As a Wellness Youth Coach Apprentice, you’ll be part of a friendly and supportive team at Futures-Essex, helping young people feel better, build confidence, and stay connected to learning. You’ll work with others to run creative, active, and wellbeing-focused sessions that make a real difference in people’s lives.
What you’ll be doing day to day:
-Helping to plan and run fun, meaningful sessions like yoga, mindfulness, art, journaling and music that support mental health and self-confidence.
-Being part of a new outdoor wellbeing project—getting young people out into parks, green spaces or forest areas to explore nature, move their bodies and feel calm.
-Building positive relationships with young people through small group work and 1:1 coaching—supporting them with things like emotions, stress, and confidence.
-Running girls-only evening youth sessions where young people can talk about things like body image, self-esteem, social pressures and mental health in a safe, supportive space.
-Giving a warm welcome to students each morning and helping new students settle in and feel part of the group.
-Supporting young people working towards ASDAN qualifications like Administration or Working in the Office, giving them a boost with their learning and goals.
-Helping with creative social media content that shares young people’s achievements and encourages others to get involved—making sure everything is safe and inclusive.
-Being involved in holiday programmes (like Essex ActivAte) during half-terms and summer—helping run fun, healthy and creative activities for young people who need a bit of extra support.
-Working as part of a team with youth workers, teachers and wellbeing staff to make sure every young person gets the help they need.
-Keeping simple records of sessions and reflecting on how things went so you can keep growing and learning in your role.
-This role is perfect for someone who enjoys working with others, cares about mental health and wellbeing, and wants to grow their skills in a hands-on, meaningful way. You don’t need to be an expert—you just need to be open, reliable, and ready to learn
The ideal candidate will be:
People & Communication
* Able to build trust and positive relationships with young people
* Good at listening, showing empathy, and being respectful
* Comfortable speaking in small groups and 1:1
Wellbeing & Creativity
* Interested in activities like mindfulness, yoga, art, or music
* Happy to support creative and emotional wellbeing sessions
* Confident working in girls-only spaces and creating a safe, inclusive vibe
Outdoor & Physical Activity
* Willing to lead or support outdoor activities in nature
* Understands how being active and outside can boost wellbeing
Organisation & Admin
* Can help with simple admin tasks (e.g. registers, resources)
* Willing to support others working towards qualifications like ASDAN
* Pays attention to detail and follows routines
Digital & Social Media
* Confident using social media in a positive and creative way
* Understands how to stay safe online and follow safeguarding rules
* Can help create fun and inclusive youth-led content
Desirable (but not essential)
* Experience helping or mentoring others (paid or voluntary)
* Interest in yoga, art, mindfulness or youth work
* Some knowledge of mental health or trauma-informed approaches
* Joined in or helped run youth clubs, HAF or holiday programmes
* Confident supporting young people with additional needs (SEND)
* Able to work well in a team and handle group dynamics
What your apprenticeship includes:
● A mixture of face to face and online catch ups every 4 - 6 weeks to discuss feedback and progress
● A mixture of on and off the job training, including workshops and webinars
● Reviews every 12 weeks with your Line Manager and apprenticeship Trainer
● The chance to get Functional Skills in English and maths (if you don’t already have GCSE)
You will work towards your Community Activator Coach Level 2 qualification over the course of 12-18 months
Desired Skills
This is an apprenticeship programme, designed to help you gain skills and experience ‘on the job.’ We aren’t looking for any previous coaching qualifications or experience but certain personal qualities and characteristics are a must (see vacancy description).
Personal qualities
We’re looking for someone who:
Cares about young people’s mental health and wants to make a positive difference
Has a friendly, supportive attitude and enjoys helping others grow
Is interested in youth work, education, or being part of the community (volunteering counts!)
Enjoys being outdoors and understands how nature can help with wellbeing
Feels confident (or is willing to try) supporting girls’ empowerment and youth-led projects
Can build positive relationships and communicate clearly with others
Stays organised and is open to learning new things
Is positive, reflective, and able to adapt when things don’t go to plan
Qualifications required
There are no specific qualifications needed to apply for this apprenticeship.
We’re looking for someone who is kind, reliable, and passionate about supporting young people. You don’t need lots of experience—just a willingness to learn, get involved, and grow in confidence over time.
If you’ve completed GCSEs (or are working towards them), that’s a great start—but we welcome applications from all backgrounds. What matters most is your attitude, commitment, and desire to make a positive difference.
Future prospects
This apprenticeship is a great first step into a career in youth work, coaching, mental health, or education.
By the end of the programme, you’ll have real experience, recognised qualification, and the confidence to lead your own sessions and support others professionally.
You could go on to:
Apply for paid roles in youth work, education, or wellbeing support
Continue your training with higher-level apprenticeships or college courses
Build a career in areas like coaching, counselling, mentoring, or creative arts therapy
Stay involved with Futures-Essex or similar organisations in sessional or full-time roles
We’ll support you to plan your next steps and reach your goals—whatever they look like.
Training to be delivered
Community Activator Coach Apprenticeship L2 including Functional Skills in Maths and English
Employer
Futures-Essex
Visit employer websiteAddress
Oak Lodge Farm
Essex
Bicknacre
CM3 4HF
The map below displays the employer’s location, please check travel times before applying.