Targeted Youth Worker

This is a chance to do youth work that genuinely makes a difference, working closely with young people who need targeted, relationship‑based support at the right time.

You’ll lead the delivery of targeted youth work within a locality, focusing on vulnerable young people who would benefit from early help and structured intervention. Working alongside colleagues from across Children’s Services, schools, health and partner agencies, you’ll identify need, build trusted relationships with young people and deliver evidence‑based interventions that address issues such as emotional wellbeing, exploitation, offending, non‑attendance at school and risk of becoming NEET.

You’ll design and deliver a varied curriculum, lead group work alongside non‑specialist staff, and ensure safeguarding is central to everything you do. You’ll also take responsibility for appropriate administration, including recording, evaluation, budgets and health and safety, and actively champion diversity and inclusion in your practice.

• You’ll hold a degree in Youth Work or an equivalent qualification and have experience working directly with young people in a youth work setting.
• You’ll understand best practice and evidence‑based approaches when working with vulnerable young people, including contextual safeguarding and extra‑familial harm.
• You’ll be confident advising others within the locality on issues such as exploitation, county lines, anti‑social behaviour, inclusion in education and social action.
• You’ll bring strong communication and listening skills, the ability to build trusting and respectful relationships, and the resilience to challenge behaviour while remaining patient, tactful and non‑judgemental.
• Good organisation, planning and negotiation skills are essential, alongside a clear understanding of safeguarding legislation and procedures.

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Rachel Janaway (Assistant Team Manager – Contextual Safeguarding, Chesil Locality) on or email [email protected], or Gina Hardy (Learning & Belonging Team Manager, Chesil Locality) on or email [email protected].

Please note that we plan to hold interviews on the week commencing 13th April.

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex‑offenders.

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.

See our adult safeguarding policy.

The friends and family referral scheme applies to this post. If an employee recommended this post to you, mention them when asked on your application form.

At Dorset Council, it’s not just about the work we do, it’s about how we do it.

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible; if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK‑based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.