Youth & Community Engagement Officer

This role will lead the development and delivery of Allergy UK’s youth engagement initiative. We are beginning several exciting new projects focused on engaging young people who live with allergy and providing opportunities for them to have a voice and support them in raising awareness of the issues that affect their life. We are seeking young people’s participation and co‑production in all activities we develop to support their needs.

The role of Youth Engagement Officer will be to engage with young people across the UK, to ensure that they have the opportunities and support to shape and influence Allergy UK’s programmes and activities for young people living with allergy. The Youth & Community Engagement Officer will engage with children and young people across the UK to ensure they are meaningfully involved and supported to influence Allergy UK’s services, campaigns and resources. This includes creating safe, inclusive spaces where young people and parents and carers feel listened to and empowered to share their experiences.

The successful individual will develop youth opportunities that build confidence, skills and life chances, while supporting children and young people living with allergy to overcome the social, emotional and practical barriers they may face. A key part of the role will be working collaboratively with parents and carers to ensure their voice informs decision making and design.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and deliver youth‑led and family‑centred services across three core areas:

• Continue to design and deliver youth‑led services with the existing 18–25 youth group for people living with allergies.
• Recruit, launch and establish a new youth group for 13–17‑year‑olds living with allergies.
• Recruit, launch and establish a support and engagement group for parents and carers of children and young people living with allergies.

Funding and Reporting

The post is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund until September 2028. As a grant‑funded role, the postholder will be responsible for the effective delivery, monitoring and evaluation of agreed grant outcome and KPI’s, ensuring full compliance with funder requirements and reporting deadlines.

Person Specification

This role involves regular contact with children, young people and potentially vulnerable adults. The successful candidate will be required to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, in accordance with organisational safeguarding policies.

Education & Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent and demonstrable/relevant work experience.

Essential Experience

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience working with young people.
• Experience of directly engaging children and young people (ideally across different age groups, e.g. 13–25).
• Experience of developing and delivering engaging youth engagement opportunities, following best practice, and adopting methods of co‑production.
• Experience of planning, delivering and evaluating projects or programmes.
• Coordinating online and in‑person activities (e.g. groups, workshops, forums, events).
• Managing multiple workstreams and meeting deadlines.
• Experience working independently while contributing to a wider team.
• Practical experience of working in a safeguarding‑aware environment.
• Experience of working with or supporting parents and carers, particularly in health, disability or community contexts.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of working with or supporting parents and carers, particularly in health, disability or community contexts.

Essential Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities relating to children and young people and vulnerable adults.
• Experience of recognising, recording and escalating safeguarding concerns in line with local and national guidance.
• Experience of recording accurate information on a CRM system, ideally Salesforce, ensuring timely and GDPR‑compliant data entry.
• Experience of monitoring, evaluation and reporting against grant‑funded KPIs.
• Demonstrable experience of working directly with young people in a youth engagement/participation role.
• Experience in the development and delivery of strategies to successfully engage, interact and promote development with young people.
• Experience of planning and delivering youth sessions and activities.
• Experience of working with a range of stakeholders and representing the views of young people.
• Experience of writing reports and meeting conflicting deadlines.
• Experience of managing people, resources or projects.
• Ability to engage with young people.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to motivate others and work as part of a team.
• To ensure young people feel safe and are safeguarded, by ensuring cross‑partnership and local safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to.
• Understanding of the issues facing young people.
• Understanding and commitment to equal opportunities policies.
• Evidence of challenging discrimination or implementing equal opportunities with young people.
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, especially regarding children’s rights, promoting inclusion.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Microsoft Teams, Salesforce (or similar CRM) and Zoom.
• Able to work flexibly to meet requirements of the role.

Desirable

• Understanding of allergy.
• Understanding of the charity sector and the work of volunteers.

Behavioural Competencies

• Relating & Networking – Working with People
• Adhering to principles and values – Persuading and influencing – Formulating strategies & concepts – Planning & Organising.

Attitudes:

• A positive individual who can guide, inspire and motivate team members.
• Decisive and determined.
• Ability to think on your feet and adapt quickly when needed.
• Ability to manage a large and varied workload, prioritising to meet competing deadlines.
• Empathetic and sensitive.
• A passionate commitment to delivering the charity’s vision, mission and values.
• Commitment to ED&I.