Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Youth Worker Assistant

💰 $ - $

Youth ServicesSocial CareCommunity Work

🎯 Role Definition

The Youth Worker Assistant supports the delivery of youth services by assisting qualified youth workers and frontline staff to plan, deliver, monitor and evaluate targeted and universal activities for children and young people. This role involves direct face-to-face support (one-to-one and group), administrative record keeping, safeguarding and risk management, multi-agency liaison, and contributing to youth engagement programmes designed to improve wellbeing, education, employability and social outcomes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Volunteer youth leader or community volunteer with demonstrated experience supporting young people in clubs or outreach.
  • Teaching assistant, classroom support worker or after-school programme assistant.
  • Support worker, care assistant or residential support worker with a background in youth or social care.

Advancement To:

  • Youth Worker / Qualified Youth Worker
  • Senior Youth Worker or Lead Youth Practitioner
  • Youth Services Coordinator / Programme Manager
  • Case Manager or Family Support Worker
  • Specialist roles (e.g., Substance Misuse Practitioner, Youth Mental Health Practitioner)

Lateral Moves:

  • Community Outreach Coordinator
  • Early Help Practitioner
  • Detached Youth Worker
  • Education Welfare / Attendance Officer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Deliver structured one-to-one and small group sessions that engage young people in personal development, life skills, employability, education support and recreational activities, ensuring sessions are inclusive and culturally sensitive.
  • Assist in planning, preparing and delivering weekly youth programmes and activity schedules under supervision, adapting content to meet the developmental needs and interests of participants.
  • Provide frontline supervision and positive behaviour management during sessions, using de-escalation techniques and restorative approaches to manage conflict safely.
  • Undertake regular safeguarding checks and act immediately on any child protection concerns by following organisational safeguarding policies, completing incident reports and liaising with designated safeguarding leads.
  • Support case management tasks including undertaking initial needs assessments, updating case notes, maintaining accurate electronic and paper records and preparing information for multi-agency meetings.
  • Carry out risk assessments for activities, trips and individual young people; implement risk mitigation measures and review plans after incidents or changes in circumstances.
  • Build trusting, professional relationships with young people through active listening, mentoring, motivational interviewing techniques and consistent boundaries to promote resilience and positive outcomes.
  • Facilitate outreach work, including detached youth work in community settings, parks and schools, to engage hard-to-reach or at-risk young people and signpost them to services.
  • Work collaboratively with families, carers, schools and external agencies (health, police, social care) to coordinate support and referrals, attend strategy meetings and contribute case information.
  • Monitor attendance, engagement and progress using established frameworks and contribute to impact evaluations and outcome reporting aligned with funding requirements.
  • Support young people through transitions (e.g., school-to-work, resettlement, leaving care) by providing practical guidance, referral to training and employment services and advocacy where necessary.
  • Deliver information, advice and guidance on topics such as sexual health, drug and alcohol awareness, online safety and mental wellbeing in line with safeguarding and consent policies.
  • Assist in planning and supervising trips, residentials and community events, ensuring transport, accommodation and activity logistics meet safety and accessibility standards.
  • Support targeted interventions for young people with additional needs or complex challenges under supervision, contributing to personalised support plans and reviews.
  • Implement health and safety procedures including first aid, medication administration protocols and emergency response, recording incidents and following up with managers.
  • Prepare and distribute materials, refreshments and equipment for sessions; ensure venues are clean, secure and set up to promote safe participation.
  • Promote equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of service delivery and report any discrimination or accessibility barriers for action.
  • Support volunteer and peer mentor induction and supervision, delegate tasks appropriately and provide feedback to volunteers to maintain high-quality delivery.
  • Contribute to outreach and recruitment activities by representing the organisation at community events, schools and partner meetings to raise service awareness and increase referrals.
  • Provide culturally competent support to young people from diverse backgrounds, adapting communication and engagement styles to meet language and cultural needs.
  • Follow data protection, confidentiality and consent procedures when recording, sharing or storing personal information, and escalate data breaches or concerns immediately.

Secondary Functions

  • Maintain accurate administrative records, update databases and prepare routine reports for funders and managers to demonstrate impact and outcomes.
  • Support service development by contributing ideas for new programmes, piloting activities and capturing participant feedback for continuous improvement.
  • Participate in regular supervision, team meetings and training sessions to develop practice, reflect on casework and ensure compliance with professional standards.
  • Assist with basic budgeting tasks for sessions and events (e.g., purchasing supplies, processing expense claims) in line with organisational procedures.
  • Support promotional activity, social media outreach and production of simple marketing materials to increase programme visibility and youth engagement.
  • Provide transport for young people to activities and appointments where required and authorised, ensuring appropriate permissions and vehicle checks are in place.
  • Contribute to monitoring and evaluation activities by collecting quantitative and qualitative data, conducting simple interviews or focus groups with participants.
  • Help coordinate volunteers and sessional workers, preparing rotas and ensuring DBS and induction checks are current.
  • Support the implementation of therapeutic or specialist programmes by liaising with qualified practitioners and ensuring young people attend scheduled sessions.
  • Carry out home visits and out-of-hours follow-up under guidance, ensuring personal safety and adherence to lone-working policies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection legislation, with ability to follow reporting procedures and complete safeguarding referrals.
  • Basic first aid and emergency response skills (e.g., Paediatric First Aid, Emergency First Aid) and confidence to act in crisis situations.
  • Competency in conducting structured risk assessments for activities and individual young people, and implementing mitigation plans.
  • Experience with case recording and case management systems (electronic databases, CRM systems, MyConcern, Liquidlogic or equivalent) and accurate report writing.
  • Group facilitation skills for running workshops, life skills sessions, employability and sexual health education with measurable learning outcomes.
  • Behaviour management techniques including positive reinforcement, de-escalation strategies and restorative practice.
  • Knowledge of local youth services, statutory partners and referral pathways (education, CAMHS, social care, housing, substance misuse services).
  • Basic IT literacy: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), Google Workspace and ability to use online meeting platforms and digital engagement tools.
  • Awareness of data protection and confidentiality standards (GDPR) when handling sensitive personal information.
  • Ability to complete CEOP, PREVENT, or other safeguarding-related online training and apply learning to practice.
  • Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation frameworks, collecting outcome data and contributing to funding reports.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear case notes, reports and engage with young people, families and professionals.
  • Strong interpersonal skills to build rapport quickly and maintain trusting relationships with young people from diverse backgrounds.
  • Empathy, patience and non-judgmental attitude when supporting young people facing complex personal challenges.
  • Resilience and ability to manage emotionally demanding situations while maintaining professional boundaries.
  • Problem-solving mindset, initiative and adaptability to respond to changing needs and unpredictable situations.
  • Cultural competency and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in all interactions and programme design.
  • Teamwork and collaborative working skills to contribute positively within multi-disciplinary teams and across partner agencies.
  • Time management and organisational skills to prioritise caseloads, plan sessions and meet reporting deadlines.
  • Reflective practice and openness to supervision, learning and continual professional development.
  • Conflict resolution and mediation skills to support reconciliation and positive behaviour change.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • GCSEs or equivalent (including English and Maths) or demonstrable experience working with young people.
  • Valid DBS (or willingness to obtain) and eligibility to work in the country of employment.

Preferred Education:

  • Level 2 or Level 3 Certificate/Diploma in Youth Work, Health & Social Care, Community Development or equivalent.
  • NVQ in Children & Young People, CACHE qualifications or degree-level study in Youth Work, Social Work, Education, Psychology, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Youth Work
  • Social Care / Health & Social Care
  • Community Development
  • Psychology
  • Education
  • Social Work / Child & Family Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–2 years frontline experience; many roles accept volunteers or sessional workers transitioning into paid youth work.

Preferred:

  • 1–3 years experience supporting children and young people in community, school or statutory settings.
  • Experience delivering group programmes, running outreach sessions, and maintaining accurate case records.
  • Prior volunteering or sessional work in youth clubs, mentoring programmes, schools, or community projects is highly valued.
Explore More Careers