Personal Advisor (16+ and Care Leavers) - 04683

Do you want to make a real difference to the lives of care-experienced young people? We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Personal Adviser to join our Leaving Care Service on a 12-month fixed-term contract to provide maternity cover.

The role

As a Personal Adviser, you will support young people aged 16-25 as they transition from care to independence. You will build positive relationships, develop and review Pathway Plans, coordinate support, and help young people access education, employment, training, accommodation and health services.

The ideal candidate would have the following qualifications, skills and attributes:

Essential
• Experience of working with young people, care-experienced young people, or vulnerable adults.
• Ability to build positive, trusting and professional relationships.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to motivate and empower young people to achieve positive outcomes.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage a varied workload.
• Experience of working effectively with partner agencies and professionals.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and produce clear written reports.
• Understanding of safeguarding principles and practice.
• Commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
• A flexible and resilient approach to work.
• Competent IT skills, including the use of case recording systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Desirable
• Experience of working with care leavers, children in care or unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
• Knowledge of Pathway Planning and statutory responsibilities towards care leavers.
• Knowledge of housing, welfare benefits, education, employment and training services available to young people.
• Understanding of trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches.
• Relevant qualification/Experience in youth work, social care, advice and guidance, education or a related field.

Our offer to you

• A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
• A supportive and experienced team.
• Regular supervision and professional development opportunities.
• The opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of young people.
• We offer flexible working wherever possible between the hours of 07.00-21.00
• We offer hybrid working wherever possible working 40% in the office
• Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities
• Generous Local Government Pension Scheme
• Family friendly policies
• A range of local discounts
• Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits
• You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 29 days per annum (plus public holidays) – pro rata for fixed term.

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Join us at West Berkshire Council and make a positive impact in our community while advancing your career. Explore everything that a career with West Berkshire Council has to offer here: Working with Us

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact: contact Rachel Palin, Team Manager, on 01635 503115

Equal Opportunities

The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

How to apply

Please now complete a short online application form. You will then be able to upload your CV.

This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.

West Berkshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all its staff and volunteers to share these values. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. This role involves regulated activity with children. As such, appointment is subject to an Enhanced DBS check with the relevant Barred List(s).

In this post you will be required to maintain continuous registration with the DBS Update Service for the duration of your employment.

This privacy notice applies to job applicants applying for vacancies with West Berkshire Council https://info.westberks.gov.uk/pnapplications

AI in Applications

We recognise that candidates may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the preparation of their job applications. When used appropriately, AI can be a helpful aid in structuring responses, checking clarity, and improving presentation.

However, applications must reflect your own skills, experience and understanding. If an application appears to rely excessively on AI-generated content, it may not meet the required standard and could be rejected.

We encourage all applicants to ensure their submissions are authentic, tailored to the role, and clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, experience and suitability.