Youth Participation and Campaigning Lead

Just for Kids Law (JfKL) are recruiting a Youth Participation and Campaigning Lead to join our Policy and Campaigning team. This exciting and varied new role will be instrumental in rebuilding and re-establishing youth participation and campaigning into the core work of our organisation..

You will join our small but influential team, which also includes the Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE). Through the role, you will be instrumental in developing Just for Kids Law's youth participation programme and engaging with and developing children and young people with lived experience of policing and the Criminal Legal System.

As the Youth Participation and Campaigning Lead you will join our Policy and Campaigning team, supporting young people to become social action leaders in transforming policy around the policing of children and young people. Alongside, this you will offer encouragement and assurance to young people, providing safe spaces for them to discuss their lived experience and to develop and advocate for their ideas for change.

You will have the ability to develop good relationships with external youth organisations to recruit young people from different parts of the country and be willing to travel to engage them. Leading this new programme, you will have a chance to really make a mark supporting children to develop and lead campaigns of national significance.

Role Summary:

Contract term: Full Time, Permanent

Location: Central London with a mix of office and homeworking

Hours: 1.0 FTE (35 hours per week)

Salary: £39,522 – £45,511 depending on experience in a directly equivalent role

Probation period: 6 months

Just for Kids Law believes in the value of a diverse workforce and encourages applications from people from all ethnic, cultural, religious, and social backgrounds: in particular, black and racialised communities, LGBTQI+ communities. We strive to create a diverse working environment where anyone, regardless of background, can thrive.

Responsibilities:

Programme Management and Delivery

• Recruiting a group of 20-25 children and young people below the age of 18 with lived experience of contact with the police and youth justice system from across the country.
• Developing a tailored programme of individual and group activities and meetings to build confidence and trust and create a cohesive group
• Developing the group's skills and understanding of campaigning work and how they can create change.
• Empowering the group to identify which issues within policing are the most pressing to them and should be the focus of a campaign.
• Supporting the group to develop and implement a full policy and influencing campaign, setting their own change targets and choosing their method of Influencing.
• Supporting young people to participate in policy work (i.e. roundtables, consultations, and media commentary).
• Securing communications expertise to work with and support the group to create digital and video content to amplify their voices and promote the Campaign.
• Ensuring staff enable young people to engage and participate safely in a way that supports their personal development.
• Monitoring and evaluating the programme to contribute to internal and external reporting requirements.
• Contributing to fundraising applications and the fundraising process
• Developing relationships with a range of local community organisations and stakeholders.
• Representing Just for Kids Law at external events and to funders.

Working with Young People

Upholding a positive, empowering approach to work with young people, including:

• Working respectfully and non-judgementally to engage children and young people who may not be engaging with other services.
• Being led by the young person and working at their pace.
• Supporting young people to be as independent and self-directed as possible and encouraging participation when appropriate.
• Undertaking outcomes-based monitoring of work with young people.
• Maintaining appropriate, boundaries relationships with young people.
• Acting on safeguarding and risk information in line with Just for Kids Law policies and procedures.

General Responsibilities

• Attending and participating in internal meetings as required.
• Being a positive, cooperative, and constructive team member, upholding the values of Just for Kids Law.
• Complying with Just for Kids Law's monitoring and recording requirements.
• Representing and promoting the organisation's work positively.
• Carrying out all work with due regard to Just for Kids Law's policies and procedures.
• Promoting Equality and Diversity principles in all aspects of work.

Other Duties

• Carrying out any other duties which fall reasonably within this role.

Knowledge and Experience

• Significant experience of working with and supporting vulnerable and often marginalised children and young people. (E)
• Understanding of the principles and practice of effective youth participation (E)
• Knowledge of the issues affecting children and young people (E)
• Knowledge of young people's rights and entitlements (D)
• Knowledge of services available for young people. (D)
• Significant experience of engaging children and young people in project

delivery and organisational decision making (E)

• Experience of supporting young people to campaign for change at a local or

national level (E)

• Experience of developing and implementing policy and/or strategy (D)

Qualifications and training

• Relevant qualification to the post e.g. coaching, advice and guidance, youth work (D)

How to Apply

To apply, return a completed equal opportunity monitoring form alongside your CV (no more than 2 sides of A4) and a Cover Letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) outlining your suitability and interest in the role.

Your cover letter should include:

• your experience of working alongside underserved children and young people who have not previously been involved in participation or campaigning activities
• your experience of supporting children and young people to campaign or influence on a local or national level
• why you want the role

Applications to 

Application Deadline:
11:59pm Friday 5th December 2025

Interview date: 1st interview 11th December in person, London. 2nd interview 18th December.

If you have any questions about the roles or the recruitment process, please get in touch