Overview
Employment Specialist – Connect to Work
Location: Isle of Wight Youth Trust, Newport and across the Isle of Wight community
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £27,237 - £28,582
Applications close: 12pm on Wednesday 25th March 2026
Interview date: Thursday 2nd April 2026, including an Action Planning Exercise
Are you passionate about helping people overcome barriers and move into meaningful employment? The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is seeking a motivated and compassionate Employment Specialist to join our Connect to Work team. In this role, you will support individuals facing barriers to employment by providing personalised, practical support to help them move towards sustainable work. You will work directly with participants to understand their strengths, aspirations and challenges, helping them develop the confidence, skills and opportunities needed to progress into employment.
Key Responsibilities
* Build trusting, supportive relationships with participants
* Provide person-centred employment support tailored to individual needs and goals
* Help participants identify aspirations and develop realistic plans
* Support individuals with CV preparation, job applications and interview skills
* Work proactively with local employers to identify suitable job opportunities
* Promote access to training and education that supports employment outcomes
* Support participants to overcome barriers to work
* Maintain accurate records and track progress using internal systems
* Work collaboratively with partners, community organisations and other services.
About You
We are looking for someone who has / is:
* A minimum of 1 years’ experience in supporting young people (under 25) with complex needs and ideally barriers to employment, education and/or training.
* A strong communicator with excellent listening skills
* Empathetic, approachable and non-judgemental
* Passionate about supporting people to achieve their goals
* Confident working with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds
* Motivated, organised and able to manage their own workload
* Comfortable using IT systems and maintaining accurate records
* Committed to helping people progress into sustainable employment
* Experience supporting individuals into work, training or personal development will be highly beneficial.
About Us and Why Join Us
The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is the Island's leading charity dedicated to the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. For over 40 years, we have provided free, confidential support to young people aged 5 to 25, offering counselling, mental health services, and a wide range of early intervention and prevention programmes. We are proud to be deeply rooted in the Island community, working in schools, community settings, and our dedicated Newport hub. We are driven by a genuine belief that every young person deserves to thrive. Joining the IOWYT means becoming part of a passionate, values led team where the work you do every day makes a tangible difference to young lives.
In addition to the satisfaction of working for a charity that genuinely changes young lives, we offer a competitive package of rewards and benefits, including:
* S
* People's Pension scheme
* Sovereign Healthcare Plan
* 26 days annual leave plus Christmas closure
* A dedicated wellbeing day each year
* Flexible working arrangements
* Employee Assistance Programme
* A variety of discounts
* Training and development opportunities
Additional Information
A Full UK driving licence and DBS enhanced check (performed upon appointment) are requirements of the role.
The Youth Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone we support.
Interested?
If you are passionate about helping people move forward in their lives and want to be part of a team making a real difference in the community, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our recruitment portal to view the full job description and person specification and apply, submitting both your CV and a full covering letter. It is essential that you outline how you meet the requirements of the post against the person specification in your covering letter. Applications not made via the Youth Trust recruitment portal or incorrectly submitted will not be considered. If you have any issues with uploading your documents or would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact recruitment@iowyouthtrust.co.uk
Let’s make a difference — together.
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