Upstream Practitioner in Bournemouth

1 Permanent Full-Time role (52 weeks), 37.5 hours per week

1 Permanent Term-Time role (41 weeks total, 39 term time plus 2 additional weeks), 37.5 hours per week

Term-Time salary – £20,173 - £24,632 (plus paid annual leave)

Location: The Bourne Academy, Hadow Rd, Bournemouth BH10 5HS

Closing Date: 3rd February 2026

Interviews will be held w/c 9th February 2026

Please note, this role may close earlier than advertised if we receive a high number of strong applications, so early application is encouraged.

About us

Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, is looking for two passionate and proactive Upstream Practitioners to join our Team based in Bournemouth. Centrepoint helps vulnerable young people by giving them the practical and emotional support they need to find a job and live independently. We provide homeless young people with accommodation, mental health support and life skills in order to get them back into education, training and employment. We want to end youth homelessness by 2037. Together with our partners, we support over 16,000 young people each year.

The roles

We have two permanent Upstream Practitioner roles available, which are both school based and are part of our policy and prevention directorate. They will report to the Senior Upstream Practitioner and as a team, you will play a key role in our pre-16 prevention pilot, helping to identify and address the root causes of youth homelessness.

We have one full-time role and one term-time role available. Both roles are 37.5 hours per week and will be based in The Bourne Academy. The full-time role is working over 52 weeks and includes annual leave entitlement in line with Centrepoint’s policy. The term-time role is working over 41 weeks per year (39 weeks during term time plus 2 additional weeks). This role does not include annual leave. Instead, the annual leave is paid in addition to the salary.

The successful candidates will need to be available week commencing 23rd March Monday to Friday in Manchester, to undertake Level 4 mediation training with UK Mediation. All expenses will be paid for by Centrepoint.

What you’ll be doing

• Delivering a school-based early intervention programme aimed at preventing youth homelessness
• Administering the Upstream Survey to students aged 11–16 to help identify hidden risk factors
• Managing and maintaining a caseload of young people, carrying out holistic assessments to understand their wellbeing, relationships, and home life, working proactively with them and their families before issues escalate to crisis point
• Leading and delivering workshops and providing early intervention support focused on emotional wellbeing, resilience, healthy relationships, and independent living skills
• Working closely with schools, families, and community services to support sustained positive outcomes
• Collecting, monitoring, and recording impact data to track progress and support continuous improvement

What we’re looking for

• Experience supporting children, young people, and families in a preventative or early intervention context
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build trusted relationships with young people, families, and professionals
• Strong skills in completing risk assessments and managing safeguarding concerns and be committed to safeguarding and trauma-informed practices
• Knowledge of local services and referral pathways
• Ability to work independently within a school-based environment while collaborating with partner agencies
• Interest in using data and evaluation to inform and improve practice
• A relevant qualification or experience in Family Support, Mediation, Social Work, or a related field is desirable

Benefits

In return for your efforts, you’ll receive a competitive salary, excellent training and development, and a host of staff benefits including:

• 25 days of annual leave per year, rising by one day per year to a maximum of 27 days. Term-time roles do not include annual leave. Instead, the annual leave is paid in addition to the salary.
• Healthcare cash plan (Cover the costs of a wide range of medical treatment including Dental, Optical, Complementary and Alternative therapies).
• Private Medical insurance
• Income protection
• Employer pension contributions of 5%
• Access to Cycle 2 Work loan scheme
• An interest-free travel loan

Equality and inclusion

At Centrepoint we challenge the discrimination within society that contributes to youth homelessness, and we are just as committed to fairness and equality within Centrepoint itself. We are passionate about ensuring all of our colleagues are made to feel included in the work we do and that we value the rich diversity within the organization.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications regardless of sex, gender, race, age, belief in any religion and none, gender identity, ethnic origin, class, sexuality, nationality, appearance, unrelated criminal activities, disability, responsibility for dependents, part time or shift workers, being HIV positive or living with AIDS, lived experience of homelessness or using young people’s services and any other matter which causes a person to be treated with injustice.

Centrepoint’s policy is to recruit, employ and promote people on the basis of their suitability for the work to be performed, and to this end, our aim is to ensure that all applicants, employees and volunteers receive equal treatment.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to join our team as an Upstream Practitioner, click ‘Apply’ now!