Youth Equity & Inclusion Officer

Be Free Campaign is a youth-led mental health charity dedicated to platforming the lived experiences of young people to destigmatise early and preventive mental health support seeking.
We work with young people across Merseyside and Manchester through schools, community spaces and events, reaching thousands of young people annually. Through our core 6 programmes, young people learn how to engage and connect with support to help them take control of their health and futures.
As the charity enters its 6th year, we are actively looking to engage with racialised and marginalised young people to understand the barriers they are facing in accessing support. 

Role purpose

The Young People’s Equity and Inclusion Officer will work to improve how mental health support includes and serves racially and otherwise marginalised young people aged 11 to 25 in Liverpool. The role focuses on generating insight, co‑producing solutions, and supporting practical changes so that support is more culturally safe, accessible, and relevant.

This is a non‑clinical role centred on outcomes rather than casework. The post holder will coordinate engagement activity, gather and interpret learning, and work with partners to turn that learning into clear tools, pilots, and recommendations for change.

We are committed to building a diverse team. We particularly encourage applications from people from racialised and marginalised communities, including those with lived experience of mental health difficulties or systemic disadvantage.

This role is anchored in lived experience. We are particularly seeking candidates who have personal experience of navigating mental health challenges and or barriers to accessing support as a young person from a racially minoritised or historically marginalised community. We recognise lived experience as a form of expertise and insight that is critical to shaping meaningful systems change. The successful candidate will be supported to draw on their experience in a boundaried and professional way, with structured supervision and reflective space embedded into the role. As an organisation committed to equity and representation, we strongly welcome applications from young people from communities currently underrepresented in the mental health sector.

1. Insight and Engagement
Plan and deliver structured engagement with young people aged 11–25 to explore experiences of mental health, identity and access to support. Use discussions, creative methods, surveys and interviews to gather meaningful insight. Ensure participation reflects racially minoritised and marginalised communities. Maintain accurate records of activity and emerging themes.

2. Equity and Inclusion Development
Identify patterns in barriers and gaps identified by young people. Translate learning into practical recommendations, tools and resources that strengthen equity and inclusion. Embed anti-racist and trauma-informed practice throughout all activity.

3. Partnership Coordination
Work with schools, community organisations and partners to host engagement activity and test improvement ideas. Agree clear roles and objectives for joint work. Share findings to support partners to strengthen their practice. Represent the organisation in local forums when required.

4. Pilots and Improvement Activity
Support the design and coordination of small-scale pilots based on youth insight. Gather feedback, refine approaches and document learning through clear improvement cycles.

5. Monitoring and Reporting
Track participation, demographics and agreed outcome measures. Contribute to analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. Support preparation of reports, summaries and presentations for internal and external audiences, including youth-friendly formats.

6. Safeguarding and Quality
Adhere to safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection policies. Respond appropriately to concerns and participate in supervision and training. Contribute to risk assessments and safe delivery across all settings.

About you

Essential
• Understanding of how racism, discrimination and socio-economic inequality impact mental health and access to support
• Experience coordinating projects or activities in community, education, health or voluntary sector settings
• Experience gathering insight or feedback and using it to inform improvement
• Knowledge of safeguarding principles and professional boundaries when working with children and young people
• Clear commitment to equity, inclusion and anti-oppressive practice

Desirable
• Lived experience of racialisation, systemic disadvantage or navigating mental health services
• Knowledge of Liverpool communities and local VCSE, education or health systems
• Experience of co-production, participatory approaches or user involvement
• Experience supporting monitoring, evaluation or learning processes

Skills and Attributes

Essential
• Strong communication skills and ability to engage respectfully with diverse communities
• Ability to organise workload, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines
• Ability to identify key themes from qualitative and quantitative information and present findings clearly
• Reflective, adaptable and open to learning
• Willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends

Desirable
• Ability to present information using creative or accessible formats
• Confidence using standard IT tools for documentation and data management

Employment details and support

• 30 hours per week, pattern to be agreed, with flexible working considered in line with role requirements.

• Annual leave entitlement and pension in line with organisational policy.

• Wellbeing week: one full working week off per year in addition to standard leave, to support staff wellbeing.

• Access to line management, safeguarding support, and appropriate clinical or reflective supervision.

• Training and development opportunities agreed on appointment.

Location: Liverpool, hybrid (community based with some home working)

Salary: £25,000 per year (pro-rata)

Hours: 30 hours per week (some evenings and weekends as agreed)

Contract: 12‑month fixed term, with potential extension subject to funding

Reporting to: DOO, Chief Executive

Start date: Subject to successful recruitment

Interviews: Rolling Deadline until suitable candidate recruited

Right to Work: We are not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position. You must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.