Youth Support Worker Apprenticeship
Essex County Council
Basildon (SS14 1EL)
Closes in 6 days (Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 28 September 2026
Contents
Summary
Working face to face with young people as part of a team and 6 hrs each week to work towards your qualification), you will ensure young people have positive experiences. You will work with local youth work teams including volunteers in community youth clubs across the south Essex area.
- Wage
-
£25,580 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
£25,580 per annum + £954 Fringe Allowance
- Training course
- Youth support worker (level 3)
- Hours
-
Mobile and flexible working requirements: must be available for evenings and weekends.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 2 November 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Identify areas of need and opportunity within the community where a youth work programme can be identified to support the development of youth provision delivered by the community
- Negotiate with young people and their communities on their involvement in the programme planning, implementation, and evaluation
- Contribute to and promote the programme to ensure that opportunities are accessible to all who wish to become involved
- As part of the team involve young people in the decision-making processes whereby individuals and groups take on responsibilities for themselves and others in their project and the wider community
- As part of the team respond to individual and group needs, this includes issues affecting young people, promoting self-awareness and self-esteem
- To deliver or support the direct delivery of youth work programmes as may be required, to include residential experiences for young people
- Take part in management supervision and the staff performance management scheme, to identify priorities and learning needs and to be responsible for the learning and development of self and to complete all required training and accreditation within 18 months of starting employment
- Follow Child Protection Guidelines and report any concerns using the correct procedure and comply with individual responsibilities for staff and young people, in accordance with work role, for health and safety in the workplace
Where you'll work
16-20 Southernhay
Basildon
SS14 1EL
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
B-SKILL LIMITED
Training course
Youth support worker (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Recognise, manage and reflect upon relational boundaries in professional youth support work
- Communicate with stakeholders - internal and/or external
- Facilitate the learning and development of young people
- Encourage the participation of young people in developing their own learning
- Facilitate activities and techniques to use with young people that promote self-confidence and build self-esteem and resilience
- Reflect individually and through supervision on practice in line with daily tasks to enhance the support young people receive
- Monitor and record the outcomes of own practice to identify areas for development and improvement
- Appropriately manage behaviour boundaries in line with organisational policies
- Plan youth support work programmes and sessions
- Lead youth support work programmes and sessions
- Evaluate youth support work programmes and sessions
- Enable young people to express their views, aspirations, needs and concerns appropriately in line with youth support work principles
- Identify, appropriately challenge and act upon oppressive or discriminatory attitudes, behaviours and situations
- Support young people to participate in planning, organising, delivering and evaluating youth work activities and programmes, and engaging on issues of importance to them
- Embeds in own practice a commitment to the rights of young people
- Apply safeguarding procedures and protocols
- Work within the parameters of organisational, local and national health and safety, child protection, data protection and equalities policies and procedures
- Participate in risk assessments and manage risk and risk benefits within the workplace
- Record all health and safety risks and take the correct actions to ensure the safety of all young people
- Complete administrative responsibilities e.g., signing in young people, risk assessments and recording activities
- Manage budgets and resources
- Manage individuals in line with organisational procedures
- Work with and maintain professional behaviour boundaries when working with young people
- Recognise, manage and reflect upon relational boundaries in professional youth support work
- Communicate with stakeholders - internal and/or external
- Facilitate the learning and development of young people
- Encourage the participation of young people in developing their own learning
- Facilitate activities and techniques to use with young people that promote self-confidence and build self-esteem and resilience
- Reflect individually and through supervision on practice in line with daily tasks to enhance the support young people receive
- Monitor and record the outcomes of own practice to identify areas for development and improvement
- Appropriately manage behaviour boundaries in line with organisational policies
- Plan youth support work programmes and sessions
- Lead youth support work programmes and sessions
- Evaluate youth support work programmes and sessions
- Enable young people to express their views, aspirations, needs and concerns appropriately in line with youth support work principles
- Identify, appropriately challenge and act upon oppressive or discriminatory attitudes, behaviours and situations
- Support young people to participate in planning, organising, delivering and evaluating youth work activities and programmes, and engaging on issues of importance to them
- Embeds in own practice a commitment to the rights of young people
- Apply safeguarding procedures and protocols
- Work within the parameters of organisational, local and national health and safety, child protection, data protection and equalities policies and procedures
- Participate in risk assessments and manage risk and risk benefits within the workplace
- Record all health and safety risks and take the correct actions to ensure the safety of all young people
- Complete administrative responsibilities e.g., signing in young people, risk assessments and recording activities
- Manage budgets and resources
- Manage individuals in line with organisational procedures
- Work with and maintain professional behaviour boundaries when working with young people
Training schedule
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Customer care skills
- Presentation skills
- Team working
- Creative
Other requirements
- Will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means
- Should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service
About this employer
At Essex County Council, we look after a large, diverse, complex region of the country. But our approach to creating a place where individuals, families and communities can thrive and prosper is simple. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
https://www.essex.gov.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Essex pay framework- every colleague is treated fairly, consistently and transparently
- Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), one of the largest and most generous public sector pension schemes in the UK
- Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential advice and counselling
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Discounts and savings with employee benefits platforms
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, the apprentice may progress into a qualified Youth Support Worker role with increased responsibility, supporting children, young people and families across a range of services. Further progression opportunities may include Senior Youth Support Worker, Family Support Worker, Youth Offending Team Practitioner, Early Help Practitioner, or other specialist roles within children's services. The apprenticeship also provides a foundation for further professional development through higher-level apprenticeships or relevant qualifications in youth work, social care, education, or community support.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Essex County Council
Ami Fosker
ami.fosker@essex.gov.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000055644.
Apply now
Closes in 6 days (Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 11:59pm)