Youth Council and Governance Support Officer

Youth Council and Governance Support Officer Job Description

Mid Suffolk District Council

Address: Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX

Hours: Full Time, 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

This role is open to full time, part time, and job share applications, all of which will be assessed equally.

Join our team

We are seeking a dynamic and politically astute Youth Council and Governance Support Officer to support the establishment and management of the Mid Suffolk Youth Council.

Launched last year by Mid Suffolk District Council, the Youth Council is designed to give young people a chance to have their voice heard and get involved in local politics.

The initiative was driven by research showing the disconnect between young people and politics, with almost three quarters of those asked believing that politics should be taught more in schools or colleges.

Working in our Democratic Services team, you will report to the Lead Governance Officer for Scrutiny and Projects.

In this exciting new role, you will be responsible for:

• liaising with key stakeholders
• carrying out research
• managing and clerking meetings of the youth council
• providing governance advice to councillors and youth councillors
• ensuring the youth council operates appropriately and in line with expectations
• supporting the broader democratic services team, providing cover and capacity where appropriate

About you

This is an exciting opportunity for somebody with a passion for local politics to help build something innovative from the ground up, generating enthusiasm and engagement among young people towards our democratic processes.

To be successful, you will demonstrate:

• a keen interest in politics and local democracy
• excellent networking and communication skills
• good knowledge of research sources and techniques
• broad understanding of the local government system and the local member role
• strong administrative, clerical, IT and organisational skills
• real energy and drive to support the democratic process in the local community

This is a hybrid role, enabling you to work from home and from our office in Endeavour House (Ipswich) on a flexible arrangement suited to working patterns.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years).
• Wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs.
• Private Health Care Options.
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting).
• Great learning and development opportunities.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

Safeguarding

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.