Dorset Council
Next Steps Adviser
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Next Steps Adviser Opportunity
An exciting opportunity has arisen to work as a Next Steps Adviser, part of the Next Steps team, delivering Post 16 advise to young people considering their options for education work or training. Established in August 2021, Dorset Council’s Next Steps team works to reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training when their full-time education ends at age 16.
Our Next Steps team, which includes Data & Management Information, monitors what our post 16 young people are doing, so that we can offer our support to those who haven’t continued their education or started work, with the aim of enabling them to do so. You will be a core part of the Adviser function, working collaboratively on this agenda.
What can you expect to be doing?
The Adviser function builds on the work of our Data and Management Information team, who establish where young people are, in terms of their employment or training throughout the year until they are in a confirmed positive post 16 destination up until their 18th birthday. Their preliminary work includes gathering information from other services such as Schools, SEND, Youth Justice and Children in Care teams to identify a caseload of young people that you, as a Next Steps Adviser will work with. You will help young people to overcome barriers that affect their capacity to engage in learning, education or employment, to facilitate as many young people moving into one of these options as possible.
About you
You will be a good team player and be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with a range of stakeholders, both external and internal to the Council. This will include Children’s Services colleagues in our localities, parents, care leavers and young people. You will be tenacious and curious and be able to demonstrate an ability to work independently and make decisions in line with specified processes to engage young people as well as contributing to our statutory tracking and reporting duties.
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You must demonstrate perseverance with young people, who may be experiencing difficulties, leading to positive and impactful interactions that motivate and bring them into suitable support and provision.
You must have a clear understanding of the safe use of data and information sharing and an understanding of GDPR provisions.
Consideration will be given for candidates with considerable relevant experience who do not hold the required qualifications. (There may be the option to undertake a Level 4 qualification - subject to Dorset Council being able to arrange a suitable apprenticeship.)
Further Information
For an informal discussion, please contact Annie Comben-Lindsay, Next Steps Team Manager by calling 01305 221591 or email [email protected]. Interviews are provisionally planned for week commencing 7th September 2026.
We are advertising for 1 part time post (34 hours per week) - as a family friendly employer, there may be some flexibility in how these hours are organised. Due to the nature of the Next Steps Adviser function regular travel is a requirement of the role, you must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed. The successful candidate will be primarily working with a caseload of young people in the North Dorset Locality, though may be required to provide cover across our 6 Dorset Council localities as part of the wider Adviser team. This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders. See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.
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About Us
At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:
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At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.
We
- provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
- work in partnership to make a real difference
- value every role and the impact it has on our communities
- support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive
You Will
- be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
- have access to a range of benefits and support
- receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress
We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.
We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.
This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.
If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.
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