Youth Worker in Abingdon

Closing date for applications is Friday 24th April 2026.

Salary: £26,000–£32,000 (pro rata, based on agreed hours)

Contract Type: Part time (funding secured for one year, with the intention to extend to a permanent role subject to impact)

Hours: 15 – 30 hours a week (we are open to discussing extra hours at interview)

About Us: At The Abingdon Bridge, we are dedicated to empowering young people to reach their full potential. Our mission revolves around improving young people's aspirations, decreasing their involvement in risky behaviours, enhancing their overall wellbeing, and fostering a sense of belonging and commitment to their communities. We believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive and contribute positively to society.

The Role: We are excited to offer this newly shaped role for an experienced Youth Worker who is passionate about building meaningful relationships with young people and creating spaces where they feel safe, heard, and empowered. This role is ideal for someone who believes deeply in the power of connection, trust, and empathy. Someone who wants to make a lasting difference in young people’s lives. This role is designed for a Youth Worker who is growing in confidence, skill, and responsibility. You will play a key role in delivering high-quality, relationship-based youth work, supporting young people to improve their wellbeing, reduce risky behaviours, and develop a sense of belonging and aspiration. You will take increasing ownership of sessions and activities, while continuing to develop your practice with support from senior staff. This role bridges the gap between support delivery and leadership, offering a pathway into more senior youth work roles.

The three core outcomes of this role are to:

• Improve young people’s wellbeing and emotional resilience.
• Reduce risky behaviours by offering trusted support and positive alternatives.
• Increase aspiration and help young people feel valued, connected, and hopeful about their future.

Key Responsibilities:

• Plan and deliver youth work sessions, both independently and as part of a team.
• Build consistent, trusting relationships with young people (aged 11–25).
• Engage young people who may be marginalised or less likely to access support.
• Support outreach, drop-ins, and community-based youth work.
• Facilitate group work on wellbeing, identity, belonging, and aspirations.
• Detached work.
• Contribute ideas to shape and improve youth programmes.
• Adapt sessions in response to young people’s needs and feedback.
• Support the development of activities that promote Act, Belong, Commit.

Responsibility & Progression:

• Take responsibility for leading sessions and small projects.
• Provide informal guidance and support to Junior and Trainee Youth Workers.
• Model positive youth work practice, including boundaries and safeguarding.
• Contribute to reflective practice and team learning.

Safeguarding & Administration:

• Maintain accurate records, including registers and incident logs.
• Identify and appropriately respond to safeguarding concerns.
• Follow organisational policies on safeguarding, confidentiality, and health & safety.

About You: You are someone who genuinely cares about young people, about fairness, and about creating spaces where people feel safe to be themselves. You are someone who is developing confidence in your youth work practice and is ready to take the next step in responsibility and impact. You will bring:

• Proven experience working with young people aged 11–25, particularly those who may feel excluded, marginalised, or unheard.
• A strong ability to build authentic, trusting relationships.
• High levels of empathy, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness.
• Confidence in holding space for young people’s emotions without judgement or agenda.
• Resilience, warmth, and a calm presence, even in challenging moments.
• A belief in young people’s potential, even when they struggle to see it themselves.
• Be a self-starter who can work independently while being a supportive team member.
• Feel comfortable contributing ideas and shaping new ways of working.
• Share TAB’s values around safeguarding, ethics, and the wellbeing of young people and communities.
• Experience working with young people (approx. 1–3+ years).
• Ability to build positive, professional relationships.
• Growing confidence in leading sessions and engaging groups.
• Understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries.
• Good communication and teamwork skills.
• Willingness to reflect, learn, and develop.
• Relevant youth work qualification or equivalent (or working towards one).
• Experience with outreach or detached youth work.
• Experience supporting young people with additional needs or facing barriers.

What We Offer: By joining TAB, you will become part of a passionate, reflective, and supportive team that values creativity, learning, and human connection. We will invest in you through high-quality supervision, training, and the freedom to innovate. This is a role for someone who wants to do youth work with heart—someone who understands that real change starts with trust, time, and being truly present. Benefits include:

• 5 weeks holiday per year pro rata + public holidays pro rata.
• NEST employer pension scheme.
• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.
• A supportive and inclusive work environment.
• The chance to make a real difference in the lives of young people and the community.

We warmly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation.