Neighbourhood warden
Neighbourhood wardens work in local communities to reduce anti-social behaviour.
Also known as: Street warden, community warden, safety warden
- Starter salary£21,000 a year
- Experienced£32,000 a year
- Typical hours40 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a neighbourhood warden, you could:
- respond to anti-social behaviour incidents and report crimes
- issue fixed penalty notices for littering, graffiti and dog fouling
- support older and vulnerable people in the area
- attend residents' meetings and take part in community activities
- make sure empty properties are safe and secure, and report environmental problems
- share information with agencies like the police, community groups, social landlords and tenants' associations
Working environment
You could work in the community.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of public safety and security
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- customer service skills
- active listening skills
- to be flexible and open to change
- physical fitness and endurance
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a neighbourhood warden
You can get into this job through:
- an apprenticeship
- volunteering
- working towards this role
- applying directly
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a place on a Community Safety Adviser Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, or an Anti-Social Behaviour and Community Safety Officer Higher Apprenticeship.
These can take between 1 and 2 years to complete, and are a mix of learning on the job and study with a training provider.
Entry requirements
To get onto an apprenticeship, you'll find it useful to have:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Work
You might be able to join an organisation and work your way into this role through training or promotion. Typical employers include housing associations, local authorities and security companies.
Volunteering
You could search Do-it for volunteering opportunities where you could develop the skills needed to apply for a job as a neighbourhood warden.
Opportunities may be offered by your local council or other organisations working with people with issues like homelessness, substance misuse, or anti-social behaviour.
Direct application
You could apply directly for jobs as a neighbourhood warden. Employers will expect you to have a good general standard of education, and some may look for GCSEs in English and maths. Experience of working with the public will be very useful.
Employers will often focus on your personal qualities and people skills. It may be an advantage to have a clear understanding of the issues faced by the community you'll be working in.
You'll usually have induction training, lasting around 12 weeks, while you get to know your area and the issues you might face.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks
You may need to be aged 21 or over and have a driving licence for some jobs. This is so that you can be insured to use a company vehicle.
Career path and progression
With experience and training, you could become a senior warden or warden co-ordinator.
You could also apply for positions, such as:
- housing officer
- civil enforcement officer
- accommodation warden
- community development worker
You may be able to join the police service.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleCivil enforcement officer
- Job rolePolice community support officer
- Job roleAccommodation warden
- Job roleSecurity officer
- Job roleHousing officer
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0