Youth Participation Worker

A 24-month fixed-term post in the Paediatric Psychology Service at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, supported by paediatric staff and charitably funded. The post-holder coordinates spaces for young people to meet and co-produces peer support and early intervention events, and leads on setting up a young people's advisory group. The work centres on children and young people living with long-term conditions, and includes hours outside usual office times and travel between hospital sites.

Trainees in the psychological professions and applicants from other backgrounds are considered.

• Lead on establishing a young people's advisory group of local young people living with long-term conditions
• Develop and trial pilot projects with the advisory group to support young people's wellbeing
• Coordinate spaces for young people to meet and co-produce events on peer support and early intervention
• Ensure young people's involvement in co-produced events is meaningful and appropriate
• Increase participation of children, young people, parents and carers in shaping the services available to them
• Carry out wider scoping with young hospital patients on the support, activities and resources they would use
• Develop events or projects based on young people's feedback
• Map existing local resources and engage community partners and internal stakeholders
• Deliver planned events and collect outcome data to evidence their impact

• GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths
• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Child Development or Youth Services
• Evidence of continuing professional development

• Advocacy, consultation or a similar field such as youth work
• Designing, leading and evaluating programmes of work for children and young people
• Working with children and young people affected by health difficulties or disabilities
• Co-production with young people and liaison with wider stakeholders and organisational networks
• Working with diverse communities and in different cultural and social contexts

• Understanding of safeguarding and child protection policy and its application
• Understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with long-term conditions or disabilities
• Strong interpersonal and verbal and written communication, adapted to the audience and their developmental stage
• Creative engagement of children, young people and families with developmental and health needs
• Presenting service users' views to stakeholders, including at strategic level

• Planning, organising and prioritising own workload while working independently
• Flexible approach and working hours outside usual office hours in varied contexts
  
  Managing boundaries and distressing or emotional circumstances

• Degree level education
• Experience of working with children, young people and families affected by acute or long-term physical health difficulties
• Experience of working with people with mental health difficulties and/or SEND
• Conducting audit and/or evaluation projects
• Understanding of current NHS and social care policy and practice for children's healthcare
• Previous development or consultation role
• Working knowledge of statutory, voluntary and health agencies serving children and families
• Ability to drive, or to travel between locations as required

• Access to a programme of high quality training and development
• Trust committed to the health and wellbeing of its staff