Eco-Garden Play Worker
| Posting date: | 30 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £13.04 per hour |
| Hours: | Part time |
| Closing date: | 27 October 2025 |
| Location: | M22 9TF |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Manchester Young Lives |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
We are recruiting an Eco-garden Play Worker at Manchester Young Lives, to enrich our Ofsted registered afterschool play provision for 6-13 year olds, developing an Eco-garden in our wonderful outside space. We are looking for someone to facilitate environmental play and help children to gain an appreciate of nature and the outdoors. The post holder will enable the children we work with to create a flourishing eco-garden, building their self-esteem, pride and well-being along the way.
Our work gives often disadvantaged children and young people the opportunity to learn, develop and connect with their communities, build safe and supportive relationships with committed workers, and let off steam in our outside space.
If you can build relationships with children, have fun and thrive on being outside and gardening, we would love to hear from you.
This role is at Manchester Young Lives Adventure Playground in Wythenshawe, and includes Monday – Friday play sessions, 3.45-6.15pm, and holiday playschemes.
Main Tasks
1. To work alongside playwork staff at the adventure playground in delivering the play programme and with specific responsibility for developing and supporting the involvement of children and young people in gardening, environmental and well-being activities.
2. To guide and support volunteers specific to the Eco-garden project, in order to enhance the number of beneficiaries who can participate.
3. Assist in the preparation and running of play and youth sessions and activities in order to provide a varied, safe and stimulating environment in both indoor and outdoor settings.
4. Assist in setting up activities and putting away resources at the end of the session.
5. Take a leading role in planning and developing a programme of activities that meets the needs of children and young people and develops the Eco-garden.
6. Use positive behaviour management strategies to promote positive behaviour and challenge negative behaviour appropriately.
7. Provide targeted support and work intensively with identified young people to improve specific outcomes for individuals.
8. Promote inclusive activities for all and facilitate the positive integration of children and young people with disabilities, behavioural difficulties and/or additional needs.
9. Establish positive relationships with all children and young people enabling them to increase their confidence and realise their full potential
10. Support and promote the participation of children and young people in planning and decision making.
11. Ensure that the play and youth environments and outside areas are clean, safe and secure and to report defects where necessary.
12. Provide information to parents/carers and young people about services.
13. Work cooperatively with other integrated projects supporting the development of other areas of work such as Junior Playworkers, Young Inspectors and Young Volunteers
14. Liaise with parents/carers, schools and the representatives of the wider community and encourage their involvement in the work of the projects.
15. Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the project and to make reports as required.
16. Work as an effective member of the team and participate in relevant meetings and training as required.
17. Undertake general administrative duties including recording and filing of relevant forms such as registration forms for young people, assisting in gathering of required statistical information, data entry on internal and external databases as required.
18. Carry out all duties with full regard for all MYL policies and procedures, in particular those relating to equality, safeguarding, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting any concerns to an appropriate person.
19. To co-operate with all Manchester Young Lives staff in maintaining good relations with outside bodies and the general public in order to uphold the organisation’s image.
20. To promote a positive image of the play and youth provision and the wider work of the organisation.
21. To ensure that your conduct in and out of work does not conflict with the professional expectations of the organisation
22. Carry out any other duties as are within the scope and purpose of the post as directed.
Our work gives often disadvantaged children and young people the opportunity to learn, develop and connect with their communities, build safe and supportive relationships with committed workers, and let off steam in our outside space.
If you can build relationships with children, have fun and thrive on being outside and gardening, we would love to hear from you.
This role is at Manchester Young Lives Adventure Playground in Wythenshawe, and includes Monday – Friday play sessions, 3.45-6.15pm, and holiday playschemes.
Main Tasks
1. To work alongside playwork staff at the adventure playground in delivering the play programme and with specific responsibility for developing and supporting the involvement of children and young people in gardening, environmental and well-being activities.
2. To guide and support volunteers specific to the Eco-garden project, in order to enhance the number of beneficiaries who can participate.
3. Assist in the preparation and running of play and youth sessions and activities in order to provide a varied, safe and stimulating environment in both indoor and outdoor settings.
4. Assist in setting up activities and putting away resources at the end of the session.
5. Take a leading role in planning and developing a programme of activities that meets the needs of children and young people and develops the Eco-garden.
6. Use positive behaviour management strategies to promote positive behaviour and challenge negative behaviour appropriately.
7. Provide targeted support and work intensively with identified young people to improve specific outcomes for individuals.
8. Promote inclusive activities for all and facilitate the positive integration of children and young people with disabilities, behavioural difficulties and/or additional needs.
9. Establish positive relationships with all children and young people enabling them to increase their confidence and realise their full potential
10. Support and promote the participation of children and young people in planning and decision making.
11. Ensure that the play and youth environments and outside areas are clean, safe and secure and to report defects where necessary.
12. Provide information to parents/carers and young people about services.
13. Work cooperatively with other integrated projects supporting the development of other areas of work such as Junior Playworkers, Young Inspectors and Young Volunteers
14. Liaise with parents/carers, schools and the representatives of the wider community and encourage their involvement in the work of the projects.
15. Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of the project and to make reports as required.
16. Work as an effective member of the team and participate in relevant meetings and training as required.
17. Undertake general administrative duties including recording and filing of relevant forms such as registration forms for young people, assisting in gathering of required statistical information, data entry on internal and external databases as required.
18. Carry out all duties with full regard for all MYL policies and procedures, in particular those relating to equality, safeguarding, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting any concerns to an appropriate person.
19. To co-operate with all Manchester Young Lives staff in maintaining good relations with outside bodies and the general public in order to uphold the organisation’s image.
20. To promote a positive image of the play and youth provision and the wider work of the organisation.
21. To ensure that your conduct in and out of work does not conflict with the professional expectations of the organisation
22. Carry out any other duties as are within the scope and purpose of the post as directed.