Our vision
-
A world where no young person feels alone with their mental health.
We want to see a world where every young person who is struggling feels able to reach out, and has people and services around them who can really help.
YoungMinds and its coalition partners are delivering a Welcome Trust-funded program designed to support young people aged 18–25 to take part in a meaningful, skills-based journey into mental health advocacy and influencing.
Part of the Head On campaign, the program responds to the urgent need to build stronger public and political pressure for improved mental health provision, by supporting young people most affected by current narratives to engage confidently with decision-makers and wider audiences.
The program will bring young people together to co‑produce and shape a youth advocacy pathway, followed by a structured training offer and opportunities to apply their learning in practice.
Participants will explore and use a range of public engagement approaches—including media, creative campaigning and direct engagement with MPs—to design and deliver advocacy activity at constituency and national level. Through a blend of co‑production sessions, training workshops and real-world activity, young people will develop the skills, confidence and connections needed to influence change.
The Senior Youth Participation Officer will play a key role in coordinating delivery across all phases of the program, ensuring activity is well-organised, inclusive and rooted in strong youth participation practice. Acting as the primary point of contact for young people, you will support their engagement, wellbeing and experience, while ensuring their voices shape program development. Working closely with internal teams and partners, you will support the transition from co‑production into delivery and real-world advocacy, helping to create a safe, empowering environment and embedding anti‑oppressive approaches throughout.
Key information
- Application closing date
- 08 Nov 2026
- Interview date
- 23 Nov 2026
- Working environment
-
We are currently working with a hybrid working model, where there is the option of working from home combined with 4-12 days a month of working in the office.
About this role
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead the coordination of co‑production activity, including planning and organising sessions, managing logistics (venues, travel, access needs), and ensuring clear and timely participant communications.
- Act as the central point of contact for all young people involved in co‑production, providing consistent support, check-ins and ensuring their experiences and feedback are heard and responded to.
- Work closely with the Safeguarding team to ensure that all activity is delivered safely, with appropriate processes, consents and risk assessments in place.
- Coordinate and bring together internal stakeholders and external partners, ensuring contributions are aligned, deadlines are met, and sessions are effectively planned and delivered.
- Capture learning from co‑production activity and support the development of programme updates and reporting for internal stakeholders and funders.
- Gather, synthesise and apply feedback from young people, partners and colleagues to support continuous improvement and refinement of the programme.
- Act as the activity delivery lead across the programme, ensuring plans are implemented effectively and delivery remains on track.
- Maintain clear and accurate project documentation, including plans, trackers, feedback and participant engagement records.
- Embed youth participation and AJEDI best practice, ensuring that young people’s voices, lived experience and ideas are central to programme delivery.
- Apply YoungMinds safeguarding policies and processes to support safe working practices across all activity.
- Work collaboratively within a matrix management structure, building strong relationships across teams and contributing to joined-up delivery.
About you
Candidates will be shortlisted on the basis of meeting the following criteria to a satisfactory level:
- Relevant experience of youth participation, co‑production, or engagement with young people with lived experience of ill mental health
- Experience of coordinating projects or programmes, including planning, logistics, and delivery to deadlines
- Experience of acting as a main point of contact for participants, supporting engagement and responding to accessibility, wellbeing and or safeguarding needs
- Experience of facilitating sessions, workshops or group activities and using feedback to improve session delivery
- Experience of working effectively with a range of internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
- Understanding of youth participation and co‑production principles
- Understanding of what anti-oppressive practice is and what role you play in supporting marginalised, minoritised and racialized people in the work you do, including challenging the systems that impact them the hardest
- Knowledge of common safeguarding practices relevant to direct work with young people
We welcome applications from Black and Minoritised, LGBTQ+ groups and those with disabilities, as they are currently under-represented.
YoungMinds is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We ask all staff to undertake safeguarding training when they join us.
For more information about the role, download our job pack.
Apply now
One of our values is: “We celebrate what makes you you – whoever you are, we welcome you and encourage you to be true to yourself”.
If you are excited about helping us to achieve our mission, passionate about working at an organisation that puts the lived experience of young people at the heart of everything we do and want to be part of our drive to become a truly anti-racist organisation we want to hear from you.
To apply for this role, please fill in the application form - downloadable below. Applications should be sent to recruitment@youngminds.org.uk by the deadline listed, with the job title included as the subject.
Deadline for applications is 23:59, Sunday 8 November 2026.
Interviews will be held in week commencing 23 November 2026.
About YoungMinds
You’ll be part of a passionate, hardworking team that cares about the work they do and you’ll be part of making a real difference to the lives of children and young people. In addition to becoming part of the YoungMinds team, you’ll get:
- 25 days paid holiday entitlement (plus Bank Holidays)
- three days additional leave over Christmas and New Year
- auto-enrolment onto pension scheme where YoungMinds will match your contribution up to five per cent
- statutory benefits such as parental leave and sick pay
- a wide range of other health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits
- a dedication to continued professional development, training and shared best practice
More about who we are
More jobs
Board Finance Expert
A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a Board Finance Expert to join the YoungMinds team and advise the Board. This is a volunteer position.
Head On - Project Lead
A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a Project Lead to join the Head On campaign, hosted by partner charity YoungMinds. This is a 0.5 FTE, 12-month fixed-term role. The salary for the role is £21,856.50 - £24,285 (£43,713 - £48, 570 FTE ).