Youth Worker

Are you passionate about working with young people and confident leading engaging youth sessions? Sacriston Youth Project is an award-winning youth charity supporting children and young people across Sacriston and surrounding communities. We provide safe spaces, trusted relationships and positive opportunities that help young people build confidence, develop life skills and thrive. We are looking for a confident, caring and enthusiastic Youth Worker to join our team and help deliver high-quality youth provision across our community settings.

This is a frontline delivery role supporting our youth sessions, holiday activities and wider youth programmes such as Duke of Edinburgh Award. The successful applicant will play an important role in creating welcoming, engaging and safe spaces where young people feel valued, listened to and supported. You may already work in youth work, or come from a background in education, play work, sports coaching, mentoring, community work, family support or residential care.

We are open to different experiences, but applicants must have strong experience working directly with children or young people and the confidence to lead safe, positive and engaging group sessions. No two weeks are the same. One day you might be running games, sports, cooking or creative activities, supporting trips or holiday provision, and the next you may be helping a young person build confidence, manage emotions or navigate challenges in their lives.

• Plan and deliver engaging youth sessions that reflect the interests, needs and voices of children and young people
• Lead and facilitate a range of activities including sports, games, arts and crafts, cooking, informal learning and wellbeing activities
• Build positive, trusting relationships with young people, ensuring they feel heard, supported and included
• Act as a consistent and positive role model, promoting respectful behaviour, inclusion and positive choices
• Support young people's personal, social and emotional development, including confidence-building and wellbeing
• Maintain accurate attendance records, session monitoring and internal reporting systems
• Support the planning and delivery of holiday programmes, trips and additional youth activities
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, volunteers, families, schools and partner organisations to support young people effectively
• Promote and uphold safeguarding, health and safety, confidentiality and GDPR procedures at all times
• Contribute positively to the wider development of Sacriston Youth Project and its community-based work. We are more interested in the right person than the perfect qualification, but this is a lead delivery role requiring maturity, initiative and the ability to support young people safely and positively.

• Has strong experience working directly with children or young people
• Is confident leading or co-leading group sessions
• Can build positive and trusting relationships with young people from a range of backgrounds
• Understands safeguarding, professional boundaries and safe practice
• Can manage behaviour positively and calmly
• Is reliable, flexible, enthusiastic and able to work as part of a team
• Can plan and deliver activities that young people enjoy and want to take part in
• Has good communication and basic administration skills, including record keeping and reporting
• Holds a full driving licence and has access to a vehicle, as the role involves working across community locations