My work with Vulnerable Children and Young People: A Q+A with Alison McMahon

Alison McMahon has spent 17 years supporting young and vulnerable people through training organisations and community programmes. In this conversation with Matt Farrah, she shares what the role involves, how she got started, and advice for anyone who wants to work in this field.

Q: Alison, tell us about your background—what’s your experience with children and young people?

Alison: I've worked with children and young people across many roles—not directly in social care, but supporting them through training and development programmes. I’ve worked with people from probation services, those who’ve been in care, young alcoholics, drug users, people who were homeless, and others who didn’t attend school. Many were aged 16–18, but some were older too.

Q: What was your job title when doing this work?

Alison: I was an Operations Manager for a training organisation. My role was to make sure everything happened—supporting the tutors, managing the programmes, and making sure vulnerable young people had the right support to change their lives.

Q: So were you working directly with the young people?

Alison: I wasn’t delivering the training myself, but I was very involved in supporting the whole process. I worked closely with young people, especially those who were struggling. We helped them gain skills, qualifications, and confidence so they could move towards employment or education.

Q: Who funded this work?

Alison: The programmes were funded by local authorities and colleges. Sometimes colleges would refer young people to us if they couldn’t support them directly. We also worked closely with social services and the police where there were safeguarding issues.

Q: Can you share a real-life success story from your work?

Alison: Yes. One young man comes to mind—very bright, but completely addicted to gaming. He’d stay up all night and fall asleep during sessions. He told me his parents loved him but didn’t involve him in their lives—they just let him game.

We worked together. I asked him to set goals, write out positives and negatives, and imagine what life could look like if he changed. He committed to sleeping earlier and focusing. We kept him on the programme longer than funded, and he eventually completed it and even got a Saturday job. It was a small step, but a huge one for him.

Q: What are the biggest rewards of working in this field?

Alison: Seeing young people believe in themselves again. Watching them start to live a stable, normal life. Helping them feel valued, supported, and like part of society. That’s what makes it worthwhile.

Q: What are the main challenges?

Alison: Every individual comes with their own challenges—trauma, lack of trust, poor attendance, behavioural issues. Some had never had structure in their lives. Getting them to focus, commit, and show up could be hard. We even sent minibuses to pick people up—no excuses. It takes patience, care, and consistency.

Q: For someone reading this and thinking, “I’d love to do this kind of work”, how should they start?

Alison: You need a genuine passion for helping young people. It all starts with care. Look for any roles in care, education support, community outreach, or justice programmes. Even volunteering is a great first step. I used to support a palliative care unit during my school lunch breaks and weekends. That’s where my journey started.

Q: What are the hard eligibility requirements?

Alison: You’ll need a DBS check (criminal record check) and a driving licence—I had to travel to schools, care homes, probation units. You don’t always need specific qualifications in care, but you do need to prove your commitment, values, and experience. Some of the best people I worked with came from all kinds of backgrounds—they just really wanted to make a difference.

Q: If someone wants to get into a job like yours, what sort of experience or entry-level jobs would help?

Alison: Jobs in care homes, youth work, community centres, or support roles in education are all great stepping stones. Try to get involved in any role where you’re supporting young people. If you’re committed, those opportunities will build up quickly.

About the author

Alison McMahon has spent 17 years supporting young and vulnerable people through training organisations and community programmes.