Outreach Mentor

For every journey, let’s take first steps together.

At First Steps Together, we believe every child and young person deserves to feel safe, understood, included and able to succeed.

We are a growing group of specialist independent schools supporting children and young people with SEND, SEMH and complex presentations. We know that some young people experience significant barriers to accessing education, including anxiety, emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), complex safeguarding needs and prolonged periods of disengagement.

As our Education provision grows, we are looking for a compassionate, resilient and determined Outreach Mentor to work with children and young people across Greater Manchester, helping them reconnect with education, improve attendance and engagement, and make sustained progress.

What you’ll be doing

Working directly with young people who may have very low attendance, high levels of anxiety or significant barriers to education, you’ll provide targeted, individualised support designed around their needs.

You’ll build trusting relationships with young people who may be difficult to engage, using relational, trauma-informed and strengths-based approaches to help them develop confidence, resilience, self-regulation and more positive attitudes towards education.

A key part of the role will be supporting attendance and reintegration. You’ll work with young people, families, schools and other professionals to understand the barriers affecting attendance and develop realistic, graduated plans that support a successful return to learning.

Your work will extend beyond the classroom. You may support young people through community-based activities, enrichment and purposeful interventions, helping them develop independence, social skills, positive decision-making and aspirations for future education, employment or training.

Safeguarding will be central to everything you do. You’ll recognise and respond to concerns including exploitation, missing episodes, neglect and emotional harm, maintaining high-quality records and contributing to risk assessments, safety planning and multi-agency work.

You’ll work closely with families, schools, social care, Early Help, CAMHS and other professionals, ensuring support is coordinated and focused on improving outcomes for the young person.

Bring your difference

We’re looking for someone with experience of working with vulnerable children or young people with complex needs, particularly those who may be disengaged from education or experiencing significant barriers to attendance.

You’ll be persistent, resilient and professionally curious, with the ability to build trust with young people and families who may initially be reluctant to engage.

You’ll have a strong understanding of safeguarding and child protection, alongside the confidence to identify risk, challenge appropriately and escalate concerns when necessary.

Experience of supporting young people with EBSA, persistent absence, alternative provision or reintegration would be particularly valuable.

Most importantly, you’ll bring high expectations, patience and a genuine belief that every young person can make progress, even where their journey back into education may take time.

Why First Steps Together?

You’ll join a supportive and growing specialist education group, with comprehensive induction, ongoing training and opportunities for professional development and career progression.

This is a role where you can see the impact of your work directly helping young people who may have become disconnected from education to feel safe, rebuild trust, improve their attendance and engagement, and develop a positive pathway towards their future.

Bring your difference. Take your next step with First Steps Together.

Safeguarding

First Steps Together is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Appointment to this role will be subject to appropriate safer recruitment and pre-employment checks, including an Enhanced DBS, satisfactory references, online checks and overseas police checks where required.

How To Apply

Please download and complete the attached application form.

Once completed, please send your application form to recruitment@fstmanagement.uk prior to the application closing date.

We reserve the right to close applications earlier should be receive a number of suitable applications which meet the essential criteria. We will not accept CVs in place of completed application forms.