region and occasionally elsewhere in the UK (with overnight stays when required). 

• UK Driving licence and a car. 

Mental Health Support Worker

We are seeking a compassionate and resilient Mental Health Support Worker to join a specialist supported accommodation service for young people with complex mental health needs.

Position: Mental Health Support Worker
Location: Camden, London
Contract: Permanent, full time
Hours: 37.5 hours per week, rota including evenings, weekends and bank holidays
Salary: £27,636 per annum plus pension and benefits
Closing Date: Sunday 16th November2025

About the role

This is an opportunity to play a key role in supporting young people with complex mental health needs. Working within an innovative supported accommodation service, you’ll help build strong therapeutic relationships and support clients to develop skills, resilience and confidence to move forward positively.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of clients at all times, using safeguarding and emergency procedures when required
• Building positive and trusting relationships with young people to provide effective support
• Managing a small caseload as a named key worker, creating SMART outcomes-based support plans
• Leading on risk and needs assessments and contributing to service-wide assessments
• Delivering one-to-one and group support to build coping strategies and resilience
• Working closely with statutory services, mental health teams and housing providers
• Encouraging client participation in service decisions and wider community activities
• Supporting volunteers who add value to the service
• Participating in a rota including early, late and weekend shifts

About you

We’re looking for someone with empathy, energy and a genuine commitment to supporting young people with complex needs.

You will have:

• A relevant qualification (psychology, counselling, social work, mental health) or significant experience working with young people with complex needs
• Experience managing challenging situations in a calm and professional way
• Excellent listening, communication and relationship-building skills
• A non-judgmental approach and the ability to maintain professional boundaries
• A good understanding of safeguarding, support planning and risk assessments
• The ability to work well in a team and with external partners
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

An enhanced DBS check will be required for this role.

About the organisation

This well-established charity provides housing and support services across the UK, with a focus on preventing homelessness and improving opportunities through education, training and volunteering. The organisation is values-driven, believing in dignity, respect and the potential of every individual.

Other roles you may have experience of could include; Senior Support Worker, Mental Health Support Worker, Caseworker, Housing Support Worker, Project Worker, Social Care Worker, Mental Health Practitioner, Recovery Worker, Youth Support Worker, Key Worker. #INDNFP

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

Closing Date: 10 November 2025

Ref 7195

Save the Children UK has an exciting opportunity for a collaborative and influential retail leader with proven people-management and commercial experience to join us as our Store Manager in Belfast, where you will lead and inspire an established volunteer team to deliver exceptional retail standards, drive income, and create an inclusive community hub that reflects our brand and values.

About Us

Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm.  When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave.  We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

About the role

As Store Manager, you will lead the day-to-day operations of our busy Belfast store, overseeing a dynamic retail space and you'll grow an established team of around 25 dedicated volunteers. This is a fantastic opportunity to bring your energy, creativity, and leadership to one of our busiest shops, situated in a vibrant, high-footfall area south of the city — close to cafés, transport links, and other charity retailers.

You'll build strong relationships with volunteers, empowering them to take ownership and pride in their roles while ensuring the shop thrives both commercially and as a positive reflection of Save the Children in the community. With a keen eye for merchandising and a passion for people, you'll balance operational excellence with local engagement to drive performance and impact.

In this role, you will: 

• Build, inspire and develop an engaged, motivated volunteer team — championing diversity, inclusion and community spirit.

• Oversee all aspects of shop operations, ensuring retail excellence, compliance and a best-in-class customer experience.

• Engage proactively with the local community to grow the shop's profile and strengthen Save the Children's presence in Belfast.

• Drive income and profit by analysing performance, maximising sales opportunities and implementing creative merchandising ideas.

• Create an inclusive, positive culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.

• Act as an ambassador for Save the Children UK, representing our brand values with professionalism and passion.

About you

To be successful, it is important that you have:

• Previous experience in management or team leadership — ideally in a busy or volunteer-led environment.

• Excellent people and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and foster collaboration across diverse teams.

• Strong commercial awareness and confidence working to financial and operational targets.

• A positive, energetic, and adaptable approach, with a focus on problem-solving and community engagement.

• Good IT literacy and comfort using digital systems to manage operations, volunteers, and reporting.

• A genuine passion for Save the Children's mission and a commitment to our values of inclusivity, collaboration, and integrity.

• Commitment to Save the Children's vision, mission and values.

Previous retail management experience is desirable, but not essential. If you have the drive, empathy, and leadership qualities, we'll support you to succeed.

To learn more about the position, please review the How Our Shops Operate and Job Description on our website.

Ways of Working: This role will be based on-site in the Botanic Avenue, Belfast shop. We're looking for someone able to work 5 days (35 hours) per week to include weekend working.

Our benefits package is extensive and generous, including:

• Competitive Pay – Our transparent pay policy ensures fair and equitable compensation.

• Generous Holidays – Start with 27 days off per year (pro rata for part-timers) and enjoy up to 32 days after 10 years.

• Pension & Life Assurance – Secure your future with excellent contributions.

• Employee Discounts – Save on groceries, high-street brands, home, tech, gyms, holidays, and more! Over 6,000 deals are available through our benefits platform.

• Maternity/Adoption Benefits – Get 21 weeks of full pay after just six months of employment.

• Paternity/Adoption Leave – Enjoy 10 weeks of full pay (plus statutory 2 weeks) after six months with us.

• Additional benefits: include cycle to work scheme, employee assistance programme, eye care, flu jabs, season ticket loan

Please note: To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience. Unfortunately once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: 

Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be "Free to Be Me". We are not looking for just one type of person - we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think. 

We are especially interested in people whose childhood experiences - of life on a low income, of migration, of being in a racialised community, of the care system, of being LGBT+ or in an LGBT+ family or living with (or with someone with) a disability - help us to see things we might otherwise miss. Whatever your story is we want to hear it because we know that different voices, ideas, perspectives and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of children around the world. This is the reason why we are all here. 

About LMK

Good relationships shape our health and happiness, yet we are taught so little about them. LMK (Let Me Know) is on a mission to change that. We are a young and thriving charity providing education about healthy and unhealthy behaviours so that young people have the knowledge and skills to avoid abuse and thrive in their relationships. We work in schools, community organisations and workplaces across London. 

We’re looking for an experienced and inspiring fundraising leader to take LMK’s income generation to the next level. You’ll shape our fundraising strategy, lead a small, dedicated team, and grow income from trusts and foundations, major donors, corporates and individual giving.

You’ll be strategic, collaborative and passionate about LMK’s mission — ready to use your skills to drive real, lasting change.

Working from home, but with occasional travel to London. 

Application Instructions

Please use your cover letter to give us specific information and examples of your experience against each part of the person specification of the role.If you prefer, you can provide us with a video of no longer than 3 mins rather than a cover letter. Please share your video via email.

Please note:  Interviews will be held online on Thursday, November 13th and in person on Friday, November 14th 

Operations Manager

Location: Shrewsbury House Youth and Community Charity  (The Shewsy), Everton, Liverpool
Hours: 36 hours per week
Salary: Competitive
Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer

About The Shewsy

Shrewsbury House, known locally as The Shewsy, is a long-standing youth and community centre at the heart of Everton. We are committed to creating real and lasting change for local young people and families.

Our vision is to be the North West’s leading youth provision, guiding the young people of The Shewsy to grow, achieve, and be the best they can be. Our mission is to provide a safe, welcoming space where young people and the wider community can grow in confidence, skills, spirituality, and ambition, helping to make Everton a place of opportunity.

The Role

We’re seeking an experienced and motivated Operations Manager to ensure The Shewsy runs smoothly and safely. You’ll lead on operations, compliance, HR, administration, and health & safety,  helping to deliver excellence in everything we do.

You’ll support the CEO with governance, systems, and resource management, and contribute to fundraising and partnership development. This is a leadership role for someone who holds high standards, thrives on structure, and is motivated by making a genuine difference in a community that deserves the very best.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring efficiency, safety, and quality.
   

• Lead on health & safety, compliance, and risk management.
   

• Manage building maintenance, contractors, and facilities.
   

• Support grant applications, fundraising, and project reporting.
   

• Line manage administrative staff and support HR processes.
   

• Build partnerships with schools, funders, and community organisations.
   

• Coordinate logistics for events, trips, and residentials.
   

• Support monitoring, evaluation, and impact reporting.
   

• Promote The Shewsy’s values and positive culture across the team.
   

• Deputise for the CEO when required.
   

About You

Essential:

• Strong operational or project management experience in the charity or not-for-profit sector.
   

• Knowledge of safeguarding, health & safety, and compliance.
   

• Experience managing budgets and supporting HR processes.
   

• Excellent organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
   

• Ability to lead and motivate a small team.
   

Desirable:

• Experience in the youth or community sector.
   

• Recognised qualification in Youth Work or a related field.
   

• Experience in fundraising or bid writing.
   

• Understanding of working in areas of high deprivation.
   

Why Join Us

At The Shewsy, you’ll join a passionate, supportive team making a tangible difference every day. This is an opportunity to apply your leadership and operational expertise to an organisation with a proud history and an exciting future.

Location: Reading, Hybrid 
Hours: 37 per week 
Salary: £27,792
Contract Type: Permanent
Campaign Closes: 13th November 2025

First Stage Interviews: 26th November 2025

Second Stage Interviews: TBC

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children with critical illnesses? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where empathy, precision, and people skills come together? Join Make-A-Wish UK as a Wish Referral Officer and be the guiding light at the start of every wish journey. You will be the warm, reassuring voice that helps families navigate the first steps of their magical experience, all while managing vital relationships and keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

Core Purpose
The Wish Referral Officer is responsible for processing new referrals and stewarding the wish child and their application through the initial stages of their wish journey, whilst providing excellent stakeholder management. A Wish Referral Officer is responsible for facilitating and managing a large network of relationships such as the wish child and their family, medical professionals, charities, volunteers and referral partners. As each wish is unique, accurate record keeping, data privacy and safeguarding are essential for every wish and experience. This role requires the ability to work at a high pace while maintaining strong attention to detail, with data management and accuracy forming core aspects of day-to-day responsibilities.

Essential Criteria
To be successful in this role you will need:

• Experience in an administrative role 
• Experience of handling large volumes of data accurately, within a fast-paced environment
• Experience in customer service role with set targets and data management 
• Demonstrate the ability to be flexible and change priorities within short time frames 
• Excellent organisational and prioritising skills to support an ever-changing workload 
• To be able to confidently communicate through all communication methods to multiple stakeholders
• Exceptional attention to detail 
• Calm and professional, especially when dealing with emotional situations 
• Excellent IT and administration skills including experience in processing/inputting data and MS Office 
• Ability to work on own initiative without supervision 
• A personal commitment to and understanding of equal opportunities 
• Experience in using CRM systems 

Personal Qualities

• Maintain a professional, caring, friendly and helpful manner always whilst dealing with wish children, their families, volunteers, suppliers as well as other stakeholders 
• Strong empathy with wish families understanding that each child is an individual and may have needs 
• The ability to be able to build strong relationships
• Maintain high levels of attention to detail 
• Ability to remain calm under pressure 
• Punctual and reliable 
• Friendly, courteous and professional 
• Be motivated to always support the charity and its objectives

Key Responsibilities:
Referral Enablement

• Process new referrals submitted by Community Referral Partners, health and social care professionals, ensuring accurate data entry, and excellent stakeholder management both through both written and verbal communication.
• Proactively manage a dynamic caseload of 150–200 wishes at any given time, ensuring each wish application progresses efficiently through the various stages of the wish journey in alignment with established referral targets and service timelines. This includes monitoring progress, identifying and resolving potential delays, maintaining accurate records, and self-allocating new referrals in line with organisational priorities
• Take ownership of the weekly coordination and distribution of wish referral materials, ensuring all communications and resources are prepared, reviewed, and delivered accurately and on time to key stakeholders—including Community Referral Partners, wish families, and internal teams—to support a seamless and consistent referral process.
• Monitor and maintain the accuracy and integrity of data across internal systems to ensure full compliance with service level agreements (SLAs), data protection regulations, and organisational protocols. This includes conducting regular data audits, identifying and correcting discrepancies, and working collaboratively with internal teams to uphold high standards of data quality, which are essential for effective decision-making, reporting, and service delivery.
• Collaborate with the Wish Discovery Coordinator to facilitate the effective involvement of Make-A-Wish UK volunteers, ensuring families receive the support they need throughout the wish experience. This includes coordinating volunteer assignments, arranging interpreter services where required, and promoting a seamless, inclusive, and supportive journey for every wish family.
• Ensure all referral processes, service level agreements (SLAs), and Make-A-Wish UK eligibility criteria are consistently followed, maintaining full compliance with organisational policies and procedures. This includes accurately assessing referral information against eligibility requirements, escalating any concerns, queries, or ambiguities to the appropriate team or line manager for review, and ensuring all decisions are documented and communicated clearly. Additionally, maintain strong communication with stakeholders to ensure clarity around eligibility decisions and support a fair, transparent referral process.
• Ensure the principles of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are always reflected within the wish process.
• Support the Wish Referral Team Manager and Wish Referral Lead and Make-A-Wish UK in achieving our goal to reach every eligible child within the UK.

Stakeholder Communication

• Act as the first point of contact for all Wish Granting (WG)–related queries and enquiries, responding promptly and professionally via email, phone, WhatsApp, and post. Ensure that all stakeholders—including wish families, volunteers, and referral partners—receive a high-quality, compassionate, and consistent customer service experience
• Ensure accurate communications with referral partners, wish children and their families/guardians, employees, and volunteers in relation to wish applications.  
• Ensure that our service level agreements are met, and stakeholder expectations are sensitively and professionally managed in line with our policies.
• Liaise with other charity partners to assess whether referred wish children meet Make-A-Wish UK’s eligibility criteria. Where referrals do not meet the criteria, collaborate with the Wish Referral Partner Manager to ensure that referrers receive clear, constructive feedback and gain a full understanding of Make-A-Wish UK’s eligibility requirements, supporting transparent and informed referral practices.

Systems and Processes:

• Collaborate with the Wish Referral Team Manager to identify and implement improvements to the wish journey experience, ensuring it is seamless, inclusive, and positive for all stakeholders. Contribute feedback, insights, and suggestions to enhance processes, communication, and overall service delivery in line with organisational goal
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records within our CRM system (Salesforce), ensuring data integrity and consistency, at all times.
• Follow internal processes to ensure wish children and their families move through the wish journey smoothly, and always in line with our service level agreements.
• Actively participate and engage in project work, providing constructive insights and ideas to enhance the wish journey for every wish child.

Safeguarding and Data Governance:

• Ensure all wish records and related data are stored and maintained on Make-A-Wish Information Systems and that all data is managed within set policies and procedures (such as data privacy, liability, consent forms, marketing permissions etc.)
• Facilitate a culture of safeguarding awareness. Identify, report and escalate any issues or concerns in line with organisational processes and procedures.
• Raise safeguarding concerns and complete relevant internal procedure

Volunteers are at the heart of our mission

In 2024, our incredible network of 800 volunteers supported over 73,000 young people through Insight Talks, Skills Workshops, and Networking Events, showing them what's possible for their futures and building the skills and connections they need to get there.

Our dedicated Programme Team provides personalised support and feedback to every volunteer, ensuring they're equipped to make a real difference in young people's lives. This tailored approach has been key to our growth and impact – and means every volunteer feels genuinely valued.

We're a fast-growing charity working to reach every 14-19-year-old across the UK. Thanks to generous funding from partners including Google .org and the Moondance Foundation, we’re now excited to appoint our first Volunteer Manager – a pivotal role in scaling our volunteer base and deepening its impact.

The Volunteer Manager will lead efforts to further grow and diversify our volunteer base, ensuring consistent quality across sessions and fostering a vibrant, connected volunteer community. They will work closely with colleagues across England and Wales, with ambitious targets around attraction and retention.

Key priorities will include:

• Developing strategic partnerships alongside me and our Partnerships Manager
• Understanding the diverse backgrounds and career journeys of our volunteers
• Owning the volunteer experience from first contact onwards and training colleagues to deliver best practice support, ensuring volunteers feel well-prepared, informed about their impact, and inspired to stay involved

As this is a brand-new role, there’s plenty of scope to shape and innovate. It’s a fantastic opportunity for someone with excellent communication skills and a passion for volunteering.

Our team works remotely across England and Wales, with regular in-person meet-ups. We set high standards, support one another, and share a deep commitment to driving positive change. If this sounds like the kind of environment you’d enjoy, we’d love to hear from you.

Sue Maskrey
Chief Executive

We’re looking for an energetic and creative Community Development Worker at the Thornbury Centre in Bradford. You’ll plan and deliver engaging activities for families and residents - from Stay and Play sessions to community discussions and reading groups.

You’ll also support our food pantry and community library, provide advice and signposting to local people, and work closely with volunteers, schools, and partner organisations to make a real difference.

Join Barnardo's North West Fostering Service as a Supervising Social Worker

Barnardo's is one of the UK's leading children's charities, and our North West Fostering Service is committed to providing safe, nurturing, and supportive homes for children and young people. We are now seeking a passionate and skilled Supervising Social Worker to join our dedicated team.
 

About the Role

As a Supervising Social Worker, you will play a vital role in supporting foster carers to provide high-quality care. You will:

• Supervise, support, and develop foster carers to ensure the best outcomes for children.
• Undertake assessments of prospective foster carers.
• Contribute to the matching process and foster home stability.
• Work collaboratively with children, families, carers, and professionals.
• Maintain accurate and timely records in line with regulatory requirements.
• Delivering training to foster carers
   

What We're Looking For

We're seeking someone who is:

• A qualified Social Worker (DipSW, CQSW, or equivalent) registered with Social Work England.
• Experienced in fostering or children's social care.
• Skilled in building strong, supportive relationships.
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
• Able to work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends.
   

Why Barnardo's?

• A supportive and inclusive working environment.
• Access to high-quality training and development.
• Generous annual leave and pension scheme.
• Opportunities to grow within a respected national charity.
   

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're passionate about improving the lives of children and supporting foster carers to thrive, we'd love to hear from you.

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 HolidayPlus 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