Work with us
We’re a social action charity that’s best at reinventing itself in response to people’s needs.
We help services, funders and systems find new ways to create deep social change. We’re willing to be bold, remove the box and bring edge-based solutions into the middle.
Our three strands of action in Coventry, Warwickshire and wider are Strengthening People, Sparking Community and Shifting Power.
We want others to join us in making our people and communities fairer, stronger and more connected. Read our 30th anniversary story.
Here’s a quick round-up of recent years:
- We were keeping over 500 isolated people well as the Covid-19 crisis struck. That number more than doubled to over 1,200 during 2020
- We hosted two online summits to help harness community spirit for the road ahead
- A public sector summit for professionals helped cement new ways of working accelerated by the pandemic into everyday practice
- In April 2021 we brought together businesses and retailers to co-design a local ‘build back better’ plan founded on connection, sociability and belonging for our city and town centres
- A pledge made at this summit to highlight places, spaces and people putting these values at the heart of what they do became the Cov Cares Awards 2023. Now a city-wide network of connection and belonging
- Since 2022, alongside our day-to-day work and in response to the rising cost of living, we have been forming a Poverty Alliance network for Coventry in partnership with Central England Law Centre. It’s the only place where frontline grass roots organisations, medium and larger charities and the public sector come together
- Also in 2022, we hosted the final stop of a UK-wide Reconnection Tour celebrating communities coming together through some of the toughest times Britain has faced
- In 2024, we were invited to speak about community and belonging at the national social fabric summit Restitch
- Also in 2024, we released findings of a peer-led evaluation of the impact of our social movement Connecting for Good on Coventry people and communities.
Our experience
We started life in 1994 as a drop-in in Spon End, Coventry for learning disabled people.
We learned who they were, what their dreams were and what they could offer and realised that way of working could help many others too. The answer to our problems lay in community, not specialised services.
Now we work with all kinds of people experiencing poverty, disadvantage and isolation.
“Grapevine team members are intentionally reflective about the work that they carry out, thinking about what joy they are taking from it and how meaningful it is to them.
“I saw power and action from a completely different perspective, and it has made me feel optimistic about the future of sustainability. This experience has changed my understanding of what it means to have an impactful career.”
Bel Govier, student intern from University of Warwick
Working for us
We offer a friendly workplace with a strong culture of helping people uncover their potential. We’re committed to diversity and inclusion in our team and across our work, treating every person we meet as an individual with unique passions and skills.
This video was made by a group of Film, TV and Radio Production students from Coventry College for their final year project. One of the students, Edwin, was inspired by our work after volunteering as a buddy on our Teenvine Plus programme for young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
In addition to our ethos, our employee benefits include:
- Flexible working
- Employee Assistance Programme
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (for full-time roles, pro rata for part-time)
- Stakeholder pension scheme plus eight per cent employer contribution.
Current vacancies
Youth project worker (Teenvine Plus Next Steps)
We are looking for a full-time youth project worker to transform the lives of 35 young people with learning disabilities and autism, helping them build brighter futures using creativity, advocacy and relationship building.
You will support young people facing some of life’s toughest challenges to articulate their needs, rebuild social connections and re-enter education. Some will be avoiding school and struggling to access the support they need, others may be on reduced timetables and/or have unmet mental health needs.
Without help, their horizons are often bleak—but you can be a part of changing that, making a genuine difference to theirs and their families’ lives.
What you’ll be doing
You’ll meet young people where they feel most comfortable at times that suit them, using WhatsApp, Zoom, or face-to-face meetings. Together, you will:
- Create multimedia person-centred ‘back to learning and community’ plans using video, voice recording, photographs, artwork or graphics
- Build their confidence through weekly one-to-one sessions, with gradual group engagement on their terms
- Advocate for their views and support them to develop self-advocacy skills
- Connect them with meaningful opportunities across the city
- Work collaboratively with parents, school and other professionals
- Complete risk assessments, travel plans and project monitoring.
A fun and creative touch is essential. You’ll co-design all activities with young people, focusing on what matters to them.
More about the role
- Location: Coventry
- Salary: £29,916 rising to £30,513 per year
- 37 hours per week
- Fixed term contract until July 2027
- Closing date: 9am Monday 8 December
- Interview date: Tuesday 16 December
- Expected start: Mid January 2026.
Who we are looking for
We’re looking for someone who:
- Has experience in youth work, particularly one-to-one or small group personal and social development
- Has worked with teenagers experiencing mental health difficulties, special educational needs and disabilities
- Is creative and confident with multiple media platforms and social media
- Can help young people think broadly and creatively about their choices
- Works collaboratively with families, colleagues and external professionals
- Has a deep listening ability – picking up on young people’s signals, cues and feelings
- Is nurturing, non-judgmental and sees past first impressions
- Has tenacity and resilience with the ability to walk in young people’s shoes
- Believes disabled young people should lead fulfilling lives as equal citizens.
You’ll need to be brilliant with young people, adaptable and bring a flair for doing things differently. You’ll have responsibility and autonomy, with the support of a strong team behind you.
Desirable: Qualifications in youth work, psychology or child and youth care; knowledge of person-centred and trauma-informed approaches.
Real impact – your work directly changes lives
Since 2020, Teenvine Plus Next Steps has achieved outstanding outcomes including:
- 74 per cent of young people felt more confident about school and the future
- 100 per cent were able to do things that matter to them in a way they like
- 62 per cent showed improved scores across every baseline area
- 34 per cent increased school attendance within four months.
Now it’s your turn to be part of this success story.
How to apply
If you’re excited by purpose-led work, comfortable with honest reflection and believe that relationships change everything, we’d love to hear from you!
Click this link to read the job pack. Complete our online application form here, which includes:
- Your personal details and employment history
- An “about you” statement evidencing why you’re right for this role
- Information about your education and training.
You can send audio or video files to jobs@grapevinecovandwarks.org.
Grapevine is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from people from global majority communities to help us better reflect the young people we serve. We can only accept applications from people who already have the right to work in the UK.
Need help or want to discuss reasonable adjustments? Contact us by email at jobs@grapevinecovandwarks.org or call us on 024 7663 1040.
We will send you interview questions in advance to help you prepare if you are selected for an interview.
Read more about our Strengthening People work here and follow this link to read our story of three decades of deep social change in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Meet the Grapevine team
Here’s what some members of our team have to say about working for Grapevine. We look forward to getting to know you too!
If you haven’t found what you’re looking for or have a question for us, please get in touch.
Postal address
Grapevine (Coventry and Warwickshire) Ltd
123 Upper Spon Street, Spon End
Coventry, CV1 3BQ