Community Sports and Health Officer Apprentice – Ilkeston
- Salary: £370–£444 / Week
- Duration: 15 months
- Level: Advanced Level Apprenticeship
- Hours: 37 including 7 hours study time
- Start date: 29 Sep 2026
- Closing date: 22 Sep 2026
We have an exciting opportunity for a Youth Leader to join our growing organisation. The role will focus on the direct engagement with young people in an alternative learning environment with some wider community work involved. This role will be a hybrid approach based at The POD in Ilkeston along with various venues in Kirk Hallam.
You will support children and young people by providing positive opportunities to help them build healthy relationships and make informed life choices, with the aim of improving their resilience, confidence and general mental health and well-being through building positive relationships and providing positive opportunities to develop, thrive and succeed.
You will be responsible for managing and delivering bespoke activity sessions in Kirk Hallam for young people including group sessions and one-to-one, with the responsibility for the planning and delivery of these programmes having the freedom and independence to create activities to suit your participants.
You will act as a role model to young people, supporting them with social skills, building friendships groups and encouraging active lifestyles.
This is a new role, and you will have the opportunity to be creative and contribute to the design of a vibrant youth offer in the Kirk Hallam community.
The post will be 30 hours per week on a permanent contract, on a rolling basis. These will be flexible working hours with a requirement of some evenings and some weekends where required.
Main Responsibilities
- To engage children and young people through a variety of positive activities, arranging and facilitating subsequent sessions in Kirk Hallam.
- To provide one-to-one mentoring for identified young people where required.
- To lead, plan and organise outcome-focused activities to engage young people during sessions, underpinned by methods to overcome individual social, educational and emotional barriers and to create personal development plans.
- To establish positive and interactive relationships with young people in group and one-to-one settings.
- To lead volunteers and junior staff, allocating roles and responsibilities where required pre, during and post sessions.
- Manage workloads efficiently, prioritising this effectively allowing changes yet ensuring all administrative duties are completed within required timelines and stored correctly.
- To help each young person develop life skills and accomplish specific goals, helping them to improve their mental health and well-being, predominantly through fun and positive learning activities.
- To monitor each mentee and record progress reports after each session.
- To gather monitoring and evaluation data from each young person.
- Responsible for the health and safety of yourself, staff and young people within your care during activities.
- Effectively safeguard young people under your supervision, following Parkside safeguarding policy and procedures at all times.
We Are Looking For Someone Who
- Has the ability to lead, advise and support colleagues.
- Has the ability to engage with young people on a level that brings the best out of them and supports positive change.
- Has willingness to work outdoors all year round.
- Has personal commitment to addressing the needs of the most vulnerable young people in the borough.
- Has knowledge and experience of safeguarding with additional training to be provided.
- Has knowledge of current trends and challenges faced by young people today.
Requirements and Prospectus
Desired Skills
- Experience in the delivery of youth initiatives and working with young people.
- Experience facilitating groups for children and young adults.
- Organising and taking part in key events with partners in Kirk Hallam.
- Ability to lead and organise a robust Youth Activity Plan.
- Experience in and knowledge of the Youth and Community Sector.
- First Aid trained.
- Experience of using evaluation tools/outcome measures to monitor the impact of outdoor learning.
- Awareness of mental health and wellness issues faced by young people.
- Experience of statutory/third-party partnerships.
- Knowledge and understanding of social media marketing communications.
Personal Qualities
- Positive, resilient and fun
- Good organisation skills and time management
- Professional, reliable and considerate
Qualifications Required
No desired qualifications!
Future Prospects
Following successful completion of the Youth Work apprenticeship, the apprentice can progress into a qualified Youth Worker role or continue to a higher-level apprenticeship or qualification in Youth Work, Community Learning and Development.
You may also develop specialist skills in areas such as mentoring, safeguarding, mental health, or community engagement, with opportunities to progress into senior youth work, project coordination, team leadership, or management roles.
This provides a clear pathway to a rewarding career supporting young people and their communities.
Training to Be Delivered
Community Sport and Health Officer Apprenticeship Level 3, including Functional Skills in Maths and English.
About the Employer
We have an exciting opportunity for a Youth Leader to join our growing organisation. The role will focus on the direct engagement with young people in an alternative learning environment with some wider community work involved. This role will be a hybrid approach based at The POD in Ilkeston along with various venues in Kirk Hallam.
Employer
Parkside High – Ilkeston
Address
The Pod, 17 Summerfields Way
Derbyshire
Ilkeston
DE7 9JJ
Location
The map below displays the employer’s location, please check travel times before applying.
