Student Independence Officer

Gloucestershire County Council; England; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and agile working

25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5

Option to purchase 10 days of extra-le

Family friendly employer

Career development and qualification

Supportive working environment withro

LGPS

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

In-house Occupational Health

Employee discount scheme

Cycle to Work scheme

Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme

Employee networks (Prism, Young Emps)

Job summary

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking a Student Independence Officer to support young people in building confidence and daily living skills. The role delivers practical support in community settings, including travel practice and use of public transport, helping young people progress toward greater independence.

You will work flexibly with families and professionals, plan activities, record progress and adapt approaches to individual needs, emphasising relational practice and fluent English

Qualifications

• Clear communication, organisation and sound judgement.
• Ability to build trusting relationships with young people and families.
• Understanding of or willingness to develop relational practice.

Responsibilities

• Deliver practical, personalised one-to-one and group support in community settings.
• Help young people practise journeys, use public transport and develop everyday living skills.
• Plan activities, record progress and work with families and professionals.
• Balance support with opportunities for young people to make choices and do more for themselves.

Skills

Fluent English

Relational practice understanding

Job description

Are you passionate about supporting young people to become more confident and independent? Do you want a role where you can make a real, practical difference to young people's everyday lives and future? About The Team & Role Join Gloucestershire's Preparation for Adulthood Support Team, helping young people build confidence, everyday skills and connections in their communities. The team delivers Independent Travel Training (ITT) and bespoke support, working with young people, families and professionals to turn individual goals into practical learning opportunities-from travelling independently to accessing local services and activities. As a Student Independence Officer, you'll deliver practical, personalised one-to-one and group support in community settings, helping young people practise journeys, use public transport and develop everyday living skills. You'll build trusting relationships, agree achievable goals, break activities into manageable steps and adapt your approach to individual needs. The role requires clear communication, organisation and sound judgement: you'll plan activities, record progress and work with families and professionals, balancing support with opportunities for young people to make choices and do more for themselves.

You'll bring energy, curiosity and a practical approach to helping young people build independence. You'll build trust by listening to what matters to them, recognising their strengths and agreeing goals together. You'll need an understanding of relational practice, or a willingness to develop your skills in this approach, as it forms the foundation of all our work. Through everyday activities, such as practising a journey or accessing a local service, you'll turn their interests and ambitions into opportunities to learn, explore choices and build confidence at their own pace. Proactive and organised, you'll adapt your communication and support, work collaboratively with families and professionals, and capture progress clearly. Above all, you'll believe in working with young people, not doing things for them-breaking tasks into manageable steps, encouraging them to try and reflect and knowing when to step back. You'll balance encouragement with sound judgement, creating space for young people to make decisions and discover what they can do., It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a 'customer facing role' must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

Hybrid working arrangements are available for this role, giving the opportunity to work in a way that suits you. Balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.

Joining us could mean access to these great benefits:

• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
• An option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff)
• Family friendly employer offering benefits to help support you and your family
• Career development and qualification opportunities
• Supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone.
• An in-house Occupational Health service
• Employee discount scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme (Eligibility criteria and T&Cs apply)
• Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (Eligibility criteria and T&Cs apply)
• Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network.