Step Up to Social Work
- Employer
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council
- Location
- West Midlands Region
- Salary
- £21,995 paid for duration of programme
- Closing date
- 4 Apr 2025
- Reference
- 0000023813
View more categoriesView less categories
- Sector
- Local Councils
- Job Type
- Social work; Children - Qualified, Social Care – Children
- Contract Type
- Internship
- Working Pattern
- See advert details
- Hours
- Full-Time
Job Details
Do you have what it takes to ‘Step Up’ to social work in the West Midlands?
Social work is both a challenging and rewarding career through which you can make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children and families. You will need to build relationships with families facing difficult times, show a lot of patience and be a good listener. You will also need good observational skills, analytical thinking and sound judgement to make the right decisions and protect children. Social work regularly tests resilience, stamina, and resolve - all of which you will need to succeed. Social work can be life changing for those you support.
The Step Up to Social Work programme is a unique opportunity to receive support while you are training to start a new career in social work. On the 14-month training programme, you will receive hands-on experience of working in a real-life social work role through placements in a local authority whilst undertaking your qualification. Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you’ll be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work enabling you to apply to register and practice as a social worker.
The Department for Education covers the cost of your University tuition on the programme and provides a tax-free bursary of £21,995 paid over the duration of the programme to support you during your training.
Recruitment for the programme will open on 17 February 2025, with assessment centres scheduled for late June 2025, and a January 2026 programme start date. The programme runs once every two years, dependent on government funding, so if you are interested, make sure you don’t miss out on your chance to apply.
Step Up to Social Work entry criteria We are looking for dedicated individuals who have a passion to become Children’s Social Workers and have experience of working with vulnerable children, young people, families or vulnerable adults, and who can demonstrate their maturity and emotional resilience. We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates and aim to have a workforce that represents the society that we serve.
To apply to the programme in the West Midlands, you’ll need to have:
- A minimum 2:2 degree qualification (level 6). Final year students will be eligible to apply with a minimum 2:2 predicted grade, but would need this ratified by the end of July 2025.
- 6 months’ full-time (or equivalent) direct experience, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, of working with vulnerable children, young people and/or families, carers or vulnerable adults.
- A GCSE in English or English language at grade 4 (C) or above (or an approved equivalent)
- A GCSE in Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above (or an approved equivalent)
Details of specific Local Authority eligibility criteria can be found here from 17 February 2025: Home | Step Up to Social Work (pocketrecruiter.com). You will need to show all of your original certificates to us as part of the application and assessment centre process. If you cannot find these, you can order replacements online.
Apply
Take advantage of this very unique and rewarding opportunity to become a Children’s Social Worker register/apply today or join us at our Step Up to Social Work regional webinar on Thu 13 March 2025 at 4-5pm to hear more about how to apply and the programme.
Further information: Home | Step Up to Social Work (pocketrecruiter.com).
Company
About us
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is a unitary authority employing approximately 4,600 staff who deliver 700 services to more than 260,000 residents. Our city comprises of six towns: Burslem, Fenton, Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall. We are a city of strengths, with a proud heritage and bright future. We have undergone significant changes over the last few years. New ways of working have already transformed many service areas and we are determined to continue to develop more innovative approaches to ensure that we can maximise the benefits of transformation.
Our city
Although the 13th largest city in the UK, Stoke-on-Trent is rapidly outstripping a number of parts of the country with our economic growth and recovery.
Stoke-on-Trent is a city with a strong sense of civic pride - we’ve been voted the kindest city in the UK – and a place where you’ll receive a hugely warm welcome. We have a rich and diverse culture, steeped in our prestigious industrial heritage as the celebrated ‘world capital of ceramics’. But we don’t just want to celebrate our proud past – we firmly believe that Stoke-on-Trent’s best years are ahead of it. We are determined to raise aspirations and match them with high-quality education and health provision, as well as improved opportunities to secure fulfilling and well-paid work. Through uniting social and economic opportunities, we are maximising the full power of the city council as a secure and steadfast institution within the city.
Rewards and benefits
When you work for Stoke-on-Trent City Council you’ll be helping to improve the lives and wellbeing of our residents. We’ll provide you with support, learning opportunities and flexible working options and some amazing benefits including; a competitive salary, generous holidays, an excellent defined local authority benefit pension scheme, annual leave purchase scheme, cycle to work schemes just to name a few. We also have access to lifestyle benefits which offer a wide range of discounts such as family days out, travel, retail and many more.
Our commitment to you
Vibrancy and diversity are two of Stoke-on-Trent’s greatest assets. A city founded on creative endeavour should value and celebrate the multitude of voices, ideas and identities that shape its culture. We are committed to creating a culture which is truly inclusive, where all staff feel valued, listened to, supported and able to do their work to the best of their abilities at all times. And we must ensure that our decisions and policies nurture and empower communities across our city and do not inadvertently disadvantage groups and individuals that we want to help to thrive.
Our approach to Equality and Diversity is an invitation to all our communities to work with and for us so we can continue to improve how we deliver services residents need.
Our employee networks are inclusive, open forums for colleagues with similar lived experiences. They allow staff to meet, support and mentor each other, alongside being a voice for under-represented groups to advise and support the organisation when developing policies and services.
Notes for applicants
When you click 'apply', you will be re-directed to Stoke-on-Trent City Council's online application site.
To submit your application, you will need to login to our site (this is a separate login to WM Jobs).
First time applicants will be asked to create a new account.
We would love to hear from you!
Contact details: recruitment@stoke.gov.uk
- Website
- https://recruitment.stoke.gov.uk/
- Location
-
Stoke on Trent City Council
Civic Centre
Glebe Street
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST4 1HH
United Kingdom
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