Youth Worker

Job summary

This is an opportunity to make a real difference for young people facing some of the most challenging periods of their lives. You will help them build confidence, have their voices heard, and develop the skills and independence they need to navigate healthcare, adolescence and the transition to adulthood.

Main duties of the job

There is growing recognition that children and young people in hospital benefit from support that is developmentally appropriate, relationship-based and responsive to their individual needs. Adolescence can be a complex time to navigate, and for young people accessing specialist healthcare this can be further shaped by disruption to education, independence, emotional wellbeing, peer relationships and confidence in managing their own care. Without the right support, young people may find it harder to engage with services, express their views and prepare for adulthood. We have an exciting opportunity to further develop youth work at Great Ormond Street Hospital by introducing a Youth Worker to the team. The post holder will work alongside colleagues across the Play and Youth Services department and the wider multidisciplinary team to provide holistic, targeted and individualised support to young people with a range of needs and experiences. The aim of this post is to help create opportunities for young people to build confidence, develop knowledge and skills, strengthen their voice in care, and improve their experience of hospital services as they move through adolescence and towards adulthood.

About us

We are committed to recruiting the best person for the job through a fair, open and consistent process that is free from bias and discrimination.

We are working towards becoming an anti-racist organisation. This means creating a workplace where every colleague feels seen, heard and valued, and where racism in any form has no place. Our anti-racism commitment is backed by action through our Anti-Racism Statement and action plan, developed in collaboration with our REACH staff network.

We actively challenge discrimination, dismantle barriers and embed equity across all aspects of our workforce, including recruitment, progression and development. All applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, health condition or employment history.

We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and LGBTQ+ community members. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Business Disability Forum, and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

Our staff networks, including REACH, PRIDE, ENABLED and Women's Networks, are active and executive supported. These employee-led networks play a vital role in shaping an inclusive culture at GOSH and are open to all colleagues.

Together, we are building a culture where inclusion is not optional - it is essential.

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.

Person specification

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Ability to communicate effectively with children, young people, families and professionals.
• Ability to build positive relationships and engage young people from a range of backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to organise workload, prioritise tasks and maintain accurate records.
• Ability to respond appropriately to distressing or challenging situations.
• Good IT, documentation and report-writing skills.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and person-centred practice.
• Ability to reflect on practice and engage in supervision, training and service development.

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

• Experience of working with children, young people and families in a health, education, youth or community setting.
• Experience of assessing needs and providing practical and emotional support to children and young people.
• Understanding of adolescent development, transition, safeguarding and child protection.
• Knowledge of working in partnership with multidisciplinary teams and external agencies.
• Awareness of confidentiality, information governance and professional boundaries.
• Experience of working as part of a diverse team.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an acute hospital or specialist paediatric setting.

Academic/Professional qualification/Training

Essential

• Relevant qualification in Youth Work or equivalent experience
• Where no Youth Work qualification is held, willingness to complete Youth Work Apprenticeship.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, safeguarding requirements and policies affecting children, young people and families.

GOSH Culture and Values

Essential

• GOSH Values