Responsive Mentor - Malvern Hills

Job Title: Responsive Mentor – Malvern Hills

Responsible to: Youth Mentoring and Schools Manager

Responsible for: No formal line management responsibility (may guide volunteers and placement students supporting mentoring sessions)

Hours of work: 40 hours per week

*(Due to the nature of the role, there will be a requirement to work some evenings, including weekly youth clubs, and occasionally weekends for training or events. These will be agreed in advance where possible.)*

Salary: £28,620\.80 per annum, to include paid lunch breaks, pension and healthcare plan

Location(s): Malvern Hills district (including Tenbury Wells, Upton upon Severn, Kempsey, Malvern and surrounding rural communities) and various locations across Worcestershire. Office based in Redditch.

Contract: Permanent, subject to continued funding (see Terms and Conditions)

Organisation Context

YMCA Worcestershire is a Christian charity committed to supporting all young people, particularly in times of need. We are part of a worldwide Christian Movement, whose vision is to enable people to live, learn and share to build a brighter future in mind, body and spirit. We are a registered social landlord providing housing and supported services to young people, and a range of community and other services at a variety of locations.

Each year we support approximately 4,000 people. Our Youth Engagement Team works with over 1,500 children and young people annually through youth clubs, detached youth work, targeted interventions and one\-to\-one mentoring. In Malvern Hills we currently provide mentoring in Tenbury High School and Hanley Castle High School, weekly youth clubs in Tenbury, Upton and Kempsey, and detached youth work in the district.

Job Purpose

The Responsive Mentor will deliver flexible, community\-based one\-to\-one mentoring and early intervention wellbeing support to young people aged 10–17 across the Malvern Hills district, and will support YMCA Worcestershire’s mentoring within Malvern Hills schools. The role is referral\-based and is not tied to a single school, allowing us to respond quickly to need wherever it arises, reduce waiting times for support, and reach young people in rural communities who may not meet the threshold for specialist services.

The post is funded by Malvern Hills District Council’s Mental Health Grant Scheme. It will begin with an initial period supporting the delivery of YMCA Worcestershire’s other provisions, before moving into the dedicated Malvern Hills Responsive Mentor role once the funding starts.

Structure of the Post

• Initial period (from start date to 31 December 2026, approximately one to two months): supporting the delivery of YMCA Worcestershire’s other youth provision as directed by the Youth Mentoring and Schools Manager and the Youth Clubs and Outreach Manager, while getting to know the team, partners, systems and young people.


• Dedicated Responsive Mentor role (from 1 January 2027\): delivering the Malvern Hills responsive mentoring service described below. This element of the post is funded to 31 March 2028\.

To provide timely, accessible and high\-quality mentoring that improves the mental wellbeing, confidence and resilience of young people across Malvern Hills, building relationships based on respect and trust and ensuring they have a safe place to develop their identity and place in society. All work will be delivered in line with YMCA values, policies and procedures, and the requirements of our funder, so that all staff and young people enjoy a safe environment where they can belong, contribute and thrive.

To achieve this, you will:

Initial Period – Supporting Wider Provision (to 31 December 2026\)

• Deliver and support youth clubs, outreach and detached youth work, and mentoring sessions across YMCA Worcestershire provision, as directed by the Managers.


• Provide reliable, flexible cover across settings and venues, working in line with risk assessments and session plans.


• Complete induction, safeguarding and role\-specific training, and shadow experienced colleagues delivering mentoring and youth work in Malvern Hills.


• Begin building relationships with Malvern Hills schools, youth clubs, community organisations and partner agencies ahead of the dedicated role.

• Deliver safe, inclusive, one\-to\-one responsive mentoring to young people aged 10–17 across Malvern Hills experiencing anxiety, low confidence, low self\-esteem, poor emotional wellbeing, social isolation, friendship or family difficulties, behavioural concerns or disengagement from education.


• Work towards the project target of directly mentoring 80–100 young people over the life of the grant, tailoring support to each individual, including emotional wellbeing strategies, confidence building, resilience, goal setting, problem solving and signposting.


• Deliver mentoring flexibly in schools, community venues, youth clubs and other suitable local settings, reducing barriers such as transport, distance and stigma.


• Support YMCA Worcestershire’s mentoring within Malvern Hills schools, including Tenbury High School and Hanley Castle High School, increasing capacity and reducing waiting lists, and develop opportunities in additional schools such as The Chantry School and Dyson Perrins Church of England Academy.


• Attend weekly youth clubs in Tenbury, Upton and Kempsey to provide informal wellbeing support, build trusted relationships and create accessible pathways into structured mentoring, contributing to the wider reach of 150–200 young people.

• Respond promptly to referrals from schools, youth clubs, community organisations and partner agencies, applying the referral and prioritisation process so that those with the greatest need are supported first, and keep referrers informed of capacity and alternative support.


• Agree individual goals with each young person and use the Outcome Star at the start and end of mentoring, with regular reviews, to measure progress in areas such as wellbeing, resilience, confidence, relationships, motivation and engagement.


• Gather feedback, testimonials and case studies from young people and, where appropriate, parents, carers, schools and referral partners, always with appropriate consent.


• Maintain accurate, timely and confidential records of referrals, sessions, attendance, outcomes and safeguarding in line with data protection requirements.


• Provide monitoring information, evidence and case studies to the Youth Mentoring and Schools Manager and the Head of Business Development to meet Malvern Hills District Council’s monitoring and reporting requirements.

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with schools, parish councils, Malvern Hills District Council, Malvern Cube, Action for Children and other local organisations to strengthen referral pathways and avoid duplication of provision.


• Promote the service across the district through partners, community networks and social media, ensuring Malvern Hills District Council’s funding is acknowledged in line with the funder’s publicity requirements.


• Represent YMCA Worcestershire at local forums, partner meetings and events as required.


• Help to identify gaps in provision and opportunities for the service to grow, and contribute evidence to support future funding applications.

• Complete risk assessments and ensure all legal and organisational requirements are met when delivering sessions in any setting.


• Adhere to all YMCA Worcestershire policies and procedures, including Health \& Safety and Safeguarding, reporting and recording concerns immediately in line with the Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy and Procedure.


• Refer young people to specialist services where appropriate, and work in partnership with families, schools and other professionals to build a strong support network around each young person.


• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring the service is accessible to all, including underrepresented and vulnerable groups.


• Manage small project resources, venue hire and travel within the agreed budget.


• Attend training, supervision, appraisal, team and service meetings as required.


• Work as part of the Youth Engagement Team, providing cover for colleagues and other provision as required.


• Undertake any other reasonable duties consistent with the role, as directed by the Youth Mentoring and Schools Manager or the Head of Business Development.

Essential qualifications \& experience:

• Level 2 Safeguarding, or willingness to complete on appointment


• Level 2 or above in youth work, mentoring, counselling or a related field, or willingness to work towards this


• Experience of working face to face with young people aged 10–17 in a variety of settings


• Experience of delivering one\-to\-one support, mentoring or casework to young people with emotional wellbeing needs


• Experience of keeping accurate records and contributing to monitoring or reports

• Level 2 Safeguarding, or willingness to complete on appointment


• Level 2 or above in youth work, mentoring, counselling or a related field, or willingness to work towards this


• Experience of working face to face with young people aged 10–17 in a variety of settings


• Experience of delivering one\-to\-one support, mentoring or casework to young people with emotional wellbeing needs


• Experience of keeping accurate records and contributing to monitoring or reports

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusting relationships with young people


• Ability to manage a caseload, plan sessions and prioritise referrals


• Ability to work independently, using sound judgement and escalating concerns p

This listing is from Indeed. View original listing ↗