Participation (co-production) Worker

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust; Sale; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is looking for a Participation Worker to promote the voice of Children and Young People in CAMHS services. This role involves engaging young people in projects and supporting service improvements through collaboration. The ideal candidate will have relevant qualifications and experience working with youth in a healthcare setting. This is a full-time role with a salary of £27,485 to £30,162 per annum, pro rata, and offers flexibility in working patterns.

Qualifications

• Experience working with young people aged 11-25 years in a healthcare setting.
• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Knowledge of issues relating to consent and confidentiality.

Responsibilities

• Enable and amplify children and young people’s voices through a participatory model.
• Collaborate with service participation leads and managers to support service user involvement.
• Identify projects and work streams for participation in service development.

Skills

Project management

Youth engagement

Time management

Confidentiality knowledge

Presentation skills

Education

Youth Work Diploma or equivalent

BA in Youth work or Youth and community work

Job description

Go back Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Participation (co-production) Worker

The closing date is 24 December 2025

This is a brilliant opportunity for a dedicated person to promote and improve the voice of Children and Young People in the planning, delivery and improvement of CAMHS services in Manchester Foundation Trust.

We’ll rely on you to ensure children and young people have a voice in service improvement, delivery and evaluation. You will engage children and young people in participation and co-production, facilitate engagement activities and projects and promote participation and co-production across all MFT CAMHS services.

MFT CAMHS sits within Royal Manchester Children's Hospital (RMCH) and is comprised of 48 separate services, including 5 Core CAMHS services (North, South, Salford, Central & Trafford), Looked After Children/Adoption services, Children with Disabilities Service and Manchester Eating Disorders Service, along with Inpatient Services based at Galaxy House. Wherever your interests lie, we’ll support you to develop your skills to become a key part amplifying the voice of those who use our services.

Let us tell you more about what the job involves and why this could be your next and best career move – you just need the right skills, experience and attitude so you can meet the needs and demands of the critical and life‑enhancing role for our patients.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will enable and amplify children and young people’s voices to be heard through a participatory model, enabling children and young people to feel listened to and empowered by actively involving them in the design and delivery of CAMH services.

The postholder will achieve this working alongside service participation leads and service managers, developing and supporting service user involvement and participation throughout the CAMHS Directorate. The post holder will contribute to and support the development of a participation strategy across CAMHS and help implement this strategy by supporting and developing service user involvement and participation.

The postholder will work in collaboration with managers, clinical leads and children and young people to identify projects and work streams where participation is a key factor in service development. The postholder will then support the development and implementation of these projects and work streams ensuring that children and young people are at the heart of everything that they do.

About us

Join Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe – a great place to shape your career.

With a workforce of over 30,000 colleagues, we work together to deliver exceptional care to more than 1 million people every year. Behind every patient cared for are people like you – keeping services running smoothly, supporting clinical teams, and helping create safe, welcoming environments for patients and our people alike.

At MFT, we believe in the power of teamwork, respect, and inclusion. Our People Plan reflects our commitment to making MFT a place where everyone feels they belong, where your ideas are heard, and your contribution is truly valued. Join us and work smarter with our digital technology and thrive in a collaborative culture that empowers you to deliver your best to ensure that your work behind the scenes creates seamless, high‑quality care and exceptional patient outcomes.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow, we offer clear pathways for development and a culture that supports your wellbeing, ambition, and success. Everything you do makes a real difference to the lives of others.

At MFT, your role matters, your impact is real, and you’re part of something bigger from day one.

Job responsibilities

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. This will better equip you to make an informed decision to apply to us. The accompanying Candidate Essentials Guide outlines the Trust, our benefits and how we care for you as you care for others, and contains critical information you need to be aware of before submitting an application.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application

Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU for our patients, our communities, and each other.

As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application – especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions – is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone.

Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application.

Diversity Matters

MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Youth Work Diploma or equivalent in youth work, psychology, Social Sciences (Dip HE /JNC level) or other relevant subject
• BA in Youth work or Youth and community work

Experience

• Experience working with young people aged 11-25 yrs in a healthcare setting or equivalent setting.
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Understanding the purpose of participation within a health setting.
• Proven ability in project work involving youth participation/engagement.
• Time management skills, able to work on own initiative
• Knowledge of issues relating to consent and confidentiality
• Experience of working with other agencies
• Experience of working autonomously and managing own workload
• Experience of supporting and working as part of a team
• Experience of working with IT systems
• Experience of multidisciplinary working in mental health care.
• Presentation and training skills
• Experience of working in a child and adolescent mental health setting
• Lived Experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

£27,485 to £30,162 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full‑time, Part‑time, Job share, Flexible working