Job Description
THE CLINK CHARITY
YOUTH SUPPORT WORKER (LONDON & SOUTHEAST)
Salary: £30,000 FTE
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time, 39 hours p/w
Location: Supporting students from The Clink s sites across London and the South East
Applications close on Friday 27th March but will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early applications are advised
ABOUT THE CLINK CHARITY
The Clink Charity, founded in 2009, aims to prevent and reduce reoffending through training, rehabilitation, and support. We deliver hospitality and horticulture training behind the prison walls and in the community by creating an environment where our students are supported to gain the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to rebuild their lives.
Since that time, we have trained approximately 5,000 people in prison and delivered 2,600 City & Guilds qualifications in a variety of hospitality and food courses.
What makes The Clink so unique is our post-release support and mentoring programme that rehabilitates an offender back into society through assistance with health and mental health issues, housing, employment, family connections and friendships.
The charity operates an award-winning fine-dining restaurant open to the public inside HMP Brixton, training kitchens in the prison estate, horticulture projects at HMP Send and HMP Erlestoke, a commercial bakery in Brixton, and a bespoke delivery service, Catered by Clink.
Additionally, Clink Events is our social enterprise catering business with food produced by the women in HMP Downview and also in an additional kitchen at Herne Hill and then served by alumni on front of house at some of the best venues in London including: the Guildhall, the Science Museum, Cutty Sark, Kew Gardens and the Camden Roundhouse. In 2024, across 218 events, The Clink fed 36,000 people.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Clink Training Café, located in Herne Hill, is a real-life professional kitchen and café that provides young people with meaningful work experience over a 12-week programme. During this time, participants work towards five accredited City & Guilds qualifications while gaining hands-on hospitality and employability skills.
We work closely with the Youth Justice Service, as well as Children in Care and Care Leavers teams, to engage vulnerable and at-risk young people in the programme. Many of the young people we support are at risk of criminal exploitation and grooming, and we also work with neurodivergent young people who have additional learning needs.
At our café in Herne Hill, we have supported 100% of our students who have participated in the program to graduate into further education or employment.
The Youth Support Worker will provide a high quality and responsive support, mentoring and advocacy service which creatively addresses the needs and risks of our students and graduates, enabling them to avoid the risk of criminal exploitation upon completion of the program and to progress into the next step of their education or employment pathway.
You will be joining The Clink Charity at an exciting time as we plan to scale the success of our Café project by taking on a second site in Guildford to work with vulnerable NEET young people across Surrey. This role will offer the successful candidate the opportunity to mobilise this project and to take a leading role in building referrals, establishing networks and establishing this new intervention.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As a Youth Support Worker, you are responsible for:
Individualised Support
• Act as a strong advocate for all students, representing their needs and interests.
• Complete a personalised support plan for each student to understand their individual needs, challenges, and personal circumstances.
• Work closely with young people to identify risks, recognise warning signs, and develop strategies to reduce the likelihood of involvement in criminal exploitation, grooming, or other harmful behaviours.
• Support student engagement throughout the programme, addressing conflicts or challenges as they arise to maintain a positive learning environment.
• Establish appropriate boundaries and respond effectively to student behaviour to ensure a safe and inclusive environment.
• Support students in developing resilience, confidence, and independent decision-making skills.
Monitoring and Impact
• Conduct weekly 1:1 session with each student, focusing on personal growth, emotional wellbeing, and life skills such as budgeting, accurately logging all sessions in both internal and external CRM systems.
• Ensure all contact logs and essential paperwork are accurately updated and completed weekly.
• Contribute ideas to improve programme delivery and student engagement through innovative activities or support strategies.
• Use data insights to report progress to referral partners and funders.
Partnerships and Networks
• Build and maintain strong, positive relationships with all external partners and networks.
• Engage with external partners to build the relationships needed to receive referrals for our target audience and meet with each student prior to starting the programme to ensure a smooth induction.
• Liaise with relevant networks and attend meetings with funders or partner organisations that support the students' development.
• Seek out new partnership opportunities to enable The Clink's youth programs to grow and develop.
Employer and Further Education Connections
• Establish relationships with a variety of employers and further education providers to support work placements and future career opportunities.
• Assist students in creating structured CVs and preparing for interviews, including attending interviews if required.
Safeguarding
• To prioritise child protection and safeguarding of beneficiaries.
• Report and log all safeguarding concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead promptly, following charity policies.
General
• Travel between different sites when necessary, including locations such as our second site in Guildford, Surrey. Able to accompany our young people on trips, visits, or work placements, always maintaining safety and professional standards.
• Attend all training sessions and supervision meetings provided by senior management.
• Work collaboratively with staff across The Clink to achieve the best outcomes for young people and maintain healthy, professional working relationships.
• Support the planning and delivery of special events, career fairs, or community engagement projects.
DESIRABLE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
• Holds an enhanced DBS check suitable for working with both children and adults, ensuring full compliance with safeguarding and legal requirements.
• Experience of working with young people aged 16-25, with an understanding of their developmental stages, personal challenges, and individual needs.
• Possesses a relevant youth work qualification or equivalent, demonstrating a commitment to professional standards and best practice in supporting young people.
• Experience of working in prisons, youth offender institutions, or the criminal justice
system, including having lived experience, and the ability to use this knowledge to positively guide young people.
• Experience of supporting young people involved in gangs, at risk of exploitation, or affected by county lines, with the ability to identify risks and implement interventions to reduce harm.
• Experience of networking and building strong professional relationships with employers, apprenticeship services, and external partners to support education, training, and work placement opportunities.
• Experience of referring young people to specialist services and working collaboratively within a multi-agency framework to provide holistic support and guidance.
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and the PREVENT Duty, with the ability to assess risks, consult with line managers, and log appropriately in line with organisational protocols.
• Ability to maintain a safe, structured environment with clear boundaries while responding appropriately to behaviours and supporting young people to make positive choices.
• Ability to identify risk factors for criminal exploitation or grooming, help young people recognise warning signs, and implement strategies to reduce their vulnerability.
• Strong numeracy skills, sufficient to assist young people with budgeting, calculating benefit entitlements, understanding rent arrears, and managing finances.
• IT literate, able to maintain accurate records, logs, and assessments on internal and external systems while ensuring data is up to date and securely stored.
PERSONAL QUALITIES
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Able to build trust, motivate, and advise a diverse group of young people while maintaining professional relationships.
• Able to adopt a supportive, confident, and motivating approach, inspiring young people, building their self-esteem, and promoting positive personal development.
• Demonstrate empathy, patience, and understanding of the diverse challenges young people may face, including personal, social, and emotional issues.
• Demonstrate resilience and adaptability . click apply for full job details
YOUTH SUPPORT WORKER (LONDON & SOUTHEAST)
Salary: £30,000 FTE
Contract: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time, 39 hours p/w
Location: Supporting students from The Clink s sites across London and the South East
Applications close on Friday 27th March but will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early applications are advised
ABOUT THE CLINK CHARITY
The Clink Charity, founded in 2009, aims to prevent and reduce reoffending through training, rehabilitation, and support. We deliver hospitality and horticulture training behind the prison walls and in the community by creating an environment where our students are supported to gain the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to rebuild their lives.
Since that time, we have trained approximately 5,000 people in prison and delivered 2,600 City & Guilds qualifications in a variety of hospitality and food courses.
What makes The Clink so unique is our post-release support and mentoring programme that rehabilitates an offender back into society through assistance with health and mental health issues, housing, employment, family connections and friendships.
The charity operates an award-winning fine-dining restaurant open to the public inside HMP Brixton, training kitchens in the prison estate, horticulture projects at HMP Send and HMP Erlestoke, a commercial bakery in Brixton, and a bespoke delivery service, Catered by Clink.
Additionally, Clink Events is our social enterprise catering business with food produced by the women in HMP Downview and also in an additional kitchen at Herne Hill and then served by alumni on front of house at some of the best venues in London including: the Guildhall, the Science Museum, Cutty Sark, Kew Gardens and the Camden Roundhouse. In 2024, across 218 events, The Clink fed 36,000 people.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Clink Training Café, located in Herne Hill, is a real-life professional kitchen and café that provides young people with meaningful work experience over a 12-week programme. During this time, participants work towards five accredited City & Guilds qualifications while gaining hands-on hospitality and employability skills.
We work closely with the Youth Justice Service, as well as Children in Care and Care Leavers teams, to engage vulnerable and at-risk young people in the programme. Many of the young people we support are at risk of criminal exploitation and grooming, and we also work with neurodivergent young people who have additional learning needs.
At our café in Herne Hill, we have supported 100% of our students who have participated in the program to graduate into further education or employment.
The Youth Support Worker will provide a high quality and responsive support, mentoring and advocacy service which creatively addresses the needs and risks of our students and graduates, enabling them to avoid the risk of criminal exploitation upon completion of the program and to progress into the next step of their education or employment pathway.
You will be joining The Clink Charity at an exciting time as we plan to scale the success of our Café project by taking on a second site in Guildford to work with vulnerable NEET young people across Surrey. This role will offer the successful candidate the opportunity to mobilise this project and to take a leading role in building referrals, establishing networks and establishing this new intervention.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As a Youth Support Worker, you are responsible for:
Individualised Support
• Act as a strong advocate for all students, representing their needs and interests.
• Complete a personalised support plan for each student to understand their individual needs, challenges, and personal circumstances.
• Work closely with young people to identify risks, recognise warning signs, and develop strategies to reduce the likelihood of involvement in criminal exploitation, grooming, or other harmful behaviours.
• Support student engagement throughout the programme, addressing conflicts or challenges as they arise to maintain a positive learning environment.
• Establish appropriate boundaries and respond effectively to student behaviour to ensure a safe and inclusive environment.
• Support students in developing resilience, confidence, and independent decision-making skills.
Monitoring and Impact
• Conduct weekly 1:1 session with each student, focusing on personal growth, emotional wellbeing, and life skills such as budgeting, accurately logging all sessions in both internal and external CRM systems.
• Ensure all contact logs and essential paperwork are accurately updated and completed weekly.
• Contribute ideas to improve programme delivery and student engagement through innovative activities or support strategies.
• Use data insights to report progress to referral partners and funders.
Partnerships and Networks
• Build and maintain strong, positive relationships with all external partners and networks.
• Engage with external partners to build the relationships needed to receive referrals for our target audience and meet with each student prior to starting the programme to ensure a smooth induction.
• Liaise with relevant networks and attend meetings with funders or partner organisations that support the students' development.
• Seek out new partnership opportunities to enable The Clink's youth programs to grow and develop.
Employer and Further Education Connections
• Establish relationships with a variety of employers and further education providers to support work placements and future career opportunities.
• Assist students in creating structured CVs and preparing for interviews, including attending interviews if required.
Safeguarding
• To prioritise child protection and safeguarding of beneficiaries.
• Report and log all safeguarding concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead promptly, following charity policies.
General
• Travel between different sites when necessary, including locations such as our second site in Guildford, Surrey. Able to accompany our young people on trips, visits, or work placements, always maintaining safety and professional standards.
• Attend all training sessions and supervision meetings provided by senior management.
• Work collaboratively with staff across The Clink to achieve the best outcomes for young people and maintain healthy, professional working relationships.
• Support the planning and delivery of special events, career fairs, or community engagement projects.
DESIRABLE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
• Holds an enhanced DBS check suitable for working with both children and adults, ensuring full compliance with safeguarding and legal requirements.
• Experience of working with young people aged 16-25, with an understanding of their developmental stages, personal challenges, and individual needs.
• Possesses a relevant youth work qualification or equivalent, demonstrating a commitment to professional standards and best practice in supporting young people.
• Experience of working in prisons, youth offender institutions, or the criminal justice
system, including having lived experience, and the ability to use this knowledge to positively guide young people.
• Experience of supporting young people involved in gangs, at risk of exploitation, or affected by county lines, with the ability to identify risks and implement interventions to reduce harm.
• Experience of networking and building strong professional relationships with employers, apprenticeship services, and external partners to support education, training, and work placement opportunities.
• Experience of referring young people to specialist services and working collaboratively within a multi-agency framework to provide holistic support and guidance.
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and the PREVENT Duty, with the ability to assess risks, consult with line managers, and log appropriately in line with organisational protocols.
• Ability to maintain a safe, structured environment with clear boundaries while responding appropriately to behaviours and supporting young people to make positive choices.
• Ability to identify risk factors for criminal exploitation or grooming, help young people recognise warning signs, and implement strategies to reduce their vulnerability.
• Strong numeracy skills, sufficient to assist young people with budgeting, calculating benefit entitlements, understanding rent arrears, and managing finances.
• IT literate, able to maintain accurate records, logs, and assessments on internal and external systems while ensuring data is up to date and securely stored.
PERSONAL QUALITIES
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Able to build trust, motivate, and advise a diverse group of young people while maintaining professional relationships.
• Able to adopt a supportive, confident, and motivating approach, inspiring young people, building their self-esteem, and promoting positive personal development.
• Demonstrate empathy, patience, and understanding of the diverse challenges young people may face, including personal, social, and emotional issues.
• Demonstrate resilience and adaptability . click apply for full job details
About The Clink Charity