This vacancy has now closed

Research & Participation Worker

  • Part time
  • £23,575 – £26,500 pro-rata
  • : Edinburgh office with delivery across Scotland
  • Closing 6th May 2024


  • Advertised from 12th April 2024
  • £11,788 - £13,250 - 0.5 FTE (We are a 4 day week organisation - FTE is 28). Fixed Term – March 31st 2025 (extension subject to funding).

Role

The Young Women’s Movement is Scotland's national organisation for young women and girls' leadership and rights.

Young women are at the heart of everything we do and we work collectively to equip with them the resources, networks and platforms to lead meaningful change and create a more equal society.

We exist because we believe in a society where young women and girls’ needs and rights are fully met. We will continue to strive until that society is secured.

To help us achieve this, the Research & Participation Worker role has been created to:

  • Extend our reach and amplify the voices of young women and girls through our participatory research
  • Deliver our participatory research workshops and training with and for young women across Scotland
  • Create safe spaces for young women to engage and learn, encouraging supportive and meaningful relationships to develop

Everyone who works at The Young Women’s Movement:

  • Has equality at the heart of everything they do
  • Takes a participatory approach to our work. We are for young women and by young women
  • Builds communities of friendship and support networks, finding joy in our collective actions and connections
  • Understands the impact of challenging inequality on those most affected by it. We lead with kindness and empathy, putting collective wellbeing at the core of our organisation
  • Delivers our work with integrity and are proud of the work we do
  • Are bold and brave. We do not shy away from challenging the status quo and taking radical steps to make gender equality a reality in Scotland

How you'll help to create a fairer Scotland for young women and girls:

  • Deliver our participatory research workshops and training to amplify more young women’s voices, support their participation in the movement and influence change on a national scale
  • Support the Research & Policy Lead with the development of new research opportunities that support young women & girls to have their experiences and voices heard
  • Reach, recruit and register new participants to our research opportunities
  • Work with young women and girls on our research projects and signpost them to opportunities for their continued engagement both within our movement and in communities/wider society
  • Support young women to attend events, meetings and other public facing opportunities to share their insights
  • Assist the Research & Policy Lead with the support and coordination of our peer research volunteers
  • Undertake administrative tasks to support the planning, delivery and evaluation of our research projects
  • Create safe, sustainable spaces with and for young women
  • Commit to an intersectional feminist approach and break down the barriers to young women’s participation, ensuring our spaces, training and research methods are accessible and inclusive to all
  • Comply with the YWM’s procedures and practice including Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Data Protection
  • Work collaboratively across the organisation, and where appropriate support colleagues in other teams to collectively deliver the realisation of our strategic vision
  • Undertake any other duties that may arise

Let’s talk about you - you will already have or be working towards:

Essential

  • Experience and knowledge of delivering research projects
  • Experience of organising and facilitating workshops and/or events, in a voluntary or paid capacity
  • Knowledge and commitment to an intersectional feminist way of working
  • Commitment to delivering high quality and meaningful experiences for young women on our research projects
  • Passionate about enacting change with and for young women and girls through research and policy initiatives
  • Strong time management and organisational skills
  • An engaging and warm facilitation approach to build confidence and opportunities for young women that have the potential to create positive change, locally and nationally
  • Willingness to work flexibly and travel across Scotland when necessary – our delivery is often in the evenings or weekends.
  • Commitment to own continuing professional development.
  • A flexible and adaptable approach

Desirable

  • Understanding and experience of participatory research approaches
  • Experience and knowledge of youth work principles and approaches and/or experience in feminist facilitation
  • Experience of youth participation / delivering programmes that are co-designed with and for young women
  • Ability to evaluate projects meaningfully and effectively for maximum impact
  • Strong communication skills and the ability to write research outputs in an accessible and compelling format for multiple audiences
  • IT skills and experience of using Microsoft Teams, Word, PowerPoint & Excel, and Canva
  • A full, clean driving license and access to a vehicle

Why you should want to work with us!

  • We operate a 4-day working week, which means full-time is 28 hours
  • We offer flexible working options and patterns, including the option to work hybrid from anywhere in Scotland (our co-working space is in Edinburgh and delivery takes place across the country)
  • Our annual leave entitlement is 28 days a year (pro-rata for 0.5FTE - 14 days), including public holidays
  • We provide 1 additional day of annual leave for your birthday (or to take another time that you would like to celebrate)
  • All staff members are enrolled in our Employer Life Assurance Scheme
  • You can access a range of benefits and discounts through our life assurance app
  • We are committed to supporting staff development through training opportunities
  • Wellbeing and mental health support are a priority, all of our staff can access counselling through our EAP provider.
  • We have a number of feminist policies to support our staff.
  • You’ll be joining a team that will embrace your ideas and support and encourage you to bring your whole self to work

Due to the nature of our work with children and young people, successful applicants will be required to undergo a disclosure check through the PVG Scheme.

Don't meet every single requirement?

Studies show that women and Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic people are less likely to apply for a job unless they meet every qualification. So, if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the job description, we'd love you to apply anyway. You might just be the perfect person for this role, or another role within The Young Women’s Movement family.

Reporting to: Research & Policy Lead

Application notes

Please complete The Young Women’s Movement Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form on the Vacancies page of our website.

The Deadline for applications is Monday 6th May at 9am.

Interviews will take place in-person at The Melting Pot in Edinburgh on Thursday 16th May. Due to staff capacity and tight timescales interview dates are fixed and we are unable to accommodate requests for alternative interview dates.

If you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements for the recruitment process or the role, please contact our Research & Policy Lead, Dr Rebecca Mason at rebecca@youngwomenscot.org and we will be happy to discuss.