Do you want to make a difference to the lives of children and young people across Hampshire?
Then join the Youth Options delivery team!
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Southampton, Basingstoke, New Forest, Winchester & Eastleigh
Hours: Flexible: Part-time – 15 hours to 37.50 hours per week
Reports to: Keywork Team Leader
Starting Salary: £26,325 - £27,378 pro rata
Start Date: ASAP
The Role
We are looking for a passionate, creative, and resilient Youth Engagement Worker to provide one-to-one and small group support to young people who may be displaying challenging behaviour, are resistant to engagement, or have been involved in, or are at risk of, low-level offending.
As a Youth Engagement Worker, you will build trusting relationships with young people, helping them to develop essential life skills, strengthen their social and emotional wellbeing, and work towards positive personal goals. Using a flexible, person-centred approach, you will engage young people who may find it difficult to access traditional support services, encouraging participation in education, training, employment, and positive community activities.
A key aspect of this role will involve working as part of our Alternative Provision, developing, planning, and delivering tailored educational and engagement programmes designed to support young people in reengaging with learning. This may include creating and delivering bespoke sessions within schools, as well as providing outreach support in young people's homes or community settings where a more flexible approach is required. You will adapt your delivery to meet individual needs, creating meaningful opportunities that build confidence, resilience, and readiness for education.
As this is a community-based role, although you will be part of a supportive and experienced team, you will also be required to work independently with young people in schools, homes, and community settings. Staff wellbeing and safety are a priority, and we have robust lone-working procedures in place, including the StaySafe personal safety app on staff mobile devices, an on-call management support system, comprehensive risk assessments, and clear safeguarding protocols.
You will never be expected to undertake work that has not been appropriately risk assessed or where suitable safety measures and support arrangements are not in place, ensuring you are fully supported while carrying out your role.
This is a rewarding opportunity to make a genuine difference in the lives of young people -
helping them overcome barriers, build positive relationships, re-engage with education, and make lasting changes that enable them to reach their full potential.
About You
Qualifications:
- Level 3 qualification (or above) in Youth Work, Social Care, Education, Health & Social Care, or a related field.
- Relevant safeguarding training (or willingness to undertake training).
- Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle insured for business use
Experience:
- Experience of working with young people who face multiple barriers to engagement, including those displaying challenging behaviour or at risk of offending.
- Experience of planning and delivering one-to-one interventions and small group programmes that achieve positive outcomes.
- Experience of working within schools, community settings, or outreach environments.
- Experience of working collaboratively within a multi-agency environment, including education, social care, and partner agencies.
Knowledge:
- Sound understanding of the challenges affecting vulnerable young people, including trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), social exclusion, mental health, and challenging behaviour.
- Knowledge of safeguarding legislation, professional boundaries, confidentiality, and information sharing.
- Understanding of restorative and strengths-based approaches to engaging young people.
- Awareness of local services and referral pathways that support young people and their families.
Essential Skills & Competencies:
- Excellent communication, relationship-building, and de-escalation skills, with the ability to engage young people who may be reluctant to participate.
- Ability to plan, deliver, and evaluate tailored interventions that meet individual needs and promote positive outcomes.
- Strong organisational, IT, and record-keeping skills, with the ability to produce accurate reports and maintain case records.
- Ability to work independently using sound judgement while also contributing positively as part of a supportive team.
Personal Qualities:
- Passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people.
- Resilient, patient, adaptable, and calm under pressure.
- Committed to equality, diversity, inclusion, and anti-discriminatory practice.
Why us?
Our staff care passionately about supporting children and young people. We see the potential in our staff and support everyone through training to ensure they have the skills they need to help children and young people achieve. 91% of staff say we are living our charity’s values and behaviours.
- Generous annual leave (minimum of 32 days holiday a year, increasing with length of service)
- Additional time off at Christmas
- Fair rates of pay
- Company pension scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Options for flexible working
- Annual staff away day and whole staff team building day
- Comprehensive and ongoing training
- Christmas Party and other socials
Queries
Please request a full Recruitment Pack from [email protected] or if you have any questions about the role or the application process, please contact us on 01794 525510
Pre-employment Checks
Employment with Youth Options will be subject to the following checks prior to your start date a satisfactory police record check to include a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check receipt of two satisfactory references proof of eligibility to work in the UK
Please access the Recruitment Pack and Application Form on our website.
Youth Options is committed to encouraging further growth from diverse groups and ensure that our staff are representative of the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all abilities and under-represented groups. We currently have an underrepresentation from people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and those with lived experience of the issues that children and young people we work with face. As such, we particularly welcome applicants from these groups.
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Pay: £26,227.50-£28,392.00 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Referral programme
Application question(s):
- Do you have a driving licence and access to your own vehicle?
- Do you have a Relevant L3 qualification in Youth Work, Social Care, or a related field?
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (preferred)
Work Location: In person
