This vacancy has now closed

Participation Lead

  • Full time
  • £32,541
  • Mix of home-based (laptop and mobile phone will be provided) and some attendance at the Inspiring Young Voices office in Inverness
  • Closing 12th January 2024


  • Advertised from 4th December 2023
  • 28 hours a week (flexible), including evening and occasional weekend work. Contract type: One year initially, with the expectation of renewal on a permanent basis. Annual leave: 37 days (pro rata), including public holidays.
  • Annual leave: 37 days (pro rata), including public holidays. Pension: 8% employer contribution

Role

Inspiring Young Voices is a SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) which exists to inspire and be inspired by the voices of children and young people in Highland facing challenges in their lives. We seek to ensure that these voices are raised, heard and acted upon. We will advocate for changes in policy and practice across Highland which support and promote the meaningful participation of children and young people at every level of decision making.

The role of the Participation Lead is to enable participation through engagement with children and young people, particularly those with additional support needs/ disabilities, to have their voices heard – where and when they wish, empowering them to influence policy and practice.

The Participation Lead is responsible for the development and delivery of our participation work. This includes supporting the members of Inspire Highland, our youth-led collective voice for young people in Highland. Inspire Highland was established in December 2018 in response to the views of young people with disabilities and additional support needs (ASNs) who expressed the need to have their voices heard. Inspire Highland is a creative, dynamic project which aims to promote the rights, participation and inclusion of all young people (up to the age of 25) who are facing challenges in their lives. The Participation Lead will work along with and line-manage our Youth Participation Worker and Trans / Non-Binary Inclusion Worker.

Inspiring Young Voices has played a key role in the development and drafting of the Highland Community Planning Partnership’s new Integrated Children’s Service Plan (ICSP) 2023-2026. This plan “recognises the necessity for greater active participation of children, young people and families in all aspects of planning and service delivery”. There is now an exciting opportunity for a new Participation Lead to support the implementation of the ICSP through their work with Inspiring Young Voices.

Our approach to our participation work is rights-based and grounded in trauma informed practices and principles to ensure that our charity responds in ways that prevents further harm, supports recovery, addresses inequalities and improves life chances of vulnerable young people in Highland. Our work is grounded in the principles and approaches of youth work and community development, and we adhere to the Community Learning and Development (CLD) Standards Council Code of Ethics.

The Participation Lead also promotes children’s rights, inclusion and participation across services, offering training, advice and or support.

We are a small charity and teamwork is essential to our effective functioning and success. It will sometimes be necessary and desirable for team members to share responsibility for a range of tasks such as communications, fundraising, monitoring, administration and reporting for which a larger organisation would have dedicated posts.

Application notes

For a confidential discussion, please contact Chief Officer Gaener Rodger at chiefofficer@inspiringyoungvoices.org

If you think you are the right person for the job, please submit a Letter of Application along with a brief (no more than two pages) CV to Gaener Rodger Chief Officer at chiefofficer@inspiringyoungvoices.org

Please include the names of two referees who know you in a professional capacity, including your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be contacted if we make you a conditional offer of employment.

Closing date is 5 pm on Friday 12th January 2024.

All applications will be acknowledged, and candidates will be kept informed on the progress of their application.

Interviews will be conducted in week beginning Monday 22nd January 2024 in person at the Inspiring Young Voices office in Inverness.


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