Great place to work - Manager Learning Partnership West Employee Review

LPW is an organisation that genuinely puts children and young people at the centre of everything. The work feels meaningful and you can see the difference it makes in communities. Strong culture of teamwork; colleagues are passionate, skilled, and always willing to help. Great opportunities to grow – whether through training, mentoring, or taking on new responsibilities, you’re encouraged to develop. Flexible and understanding workplace that recognises the importance of work-life balance. A values-led organisation where inclusion, safeguarding, and trauma-informed practice are not just words, but lived every day.

Like many charities, resources can sometimes be stretched – but the passion and commitment of the team more than make up for it.

You get to develop strong relationships with family and young people in the community.

My time at LPW was not an enjoyable experience. Leadership often felt cliquey, and if you weren’t part of certain groups, it was easy to feel excluded. On several occasions during outings with young people, I witnessed senior staff make inappropriate or unkind remarks about the children in their presence, which I found deeply unprofessional. The most challenging aspect of my time at LPW was the lack of support from management. My manager was often unavailable or unresponsive when support was needed, which left me feeling undervalued and isolated in my role. While there were positives—particularly the meaningful relationships built with students and families—I felt the organisation lacked clear goals or measurable outcomes to guide our work. Additionally, the pay was disproportionately low considering the hours and emotional labour required of engagement workers.