stands together with children and young people who are at risk; keeping them safe, supporting their emotional wellbeing, and enabling them to belong, contribute and thrive in their local community.
We work to prevent youth homelessness across Sussex and Surrey and provide a home to 763 young people every night. We reach a further 10,000 young people and their families through our other key services, such as counselling, support and advice, mediation, and youth work, so that all young people can belong , contribute and thrive . You can hear our inspiring .
We provide transitional housing for 132 young people aged 18 to 35, across 20 sites in Eastbourne, Hastings and Bexhill. Supported by Homes England grant funding, the scheme enables us to lease empty properties from private landlords and refurbish them to a good standard, to provide affordable and safe accommodation for young people in housing need. Aimed at young people who are not quite ready to live completely independently we manage the lettings and deal with any issues that arise.
The Role
We are recruiting a permanent , full-time (37.5 hours per week) Support Project Worker with a flair for supporting and inspiring young people. This role is wide-ranging, rewarding and includes several key responsibilities; you will support a caseload of young people or adults at risk, using a trauma informed and advantage thinking approach to support them in achieving their goals.
Supporting your own caseload of residents, you will need to work proactively, creatively and effectively alongside young people to develop their assets and talents and to acquire the skills they need to live independent and fulfilling lives. You will contribute to the smooth and safe running of the services by providing consistency and reliability. You will be eager to promote involvement in house activities to encourage personal development and the skills needed to live with others in shared accommodation settings.
Your expected working pattern will be Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm with Bank holidays off.
You will be based predominantly in Hastings but could be required to cover projects in Eastbourne when necessary.
Who You Are
We are looking for a Support Project Worker who has experience of working with people experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness. You will be passionate about working directly with the homeless community and able to engage and relate well to this community, with ability to successfully manage challenging situations whilst remaining calm and solution focused. You will also have an understanding of the key risks, challenges and opportunities facing single homeless people and/or rough sleepers and be a confident communicator who can both challenge and support when appropriate.
We know that there are great candidates who will not fit everything we have described above, or who have important skills we have not mentioned. If that is you, please do not hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.
If you would like any further information or an informal discussion about this post, please contact
The closing date for this role is midnight on 3 July 2022. Please note this is a rolling advert; applications will be reviewed regularly and suitable applicants will be invited to attend interviews on a rolling basis. Please apply early to avoid disappointment.
YMCA DownsLink Group welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We value diversity and promote inclusion, which we demonstrate through our activities, as well as in our policies and working practices. Reinforced by our culture and values, we seek to create an inspiring and inclusive place to work.
YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns. Successful applicants are required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
For questions regarding this role or to request another application format: please email us at
