Our vision
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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.
This is a key position within YoungMinds’ External Affairs and Research team.
The Policy & Public Affairs Officer role is a key part of developing our policy positions, building relationships with key decision-makers, maintaining links with other sector organisations, and ensuring young people’s voices are heard by decision-makers.
You will also work closely with media and campaign colleagues to ensure that our messaging on policy issues is clear, accurate, and effective, as well as ensuring that colleagues, including the senior leadership team, are kept up-to-date on key policy issues and trends
Key information
- Application closing date
- 17 May 2026
- Interview date
- 03 Jun 2026
- Working environment
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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
A core part of YoungMinds’ work is to ensure that young people have the power to influence government policy.
Your role will involve supporting YoungMinds’ public affairs work by promoting the charity’s policy priorities to parliamentarians, officials and other decision-makers.
This will involve writing briefings and developing relationships through meetings and ongoing engagement. You will also work with the youth engagement team to facilitate young people’s involvement in parliamentary meetings and other forums.
Your role will also involve developing policy positions in response to the issues affecting young people’s mental health, based on external evidence as well as YoungMinds’ own research and consultation with young people.
You will provide briefings to internal colleagues, including the senior leadership team, to ensure they are kept up-to-date on key policy issues and trends.
You will also work closely with media and campaign colleagues, to ensure that our messaging on policy issues is clear, accurate, and effective.
Further information on the post can be found in the job pack below.
About you
Key duties and responsibilities:
- Proactively horizon scanning to identify opportunities to promote YoungMinds policies and campaigns in Parliament and opportunities to bring young people’s voices to parliament directly.
- Contribute to the team’s ability to monitor parliamentary engagement and reach by recording and maintaining YoungMinds’ engagements with parliamentarians and officials.
- Coordinate correspondence, briefings and meetings between YoungMinds and parliamentarians and their staff to inform parliamentary questions and debates. Work with the youth engagement team to design and implement safe and effective ways to bring young people’s voices directly to Parliament through meetings, events and other mechanisms.
- Provide administrative and logistical support for parliamentary events and political party conference activities.
- Represent YoungMinds in meetings with parliamentarians and officials, and at relevant parliamentary and sector events.
- Research and develop policy recommendations on issues that are impacting young people and their mental health, to inform YoungMinds’ policy, influencing, media and campaigns work.
- Carry out research and supporting research projects, to develop YoungMinds’ policy and influencing strategy.
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.
Apply now
To apply for this role, please download the Policy & Public Affairs Officer Job Pack and follow the guidance on the application form. Applications should be sent to recruitment@youngminds.org.uk by the deadline listed below, with the job title included as the subject.
We welcome applications from Black and Minoritised, LGBTQ+ groups and those with disabilities, as they are currently under-represented.
Deadline for applications is 23:59, Sunday 17 May 2026.
Interviews will be held on week commencing on 3 June 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
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