Student Independence Officer

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.

• Job Title: Student Independence Officer
• Job Location: Shire Hall, Block 3, 3rd Floor
• Salary: £29,071- £30,515 per annum
• Hours per Week: 37.00
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Closing Date: 15/11/2026
• Job Requisition Number: 15143
• This post is open to job share

Are you passionate about supporting young people to become more confident and independent?

Do you want a role where you can make a real, practical difference to young people’s everyday lives and future?

About The Team & Role

Join Gloucestershire’s Preparation for Adulthood Support Team, helping young people build confidence, everyday skills and connections in their communities. The team delivers Independent Travel Training (ITT) and bespoke support, working with young people, families and professionals to turn individual goals into practical learning opportunities—from travelling independently to accessing local services and activities.

As a Student Independence Officer, you’ll deliver practical, personalised one-to-one and group support in community settings, helping young people practise journeys, use public transport and develop everyday living skills. You’ll build trusting relationships, agree achievable goals, break activities into manageable steps and adapt your approach to individual needs.

The role requires clear communication, organisation and sound judgement: you’ll plan activities, record progress and work with families and professionals, balancing support with opportunities for young people to make choices and do more for themselves.

About You

You’ll bring energy, curiosity and a practical approach to helping young people build independence. You’ll build trust by listening to what matters to them, recognising their strengths and agreeing goals together.

You’ll need an understanding of relational practice, or a willingness to develop your skills in this approach, as it forms the foundation of all our work. Through everyday activities, such as practising a journey or accessing a local service, you’ll turn their interests and ambitions into opportunities to learn, explore choices and build confidence at their own pace.

Proactive and organised, you’ll adapt your communication and support, work collaboratively with families and professionals, and capture progress clearly.

Above all, you’ll believe in working with young people, not doing things for them—breaking tasks into manageable steps, encouraging them to try and reflect and knowing when to step back. You’ll balance encouragement with sound judgement, creating space for young people to make decisions and discover what they can do.

About Us

Hybrid working arrangements are available for this role, giving the opportunity to work in a way that suits you. Balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.

Joining us could mean access to these great benefits:

• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
• An option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff)
• Family friendly employer offering benefits to help support you and your family
• Career development and qualification opportunities
• Supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone.
• An in-house Occupational Health service
• Employee discount scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme (Eligibility criteria and T&Cs apply)
• Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (Eligibility criteria and T&Cs apply)
• Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network.

How to apply

If you feel you have the skills, desire and experience required to make a positive difference then please submit your application and personal statement today by clicking the “Apply Now” Button.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Tim Griffiths via email at tim.griffiths@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

Closing date 15th November 2026

Short-listed candidates will be contacted by e-mail and invited to interview week commencing 23rd November.

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-

Job Profile - Student Independence Officer

Due to the number of applications we received, we are unable to provide feedback at shortlisting stage and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Applications from any Gloucestershire County Council's employees who are currently on the redeployment register or at risk of redundancy will be considered first at shortlisting stage.

The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have a right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months' employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.

Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is subject to a DBS check.

It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.