Youth Support Worker in Training

Are you looking for a new opportunity to combine paid work with study and achieve a qualification? Do you have a passion to help and support young people? This could be the opportunity you are looking for!

We are currently seeking a Youth Support Worker in Training to support the development of youth work in the community. On the job training alongside a formal qualification for a Youth Support Worker Level 3 will be provided. Based at Goodman House in Harlow, you will work with local youth work teams including volunteers in community youth clubs, areas covered to include Epping Forest, Uttlesford and Harlow.

Mobile and flexible working requirements: must be available for evenings and weekends.

Benefits:

• Healthy work life balance.
• Wide range of learning and development opportunities.
• IT equipment and home-working equipment provided.
• 30 days annual leave + bank holidays + option to purchase extra.
• Generous pension scheme.
• Access to hundreds of discounts and benefits through Essex Rewards.
• Access to our health and wellbeing support platform with LifeWorks.
• Disability Confident Leader: we’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job.
• Up to 4 days per annum volunteering leave.
• Employee support networks, to ensure everyone in treated with dignity and respect.
• Study towards a Level 3 Youth Support Worker qualification

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found here pay and reward .

What our Apprentice’s say:

“I really enjoyed my apprenticeship with ECC, I loved that the majority of the apprenticeship is on the job learning and minimal classroom work. The opportunities for career development have been much wider than I originally thought, and the apprenticeship is such a great way to start your career and get your foot in the door with your local council/ government.”

“As an apprentice currently working at Essex County Council, I can confirm that it is a very rewarding role. I’m proud to be a part of this team and you will be too.”

The Role:

Working four days face to face with young people as part of a team and one day for learning and development, you will ensure young people have positive experiences, by working with them to identify what’s important to them and then being part of developing good youth work activities. You will work with local youth work teams including volunteers in community youth clubs across the south Essex area.

You will need to be someone who can focus on putting young people at the heart of your work. Working flexible hours, including evenings, weekends and residentials, you will be supported by an experienced team of youth workers in a variety of youth work settings.

To read more about Youth Services, please visit: Education

About You:

You will:

• Be passionate about supporting young people.
• Have a good level of numeracy and literacy (grade C GCSE or equivalent).
• Experience of working with young people and communities is an advantage.
• Have the ability to work across Essex as per service needs.
• Have the ability to undertake evening, weekend and residential work as required to meet service needs.
• Be able to build relationships and relate well to people.
• Motivate young people and facilitate young people’s learning.
• Be able to work in a changing environment.
• Be committed to challenging prejudice and ignorance.
• Have the ability to develop work with young people to achieve planned outcomes.
• Work together as part of a team.

Essential Requirements for the role:

• Functional Skills Level 1 in Maths and English (or equivalent), which is a Grade D/E or 2/3 to begin the apprenticeship.
• Ability to reach a Level 2 Functional Skills in both Maths & English by the End Point Assessment (EPA), if you do not already have this.
• This job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

What will you be doing?

• Identify areas of need and opportunity within the community where a youth work programme can be identified to support the development of youth provision delivered by the community.
• Support the commissioning of services by working with the community to enhance their skills so they can be more independent in design and delivery of services.
• Negotiate with young people and their communities on their involvement in the programme planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Contribute to and promote the programme to ensure that opportunities are accessible to all who wish to become involved.
• As part of the team involve young people in the decision-making processes whereby individuals and groups take on responsibilities for themselves and others in their project and the wider community.
• As part of the team respond to individual and group needs, this includes issues affecting young people, promoting self-awareness and self-esteem.
• To deliver or support the direct delivery of youth work programmes as may be required, to include residential experiences for young people.
• Take part in management supervision and the staff performance management scheme, to identify priorities and learning needs and to be responsible for the learning and development of self and to complete all required training and accreditation within 18 months of starting employment.
• Follow Child Protection Guidelines and report any concerns using the correct procedure and comply with individual responsibilities for staff and young people, in accordance with work role, for health and safety in the workplace.
• Ensure all duties and services provided are in accordance with the County Council Equal Opportunities Policy and Practice.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties commensurate with the level and accountabilities of the post as directed by the Youth Work Commissioner.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email daniel.warner@essex.gov.uk

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