Engagement and Involvement Co-ordinator

Location: Flexible working – remote or hybrid. Must be willing and able to travel to London, Edinburgh and elsewhere across the UK to support business need.

About Adolescent Health Study

The Adolescent Health Study (AHS) (Registered Charity Number 1213337) is an ambitious new UKRI-funded initiative to establish a prospective, longitudinal population study that will generate a globally leading open science data platform and research resource. AHS aims to recruit at least 100,000 young people aged eight to 18 years from across the UK and to follow their mental and physical health and wellbeing over at least 10 years. It plans to collect data through questions and measures; to obtain bio-samples for a wide range of genomic and other high-throughput assays; and to capture linked data relevant to health and wellbeing from participants’ health, education and other administrative records. Recruitment will take place mainly through schools.

There will be a strong emphasis on engaging with and involving young people, schools, parents and other relevant stakeholders in the design and delivery of the study, as well as on including young people that represent as wide as possible a range of backgrounds, experiences and characteristics. AHS will focus on enabling a wide range of research, including studies of the critical biological and social developments that occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood and the determinants of both mental and physical health and wellbeing in adolescents and young adults.

Purpose of the post

The Engagement and Involvement Co-ordinator will be engaging with young people, families, schools and other interest-holders in the process of designing, delivering and analysing the Adolescent Health Study and is critical for the success of the project.  We are at the early stages of laying the foundations for this and in this new role we are seeking an experienced and passionate individual to co-ordinate AHS’s participant and public involvement and engagement activities.

This is a role that requires high levels of confidence, autonomy, enthusiasm and skill. The postholder will be responsible for delivering the project’s new Engagement and Involvement Strategy.  Examples include working with colleagues to develop and deliver our own public engagement and involvement activities, working with partners to outsource and supervise elements that are better provided by other experts, and being able to judge which of these two routes are better suited to different tasks. 

Main responsibilities

Planning & strategy delivery

• Ensuring the study delivers the values and approaches to engagement set out in the engagement and involvement strategy
• Planning, delivering and reporting on an ongoing, regular and important programme of engagement events and activities
• Where necessary, adding to and reviewing/revising policies, processes and procedures to support effective working together with people and communities, such as reimbursement, compensation, making reasonable adjustments
• Developing and implementing appropriate evaluation, monitoring and reporting of Community Engagement & Involvement
• Keeping up to date with good practice & sector advances & share with team.

Practical engagement

• Develop methods to enhance engagement, helping to build positive relationships with young people and stakeholder groups, including charities, third sector & advocacy groups
• Oversee day-to-day planning & delivery of a high-quality engagement and involvement programme. To include, for eg:
  • Managing and supporting Youth Advisors
  • Recruiting and running a standing Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG)
  • Organising & delivering other ad hoc engagement activities as necessary
• Secure external partners where necessary, managing contracts & delivery
• Ensure any freelancers and consultants supporting AHS’s engagement work have clear roles, responsibilities & goals
• Work with the Head of Communications to manage provision of information (before & after) to members of the public, teachers, young people & researchers involved in engagement
• Keep records of engagement and ensuring results are used to inform the study and the wider research community.

Team support

• Checking for and capitalising on possible opportunities for engagement and involvement to be embedded in the work
• Ensuring appropriate induction, training, mentoring and support is organised for the research team and communities involved
• Sharing examples of emerging good practice and CEI impacts across the research team.

Wider

• Contributing to shared learning and future sustainability as part of wider CEI communities of practice
• Acting as a key point of contact for community members and partners involved in the research
• Representing and presenting the AHS study’s engagement work to the wider research community, including in national engagement & involvement networks as necessary.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential criteria

• Experience developing and delivering youth engagement
• A proven track record or professional background in working with young people – such as in youth work, counselling, mentoring, education, or a related setting
• Understanding of (& ability to demonstrate examples of) good practice in youth engagement; basic principles etc including safeguarding, data protection, and inclusive practice
• Awareness of culturally sensitive approaches and methods to be inclusive of all relevant perspectives, especially those marginalised or vulnerable groups
• Strong skills in summarising and reporting key information clearly and accurately
• Experience of successful project management and ability to deliver, working independently.
• Ability to design and deliver workshops, focus groups or meetings that encourage open dialogue and collaboration
• Ability to manage a budget and report on financial activity accurately
• Ability to work collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team; experience of working alongside and influencing senior level professionals
• Research literacy – not necessarily (and preferably not, perhaps) a researcher by background, but someone who understands how large research projects work and the various competing demands and pressures the study will faceExcellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively and confidently with a range of stakeholders
• Demonstrated commitment to youth participation and the meaningful inclusion of young people’s perspectives.
• Confident using online tools (e.g. MS Teams, Zoom), and collaborative platforms (e.g. SharePoint, Microsoft 365)

Desirable criteria

• Relevant qualification in engagement and involvement
• Understanding of key concepts and challenges in young people’s health and the transition to adulthood
• Familiarity with health research and data governance frameworks
• Understanding of key potential partners for delivering youth engagement in the sector.
• Experience using digital engagement and facilitation tools for online workshops (e.g. Miro, Mural, Mentimeter, Canva, PowerPoint)

Dimensions

• This has been designed as a full-time role, although part-time work could be considered for the right candidate.
• Flexible working across several geographical locations in the UK. Travel may be required to AHS locations and partner organisations.
• AHS is a national organisation, and our activities take place across the UK.

Application Process

This post is subject to receipt of satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and Right to work in the UK (visa sponsorship is not available). Please apply to Jobs@gravitateHR.co.uk with a CV and a covering letter (of no more than two pages) explaining what you can bring to this role, and including your current salary.

The closing date for this position is midnight on Thursday 17 July 2025

Interviews are currently expected to be held during the week commencing 28 July or 04 August 2025 online.  

Equal Opportunities Policy Statement

AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. AHS is an equal opportunities employer, and as such aims to treat all employees, consultants and applicants fairly. It is our policy to provide employment equality to all, irrespective of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

Beyond these protected characteristics, we acknowledge the importance of socio-economic background, childcare and caring responsibilities, educational background, neurodiversity, and any other factors that shape an individual’s identity and opportunities. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to contribute fully.

Values

It is an exciting time for the Adolescent Health Study (AHS) as we establish our senior leadership team and begin to plan the pilot studies. As the senior executive team evolves, the AHS values will be grounded in inclusivity, integrity, accountability, and collaboration.