Youth Support worker (Contract, Temporary)

Proactive support. The Ember Project is a new supported accommodation service for young people aged 1625. We are looking for Key Workers who feel the same way about that. Not a name on a rota the person who notices they have gone quiet, who chases the college place, who sits with them the third time the bank card gets lost, and who genuinely celebrates the first meal they cook without help. Hold a small caseload and lead the key-work relationship with those young people Deliver planned key-work sessions on independence skills budgeting, cooking, health, housing, education, employment and training, relationships, staying safe Build support plans with young people rather than for them. your professional view supports it, it doesn't replace it Record clearly and honestly progress, setbacks, incidents and outcomes because good recording is how we evidence a young person's growth Support young people to access education, training, employment, health services and their local community Recognise and act on safeguarding and risk concerns, and escalate confidently when needed Work alongside social workers, personal advisors, health, education and other professionals Keep the home somewhere a young person is proud to live practical support with the property, the routines and the day-to-day What we are actually looking for Experience helps. Our staff work independently, often alone in the home with a young person. You see what needs doing and you do it, rather than logging it for someone else Care visibly. Young people can tell within a week who means it. Turning up, on time, in the same mood, every time for a young person who has had a lot of adults who didn't Can hold a boundary kindly. Clear, factual, on time Essential Genuine interest in and empathy for care-experienced and vulnerable young people Ability to work on your own initiative and stay calm under pressure Good written English and confident basic IT skills (recording is done digitally) Willingness to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide full references Right to work in the UK 18+ (due to the nature of the role and lone working) Desirable not essential, we will train you Previous experience in supported accommodation, residential childcare, youth work, homelessness, social care, education or a related field Level 3 Health and Social Care (Children and Young People) or equivalent, or willingness to work towards it Understanding of trauma-informed practice Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle (essential) We welcome applications from people whose experience comes from life rather than a CV, including care-experienced applicants. A full induction day, shadow shifts, and a structured onboarding programme before you are working independently Real supervision. Regular, scheduled one-to-ones that are about your development, not just a compliance tick Training, paid. Safeguarding, first aid, food hygiene, trauma-informed practice, lone working, de-escalation and more. Support to work towards recognised qualifications Management you can actually reach. On-call support whenever you are on shift. You lead on your young people. Your ideas get heard and, when they are good, they get used you are helping build how this service works Genuine progression. Senior and team leader roles will come from within wherever we can, and we would rather promote someone we trained Flexible rotas. Shifts are planned in advance and we will work with your availability where we can The honest practicalities We would rather you know all of this now than find out in week three. Most shifts you will be the only member of staff in the home. Full training, risk assessments, lone-working procedures and on-call backup are in place, but the reality is you working independently Sleep-in shifts are part of the service. We can be flexible for the right person, so tell us in your application what you can and can't commit to we would rather build a rota around good people Shifts include evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Young people don't need support only on weekdays Zero-hours contract , with regular shifts available and hours increasing as the service grows Enhanced DBS, full employment history and references required. It is also, on the good days, the most rewarding job you will ever have 0 Hour Contract - During this phase we will only be able to offer 0 hour contracts. Senior positions such as Senior Key Workers, and Team Leads will be salaried positions. How to apply Apply through Total Jobs with your CV and a short note a few lines is fine telling us: Why young people, and why this One example of a time you took the initiative when nobody asked you to We read every application and reply to everyone, successful or not. Interviews will be held virtually or in-person, with an informal chat first for anyone who wants to ask questions before applying. The Ember Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.