At a Glance
- Tasks: Engage with children and young people to amplify their voices and influence local services.
- Company: Join a dynamic team at West Northamptonshire Council dedicated to community impact.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team committed to empowering young voices.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in your community while building meaningful relationships.
- Qualifications: Passion for connecting with youth and experience in community engagement.
The predicted salary is between 39190 - 41797 £ per year.
This is a role for someone who loves being out in communities, building relationships and making a difference alongside children, young people and families. As Participation Lead & Coordinator, you'll work across West Northamptonshire helping children and young people share their experiences, influence decisions and shape the services that support them.
You'll spend time connecting with youth groups, participation forums, schools, Family Hubs and community organisations, building trusted relationships and creating meaningful opportunities for young people to share their views and experiences. You'll help strengthen and connect existing participation networks, while also identifying gaps and developing new opportunities to ensure a wider range of children and young people can get involved.
From supporting young people to contribute to boards and strategic discussions, to helping services understand what local children and families are telling us, you'll play a key role in connecting lived experience with real change. This is a unique opportunity to work at both a community and strategic level. You'll be alongside children and young people, listening to their experiences and understanding what matters most to them, whilst also bringing those insights together to help shape future plans, influence service improvements and support better outcomes across the wider children's partnership.
Most importantly, you'll help ensure that children and young people don't just have a voice, but that they can see the difference their voice has made.
What will you be doing?
- You'll spend much of your time working directly with children and young people, building trusted relationships and creating opportunities for them to have their voices heard.
- You'll join a passionate and supportive team within Family Hubs, working closely with SEND colleagues and partners across education, health, social care and the voluntary sector.
- Together, we're committed to ensuring children and young people are not only listened to, but are actively involved in shaping the services and support available to them.
In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Work directly with children, young people and families across West Northamptonshire.
- Build meaningful relationships and help young people develop confidence in sharing their views.
- Influence real change across a range of services and organisations.
- Work creatively and collaboratively with colleagues and partners who are passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people.
- Be part of an evolving area of work where your ideas, energy and experience can make a lasting difference.
Whether you're facilitating a participation session, supporting a young person to contribute to a board meeting, visiting a community group or connecting with local partners, no two days will be the same. You'll help bring together insight from across participation groups, community networks and engagement activities across West Northamptonshire, while identifying gaps and creating new opportunities to hear from children and young people. The experiences and ideas you gather will help shape future plans, influence improvements and inform decisions across Children's Services and our wider partnership.
About You
You might already be working with children and young people, supporting families, running community projects or helping people have a say in decisions that affect them. What matters most is that you're someone who enjoys connecting with people. You're comfortable striking up conversations, building relationships and understanding different perspectives. You know that often the best insights come from taking the time to listen.
You'll be equally comfortable spending time with young people in a community setting as you are working with colleagues and partners to think about what happens next. You'll enjoy the variety that comes with that and be able to bring together different views, experiences and ideas to help shape improvements. This role would suit someone who is naturally curious, enjoys working with others and likes seeing things through. Someone who gets satisfaction from helping people feel listened to and from knowing they've played a part in making something better.
If you're looking for a role where you can spend time out in communities, build genuine relationships and help turn what you hear into action, we'd love to hear from you.
Why Join Us?
This is an exciting opportunity to join a team that is investing in participation and committed to ensuring children's voices are at the heart of decision making. You’ll become part of a supportive and collaborative Family Hubs team, with the opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues across SEND, education, health, social care and the wider voluntary and community sector.
The role offers excellent exposure to a wide range of services and partnerships, giving you the chance to develop both your community engagement skills and your understanding of how services are shaped and improved. As participation continues to grow across West Northamptonshire, you'll have the opportunity to help shape and influence the future of this work.
Whether you’re looking to deepen your expertise in participation and co‑production, broaden your experience across Children's Services, or build your career within a forward‑thinking organisation, this role offers plenty of scope for professional growth and development.
Alongside a rewarding career, we offer:
- Flexible and family-friendly working arrangements
- Generous annual leave
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Learning and development opportunities
- Health and wellbeing support
- Employee benefits and discounts
About Us
At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like‑minded people. Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality.
Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential. We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner.
If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.
Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so we recommend applying as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Participation Lead & Coordinator in Northampton employer: The Guildhall Northampton
West Northamptonshire Council is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values collaboration and professional growth. As a Licensing Enforcement Officer, you will benefit from competitive salary packages, ongoing training opportunities, and the chance to make a meaningful impact in your community through effective regulation and enforcement of licensing laws.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Participation Lead & Coordinator in Northampton
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at The Guildhall Northampton.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
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✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
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✨Leverage Your Network
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We think you need these skills to ace Participation Lead & Coordinator in Northampton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to The Guildhall Northampton:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to The Guildhall Northampton! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Guildhall Northampton
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
