Are you looking for a new and exciting opportunity? Are you passionate about supporting children and families? If so, look no further!
We are seeking a part-time Project Worker to join our Choices Family Support team in the Northern Trust Ballymena/Antrim area. This is a fantastic chance to make a difference to the lives of young people.
The Choices Family Support service aims to engage young people, aged 10-17 years old, who are experiencing of some difficulties involving social, emotional or behavioural issues.
You will;
- work alongside the young person together with their parents/families to to achieve a more hopeful family life experience.
- Work is predominately focused on the referred young person though using a holistic approach some engagement with the wider family is expected.
- Families are offered around 12 weeks support and the project worker will work collaboratively with the family and agree what specific intervention might be most beneficial.
- The Service is delivered in an outreach basis with a combination of home or school visits and individual session time.
Do you have the following:
- A positive strength based approach
- Experience of working with young people and their families
- Awareness of safeguarding concerns
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- A full driving licence with business class insurance or be able to demonstrate how you meet the mobility requirements of the role
When completing your application please refer to your skills, knowledge and experience in relation to the Person Specification and Job Description document. This should be done with an understanding of the context of the service described.
Essential Criteria
- Demonstrable experience of building positive relationships with children and young people and supporting them within various areas of their lives.
- Demonstrable experience of supporting families
- A valid driving license and access to a vehicle with business class insurance or alternatively be able to demonstrate how you can meet the mobility requirements of post.
Desirable Criteria
- Demonstrable experience of use of a strength based approach
- Knowledge of intervention strategies around behaviour and emotional well being
- Experience of communicating effectively in multi-agency settings, with other providers and services.
Although this contract has a permanent status, please be aware that this post is subject to funding currently to 30 June 2027 and therefore should this funding not be extended further, you may be subject to a redundancy consultation or a TUPE arrangement.
Contact Email: recruitment.supportteam@barnardos.org.uk
A waiting list will be held in the event that similar vacancies arise during the next 12 months
The successful candidate will also be required to undertake an Enhanced Access NI with Child Barred List check.
Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible
We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.
For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.
Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.
Workplace Offer: What it means for you
Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.
Barnardo's require colleagues to be UK residents, based in the UK and to complete their roles from within the UK (with the exception of colleagues providing Barnardo's services in Jersey and colleagues who live in the Republic of Ireland providing services in Northern Ireland)
- Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
- Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
- The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave scheme
- A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
- Service related sick pay from day 1
- Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
- Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
- Cycle2work scheme
- Interest free season ticket loans
- Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
- 20% discount at Barnardo's stores
- Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
- Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
- Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer
*T&C's apply based on contract
We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
- Reference number:23165
- Job Title:Project Worker 1
- Location:Ballymena
- Locality:Ballymena/Antrim
- Contract type:Permanent (Fixed term funded post)
- End date:30/06/2027
- Hours:22.2
- Salary:£26,003 - £30,351 (FTE) (£15,601.80 - £18,210.60 pro rata)
- Closing Date:29 June 2026
- Interview Date:TBC



