Youth Participation Lead – Young Hackney

A permanent opportunity (36 hours per week) has arisen in Young Hackney for a Youth Participation Lead role.  

We welcome applications from candidates with experience of working with children and young people who are highly self-motivated, organised, able to model best practice and drive improvements across the service through youth participation.

The post holder will be responsible for driving high-quality youth work programmes that amplify youth voice and participation across the Council and with stakeholders. Foster collaboration with partners- Social Care, Health, Education, Youth Justice, Corporate teams etc, to ensure young people’s perspectives are central to service development and strategic direction and for leading the engagement of young people in decision-making and commissioning.

The key accountabilities of this role involve driving youth participation and development through strategic initiatives such as developing and implementing the Youth Participation Strategy and Hackney Youth Parliament. This includes embedding youth voice in all aspects of youth work through training and programmes, and expanding engagement opportunities for diverse communities in Hackney. The role also entails facilitating youth involvement in projects promoting social justice and critical thinking, while providing support and safeguarding for young people, particularly those with complex needs. Collaboration with the Young Hackney Leadership Team, staff teams across the integrated service and external agencies is crucial to the design and delivery of programs, ensuring access to services, and creation of inclusive environments. Additionally, the role requires staying informed about research and evidence-based practices, building partnerships, and upholding young people’s rights to ensure meaningful involvement and positive outcomes within the community.

The post holder will be expected to model leadership and management practice based on the STAR approach (systemic, trauma-informed, anti-racist and restorative), support staff in achieving practice standards and with HR matters including recruitment, supervision and appraisals.

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation. 

If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s.

To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.

As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description. 

We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

This application process replaces a supporting statement.

Prior to applying for a vacancy for a secondment opportunity, please liaise with your line manager and inform them of your interest in applying for the role.

Closing date for applications: 08 June 2026 (22:59)

Interview date: Wc 22 June 2026

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk