Trainee School Programme Practitioner - North West
Trainee School Programme Practitioner - North West
Salary: £24,785 per year Location: Partner secondary schools across the North West Application deadline: Friday 4 December 2026 Start date: ASAP
We are looking for a Trainee School Programme Practitioner to help young people across the North West feel understood, build confidence and thrive in school.
At Football Beyond Borders, we use young people’s passion for football to build trusted relationships and support their development. Our practitioners deliver engaging sessions in the classroom and on the pitch, alongside pastoral support that helps young people navigate school life.
As a trainee, you will work alongside experienced practitioners, learning how to engage a group, support individuals and respond to the different needs of young people. You will contribute from the start, with opportunities to develop through training, feedback and practical experience.
You might bring experience from volunteering, youth work, education, mentoring, community activity or football coaching. You may already be supporting young people and looking to build your skills in a new setting. We’re interested in how you connect with people, respond to challenges and learn from your experiences.
Before you skim the job description, please remember you don’t have to tick all the boxes to apply. We all experience a bit of imposter syndrome, including the staff here at FBB. If this work matters to you and you believe you could make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
Who are we?
Football Beyond Borders is an education charity supporting young people to thrive in school through their passion for football. Established in 2014, we now work with 3000 students across 130 secondary school programmes in Greater Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Lancashire, Yorkshire, London, Kent and Essex. Alongside this, we have built strong partnerships with brands such as Nike.
Young people are at the heart of everything we do. Their experiences shape our decisions, our programmes and our partnerships. We’re working in a system that too often limits their potential, and we know that making a difference means working hard and differently.
We place relationships at the heart of our work. That applies to our colleagues as much as our young people. FBB can be fast-paced and intensive at times, so our working culture, opportunities for reflection and the support we give our staff matter.
We’re also BIG on learning. You will join colleagues who are developing their practice, sharing ideas and learning from each other. Our focus on collaboration creates opportunities to understand and contribute to different parts of FBB as your experience grows.
The role
You will support the delivery of the FBB Schools Programme in partner secondary schools across the North West, working alongside a Lead Practitioner and other colleagues.
Our programme combines football-themed classroom learning, activities on the pitch and support beyond the sessions. We work with young people who may be disengaged from school or facing challenges that affect their learning, relationships and wellbeing.
You will help prepare and deliver activities, work with individuals and smaller groups, and build consistent relationships with participants. As your skills develop, you will take increasing responsibility for parts of sessions, with guidance and feedback from colleagues.
The work calls for patience, reliability and a willingness to reflect. Some days will be challenging. You will need to maintain clear boundaries, ask for support when you need it and work with colleagues to find ways forward.
You will also see the difference that showing up each week can make: a young person beginning to trust you, finding their voice in a group or approaching a difficult situation differently.
Key responsibilities
Building trusted relationships
- Build consistent, supportive relationships with young people, taking time to understand their strengths, interests and experiences.
- Help create an environment where participants feel included, can contribute and are supported to learn from mistakes.
- Support young people’s engagement in the programme and their wider school life, working under the guidance of experienced colleagues.
- Maintain professional boundaries and follow FBB’s safeguarding procedures, raising concerns promptly.
Supporting programme delivery
- Support the Lead Practitioner with planning, preparation, delivery and follow-up for classroom and football sessions.
- Work with individuals and smaller groups during activities, helping participants engage and contribute.
- Help adapt activities to participants’ different learning needs, working with colleagues and school staff.
- Develop your confidence in facilitating activities and leading parts of sessions through supported practice.
- Support trips, projects and other programme activities as required.
Working with colleagues and schools
- Build positive working relationships with fellow practitioners and school staff.
- Share observations about participants’ progress, needs and experiences with the Lead Practitioner and relevant colleagues.
- Contribute to programme records, monitoring and evaluation, completing agreed tasks accurately and on time.
- Support communication with families and additional pastoral work where appropriate to your training and responsibilities.
- Follow through on agreed actions and communicate promptly when you need help or circumstances change.
Learning and developing your practice
- Take part in training, supervision and reflective practice.
- Ask questions, seek feedback and use what you learn to improve your work with young people.
- Reflect on how your own responses and experiences influence your practice.
- Take increasing responsibility as your skills, confidence and capability develop, with guidance from colleagues.
Who you’ll be working with
Your work will centre on relationships with young people, alongside colleagues, school staff and families.
Your key relationships within FBB will include:
- Lead Practitioners, who you will work alongside to prepare and deliver programmes and develop your practice.
- Fellow practitioners, sharing ideas, supporting delivery and reflecting on your work together.
- School Programme Managers, who support programme quality, help you work through challenges and guide your development.
- Our specialist therapeutic team, bringing additional expertise to the support provided for young people.
Development in the role
Learning is part of the job at FBB. During your first two years, you will take part in our two-year Practitioner Training Programme every Wednesday, building the knowledge, skills and confidence to support young people effectively.
- Year 1: Accredited training delivered by FBB’s in-house experts, grounding your learning in the work you do with young people each week.
- Year 2: Accredited Level 5 training delivered collaboratively with Trauma Informed Schools UK, deepening your understanding of trauma-informed approaches and how to apply them in your practice.
You will learn through practical experience alongside colleagues, structured training, feedback and opportunities to reflect on what is happening in your work. This means you can connect your learning to real situations and bring questions from your practice back into training.
As your experience grows, you will have conversations about your progress, interests and readiness for further responsibility. There may also be opportunities to develop an area of specialism and contribute more widely to FBB.
Perks of the job
- A significant Learning & Development Budget for training opportunities and qualifications.
- Travel to and from partner schools is covered by FBB.
- A generous wellbeing budget for activities outside work that support your wellbeing.
- Access to exclusive events and merch through our partnerships with Nike and others.
- Generous annual leave with a minimum of 35 days leave per year, including a Christmas shutdown.
- Access to free, confidential support through our Employee Assistance Programme.
- Staff away days and regular opportunities to connect with colleagues.
Person specification
Important things about you
- You are committed to supporting young people who face barriers to thriving in school, and can recognise their strengths and potential.
- You have some experience supporting young people through work, volunteering, coaching, education or community activity.
- You can build relationships by listening, showing interest and following through on what you say you will do.
- You enjoy working with others and are willing to learn from colleagues with different experiences and perspectives.
- You can respond thoughtfully when situations are challenging, follow guidance and ask for help when you need it.
- You understand that young people have different learning needs and experiences, and are willing to adapt your approach.
- You are interested in using football as a way to engage young people and support their development.
- You are organised, reliable and able to follow agreed processes.
- You are keen to learn, reflect on your practice and act on feedback.
Experience we would also welcome
You may bring experience or qualifications in one or more of the following areas:
- Youth work, mentoring or pastoral support.
- Working or volunteering in schools.
- Supporting young people with special educational needs or social, emotional and mental health needs.
- Community projects, holiday activities or youth groups.
- Football coaching or community sport.
You do not need experience in every area listed. This is a trainee role, and we want to understand what you would bring, what you have learned from your experiences and how you would like to develop.
Recruitment process
Football Beyond Borders aims to be representative of the communities we work with. We recognise that having the strongest workforce possible means hiring and developing the best people across all races, ethnicities, religions, age groups, sexual orientations, gender identities and abilities.
We’re not just committed to being an equal opportunity employer; we actively celebrate diversity in all its forms. We welcome applications from people of all genders and backgrounds.
Let us know if we can do anything to make the application or interview process more accessible. If you are invited to interview, we will ask about any accessibility requirements or preferences.
FBB is committed to adopting a safe recruitment process and follows the NSPCC safer recruitment procedures that have safeguarding at their heart. The appointment will undergo an enhanced DBS check.
Recruitment timeline and assessments
Applications close on Friday 4 December 2026. We will review applications and hold screening calls on a rolling basis, so you may hear from us before the closing date.
- Screening calls - rolling: An initial online conversation to get to know you, explore your experience and talk more about the role.
- Assessment day 1 - week commencing Monday 7 December 2026: A selection day to explore your approach to working with young people, collaborating with colleagues and putting FBB’s values into practice.
- Assessment day 2, in schools - Thursday 10 December 2026 onwards: A practical delivery session with an FBB group at one of our partner schools.
We will confirm your assessment dates, locations and preparation details when inviting you to take part. As this is a trainee role, we will consider your potential, willingness to learn and response to guidance alongside the experience you already bring.
Applicants will be contacted regarding the outcome of their application.
References from previous and current employers may be taken up for shortlisted candidates. Please let us know about any sensitivity around contacting your referees.
To apply
Please complete the application form and tell us why you would like to join FBB as a Trainee Practitioner.
Application deadline: Friday 4 December 2026 Start date: ASAP