M13 YEF Detached Youth Work Project Lead

Action Together; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave incl. bank holidays (pro‑

6% employer pension contribution

TOIL for out-of-hours

Professional development and training

Job summary

M13 Youth Project in Manchester is seeking an experienced Detached Youth Work Project Lead to steward the YEF Detached Youth Work Pilot. You will lead frontline practice, supervise staff, and coordinate across neighbourhoods to deliver a high-quality, evidence-informed programme.

The role focuses on relational practice, community engagement, and working with CEI and partners to ensure rigorous evaluation while maintaining safe, ethical delivery.

Qualifications

• Experience as a detached youth worker.
• Ability to supervise staff and coordinate projects.
• Commitment to relational practice and youth work ethos.
• Strong record-keeping and partnership collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership of the pilot delivery.
• Supervise and support a small team of detached youth workers.
• Coordinate operational delivery across neighbourhoods.
• Ensure safe, consistent delivery in line with YEF Shared Practice Model and research requirements.
• Build trusted relationships with young people and community partners.

Skills

Detached youth work

Leadership

Staff supervision

Coordination

Job description

Relationships change lives. Lead M13 Youth Project's YEF Detached Youth Work Project and help young people flourish through trusted relationships.

• Job Title: YEF Detached Youth Work Project Lead (JNC Points 20-21)
• Hours: 35 hours per week (full-time is 37.5 hours)
• Contract: Fixed term contract to 31 March 2028, with potential to transfer to other M13 work projects, funding permitting.

Description

At M13 Youth Project, we believe every young person deserves trusted adults who believe in them, walk alongside them and help them discover who they are, what they have to offer and the difference they can make. For over 30 years, we've built those relationships through detached youth work - meeting young people where they choose to be, listening deeply and creating opportunities for belonging, belief and hope.

We're now looking for an experienced Detached Youth Work Project Lead to join our team and play a central role in one of the UK's most ambitious detached youth work research pilots.

M13 is leading the Greater Manchester consortium delivering the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) Detached Youth Work Pilot. The Pilot aims to build a strong evidence base for researching detached youth work, combining outstanding frontline practice with rigorous evaluation to shape the future of youth work nationally.

Reporting to the Founding Director, you'll provide the day-to-day leadership of M13's delivery of the pilot. You'll lead a small team of detached youth workers, coordinate operational delivery across intervention neighbourhoods and ensure the project is delivered safely, consistently and in line with the YEF Shared Practice Model and research requirements.

This is first and foremost a practice leadership role. You'll spend much of your week out in parks, streets and neighbourhoods, building trusted relationships with young people through high-quality detached youth work. Alongside this, you'll supervise and support colleagues, oversee monitoring and reporting, build positive relationships with community members and partner organisations, and, together with the Founding Director, work closely with the Centre for Evidence and Implementation (CEI) and consortium partners to ensure the successful delivery of the project.

We're looking for someone who is an experienced detached youth worker, confident leading others and passionate about relational practice. You'll be organised, reflective and proactive, with experience of supervising staff, coordinating projects, maintaining high-quality records and working collaboratively with partners. Most importantly, you'll share our belief that relationships are the foundation for meaningful change.

This is a 35-hour per week, office- and community-based role. (M13's full-time week is 37.5 hours). Your week will include six detached youth work sessions (three afternoons and three evenings), alongside team leadership, partnership working, supervision, monitoring and project coordination. Some flexibility can be offered around when office-based work is undertaken, where operationally possible.

In return, we offer a supportive, reflective and values-led working environment, regular supervision, ongoing professional development, a generous employer pension contribution, TOIL for out-of-hours working, additional Christmas gift leave and the opportunity to contribute to nationally significant research that could shape the future of detached youth work.

If you're an experienced detached youth worker ready to combine excellent frontline practice with leadership, learning and innovation, we'd love to hear from you.

Key information

• Employer: M13 Youth Project
• Locations: Manchester
• Role Type: Fixed term
• Salary: This post is paid at JNC Scale Point 20-21, full-time (37.5 hours) £38,016 - £38,945.35-hour working week (full-time is 37.5 hrs), including six detached youth work sessions each week. This is an office- and community-based role, with some flexibility offered in when office work is undertaken where operationally possible
• Working Hours: Full-Time
• Working Hours Per Week: 35 hours per week (full-time is 37.5)
• Employee Benefits: Annual leave: Four weeks' annual leave plus public bank holidays (pro rata), together with three additional paid 'gift days' over the Christmas closure.Pension: A 6% employer pension contribution following completion of your probationary period. Your minimum employee contribution is just 1.6%.Flexible Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) for out-of-hours working, or overtime payments where appropriate.Regular supervision and reflective practice to support your wellbeing, learning and professional development.Ongoing training and development, including opportunities to develop your leadership, detached youth work practice and professional skills.The opportunity to play a leading role in the Youth Endowment Fund's Detached Youth Work Pilot, contributing to one of the UK's most significant evaluations of detached youth work.A supportive, experienced and values-led team committed to learning together and delivering outstanding youth work.The opportunity to influence the future development of M13 whilst contributing to the future of detached youth work, locally and nationally.
• Working Pattern Details: This work is over 5 days per week, Monday - Friday, and involves six sessions of detached youth work per week - three afternoon sessions and 3 evening sessions, finishing in neighbourhoods around 9pm - as well as time in the M13 office leading on the Pilot, leading, supporting and supervising a small staff team, coordinating staffing rotas, meeting with community partners from the Pilot Neighbourhoods.
• Would You Consider A Job Share For The Role?: Yes