Job Introduction
Senior Youth Worker - Breaking the Cycle
Salary: JNC 20-23, £36,648 - £39,186 per annum (pay award pending), Permanent, 37 hours per week, based across Bradford District.
Working for the Bradford Children and Families Trust offers the opportunity to work with passionate people dedicated to making a positive difference to children, young people and families. Bradford is a vibrant, diverse city where you can be part of a service committed to improving outcomes for some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities.
We are fully committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all backgrounds.
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Senior Youth Worker to join our Breaking the Cycle team, delivering intensive interventions to young people who are at risk of, or affected by, exploitation, serious youth violence, county lines activity, gangs, drug and weapons misuse, and missing episodes.
Breaking the Cycle provides targeted, trauma-informed support through:
- Intensive one-to-one and small group interventions with young people at risk of criminal exploitation and serious violence.
- Missing Return Home Interviews for children in care to better understand the reasons behind missing incidents and identify support that reduces future risk.
- Emergency Duty Team support, including responding to safeguarding concerns and supporting children who have been trafficked or found out of district.
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in protecting and supporting vulnerable young people while helping them build resilience, improve their outcomes and reach their potential. You will work within a multi-agency environment, building trusted relationships with young people and coordinating effective interventions that reduce risk and promote positive change.
Our strategic vision and values are upheld across the Trust, fostering a reliable and supportive environment for both staff and the children in our care.
Our approach is rooted in restorative and relational practice, fostering trust, mutual respect and meaningful relationships with children, families and professionals.
You'll also:
- Manage and oversee complex caseloads of vulnerable, exploited and criminally exploited young people.
- Deliver trauma-informed one-to-one, group and detached youth work interventions.
- Build positive relationships with young people, enabling them to explore and understand their experiences and make safer choices.
- Assess risk and contribute to safeguarding plans, Child in Need and Child Protection processes.
- Work collaboratively with social workers, education providers, police, health services and other partner agencies.
- Support young people's personal and social development through engaging activities and informal learning opportunities.
- Lead identified areas of work within the service and contribute to the development of innovative youth work approaches.
- Promote participation, inclusion, equality and empowerment in line with the core values of youth work.
- Support the development of colleagues and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
- Work flexibly, including evenings, weekends and occasional overnight work, to meet the needs of young people.
To be successful in this role you will need:
- A JNC recognised Youth and Community Work qualification.
- Significant experience of working with young people aged 11-19 (up to 25 for young people with disabilities).
- Experience of working with vulnerable, trafficked, criminally exploited or at-risk young people.
- Knowledge of issues affecting young people, including exploitation, gangs, county lines activity, serious violence, drugs and weapons misuse.
- Experience of managing and supporting caseloads within a multi-agency environment.
- Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to engage hard-to-reach young people.
- Knowledge of safeguarding practices and risk management when working with vulnerable young people.
- A commitment to equality, participation and empowering young people to achieve positive outcomes.
- The ability to work independently and as part of a team in a challenging and rewarding environment.
You'll also be joining an organisation that truly values its people, offering a range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, growth and work-life balance, including:
- Generous annual leave - 31 days rising to 34 with service, plus bank holidays
- Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme
- Family-friendly policies and enhanced parental leave
- Health and wellbeing support, including Occupational Health and counselling services
- Professional development and career progression opportunities
- National Living Wage employer
For full details of our benefits, please see the attached Our Benefits brochure.
Bradford Children and Families Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment.
If shortlisted, you will be required to disclose relevant information regarding criminal history prior to interview.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check including a check against the Children's Barred List will be carried out on the preferred candidate.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Heather Wilson - heather.wilson@bradfordcft.org.uk
Closing Date: 16th August
Interview Date: 27th August
