Young Person Living Officer - Staying Close

Staying Close is a model which provides an enhanced support package for young people leaving care. It offers a package of practical and emotional support, provided by a dedicated staying close worker. Many care leavers report experiencing a ‘cliff-edge’ when they leave care and move into an independent tenancy. They report not feeling equipped to deal with the challenges of living independently, leading to issues such as debt and arrears, and ultimately losing their tenancies. Additionally, many young people leaving care do not have strong support networks to assist them with the transition to independent living, putting them at risk of homelessness due to a lack of transitional and practical support, and suitable accommodation.

Staying Close aims to provide the necessary emotional and practical support to help young people transition into independent living, giving them the tools to successfully live independently. You will work within Manchester’s Staying Close offer to provide additional support to care leavers to improve accommodation outcomes, stability, and reduce homelessness. This includes developing joint working between the Leaving Care Service, housing services, and partner agencies.

You will be required to work flexibly, including some evening and weekend work. The role holder will collaborate with other focused services to ensure that Council services and partner agencies are working to the highest standards to provide quality services for our young people in Manchester. Although primarily based at The Lodge, leaving care service, you will work across Manchester, supporting young people prior to securing a tenancy and occasionally when they are accommodated by other housing providers in Manchester.

We are looking for candidates who have a passion for advocating on behalf of people and communities. A full UK driving licence and access to a car are essential for this role, as travel across Greater Manchester is required. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and expect all colleagues to share this commitment. An enhanced criminal records background check (free of charge) is required for this role. A criminal conviction does not necessarily prevent you from working with us; all decisions regarding convictions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

We offer a range of great benefits including:

• 33 days holiday per year plus bank holidays, and a holiday buy scheme.
• Company pension scheme with up to 10% matched contributions.
• Company funded access to a health cash plan, where you can claim back costs of everyday health treatments such as optical, dental, and much more.
• Enhanced sick pay with up to 3 months full pay and 3 months half pay.
• Health and Wellbeing Support including an employee assistance programme, free counselling, mental health first aiders, and numerous wellbeing initiatives.
• Life assurance subject to being a member of our company pension scheme.
• Learning and development to support you in developing the skills needed to fulfil your role and progress in your career.
• Commitment to Equality and Inclusion with employee network groups covering anti-racism, LGBTQ+, disability and long-term health conditions, carers, and menopause.

MSV is committed to Equality and Inclusion; all applications are scored against the essential criteria of the role. We encourage candidates to submit an anonymised CV if they can do so. MSV also supports work-life balance, including caring or parental responsibilities, with a range of flexible working options and wellbeing support available to all colleagues.

For more information about the role, please visit our careers page where you will find a candidate pack and apply for the role. If you wish to discuss the role informally, please contact Helen Walker, Foyer Manager on 0161 276 1000. Interviews are scheduled to take place at the beginning of July 2026; however, interviews may be carried out throughout the recruitment process, and the role may close if a suitable candidate is found. Therefore, we strongly recommend candidates to apply early. We’re passionate about inclusion and would love to hear from people from diverse backgrounds for this role. If you are unsure whether you meet our requirements for this role but want to apply, go ahead. We will decide whether or not you are what we are looking for.