Working at Southdown

At Southdown, how we work matters as much as what we do. We believe people do their best work when they feel safe, valued, and supported to be themselves.

A place where work has meaning

Our culture is shaped by our values which centre compassion, collaboration, and a belief in people’s strengths and potential. These principles guide how we support the people who use our services, and how we work with each other every day.

Some colleagues join with sector experience. Others bring transferable skills and grow into new areas. Many move between services and levels as their careers develop. What unites everyone is a shared commitment to people-centred, compassionate support.

Whether you want to work directly with people, bring specialist skills, or take the next step in your career, Southdown offers a place where your work can have meaning and impact.

Our values

What we stand for

Our values guide how we work and how we represent Southdown. They shape our culture and define success beyond numbers.

Force for good

We are passionate about making a positive difference in people's lives, championing their strengths and potential.

Brilliant with people

Compassionate, inclusive, and welcoming - ensuring belonging and individuality are at the heart of everything we do.

United

Achieving success through working together with local authorities, the NHS, and voluntary sector partners, so everyone feels safe and connected.

Trustworthy

Acting with integrity and transparency in all operations, nurturing a sense of safety for staff and clients alike.

Responsive

Listening, learning, and adapting to changing need - recognising each person's experiences and choice in shaping support.

How we work

A supportive way of working

We recognise the emotional demands of the work we do and aim to create environments where colleagues feel supported, not pressured.

This means encouraging open, respectful conversations. It means valuing curiosity over perfection, and supporting reflection and professional growth. We focus on strengths, hope, and positive change. And we believe strong relationships are at the heart of effective work.

Our shared framework for this is the Southdown Beacon – a values-led approach that combines lived experience, clinical insight, and staff voice into a shared culture. It helps us deliver support that is trauma-aware, person-centred, and rooted in dignity, safety, and hope.

Learn more about how we work →

A framework built around people

The Beacon is our values-led framework that combines lived experience, clinical insight, and staff voice into a shared culture.

Developed over 18 months with staff and clients, and reviewed by clinical psychologists, it guides how we listen, respond, and work alongside people with compassion, clarity, and consistency.

It centres on three areas – Environments, Relationships, and Individual – each with guiding principles that help our staff work in ways that are trauma-informed, strengths-based, and person-led.

95%

of people told us that the support they receive has made a positive difference to their lives - reflecting our teams' dedication and compassion.

Support from Southdown has allowed me to breathe. The support looks at what my needs are and who I am as a person. I don't feel like a number.
Southdown tenant

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

A workplace where everyone belongs

We’re committed to creating a workplace where difference is welcomed, barriers are challenged, and everyone feels they belong – not required to “fit in.”

Our approach goes beyond meeting legal requirements. We want to be an organisation where all employees genuinely feel a sense of belonging – where voice is encouraged, diversity of thought and experience is welcomed, and people can be themselves.

Our “This is Us” framework guides how we deliver on this. It’s a living document shaped by our people and partners, setting out our priorities and commitments.

Our EDI Leadership Group brings together colleagues from across Southdown who are passionate about championing equality, diversity and inclusion. The group works directly with staff to understand and shape their experiences – raising awareness, coordinating action, and ensuring EDI priorities stay visible at every level of the organisation.

In practice, this means fair treatment and opportunity for all colleagues, inclusive recruitment (with specific training for hiring managers), support for reasonable adjustments, and listening to lived experience.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a commitment that shapes how we recruit, support, and develop disabled colleagues.

Read our Gender Pay Gap ReportOur "This is Us" framework

Southdown Voice

Your voice shapes Southdown

Listening to our people is at the heart of how we work. From service design to internal improvement, the best outcomes come from working together.

We want everyone at Southdown to feel trusted and supported in their role, to have a voice that leads to real change, to work in teams where care and collaboration matter, and to have opportunities to learn, grow, and progress.

Community Voice

Every part of the organisation has elected colleagues who represent their team at regular meetings with senior leaders. Your rep will ask what you’d like to raise and share what was discussed.

The Assembly

A representative group across Southdown that communicates directly with our Executive team and Board on issues that matter.

Employee Networks

Connect with colleagues who share your interests or lived experience. Networks include: menopause, parents and carers, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, and work and wellbeing.

PeerSpective

A peer-led network for all Peer Workers across Southdown. Monthly meetings balance peer support with shared learning, including contributing to a Peer Handbook shaped collaboratively by peers.

Recognised as a leading employer

We’re proud to be recognised for the way we support our people.

Ready to join us?

Whether you want to work directly with people, bring specialist skills, or take the next step in your career, Southdown offers a place where your work can have meaning and impact.