Participation Officer

Our Benefits

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes

Take a look at our Employment Benefits Brochure attached to this advert to find out more.

About the role

This role offers an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and motivated individual to join our Participation Team. As a key player in our organisation, you will be responsible for working with the children and young people we serve to ensure that they have opportunities to have their voice heard and responded to. You will co-develop and co-deliver projects that are important to them.

You will also work with the wider Children, Education and Families directorate to support them in ensuring that participation is embedded in practice and is utilised to develop and improve services.

The team office base is Scott House in Huntingdon, however the role is a mix of working in the community, as well as from a variety of bases throughout Cambridgeshire and home working. The role will involve some evening work and occasional weekends, with flexible working arrangements ensuring you have a positive work / life balance.

For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact Helen Love on 07484 915977 or at helen.love@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Closing date 22nd September. Interviews will be held in person on 7th October at Scott House and will include a Young People's panel.

Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

What will you be doing?

You will work with children and young people receiving a service from across Children, Education and Families Directorate. This includes Targeted Support, Youth Support Services, Children with Disabilities, Family Support and Safeguarding, Children In Care and Leaving Care.

You will develop and deliver a range of opportunities for and with our children and young people, to tell us what is important to them and what they would like to change. You will ensure these messages are heard by our services and politicians, and feedback to children and young people what action is being taken as a result.

You will identify, recruit and train children and young people to become our Young Inspectors, Young Trainers and Young Recruiters (some of whom will interview you, if you are shortlisted) and co-deliver pieces of work with them.

You will take a role in the various elements of our Children In Care Council offer, including our Young People’s Corporate Parenting Meeting, ensuring our Children and Young People have direct access to influence decision makers.

You will create and run a range of engagement activities.

About you

This role will suit an energetic and positive person who is experienced in working with children and young people, and passionate about children’s rights.

You will need to have the skills to engage and influence a range of stakeholders to advocate with and for our children and young people, to ensure they and their voices are at the heart of everything we do.

You will love working directly with children and young people and have excellent skills in establishing and maintaining positive working relationships with them.

You will have a Key Skill Level 4, Higher National Certificate / National Vocational Qualification Level 4 or equivalent sector knowledge and experience in Youth or Social Work

For a full list of the requirements of the role, please check out the Job Description and Person Specification.