Peer Educator

Kirklees Metropolitan Council; Harlow; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

Essex County Council is seeking a Peer Educator for the SPACE programme in Essex. This temporary, part-time role invites someone with lived SEND experience to support families across the county by delivering webinars, workshops and community outreach.

You will work with schools and partner organisations to help parents and carers understand SEND, feel informed and confident, and ensure services are accessible and inclusive for all families.

Qualifications

• Lived experience of raising a child or young person with SEND.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Empathetic, non-judgemental and approachable manner.
• Confidence or willingness to develop confidence delivering presentations/workshops.
• Good organisational skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Basic digital skills and willingness to learn.
• Understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding, equality and inclusion.
• Commitment to learning about SEND services and support.

Responsibilities

• Deliver webinars, workshops and information sessions for parents and carers.
• Share knowledge and lived experience to support families and improve SEND understanding.
• Represent SPACE at schools and community events.
• Develop and improve training materials and resources.
• Build positive relationships with families, schools and partner organisations.
• Gather feedback to shape and improve the service.
• Promote inclusion and accessibility in all aspects of the role.

Skills

Lived SEND experience

Communication skills

Empathy and approachability

Public speaking

Collaboration

Job description

Peer Educator

Temporary, Part Time

£20 per hour

Location: Harlow

Closing Date: 1st November 2026

To read more about our business area, please visit:

Education

The Role

Peer Educator – SPACE (Supporting Parents and Carers in Essex)

At Essex County Council (ECC), we are committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by ensuring families can access the right information, advice and support.

SPACE helps parents and carers feel informed, supported and confident throughout their SEND journey.

We are looking for a passionate Peer Educator with lived experience of raising a child or young person with SEND to support families across Essex.

In this rewarding role, you will:

• Deliver webinars, workshops and community outreach activities.
• Help parents and carers build confidence and understanding of SEND.
• Work with schools, partner organisations and colleagues to support families.
• Ensure parents and carers feel listened to, valued and informed.

Use your experience to make a real difference to SEND families across Essex.

The Opportunity

Using your lived experience, you will provide practical information, guidance and reassurance to parents and carers across Essex.

Key responsibilities include:

• Delivering webinars, workshops and information sessions for parents and carers.
• Sharing knowledge and lived experience to support families and improve understanding of SEND.
• Representing SPACE at schools and community events.
• Developing and improving training materials and resources.
• Building positive relationships with families, schools and partner organisations.
• Gathering feedback to help shape and improve the service.
• Promoting inclusion, equality and accessibility in all aspects of the role.

What You Will Bring

• Lived experience of raising a child or young person with SEND.
• A passion for supporting families and improving outcomes for children and young people.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Confidence, or a willingness to develop confidence, in delivering presentations and workshops.
• An empathetic, non-judgemental and approachable manner.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to work collaboratively.
• Basic digital skills and a willingness to learn.
• An understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding, equality and inclusion.
• A commitment to developing knowledge of SEND services and support available to families.

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we are dedicated to making a positive difference for residents, communities and businesses across the county. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In March 2026, Greater Essex was accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

Please note that Essex County Council has determined that the off-payroll working rules will apply to this assignment and where a worker elects to provide their services through an intermediary (such as a personal services company) then income tax and primary national insurance contributions will be deducted at source from any payments made to the intermediary.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email [e-mail]

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Company: Essex County Council

Salary: Up to £20.00 per hour

Location: Harlow, Essex

Sector: Education

Job Role: Teaching Assistant