We are looking for individuals who reflect the principles of COV, including inclusion, respect, compassion and empowering young people to have a voice.

Session details

• Days: Tuesdays & Wednesdays
• Time: 3:00pm – 6:00pm
• Location: St Albans Church, Mercer Avenue, Coventry, CV2 4PQ
• Start date: Tuesday 14th January

Key responsibilities

• Support the delivery of engaging, youth-led sessions
• Build positive and trusting relationships with young people
• Create a safe, inclusive and supportive environment
• Encourage confidence, participation and personal development
• Work collaboratively as part of a values-led team

Training and development

• Regular CPD and training opportunities provided
• Ongoing support, guidance and supervision

About you

• Passionate about working with young people
• Reliable, approachable and a positive role model
• Committed to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Able to work as part of a team and use initiative
• Youth work experience desirable but not essential

Safeguarding
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

Equal Opportunities
COV is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all members of the community.

How to apply
Application deadline: Sunday 5th January
Sessions begin: 14th January

If you wish to find out more about the role, please email info@creativeoptimisticvisions.co.uk

Application Form

The post Looking for Youth Worker Opportunities? first appeared on COV.

Who We Are

Creative Optimistic Visions (COV) is a values-led social enterprise supporting young people to feel safe, confident and empowered in their lives.
Everything we do is rooted in the Protective Behaviours process, believing:

🔹 We all have the right to feel safe, all the time.
🔹 We can talk with someone about anything — even if it is awful or small.

These principles guide how we deliver youth and community services — and how we treat each other as a team.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Senior Youth Worker to help deliver our alternative education provision, youth and community programmes, and one-to-one mentoring.

This role is ideal for someone who is:

• Passionate about empowering young people
• Skilled in trauma-informed and relational practice
• Reflective, resilient and committed to personal growth
• Prepared to advocate for children, families and community voice
• Able to lead with confidence, kindness and professionalism

As part of this role, you will receive Protective Behaviours Practitioner training and access to ongoing development and reflective practice.

Why Join Us?

🟡 A culture built on care, curiosity and lifelong learning
🟡 A supportive team who values reflection over perfection
🟡 Opportunities for growth, creativity and real impact
🟡 Laptop, phone and expenses included
🟡 Flexible working where project needs allow

This isn’t just a position — it’s an opportunity to be part of something meaningful.

Role Details

📍 Coventry
💼 30 hours per week
📅 Fixed Term: 4 years
💷 Salary: £31,989 FTE (£23,993 pro rata)
🗓️ Deadline to apply: 1st December 2025
🗓️ Interviews: Week commencing 8th December

We’re looking for someone who understands that youth work is about relationships, not routines. Someone who can hold boundaries with kindness, meet young people with compassion, and believes that growth — for us and them — is lifelong. We are seeking an experienced and values-led practitioner who demonstrates professionalism, emotional intelligence and a commitment to trauma-informed and protective behaviours practice.

If you’ve ever thought “I wish I could work somewhere where values actually guide the work”…
You just found it.

This role is more than a job.
It’s purpose.
It’s community.
It’s impact.

This role provides the opportunity to influence meaningful outcomes for young people and families, while working within a supportive and learning-oriented organisational culture.

If you are a reflective practitioner committed to high-quality delivery, this role may be the right next step for you.

If this feels like a calling, not just a job — Please send a covering letter telling us how you would fit into our company culture, plus a copy of your CV to: stacey@creativeoptimisticvisions.co.uk

For an informal chat about the role, contact: Stacey-Jade Mason-Lynch: Director on 07532364336 or email stacey@creativeoptimisticvisions.co.uk

The post We’re hiring — and this really matters. first appeared on COV.

This achievement, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, recognises the years of dedication our team, volunteers, and community have invested in creating safer, stronger futures for young people across Coventry.

Grounded in Protective Behaviours – Growing with Purpose

At the heart of everything we do is the Protective Behaviours Process — a framework that reminds us “we all have the right to feel safe all the time” and that “we can talk with someone about anything, even if it is awful or small.”

This funding is more than just financial support — it’s recognition of how a Protective Behaviours approach can transform lives. It validates our belief that when young people are given the tools to understand their feelings, recognise their rights, and express themselves safely and creatively, they develop the confidence and resilience to thrive.

What This Funding Will Help Us Achieve

🌟 Sustain and strengthen our core offer — Expanding our COV Youth provision to two nights a week, giving more young people a free, safe and welcoming space to cook, create, play, learn, and belong.

🌿 Grow our new allotment space — A youth-led, outdoor wellbeing project where young people can grow food, connect with nature, and learn new life skills while improving mental health.

🎤 Expand our creative programmes — Continuing our successful Fire in the Youth and Girls on Fire projects, empowering young people through music, performance, and self-expression. Our female DJ group will continue to challenge stereotypes, build confidence, and perform live at events.

👩‍💼 Invest in our growth and sustainability — We will be recruiting a Senior Youth Worker, working with a Social Impact Researcher, and developing stronger communications to capture and share our impact.

A Celebration of Partnership and Community

This grant is a reflection of the collective strength of our community — the young people, families, and partners who stand with us.

Our heartfelt thanks go to:

• Coventry Music (Heart of England Music Hub) for co-funding Girls on Fire and helping young women amplify their voices.
• Jami Dixon, our Social Impact Researcher, for evidencing the impact of our Protective Behaviours approach.
• Taylor Cottrell, our social media and comms consultant, for supporting spreading our message creatively with clarity.
• Coventry Youth Partnership, Positve Youth Foundation, Aptitude Youth, Youth Justice, Children’s Services, Coventry Alternative Provision, Safer Together, and the Violence Reduction Partnership for their continued collaboration and belief in our mission.
• The Protective Behaviours Consortium, for their guidance, support and quality assurance.
• And to the young people who inspire us daily with their courage, creativity, and optimism — you are the reason we do what we do.

Looking Ahead

For Creative Optimistic Visions, this funding is a defining moment — a chance to deepen our impact, secure our future, and continue showing that even a small organisation can make a big difference when driven by care, creativity, and community.

We’ll be sharing our journey, stories, and successes over the next four years — so follow along and celebrate with us!

✨ A huge thank you to everyone who plays The National Lottery – your support makes this possible.

#NationalLottery #TNLCommunityFund #ProtectiveBehaviours #CoventryYouth #CommunityImpact #CreativeOptimisticVisions

The post We are thrilled The National Lottery is funding COV first appeared on COV.

HOW IT STARTED:

HOW IT’S GOING:

Shelby has passed her Bronze Level Kennel Club Good Citizenship Scheme Award. As a working German Shepherd she is very smart, and like us, loves to learn, Shelby will progress onto her Silver Award and aims to be a certified therapy dog by the age of 2 years.

If you would like to support Shelby on her learning journey, and visit your place of work, please do get in touch.

The post Meet Shelby – Our Therapy Dog in Training first appeared on COV.

Thanks to funding from the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, we will be hosting more open access youth provision! FREE entry, Tuesdays, 3:30-5:30pm.

COV provides a safe space for young people aged 11-19years can come to access food, play some footy and or basketball. Learn new music skills or just chill with their friends around the pool table or playing SWITCH with some tunes. 

We host lots of workshops for young people to get involved with if they choose. Workshops include visitors from local and national organisations providing information and opportunities for young people to take part in exciting projects that can help influence policy and practice within youth work.

We like to promote a space where we can have real talk, that means speaking and listening about the things that really matter to young people and incorporate that into doing something about it by hosting themed projects. Regular projects include being involved with Fire in the Youth or Confident Me! to name a couple.

If you are a young person interested in attending, or would like to know more about what we do you can send us a message via Instagram Facebook or email info@creativeoptimisticvisions.co.uk

ABOUT COV

Creative Optimistic Visions (COV) provides alternative education, training, youth provision, consultancy and mentoring services through the lens of the Protective Behaviours Process. This is a practical, relatable approach to feeling safe, equipping people with skills to keep themselves feeling safe throughout their life journey. 

A grass roots organisation, founded in 2014 in Coventry City, that has built a respectful reputation with existing partners, beneficiaries and families. COV engages with people of all ages due to their difficulty to engage with education, employment, statutory services, and broken-down relationships within their family structures. 

We believe that ‘we all have the right to feel safe’ and ‘we can talk with someone about anything even if it is awful or small’. 

Our Theory of Change model aims to increase people’s abilities to keep themselves and others feeling safe including evaluating increased confidence, social communication, decision making skills, setting goals, stress, and feeling safe.

Take a look at our Social Impact Report to see how our small organisation helps create change.

The post COV YOUTH – Providing free youth provision first appeared on COV.

Last years finalists have been working hard to become a qualified youth mentor, to support the design and delivery of next Summer’s project. Six young people have undergone safeguarding training, safer recruitment and accredited Protective Behaviours Training to enable them to support our next round of participants.

This year, we will be hosting three community Open Jam sessions, inviting young people aged 16-24years to informally audition for Fire in the Youth. Our very own, Coventry home grown talent Feisty will be working with other talented finalists, Fire in the youth 2022 winner G3NNA, plus Teedemba, ZeZe, Whizzy, Sophie Taylor and Cazzy.

We are delighted to offer our young mentors paid employment and personal development opportunities. Our aim as an organisation is to invest in our young people to aspire and enable them to become the best they can be, whilst helping others and giving back to our local community.

This year our Open Jams will be hosted at The HMV Empire Coventry during June and July 2023, with workshops being delivered from August – October 2023 at COV Youth Centre. Young artists will be tasked each week to put their music ability to the test to win our Fire in the Youth competition which will win them a full day professional recording studio and a full days filming of their very own 4k music video. Artists will also achieve a Level 1 AIM Qualification in Personal Development.

Working with partners such as Coventry Music, Media Mania and Coventry Youth partnership, last years finalists will be performing at Godiva Festival 2023. Please do come and visit us in the Youth Zone and the second stage to see performances, and to talk more with our staff and young people about the project.

This years live final will be on the 4th November 2023, with special guest artist, winner of The Rap Game UK – Big Jest!

Keep an eye on our Fire in the youth Insta @fireintheyouth and @COV__youth for updates, and tickets.

The post Urban Arts Fire in the Youth is Back – Investing in Youth Musical and Personal Development first appeared on COV.

We have had so much support from volunteers building the Winter Wonderland, our grotto and elf workshop. Volunteers have provided their time to make Christmas gifts, and support the delivery of the event over three busy December weekends.

People have donated money for materials, physical materials, presents, raffle prizes, tombola prizes and refreshments. This event really has demonstrated the true meaning of Christmas, a time for giving, a time for love and support.

We have a lot of people to thank, so please do have a look below to see all the people and businesses who have supported our Winter Wonderland.

To all our young people from COV YOUTH who supported the creation of Winter Wonderland and sacrificing their youth space the closer we got to Christmas!

Jess Knight – supported with the creation of Winter Wonderland and making Christmas gifts

Bethany-Jean Mason – supported the creation of Winter Wonderland, delivery of event and donations of prizes and presents

Jessica Grace – supported the creation of Winter Wonderland

Elaine Grant – supported the creation of Winter Wonderland, delivery of event and donations of prizes and presents

Michelle Mason – supported with decorations, delivery of event, and donations prizes and presents

Anna Marie from Canley Community Centre – supported donations of decorations

Aptitude Youth – supported with £150 of resources

Christine Walton – supported with donation of presents

Collette Kalsi from NSPCC – supported donation of decorations, arts and crafts

Jenie Jenkins – Supported the donation of baked goods

Maria Cave – supported with making Christmas gifts

Marianne White – supported with making arts and crafts

Ellie Smith – supported the delivery of Winter Wonderland

Benjamin Suckling – supported donation of presents

Adele Campbell – supported donation of cakes

Anne Stanton – supported with collection of prizes and presents

Diane Phimister – supported with donations of selection boxes

Mr & Mrs Fudge – supported donation of cakes, delivery of the event, collection of donations from workplace

Walkers – supported with donation of £300

Dave Smith – supported with donation of £40 Tesco vouchers

Natalie Mayers – supported with family donations

Chris Hughes and Alvin Suckling – supported donation of refreshments, gift wrap and presents

Honor Mason – supported creation of winter wonderland, delivery of the event

Mariama Njie – supported with gifts and delivery of the event

Experience Days – donation of £50 voucher – https://www.experiencedays.co.uk/charity-scheme

FIT 365 – donation of 5 FREE classes – https://www.fit365.uk

Beauty by BM – donation of £50 voucher

Millionaire Bakes – donation of Millionaire Tray Bake

Greggs – £30 voucher

Mason Lynch – supported with donation of prizes and presents

Wilson James – supported with 2 x childrens bikes, 2 fridges & 2 dishwashers

Red Kangaroo – bounce pass

CCFC – x2 match day tickets

Waterstones – donations of books

The Entertainer – £15 gift card

Poundland – 2 x £10 vouchers

Hatton Farm – 1 x family voucher

Dr Jane Osmond – supported with £250 worth of decorations

Mr Daniel Lynch – supported with resources for Winter Wonderland

Emma Alderton – supported with presents and resources

A huge thank you to Karen Smith, Abbie Fudge & Stacey Mason for working very hard on bringing this all together, donating their time, resources and everything into making this happen.

Last but not certainly least, to the main man – Santa – for providing a wonderful magical experience for all who came to Winter Wonderland.

COV would like to wish you all a very special Christmas and all the best for 2022!

The post A Special Thank You Message first appeared on COV.

Young people are at the very centre of this work. They engaged with meaningful conversations, and supported the development of this final report, suggesting their own recommendations based on the findings.

To read the full report, please click the link below.

https://www.creativeoptimisticvisions.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/COVID-19-Report-Final-COMPLETE-3-2.pdf

The post COVID-19 YOUTH Response Survey first appeared on COV.

FREE Summer Placements

Creative Optimistic Visions (COV) have 30 FREE places available for children and young people who receive free school meals aged between 12-16 years old.

The programme will be delivered for 5 weeks during the summer holidays on Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday 11am-3pm.

Starting on Tuesday 27th July, we are providing a mixture of sports, art and cooking activities each and every day. Finalising our programme with a BBQ on Friday 27th August 2021.

* Please note :- you will need to enter the Child’s free school meal code/number to be allocated a place. To Find out more about the HAF process please click here 

If you already have your HAF code and wish to sign up to Fund Foodies please complete our booking form here.

* Places are not guaranteed and will be allocated as applications are received.

 

 

 

The post FREE SUMMER PLACEMENTS first appeared on COV.

For further information please click here to find out more and sign up today.

The post Applications OPEN for our Urban Arts project first appeared on COV.