6 Youth worker jobs in Barnet, Greater London

Youth Outreach and Community Worker (London - Waterloo)

Railway Children (UK Programme)

£32,000 per year plus 10% London weighting

Full-time – Permanent

WE STAND FOR CHILDREN, THEIR CHILDHOODS AND THEIR FUTURES - WILL YOU? 

Looking for a rewarding role where you can make a difference? Do you have the drive to create positive change in children’s lives and inspire others to do the same?

If the answer is yes, then read on to hear about this exciting opportunity.

We’re Railway Children, an international charity working to create long-lasting change for street-connected children and young people in the UK, India and Tanzania. Founded in 1996, we’ve dedicated over a quarter of a century to developing outstanding practice and services for vulnerable children and their families. As part of our current strategy to 2027, we have ambitious plans to ensure no child is left behind, wherever we work.

The role
We are looking to recruit a Youth Outreach and Community Worker in London as part of our UK Programme.

This role requires close working with partners, engaging and safeguarding young people in and around Waterloo Station, helping to identify and safeguard young people at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation, county lines, missing from home, homelessness or family breakdown. This role involves working regular unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.

You will be working closely alongside key partners such as British Transport Police, security staff, Train Operators, Youth Services and other local stakeholders.

You’ll play a key role in the development of our UK Safeguarding on Transport Programme and part of a dynamic team delivering Railway Children’s safeguarding programme in the UK.

About you
We are looking for someone who brings experience of successfully engaging and supporting young people as well as experience of working in an outreach or similar community setting, in a creative and engaging way with young people with a range of needs and vulnerabilities.

Alongside this you will be able to work effectively with community and statutory partners to safeguard young people.

You will have completed relevant training, have experience in safeguarding and in the issues relevant to vulnerable young and families. Therefore, you will be an experienced practitioner with an excellent understanding of safeguarding processes and procedures, who is able to work creatively, independently and within professional boundaries.

Your base would be at Waterloo station with regular travel to other stations and some home working. This role involves working regular unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.

A full job specification can be found in the job pack.

For further information about this post and working for Railway Children, including how to apply, please visit our website.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates with a diverse range of backgrounds and lived experience.

Railway Children is committed to safeguarding anyone who comes into contact with us and implements a range of policies to ensure only those suitable to work with vulnerable groups are employed.

Closing Date: Wednesday 23rd September

Online Interviews: Wednesday 30th September/Thursday 1st October

In person interviews: Wednesday 7th October/Thursday 8th October

  ABOUT THE ROLE

Elliot Leigh Supported Living provides semi-independent supported accommodation across East and North-East London for young adults aged 18–25 who are leaving the care system. Our residents are at a pivotal moment in their lives — transitioning from care into adulthood — and they need more than just a roof over their heads.

As a Support Worker you will hold a caseload of around 10–12 residents, walking alongside each of them through that transition: managing a tenancy, navigating employment, handling money, and knowing that someone is in their corner. You will work from our East London office and visit residents in their homes, all within a manageable travel radius — this is a Monday-to-Friday daytime role, not a shift or rota post.

This is not a passive role. It demands energy, creativity and a genuine commitment to working in partnership with young adults who have often experienced significant trauma, instability and disappointment. But it also offers something rare: the chance to be the person who helps someone turn their life around.

  PAY, HOURS AND BENEFITS

✓  £32,000 salary for candidates with 12 months’ relevant experience and a Level 3 qualification. Have the experience but not the Level 3? Start on £27,000, we fund the qualification, and you move to £32,000 on completion.

✓  Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm — flexible start and finish times will be considered; no evenings, weekends or bank holidays

✓  25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 30 days in line with length of service

✓  4% employer pension contribution

✓  Enhanced DBS and Update Service subscription funded by us *subject to qualifying criteria

✓  Funded Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care or Housing, with paid study time, if you don’t already hold one

✓  A clear career ladder: Support Worker → Senior Support Worker → Team Leader, with published pay points

✓  Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 confidential support

✓  Monthly supervision and reflective practice sessions, plus a structured four-week induction

✓  A small, inclusive team where your voice shapes how we work

✓  A company dedicated to the continuous professional development of its team members

  WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Support residents to develop and sustain independent living skills — budgeting, cooking, cleaning, tenancy management

• Deliver structured keywork sessions and co-produce individual support plans with each resident

• Help residents into education, employment and training — CV writing, job applications, college enrolment

• Keep accurate, timely records on our digital case management system — keywork notes, risk assessments, support plans

• Liaise with local authority leaving care teams, social workers, personal advisers and other professionals

• Support residents to manage their mental health, wellbeing and personal challenges in a trauma-informed way

• Accompany residents to appointments with external agencies — GP, Job Centre, local authority

• Respond calmly and professionally to conflict, emotional distress or challenging behaviour

• Work with the wider team to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all residents

• Contribute to team meetings, supervision and your own continuing professional development

  WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Essential:

• At least 12 months’ relevant experience supporting young people or young adults in a care, supported housing, youth work or semi-independent living setting

• A genuine understanding of the challenges care leavers face in the move to independent living

• Working knowledge of safeguarding and trauma-informed practice

• Strong written and verbal communication — you will produce keywork records, risk assessments and support plans to a professional standard

• Confident IT skills and the ability to use a digital case management system

• Enhanced DBS (Adults Workforce) on the Update Service, or willingness to apply; current safeguarding certificate, or willingness to complete on appointment

• Right to work in the UK

For the £32,000 rate:

• Level 3 (or above) in Health & Social Care, Housing or a related discipline, alongside the 12 months’ experience above

Desirable:

• Experience supporting young adults into education, employment or training

• Knowledge of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, Care Act 2014 and Pathway Planning

• Experience with complex needs, mental health or substance use

Not quite one year’s experience yet? Ask about our Trainee Support Worker route: a 12–18 month funded Level 3 apprenticeship on £27,000, with a guaranteed move to the Support Worker scale on completion.

  WHAT MAKES A GREAT ELSL SUPPORT WORKER

• Treats every young adult as a capable individual — not a case to be managed

• Understands that independence is built gradually, and shows up with patience and consistency

• Holds clear professional boundaries while staying warm and approachable

• Is solution-focused and creative enough to find a new way in when the obvious route isn’t working

• Is a confident advocate for residents with external agencies and professionals

• Takes ownership of their own development and reflective practice

  HOW TO APPLY

For an informal chat about the role before applying, contact Chloe Crieghton, Service Manager, on the same address. Interviews are held in person at our East London office and include a short written exercise and time with a current resident representative.

Closing date: rolling — we interview as suitable applications arrive and will close the advert once the post is filled.

Safer recruitment: all appointments are subject to an Enhanced DBS Disclosure (Adults Workforce), satisfactory references covering the last three years and completion of our Safer Recruitment process. Elliot Leigh Supported Living is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all residents. We welcome applications from people with lived experience of the care system.

Purpose of the Role

The Sessional Leader in Charge is responsible for leading youth club sessions, overseeing staff and volunteers, and ensuring that young people experience a safe and engaging environment. You will plan and deliver creative and developmental activities, support young people’s personal growth, and represent The OBC to partners and funders.

Key Responsibilities

● Session leadership including safeguarding and safety at all times

● Relationship building with young people aged 7 to 19 plus

● Programme planning using the NYA Youth Work Curriculum

● Personal and social development including referrals to external agencies

● Team management of sessional staff and volunteers

● Monitoring and reporting including participation data and outcomes

● Impact reporting through written reports and case studies

● Equality and inclusion across all sessions

● External representation on behalf of The OBC

Person Specification

Experience working with young people in youth work, education or community settings - Essential

Strong leadership and communication skills - Essential

Understanding of safeguarding and child protection - Essential

Ability to plan and deliver inclusive and engaging sessions - Essential

Youth Work qualification at Level 3 or above, or equivalent experience - Desireable

Knowledge of Southwark and issues affecting local young people - Desireable

Current First Aid and or Safeguarding certification - Desireable

At Peabody, we’re passionate about creating opportunities for young people to thrive. We’re looking for a Floating Support Worker who is kind, proactive, and ready to support young people aged 18–25, including care leavers, on their journey to independence.

This is not a care role - it’s a practical and emotional support position, helping young people build life skills, access housing, and feel empowered to shape their future. The role will involve driving between various properties across Borehamwood. You will require a driving licence and your own car.

What You’ll Be Doing

In this role, you’ll support young people to develop the skills they need for independent living, including navigating housing options, managing benefits, and budgeting. You’ll help create a safe, non-judgmental environment where they feel empowered and respected. By bringing your own passions, whether in music, art, sports, or other interests, you’ll enrich the community and build meaningful connections. You’ll also work closely with colleagues and external partners to ensure each young person receives the right support at the right time.

What We’re Looking For - We need someone who:

• Connects easily with young people, especially those who’ve faced trauma, mental health challenges, or substance misuse.
• Is creative and confident in engaging young people, whether through music, sports, art, or other interests.
• Can work independently and as part of a team, managing a caseload and supporting residents with budgeting, benefits, and housing options.
• Has strong communication and IT skills, and ideally some knowledge of safeguarding, support plans, or key working.
• Brings transferable experience from youth work, education, housing, or similar sectors.

Please note - This is a part-time, onsite role and you’ll need to be available to work 3 or 4 days a week. (The team are flexible on what days of the week and start/finish times, as long as its 18.75 hours per week) 

What You’ll Get

• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Flexible benefits including healthcare, dental, and discounts.
• 4x Life Assurance and up to 10% pension contribution.
• Family-friendly policies and a supportive team culture.
   

If this sounds like we are right for you and you’d love to be part of Peabody, we’d like to hear from you - Please apply now by submitting an anonymised CV and a short statement explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role.

We are looking for an exceptional, highly motivated and dedicated individual to join our team as a full-time Youth Worker (Youth Voice), supporting our mission to enable young people who are homeless, facing homelessness or unsafe to achieve independence and positive futures.

The successful candidate will work within the Youth Work Team to deliver our frontline drop-in service and support our weekly and monthly activities to all young people experiencing homelessness.

You’ll specialise in youth participation, ensuring that a diverse range of young people’s voices are heard. You’ll also facilitate and lead on supporting our Youth Advisory Board and work alongside them to cultivate inclusive activities which increase youth participation across all our services. We have an ambitious plan to improve and accelerate our youth voice strategy and this role will be at the heart of this delivery.

You should be experienced in designing, planning and facilitating a range of activities and group work with and for young people and be able to work dynamically in a fast-paced day centre environment. We are looking for candidates who are passionate about youth engagement and skilled in bringing out the ideas, voices and opinions of young people to shape service delivery. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates with a background in running participatory youth projects, co-production, youth engagement sessions and/or community engagement.

The ideal candidate is a team player who enjoys working collaboratively across our organisation. This role also includes working closely with our Campaigns, Impact and Policy team to ensure young people’s voices are at the heart of our external campaigning work.

Finally, you will also be committed to the safeguarding of young people and delivering an inclusive and trauma-informed service.

This role will be based at our day centre in Camden, with some travel to other New Horizon projects within London.

Closing date for applications: Monday 21st September

Interviews: Thursday 1st October

Please note interview dates are fixed and will not be changed. Please ensure you are available on these days when applying for this role.