Council jobs in Cumbria

Family Help – Participation Officer

Salary: £35,570 to £36,581 per annum

Hours: 37 hours per week

Location: Carlisle or Workington

Contract: Permanent

#INDCSC

About this opportunity

Do you want to make a real difference to children and young people across Cumberland? Join our Participation and Engagement Service and help ensure young people have a voice in shaping the services and decisions that affect their lives.

You'll work directly with children and young people, supporting youth forums, consultation activities, and participation projects that empower them to influence change. This is an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about youth engagement, inclusion, and improving outcomes for young people. Please note, the role requires flexible working, including some evenings and weekends.

This role is available on a permanent basis.

Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for individuals who embody our organisation's core values: ambitious, collaborative, compassionate, empowering, and innovative. We believe in the power of these values to drive positive change, deliver excellent public services and shape a better future for our communities.

We’re also about potential over perfection and we can help you grow in the role and thrive in your career.

Be sure to take a look at the post specification (below) for the essential criteria for this role.

Contact

For more information about the role or to arrange an informal chat prior to your application, please contact Nikki Donaldson by email at Nikki.Donaldson@cumbria.gov.uk.

DBS Checks

This role requires a DBS check. The level of check for this role is:

Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s Barred List check.

Please note this role involves working in regulated activity with Children. It is an offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with Children.

Guaranteed Interviews

We offer a guaranteed interview to the following applicants as long as your application can demonstrate you meet the essential criteria for the role.

• Those who consider themselves disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010
• Those in care or who have left care and are aged 24 and under
• Those who identify as a member of the British Armed Forces community (service leavers, veterans, their partners or spouses, reservists, cadets).

If you meet one or more of the criteria above, and wish to be considered for this scheme, select 'yes' to the appropriate question during your application. Find out more.

Diversity, Inclusion & Adjustments
We’re dedicated to enhancing the diversity of our workforce and we encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. That’s why we’re a proud Disability Confident Leader and also an Age Friendly Employer – to provide opportunities for everyone to thrive.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, please let either the hiring manager or our Resourcing Team know by emailing Resourcing@Cumberland.gov.uk. While adjustments aren’t always guaranteed, we’ll always listen and we’ll try our best to accommodate your needs.

Application and Interview information

• Closing date: 6th November 2026
• Interview date: 16th November 2026

At Cumberland, we are committed to ensuring that young people have a voice in our recruitment processes. As part of this commitment, the selection process will include a young person's interview panel.

If you experience any difficulties logging in to apply for this role, please contact the HR Systems team at HR.Systems@cumbria.gov.uk.

Please note this role may close early subject to demand. If you’re interested in applying, you should apply well before the advised closing date. We cannot accept applications once the role has closed.