Youth Worker (Midlands & East Region)

Job Introduction

Our Lives, Our Voices, Our Choices is a 5-year programme supporting children and young people to live better with type 1 diabetes, and to change the shape of diabetes care for others like them. We want to empower children and young people to believe in themselves and not be limited by their condition – now or in the future.

As Youth Worker, you will be based in our Midlands & East region team but also work as part of a UK-wide programme team. You will work alongside young people (and the diabetes community), empowering a network of Young Leaders to make change happen and building the skills and confidence of young people affected by diabetes to live well and access better care. You will work with our Youth Coordinator to enable Young Leaders to use their own experiences to reach out and support other children and young people living with type 1 diabetes, and to confidently engage with healthcare professionals. With your help, children and young people living with type 1 diabetes will feel less alone and will have greater knowledge and confidence to live well with their condition.

This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved at the beginning of an ambitious and exciting initiative that will see us reaching and supporting more children and young people living with type 1 diabetes than ever before.

We have a friendly and inclusive working environment here at Diabetes UK and are proud of our ‘Connected Working’ framework which allows great flexibility in the way that we work. This role is based within the North of England and allows for home and office-based working within the region, it is linked to our Warrington office. The person must therefore be based within that region.  Subject to the needs of your role, we do not dictate the number of days you have to attend the office.  

Interview Date: 6 September 2022 (face-to-face in Wolverhampton)

Please note that all job offers are subject to you providing acceptable evidence of your eligibility to work in the UK.  You might find the following resources useful:

• To view a full list of accepted documents and the checks employers are required to make click here
• To view guidance on proving your right to work to an employer click here

 If you have any questions, please contact HRAdvice@diabetes.org.uk   

Role Responsibility

As Youth Worker you will use your experience of working with children and young people to:

• Work alongside the Youth Coordinator to develop and deliver an agreed project plan that meets the requirements of funders and local team priorities, and is in line with Diabetes UK processes and policies.
• Support young people and volunteers to understand and grow their strengths and skills, empowering them to take action, support others and make change happen.
• Continuously improve our impact and engagement with young people and the diabetes community, identifying opportunities to share learning and good practice across teams.
• Work with colleagues to grow and enhance our engagement with young people, creating opportunities for long term relationships and involvement of young people in the wider work of the charity.

The Ideal Candidate

This role calls for someone with experience of working in partnership with children and young people, to deliver services and activities that are meaningful to them - a JNC-recognised qualification in youth work would be an advantage. You will have a keen understanding of how diabetes can affect young people’s lives, and a desire to see lasting change for the better. You will be highly organised and driven to see plans through to completion, as well as to evidence impact through monitoring and evaluation.

This role will require you to be able to travel regularly and widely across the whole geography and occasionally to London – a full driving licence would be desirable. You must be able to work evenings and weekends, with some overnight stays.

Package Description

What we can offer you: 

• Generous annual leave starting at 25 days plus bank holidays 
• A Cash Healthcare Plan (giving you up to £1,500 towards a range of out of pocket health expenses like new glasses, dentist, chiropractor or osteopath appointments) 
• Early finish Friday and flexible working as part of our approach to activity based working
• Discounts on gym membership
• Employee assistance programme to give you support on any issues that come up in life  
• Annual season ticket loan* (on completion of your probation period and if contract is permanent or longer than 12 months)
• Very active social scene including sport teams, gardening and other activities 
• Generous pension provision, life assurance and income protection insurance
• Cycle to work scheme* (eligible for scheme if contract is permanent or longer than 12 months)

*Some benefits aren't available until you've passed your probation period and are dependent on the length of contract.

About the Company

For nearly 5 million people with diabetes in the UK, there’s no day off. At Diabetes UK, we fight day in, day out for better care, treatment and support. We won’t stop until diabetes can do no harm.

With more people than ever living with diabetes and millions more at risk of developing type 2, our work has never been more needed. We make sure they get the care and support needed to live well with diabetes and avoid devastating complications.

We fund critical research, which has led to life-changing discoveries – like the first insulin pen and programmes to put type 2 diabetes into remission. Now, we want to do this for everyone and find a cure.

We can’t do any of this without you. Our staff are passionate and determined about helping everyone affected by diabetes. For over 85 years, they’ve been behind vital policy changes, as well as new treatments and technologies to make living with diabetes easier every day.

But there’s more to do. And you can be part of it.

We’re a really diverse bunch and we recognise and respect your value as an individual. As well as helping people with diabetes, you’ll be part of one of the top 30 Best UK Charities to Work For, and one of the top 75 Best Large Companies in London.

We’re committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and we need our staff and volunteers to support this.

Our vision is a world where diabetes can do no harm. Join us today, and together, we can make that a reality.

To find out more about what we do, check out our website.

Diabetes UK