Young Achievers Assistant Leader
| Posting date: | 15 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £14.30 per hour |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 21 September 2025 |
| Location: | AL8 6JZ |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 1 day per week |
| Company: | DS Achieve |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | YAs_AL_Sept25 |
Summary
DS Achieve is looking for a proactive, organised and enthusiastic individual to work closely with and support our Young Achievers (YAs) Group Leader to manage and deliver our weekly, term-time only social skills group for school age children/young people with Down Syndrome.
The Young Achievers programme aims to support and enable children/young people to develop their social communication and life skills, using a carefully planned curriculum to inform the weekly sessions.
It’s a busy Saturday afternoon, but our team and volunteers confirm that it is incredibly rewarding to see the children progress their skills and enjoy themselves… and to know that you are really making a difference.
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Hours: 5 hours per week for 31 weeks per year (term time only):
4 hours to be worked 2pm - 6pm on Saturday afternoons at the YAs venue
1 hour to be worked during each week from home, ahead of the Saturday group sessions. The timing of this is flexible and should be agreed with the YAs Group Leader.
Pay: £14.30 per hour
Benefits: Statutory holiday entitlement, Employee Assistance Programme
YAs location: Applecroft School, Applecroft Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JZ
Contract: Fixed Term for 11 months (Sept 25 – Jul 26), with a view to renewing for the next academic year
Start date: ASAP, subject to successful Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Right to Work in the UK and reference checks
Job summary
As Assistant Leader, you will work closely with the Young Achievers Group Leader to run a developmental programme for children and young people with Down Syndrome. You will report to the Young Achievers Group Leader and be responsible for supporting the running of the programme, which will include assisting with planning and delivering the weekly activity sessions, managing the volunteer schedule, supporting communications with parents, liaising with external activity providers where needed, and helping to supervise the team.
Our ideal candidate has experience of working with children with SEND and working as part of a team to help plan and deliver activities suitable for a range of ages.
Duties will include, but not be limited to, the following:
You will:
* Assist the Young Achievers Leader to plan and deliver a varied and interesting range of activities which are based on the development of life skills and social communication skills for children and young people with Down Syndrome.
* Assist the Young Achievers Group Leader to deliver the weekly meetings, run activities with the children / young people and the team, and actively participate
* Actively manage the volunteer schedule to ensure we have enough team members each week to meet our ratio requirements at Young Achievers, notify the Young Achievers Group Leader in advance if volunteer numbers are low for a particular week, and help to supervise and support the volunteers during sessions
* Work directly with children and young people with Down Syndrome, supporting them to take part in a range of activities
* Provide a safe and supportive space
* Look to remove barriers in accessing the activities so every child can take part, taking account of their individual needs
* Use your initiative to get tasks done, help ensure sessions run smoothly, and strive at all times to be a positive role model to each individual
* Communicate effectively with parents/carers when required
* Be able to provide cover and run the group in the Young Achievers Group Leader’s unexpected absence (e.g. through illness)
* Follow DS Achieve policies and procedures, including data protection, safeguarding and Health & Safety requirements.
Requirements:
* Age 18+
* Proven experience of working with children with SEND
* Excellent interpersonal skills - friendly and welcoming, good listener, good facilitator, happy to ‘pitch in’ - with the ability to establish good relationships with young people
* Excellent communicator
* Good organisational skills
* Experience of working within a team
* A strong commitment to young people and an understanding of the factors affecting their lives
* A sense of adventure and a willingness to try new things
* Patience, tolerance and flexibility
* Track record of high performance.
* Good numeracy and literacy skills.
* Safeguarding trained at minimum level 1 (or willing to undertake training at level 1 prior to commencement of the role).
* Good administrative and IT skills (Google Drive / Docs/ Sheets /Forms) or willingness to learn.
* Willingness to undertake additional training (if required) to support you in the role.
Desirable, but not essential:
* First Aid trained
* Relevant qualification in youth work and/or teaching
* Experience of working with children with Down Syndrome and their families
Please note that successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Right to Work in the UK and reference checks prior to appointment.
If you think you may be suitable for this role and would like to find out more, please contact Fiona Forster, Operations Manager, at info@dsachieve.org.
To apply, please email your CV and reasons for applying to us at info@dsachieve.org.
The Young Achievers programme aims to support and enable children/young people to develop their social communication and life skills, using a carefully planned curriculum to inform the weekly sessions.
It’s a busy Saturday afternoon, but our team and volunteers confirm that it is incredibly rewarding to see the children progress their skills and enjoy themselves… and to know that you are really making a difference.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hours: 5 hours per week for 31 weeks per year (term time only):
4 hours to be worked 2pm - 6pm on Saturday afternoons at the YAs venue
1 hour to be worked during each week from home, ahead of the Saturday group sessions. The timing of this is flexible and should be agreed with the YAs Group Leader.
Pay: £14.30 per hour
Benefits: Statutory holiday entitlement, Employee Assistance Programme
YAs location: Applecroft School, Applecroft Road, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JZ
Contract: Fixed Term for 11 months (Sept 25 – Jul 26), with a view to renewing for the next academic year
Start date: ASAP, subject to successful Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Right to Work in the UK and reference checks
Job summary
As Assistant Leader, you will work closely with the Young Achievers Group Leader to run a developmental programme for children and young people with Down Syndrome. You will report to the Young Achievers Group Leader and be responsible for supporting the running of the programme, which will include assisting with planning and delivering the weekly activity sessions, managing the volunteer schedule, supporting communications with parents, liaising with external activity providers where needed, and helping to supervise the team.
Our ideal candidate has experience of working with children with SEND and working as part of a team to help plan and deliver activities suitable for a range of ages.
Duties will include, but not be limited to, the following:
You will:
* Assist the Young Achievers Leader to plan and deliver a varied and interesting range of activities which are based on the development of life skills and social communication skills for children and young people with Down Syndrome.
* Assist the Young Achievers Group Leader to deliver the weekly meetings, run activities with the children / young people and the team, and actively participate
* Actively manage the volunteer schedule to ensure we have enough team members each week to meet our ratio requirements at Young Achievers, notify the Young Achievers Group Leader in advance if volunteer numbers are low for a particular week, and help to supervise and support the volunteers during sessions
* Work directly with children and young people with Down Syndrome, supporting them to take part in a range of activities
* Provide a safe and supportive space
* Look to remove barriers in accessing the activities so every child can take part, taking account of their individual needs
* Use your initiative to get tasks done, help ensure sessions run smoothly, and strive at all times to be a positive role model to each individual
* Communicate effectively with parents/carers when required
* Be able to provide cover and run the group in the Young Achievers Group Leader’s unexpected absence (e.g. through illness)
* Follow DS Achieve policies and procedures, including data protection, safeguarding and Health & Safety requirements.
Requirements:
* Age 18+
* Proven experience of working with children with SEND
* Excellent interpersonal skills - friendly and welcoming, good listener, good facilitator, happy to ‘pitch in’ - with the ability to establish good relationships with young people
* Excellent communicator
* Good organisational skills
* Experience of working within a team
* A strong commitment to young people and an understanding of the factors affecting their lives
* A sense of adventure and a willingness to try new things
* Patience, tolerance and flexibility
* Track record of high performance.
* Good numeracy and literacy skills.
* Safeguarding trained at minimum level 1 (or willing to undertake training at level 1 prior to commencement of the role).
* Good administrative and IT skills (Google Drive / Docs/ Sheets /Forms) or willingness to learn.
* Willingness to undertake additional training (if required) to support you in the role.
Desirable, but not essential:
* First Aid trained
* Relevant qualification in youth work and/or teaching
* Experience of working with children with Down Syndrome and their families
Please note that successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), Right to Work in the UK and reference checks prior to appointment.
If you think you may be suitable for this role and would like to find out more, please contact Fiona Forster, Operations Manager, at info@dsachieve.org.
To apply, please email your CV and reasons for applying to us at info@dsachieve.org.