Youth Employment Adviser - Isle of Wight Youth Trust

Job Posted: 9 November 2026

• Contract Term: Fixed Term
• Location: Newport, Isle of Wight
• Contract Type: Full time
• Salary: £26,227 per annum
• Industries: Administration Charity / Voluntary General Office Recruitment

Youth Employment Adviser

Location: Isle of Wight Youth Trust, Newport (with travel across the Island)

Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week

Contract: 1 Year Fixed Term

Salary: £26,227 per annum

Reports to: 16–25 Lead

Applications close: Monday 30^th November 2026

Interview date: Thursday 10^th December, including an in-tray exercise

Do you believe every young person deserves a real shot at work they can build a future on? The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is looking for a motivated, resilient and youth centred Youth Employment Adviser to help deliver the Youth Job Guarantee programme on the Island, supporting young people aged 18–24 to overcome barriers, secure paid employment and stay in it.

You will manage your own caseload of young people, getting to know their strengths, goals and the things holding them back, and walking alongside them before, during and after their employment placement. Combining personalised coaching, Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG), employer engagement and in-work support, you will help participants build the confidence, skills and independence to progress into sustained, long-term employment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of Youth Job Guarantee participants, carrying out initial and ongoing assessments of strengths, goals, barriers and support needs.
• Develop and regularly review personalised action plans that support progression into employment and sustained outcomes.
• Deliver high-quality coaching, careers guidance and employability support
• Identify and address barriers to progression, signposting and referring to specialist services where appropriate.
• Support participants to access training, education and vocational qualifications that strengthen their employability.
• Build effective relationships with employers, training providers and community partners, working with employer-facing colleagues to match young people to suitable vacancies and placements.
• Provide in-work support to both participants and employers, staying in regular contact to resolve issues affecting attendance, performance, wellbeing or retention.
• Maintain accurate records, evidence and management information in line with contract and organisational requirements.
• Identify, manage and escalate safeguarding, welfare or risk concerns in line with our policies.

About You

We are looking for someone who has / is:

• Experience of working with young people aged 18–24
• Experience of delivering Information, Advice and Guidance services
• Experience of managing a caseload and maintaining accurate records
• Experience of working in a target-driven environment
• GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Maths
• A good understanding of the challenges young people face, and of safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection
• Able to motivate and encourage people facing barriers to progression or employment
• Strong communication, relationship-building and organisational skills
• Confident using Microsoft 365 (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel) and CRM/case management systems
• Empathetic, non-judgemental, proactive and solution-focused
• Resilient and positive, able to handle challenging conversations and complex situations professionally
• Collaborative and adaptable

A Level 3 IAG qualification (or above) would be beneficial, safeguarding training, experience of employability, welfare-to-work or supported employment programmes, knowledge of trauma-informed practice and mental health, familiarity with the Beacon CRM system, or knowledge of the Island's labour market and pathways into work and training.

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, and we are driven by a genuine belief that every young person deserves to thrive. Our values of being Trusting, Kind, Positive and Collaborative shape everything we do. 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:

• 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

This post is offered subject to the award of the Youth Job Guarantee contract. A full UK driving licence with the ability to travel across the Island, and an enhanced DBS check (performed upon appointment), are requirements of the role. This is a fixed-term position which includes outreach, events and partnership working, and may involve occasional evening work.

The Youth Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of everyone we support. We welcome applications from people who identify as part of marginalised communities or who have experience of living with poor mental health. If you are disabled, please let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.

Interested?

If you are passionate about helping young people into work 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, as applications are shortlisted against these criteria. 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 [email protected]