Vacancy at Voice of Young People in Care
Advocacy and Participation Worker
Salary
NJC scale Points 19-24 - £32061- £35412
Belfast
Vacancy listed
22/06/2026
Application deadline
17/07/2026
Details
Job Title: Advocacy and Participation Worker
JOB ROLE
Working across VOYPIC’s Independent Advocacy Service and Youth Engagement & Participation Service, the post holder will provide independent, rights-based advocacy and participation opportunities for children and young people in and leaving care. The Advocacy and Participation Worker will empower children and young people to have their voices heard, understand and exercise their rights, and actively participate in decisions that affect their lives. Through individual advocacy, group work and participation activities, the post holder will support young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, including those facing complex personal, social, legal, or cultural challenges
Working across VOYPIC’s Independent Advocacy Service and Youth Engagement & Participation Service, the post holder will provide independent, rights-based advocacy and participation opportunities for children and young people in and leaving care. The Advocacy and Participation Worker will empower children and young people to have their voices heard, understand and exercise their rights, and actively participate in decisions that affect their lives. Through individual advocacy, group work and participation activities, the post holder will support young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, including those facing complex personal, social, legal, or cultural challenges
MAIN DUTIES:
· To effectively advocate for children and young people from diverse cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, ensuring their rights, wishes and feelings are understood, respected and represented in decision-making processes
· To build trusting, supportive relationships with children and young people who may have experienced trauma, displacement, separation from family, loss, or significant life transitions, using a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach.
· To facilitate group advocacy to children and young people in a range of care and aftercare settings.
· Assist children and young people to share their views and experiences of care and engage with decision-makers.
· To support children and young people to understand complex systems and processes, including social care, education, health, legal and immigration-related matters, enabling them to make informed decisions and exercise their rights.
· To facilitate inclusive participation opportunities that enable children and young people from underrepresented and marginalised groups to share their experiences and influence services, policy and practice.
· To work collaboratively with interpreters, legal representatives, social workers, carers, education providers, health professionals and community organisations to ensure children and young people can fully participate in decisions affecting their lives.
· To promote children’s welfare and their rights within the Children (NI) Order 1995, The Children (Leaving Care ) Act 2002, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Working Arrangements for the Welfare and Safeguarding of Unaccompanied and Separated Children and Young People and any other appropriate guidance and legislation.
· Facilitate opportunities for children and young people to engage directly with decision makers.
· To support children and young people to develop confidence, leadership and self-advocacy skills through individual advocacy interventions, group work and participation activities.
· To promote community engagement and social inclusion by supporting children and young people to access opportunities that enhance wellbeing, personal development, education, training and social connections.
· To keep up to date with new policy and legislation that impacts on children and young people in care and take on an ‘expert’ role in promoting the rights of children and young people in care and leaving care with other professionals within social care.
· To maintain an efficient and effective administrative and recording system for the service. This includes recording and collating emerging themes from our work.
· To contribute to the monitoring, annual review and quality assurance of the service to ensure that the services offered meet the needs of the children and young people.
· To maintain records of all financial matters pertaining to the project, funding and expenditure.
· To work evenings and occasional weekends as necessary.
· To attend, prepare and engage in monthly supervision with their line manager.
· To effectively advocate for children and young people from diverse cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, ensuring their rights, wishes and feelings are understood, respected and represented in decision-making processes
· To build trusting, supportive relationships with children and young people who may have experienced trauma, displacement, separation from family, loss, or significant life transitions, using a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach.
· To facilitate group advocacy to children and young people in a range of care and aftercare settings.
· Assist children and young people to share their views and experiences of care and engage with decision-makers.
· To support children and young people to understand complex systems and processes, including social care, education, health, legal and immigration-related matters, enabling them to make informed decisions and exercise their rights.
· To facilitate inclusive participation opportunities that enable children and young people from underrepresented and marginalised groups to share their experiences and influence services, policy and practice.
· To work collaboratively with interpreters, legal representatives, social workers, carers, education providers, health professionals and community organisations to ensure children and young people can fully participate in decisions affecting their lives.
· To promote children’s welfare and their rights within the Children (NI) Order 1995, The Children (Leaving Care ) Act 2002, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Working Arrangements for the Welfare and Safeguarding of Unaccompanied and Separated Children and Young People and any other appropriate guidance and legislation.
· Facilitate opportunities for children and young people to engage directly with decision makers.
· To support children and young people to develop confidence, leadership and self-advocacy skills through individual advocacy interventions, group work and participation activities.
· To promote community engagement and social inclusion by supporting children and young people to access opportunities that enhance wellbeing, personal development, education, training and social connections.
· To keep up to date with new policy and legislation that impacts on children and young people in care and take on an ‘expert’ role in promoting the rights of children and young people in care and leaving care with other professionals within social care.
· To maintain an efficient and effective administrative and recording system for the service. This includes recording and collating emerging themes from our work.
· To contribute to the monitoring, annual review and quality assurance of the service to ensure that the services offered meet the needs of the children and young people.
· To maintain records of all financial matters pertaining to the project, funding and expenditure.
· To work evenings and occasional weekends as necessary.
· To attend, prepare and engage in monthly supervision with their line manager.
General Responsibilities
To comply with and implement VOYPIC’s policies and procedures.
To comply with and implement VOYPIC’s policies and procedures.
- To work in line with VOYPIC’s safeguarding, confidentiality, equality and health & safety policies.
- To attend and participate in team meetings and other relevant meetings as appropriate.
- To attend training courses as appropriate and engage in continuous professional development.
- To contribute to the activities, promotion and development of VOYPIC as an organisation working on behalf of children and young people.
- To undertake any other duties commensurate with the Project Worker role.
The key responsibilities above give a broad outline of the functions of the post. However, these duties must be approached in a flexible manner. The post holder will be expected to adapt to changing circumstances and undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post as allocated by their line manager. The outline of responsibilities may change from time to time.