Youth Advocates

YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR AREA NEED YOU!

Youth Advocate Programmes Ireland Vacancies: Advocates – Fixed Purpose Contracts

YAP Ireland is continuously recruiting male and female Advocates to work within their local communities, supporting children, young people and families to achieve their goals.

We invite applicants from all areas of Dublin (including West Wicklow & Kildare) along with Meath and Louth area to apply using the following codes:

Job Ref code: Dublin – DUB0626, Meath/Louth - NEAST0626

YAP Advocates come from all walks of life and make a huge difference to the lives of Young People and Families. The young people we work with come from diverse ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. We welcome applicants with first hand work / life experience of the issues facing these young people and their families including Roma and Travellers.

We provide training and experience that creates opportunities for Advocates to become skilled at working with young people and families within their community in a strengths-based way.

What we offer:

• €17.74 per hour
• Training and financial assistance for further education
• Flexible working hours
• Join a growing, dynamic and forward-thinking organisation
• 92% of employees agreed or agreed strongly that YAP is an enjoyable place to work (Staff Opinion Survey 2025)

About us:

YAP Ireland is a registered charity that provides a needs-led, family support service which uses a strengths-based approach to improve the lives of young people and their families in their community achieving positive outcomes.  Please see our website for lots more information about our amazing work.

The Role of the Advocate:

• Provide a one-to-one support to Young People and Families for up to 15 hours per week (€17.74 PER HOUR)
• Build a trusting relationship with young people & parents /carers
• Work with young people and families to achieve their goals
• Identify and link young people and families with the appropriate community supports
• Support young people to identify their interests and support parents/carers with parenting

Advocates report to Team Leaders and with their support develop a strengths-based, needs-led Individual Service Plan (ISP) with the young person and family.

Advocates Requirements: You need to be:

• A good listener and a positive role model
• Available for flexible working hours, evenings and weekends
• Interested in your community and want to make a difference
• Have a full driving license and access to your own transport
• Advocates are required to attend fortnightly supervisions and monthly team meetings

Full Training will be provided. Successful applicants will form a panel for consideration throughout 2026.

If you are successful, you will need to be available for an interview which will be face to face. Interviews will take place in June at our Dublin Hub.

There is a training programme that you will need to attend in June & July 2026.

Closing date for receipt of applications for this campaign is 3rd of June 2026. Only completed application forms will be accepted, CVs will NOT be accepted. If enough applications are received before the closing date, these vacancies may close early.

IF YOU THINK THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU: WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU

For further information and to submit your application click the APPLY NOW button.

Youth Advocates – Fixed Purpose Contracts – Person Spec and Job Description

The Youth Advocate reports to a Team Leader. This post requires working within the YAP strengths-based model, to provide 1:1 support for vulnerable young people and their families and to support them in their home and local communities so that they can achieve their goals. YAP Ireland provides a strengths-based, needs led service for 6-12 months to children, young people and families who are struggling with a range of issues in their lives. You will work intensively with them to achieve positive change and meet their goals.

1. Responsibilities and Tasks:

1. To deliver a 1:1 service to young people and families under the supervision and support of the Team Leader.

2. Together with the Team Leader to build a positive, supportive working relationship with the young person and their family using the YAP strengths-based model to help them achieve their goals.

3. Together with the Team Leader, to develop a plan of work (Individualised Service Plan) to focus on the abilities, strengths and needs of the young person and their families.

4. To carry out day to day work with the young person and family, addressing their needs as outlined in the ISP. This may involve supporting the young person to participate in appropriate education, accessing appropriate services or finding community activities to link the young person into.

5. To promote, enable and empower the young person and families voice to be heard and ensure they have a voice in their service/life/community. This includes activity groups, participation and consultation groups.

6.Together with the Team Leader, to adopt a Wraparound approach that will bring together those key people and services who can offer support to the young person and family during and after the YAP Service.

7. To identify and evaluate the changing needs and interests of the child/young person as the relationship progresses and to adapt the service accordingly.

8. To understand the Health and Safety policies required for all activities with young people including any specific medical history, medications and specific special needs and/or diagnosis.

9. To complete in a timely and accurate manner the required weekly paperwork and to submit to the line manager by the agreed deadlines.

10. To be familiar with all Yap’s current policies and procedures, especially in the areas of Child Protection, Confidentiality and On-Call and to work within those in a professional manner.

11. To attend staff development, training and supervisory sessions as scheduled. This will include regular supervision. Some training courses are mandatory and advocates will be required to attend this training.

12. To undertake other duties as appropriate.

Experience Essential

Life Experience relevant to young people and families e.g. raising children, child minding, sports coaching, community work, volunteering, youth club or lived experience of overcoming the challenges facing young people and families.

Non-essential

3 months experience of working / volunteering within a youth work, family support or community setting

Skills

Essential

• A positive attitude towards children and young people and an ability to work from a strengths based perspective, be non-judgemental and creative.
• A knowledge/understanding of issues affecting young people.
• Good communication skills
• Good time management and organisational skills
• Basic computer skills
• Ability to write reports on work undertaken
• Full Driving Licence and own transport.

€17.74 per hour

IF YOU THINK THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU: WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOUFor further information and to submit your application click the APPLY NOW button.