The starting salary for this position is £29,291 per annum, for working 36 hours per week.
The team is currently based in Woking and Epsom, therefore applicants need to be able to commute to both locations.
The User Voice and Participation (UVP) Team work to empower young people to be involved in decision making about their lives and services that affect them. We are part of Surrey County Council and are working in collaboration with frontline teams to improve outcomes for children, young people and those in their network. The UVP Team appropriately challenge and are professionally curious. We not only listen to but work with children and young people to effect change.
The UVP Team run participation groups for children and young people that build confidence and skills, whilst having fun and encouraging peer support. The aim of the team is to gain the trust of young people who use core Surrey services so that they feel able to share with us their experiences; what is and isn’t working well. Our role is to ensure leadership teams and partners make changes to improve children and young people’s experiences, and we record, track and chase up feedback to put the power back into the hands of children and young people.
This Participation Officer role sits within the area of the team that focuses user perspective training; co-designing training programmes with children and young people and delivering these training programmes to professionals both virtually and face to face. We are looking for someone who is able to create, design and train professionals on what it feels like to be a young person accessing services ensuring children and young people’s views and opinions are shared resulting in positive service change and delivery.
As a Participation Officer, you will be responsible for supporting and supervising junior members of the team, organising and managing training programmes, as well as being responsible for a training participation group.
Participation Officers are required to follow up with professionals regarding service changes and creating reports to be shared with senior management. You will need to be able to work under pressure and to key deliverables. The role also involves creating communications that are impactful and reach a variety of learning styles and you should therefore be comfortable working in this area.
To be shortlisted to interview for this position your application will clearly evidence
- Experience of supervising, coaching or mentoring people and able to evidence how the support enabled others to reach their full potential
- Experience of effectively managing multiple areas of work, such as co-designing training programmes, delivering training, engagement with children and young people, strong participation knowledge and writing reports
- People and influencing skills able to work with a wide range of people, actively listen and truly hearing others’ views
- Team work we are all in this together and collaborate internally and externally to achieve our ultimate goals
- Good Excel skills, ability to analyse data and see feedback themes
- Good IT skills, ability to create and share interactive training programmes
- Resilience when hearing others’ stories, which can be upsetting. Ability to empathise and be compassionate whilst identifying a support pathway
- Good communication skills
- Extremely confident at presenting and sharing views of others.
This is a role that will give you fulfilment and the opportunity to truly make a difference. You will become part of a team that supports each other’s mental health, learning needs, and personal growth.
At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow.
Additional Information
The job advert closes at 23 59 on 03/11/2022.An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role.
Contact Details
For an informal discussion please contact Jamie-Leigh Clark at jamie-leigh.clark@surreycc.gov.uk or Olivia Davenport at olivia.davenport@surreycc.gov.uk.We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.
Benefits
From flexible working to job sharing (where possible) we are committed to providing a healthy work life balance. A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role. You will benefit from 26 days annual leave, rising to 28 days after 2 years’ service, a generous local government salary related pension, as well as the option to join our car lease scheme. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit
Click here to apply.
