Introduction: Deputy Community & Youth Lead
Walney Community Trust, which has supported the community of Walney since its establishment in 2003, is seeking to appoint a suitable candidate for the newly created position of Deputy Community & Youth Lead.
There are two key areas to the work of the Trust: its youth work and its community work. Its long-established youth club and other work with young people has underpinned the youth work for many years. The community work was introduced some years or so ago and has also flourished. Over time, it has become more apparent that these vital provisions overlap considerably and as such, there is a need to develop roles that oversee these key areas of the Trust.
The Deputy Community & Youth Lead will work directly with children, young people and families in the community to build healthy relationships and allow them to develop life skills to become thriving, valued members of the community. They will assist in developing and managing a range of inclusive and accessible community focused programmes and projects that are designed to meet the needs of the community. This will include planning, delivery, budgets, data and evaluation of youth sessions, community activities, events, projects and targeted work.
The Trust is looking to appoint 2 Deputy Community & Youth Leads who are passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of children, young people, families and the community it serves; someone who can engage and build relationships just as well with young people and adults as they can with other professionals and partners; someone who is excited and motivated to lead a team and work across a range of projects.
All the Trust's staff are funded by a variety of external funding agencies, many of which have been ready to support its work over a considerable number of years. The Deputy Community & Youth Lead positions have been funded by: Team Barrow, Francis C Scott Trust, Sir John Fisher Foundation, The National Lottery, securing the Trust another 4 years of funding for its community and youth work provision. In practice, this means that the new appointees can be offered a position funded for at least 4 years from May 2026 until April 2030.
Trustees have given their full support to seeking 2 Deputy Community & Youth Lead roles; each position is for 16 hours per week over a full year, at £15.04 per hour. The Trust is looking for the successful candidates to start as soon as possible. The posts will mainly be based in the centre on Walney, but will be expected to attend external meetings as and when required. The hours will be worked within the weekly community and youth sessions, and/or across the week to meet the needs of the Trust.
Trust employees are entitled to 28 days paid holiday (pro-rata for part-time) during the holiday year, which runs from 1st January to 31st December each year. This includes provision for the 8 public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time).
The work of the Deputy Community & Youth Lead will be a valuable position working with local stakeholders in the area. Here is a selection of feedback the Trust has received:
“Trust staff are an invaluable and integral part of our local partnership infrastructure. For example, they are a key partner in the Furness Youth Work Partnership which brings local youth work delivery partners together to jointly achieve positive outcomes for children, young people and families, and to keep young people safe. They achieve this by good planning and coordination; providing young people with things to do, places to go and people to talk to; championing and advocating to ensure local voices are heard; and by working innovatively and creatively.”
“As someone who comes from a youth work background, I think Walney is exceptionally blessed to have your Trust at its centre as well as Leonard Cheshire just up the road, both are real assets to the area with the service you provide for young people and their families. The work that has been done throughout this pandemic has been truly exceptional, not just from youth working staff but all Trust staff and the volunteers who have provided the food hub service.”
Hopefully this Introduction shows a little of why the Trust is very keen for this work to continue and is now seeking to make an appointment to this new role.
Those interested in the position should read the following documents:
Having studied these, those wishing to make an application should send both of the following to Laura Powell, Community & Youth Lead at laura.powell@walneycommunitytrust.org or by post to: Walney Community Trust, Spring Mount Community Hall, Amphitrite Street, Walney, Barrow-in-Furness LA14 3AR:
- a completed application form
- a current CV
Those requiring any further information before submitting an application, or who would like an informal chat and/or visit to the centre, should contact Laura Powell at laura.powell@walneycommunitytrust.org
The closing date for receipt of applications is Monday 30th March 2026.
Thank you for your interest in Walney Community Trust!