Youth Engagement Coordinator - Chatham

Youth Engagement Coordinator

We are looking for a Youth Engagement Coordinator to lead the Youth Engagement Panel within Making It Matter.

Help young people’s voices shape real change

Position: Youth Engagement Coordinator (Making It Matter Project)

Location: Chatham/Hybrid (with regular travel in Kent and London for engagement sessions with young people)

Hours: Part-time, 26 hours per week

Salary: £34,000 pro rata (actual £23,573)

Contract: Fixed term until 30 April 2031

Closing Date: 17:00 on Wednesday 28th October 2026. We will review applications as they are received and encourage early applications, as we reserve the right to shortlist and close the vacancy before the advertised closing date.

Interview Date: 11th November 2026

The Role

You will be at the heart of an exciting new UK-wide project, using creative, individualised approaches to engage directly with young people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities. Your work will take you to wherever young people are most comfortable, whether that is at home, in their community, at school or college, or in a residential setting. This is an opportunity to play a key role in a new flagship project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

You will share our belief that everyone has the right to be heard and to influence the things that matter to them. With curiosity, creativity and a willingness to learn, you will explore different ways of understanding what matters to each young person. Working closely with young people, families, circles of support and partner organisations, you will help ensure that the experiences, preferences and views of young people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities are recognised, understood and used to create positive change to policy, practice and service provision.

What you will do:

• Plan, establish and lead an inclusive Youth Engagement ‘Panel’ of 8-10 young people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities.
• Plan and facilitate safe, ethical engagement activities.
• Capture and share learning accurately, respectfully and in accessible formats.
• Work with policy colleagues to ensure young people’s experiences, preferences and views influence the charity and wider policy and strategy.
• Support the coordination of twice-yearly online Community of Practice events and support the development of resources, workshops and learning opportunities.
• Potential to line manage the Project and Events Intern.

About You

You will have experience of supporting and communicating with people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities and a passion for upholding people’s rights and making sure their perspectives are heard and understood.

You may be a family carer or have a background in education, health or social care, you may be someone looking for a change, to do something more meaningful.  This role has the potential to change the way people view individuals who do not communicate verbally and who may display behaviours that challenge. 

We are particularly interested in applicants who can demonstrate:

• Experience of inclusive direct engagement with people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities, including young people whose behaviour may be described as challenging, and their families.
• Confidence in using accessible, creative and person-centred communication approaches.
• Ability to communicate clearly and co-ordinate group discussions.
• An understanding of safeguarding, consent, confidentiality and data protection.
• The ability to work independently and to work in partnership with others.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in a new national pioneering project, placing young people who have often been excluded at the heart of decisions that affect their lives. You will join a collaborative project which aims to drive forward improvements in national standards around engaging with young people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities.

To fulfil the role, you must have the right to work in the U.K.

About the Organisation

Join a friendly and supportive small national charity focussed specifically on the needs of children, young people and adults with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges, and their families. There is no statutory funding and the organisation relies on voluntary income to fund its work.  Income is sourced primarily from Trusts and Foundations to maintain independence. Benefits include 25 days annual leave (plus public holidays) and an Employee Assistance Programme.

You may have experience in other roles working with people with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities in education, health or social care settings.

Please note this role is advertised by the recruitment agency acting for the client, Not For Profit People. #INDNFP