Lead Youth Practitioner

Do you want to help us unlock potential with young people and their communities? Do you love a challenge?

We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and inspiring Lead Youth Work Practitioner.

Location: Exeter

Employment type: 1 Year Fixed Term Contract - Maternity Cover

Hours of work: 37 hours per week

Deadline for application: 11th January 2026

Interview Date: 21st January 2026

Job : DYS
312

SPACE is an ambitious and innovative charity, driven by our values and seeking to support even more young people by developing current and new services. Our employees strive to achieve the best they can and must be committed to seeing the best in others. We value everyone's contribution and create safe spaces for exploration and growth.

Do you want to help us unlock potential with young people and their communities? Do you love a challenge?

We have an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to work with young people in our Exeter Youth Centre and local communities. This post requires either an experienced youth worker or someone looking to change careers and work with young people as part of the youth work team. Transferable skills will be considered. Our Youth Centres are busy and vibrant spaces..

The successful candidate will enjoy the challenge of leading sessions alongside providing young people with individual packages of support.

• Leading youth work in a variety of settings
• Supporting the development of co workers and volunteers
• Codesigning and supporting the delivery of social action projects in the community
• Working with partners and stakeholders
• Planning, evaluating and evidencing of youth work
• Helping young people to develop skills and put their ideas into action>
• Experienced youth worker or confident that you have the transferable skills required for the demands of the post
• Leadership and confidence
• Passion for supporting and advocating for the rights of young people
• Creativity and solution focused thinking
• Respectful with excellent empathy and kindness
• Ability to multitask, set priorities and reach out when you need help and support
• High commitment to continuous professional practice
• Space is an inclusive and learning organisation. Our employees should strive to achieve the best they can and must be committed to seeing the best in others
• As part of our ambitions to improve equality and diversity, we would particularly welcome applications for this role from those who identify under any of the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, which include race, age, disability, gender, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.

• Annual leave: 6 weeks for the first 5 years then increased to 7 weeks (pro-rata’d for part-time roles)
• Additional 3 Statutory days given between Christmas and new year plus bank holidays
• Pension contributions starting at 6% rising to 8% in the third year
• Employee assistance programme 24/7
• Casual dress code
• Continuous Professional Development:
  Formal and informal training opportunities
• Chromebook and work mobile

Join Us at Space Youth Services video

Please read the job description and apply by completing our application form, describing your passion for this role even if you don’t feel you meet every point in the description.

If you’d like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Rachel Woods on or for more information please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). .

To apply for this post please download and complete the attached application form and return this either via email as an MS Word document to recruitment or posting to DYS Space Ltd, 100 Club, Wear Barton Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 7EH

The Final date to receive applications is Sunday 11th January 2026. The interview will be held at 100 Club, Wear Barton Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 7EH
on Wednesday 21st January 2026.

At SPACE, we work with young people and are fully committed to ensuring their safeguarding and welfare is a priority at all times. As part of our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, all of our employees, contractors and volunteers will be expected to comply. Upon a conditional offer of appointment being made, all employees will also be required to satisfy our pre-employment screening process which will include:

• An identity check (photo )
• Receipt of satisfactory references cover for 3 years to current
• Documentary evidence of right to work in the UK
• A satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)