Youth Participation Worker | East Scotland

Responsible to: Children and Young People’s Participation Manager

Salary: £24,440.00 pro rata.

Hours: 21 hours per week

Term: Until 31st March 2026

Location: Home-based covering Fife and Edinburgh areas.

About Forces Children Scotland

Forces Children Scotland supports children & young people from serving, reservist and veteran families across Scotland to realise their potential and thrive. We work with children and young people to co-produce services and projects to overcome their unique challenges to mental health and wellbeing, education and learning and important transitions.

Our approach to working with children and young people

Forces Children Scotland is committed to taking a children’s rights-based approach to all aspects of our work from planning to service delivery. This means we strive to ensure our work is grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Engaging in co-production with children and young people can help ensure their right to participate in matters affecting them is meaningfully upheld and implemented.

Purpose of Job

Children and Young People from armed forces families face unique experiences and their voices are often unheard. In this role, you will provide an opportunity for them to share their experiences and inform policy and practices in our work and influence those in the MoD, Local Authorities, and the Scottish Government. You will work directly with children and young people to facilitate a broad range of participatory and engagement opportunities.

Responsibilities and Duties

1. To establish and maintain a network of forums groups for children and young people from armed forces families in living in Fife and Edinburgh areas
2. Promote and develop the active involvement of children and young people in our work, including seldom heard children and young people, in particular, children in Early Years settings and children and young people with additional support needs.
3. To create a programme of engagement and participation activities allowing children and young people the opportunity to share their experiences and create positive change in their communities.
4. Work in partnership with colleagues in the Army, Naval and RAF welfare services, schools, colleges and other third-sector organisations in order to recruit children and young people to the project.
5. To raise awareness of the experiences and voices of children and young people from armed forces families across a wide range of audiences.
6. Establish relationships with partner organisations, stakeholders and key influencers across relevant sectors.
7. Represent Forces Children Scotland externally, to the press and at events or forums as required.
8. To monitor and evaluate project activities against agreed outcomes.
9. To liaise closely with other Forces Children Scotland staff in supporting the aims and objectives of the organisation.
10. Carry out any other duties commensurate with the post as identified by your line manager.

Person Specification

Skills and Experience

QUALIFICATIONS

A relevant qualification, to a minimum standard of HNC/SVQ 3 (SCQF level 7) in a discipline related to working with children and young people, or equivalent work experience. Ideally you will have experience working with children in Early Years settings.

EXPERIENCE (ESSENTIAL)

Minimum 2 years experience of working in one of the following areas:

• Youth Work.
• Community Work.
• Education.
• Experience of working with vulnerable children and young people.
• Experience of coproducing projects with children and young people.
• Experience of organising and planning of activities for children and young people.
• Experience of working in a collaborative, inter-agency, inter-disciplinary way

EXPERIENCE (DESIRABLE)

• Understanding of the issues affecting Armed Forces Children and Young People and their families
• Experience of working in Early Years settings and with children and young people with additional support needs.

KNOWLEDGE (ESSENTIAL)

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of child protection and GIRFEC.
• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the issues around children and young people’s participation.
• Knowledge and understanding of group dynamics.
• Knowledge and understanding of, and commitment to, equality of opportunity and inclusion.
• An up-to-date knowledge of issues which affect young people.

SKILLS

• Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with children and young people, parents, carers, colleagues and other professionals.
• Have a working knowledge of child protection guidelines.
• Work in partnership with a wide range of agencies.
• Communicate to a range of audiences in an engaging way.
• Positively advocate on behalf of Armed Forces Children and Young to a wide range of individuals and agencies.
• Initiate, engage in, and promote meaningful creative participation opportunities for Armed Forces children and young people.
• Manage own time and workload to effectively prioritise and meet deadlines.
• Ability to evidence work and contribute to funding reports.
• Ability to work both collaboratively as part of a team and on own initiative.
• Good verbal and written skills and the ability to communicate clearly and sensitively.
• Self-motivated, team working and ability to use initiative.
• Use information and digital technology including communications and office applications.

Commitment to and understanding of:

• Children’s rights
• Co-production
• Working in partnership with young people, empowering them to make decisions about their own lives.

Additional information

A full driving licence and access to a car is required.

The post covers key localities in Fife and Edinburgh areas, where you will be expected to deliver sessions face-to-face on a weekly basis and therefore the post holder will undertake a significant amount of travel. This is a home-based post and travel will be paid from a home location within the Fife and Edinburgh area. On occasions, you may be required to work outside of this area.

The post holder will need to be prepared to work flexibly, including evening, weekend and occasional overnight stays.

Pension Scheme

Forces Children Scotland offers a Pension Plan, with Smart Pension. The Plan is a money purchase arrangement. You can choose at what rate you wish to contribute (subject to statutory minimums) with Forces Children Scotland contributing up to 4% of gross salary.

Employee benefits

Access to ‘Health Assured’ Employee Assistance Platform.

Annual Leave

Forces Children Scotland’s leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March. Employees are entitled to 36 days of annual leave (including public holidays). These allowances are pro-rated for part-time employees.

TOIL

TOIL is provided for work undertaken over normal contracted hours.

Selection Process

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Thursday 13 March 2025.

For an informal discussion, please contact Nina Collins, Children and Young People’s Participation Manager – nina.collins@forceschildrenscotland.org.uk

Please complete our Application Form and Regulated Work Declaration as part of the selection process.

Application Form Regulated Work Declaration

We kindly request that you also send in a child-friendly version of your application setting out your values, skills, and experiences that make you a suitable candidate for these roles.

The format could be written, a graphic, a short film, or a picture, and should be suitable for review by a 14-17 year old.

Interviews are anticipated to be held on Friday 21 March 2025.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact admin@forceschildrenscotland.org.uk.