Job Description

Youth Support Worker - Multi-Disciplinary Team

Fixed Term, Full Time - 37 hours per week

£25,580 to £26,924 per annum

Location: Harlow

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 23rd August 2026 (11:59pm)

This position is being offered as a Fixed Term Contract
/ Secondment until 31st March 2028.

Please note visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.

The Team

The Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) comprises of subject matter experts
specialising in housing, domestic abuse, education, drug and alcohol
support, youth work and mental health for adults and children.  

MDT workers bring specialist knowledge and therapeutic insight.
Their expertise is instrumental in re-engaging families, restoring hope, and
fostering sustainable change. This team’s work is not only impactful
— it’s transformative. 

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and passionate individual to join
our team. Being led by the Team Manager, you will be working to create the
conditions for sustainable change with families. 

The MDT team is situated within frontline social work teams where the
referrals come from. The interventions from MDT are delivered within the
community or in the families’ homes. 

We want you to be a part of our vision and making this a reality. If you
have the drive, creativity and enthusiasm to enhance and improve the lives
of Children and Families, we want to hear from you. 

Are you ready for the challenge of being at the forefront of innovative and
impactful practice?

This is an exciting time for Children’s Social Work in Essex, and we are
seeking experienced, motivated and passionate individuals to join our
dynamic Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT).

Led by the Team Manager, you will help create the conditions for sustainable
change, working alongside a diverse team of subject matter experts in
housing, domestic abuse, education, drug and alcohol support, youth work and
mental health.

Based within frontline Social Work teams, the MDT provides bespoke,
specialist interventions in the community and in family homes, bringing
therapeutic insight and expertise that re-engages families, restores hope
and supports meaningful, lasting change. We want you to be part of our
vision and help make it a reality. If you have the drive, creativity and
enthusiasm to enhance and improve the lives of Children and Families, we
want to hear from you. Please take a look at our 
‘No Magic’ Children & Families video

The Role

The Youth Support worker will play a key role in developing the Youth
Service offer.

By working with identified Young People who are exposed to various familial
and environmental factors such as exploitation, NEAT (not in education,
employment or training). The Youth Support worker will ensure young people
have positive experiences, providing bespoke groupwork packages and positive
activities to empower Young People to overcome challenges to reach their
full potential. To read more about us please visit: 
Children & Families

Accountabilities

• 
  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.
• 
  Support the commissioning of services by working with the community to
  enhance their skills so they can be more independent in design and
  delivery of services.
• 
  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 2 years 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.
• 
  Ensure all duties and services provided are in accordance with the
  County Council Equal Opportunities Policy and Practice.
• 
  Undertake any other reasonable duties commensurate with the level and
  accountabilities of the post as directed by the District Youth Worker.

The Experience You Will Bring

• 
  Qualified at level 2 or above in a JNC recognised Youth Work
  Qualification or be prepared to undertake training
• 
  Good level of numeracy and literacy
• 
  Experience of working with young people and communities which may be in
  a voluntary role
• 
  Ability to build relationships and relate well to people
• 
  Ability to work in a changing environment
• 
  Commitment to challenging prejudice and ignorance
• 
  Ability to develop work with young people and communities to achieve
  planned outcomes
• 
  Ability to work as part of a team

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area
including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting
service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency.
Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of
the role through other means is essential.

Next Steps

Candidates shortlisted for interview will be invited to attend a
face‑to‑face interview at our Goodman House offices in Harlow, with
interviews expected to take place around the week commencing 3rd August
2026.

In February 2025 , Greater Essex was accepted onto the
Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities
in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by
May 2026. You can read more about
devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR
) on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re
committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our
Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job.
Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments
during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care
leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are
applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive
many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and
flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. 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.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role
require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update
service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are
kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your
certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for
ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update
service please go to
https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the
welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and
volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities,
blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council,
please join
The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email
resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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. Further details can be found on our
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.

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