Youth Ambassador

Who is The Charlie Waller Trust?  
The Charlie Waller Trust was created by the Waller family in 1997 in response to the loss of their son and brother Charlie who died by suicide. We have since become one of the UK’s most respected mental health charities for children and young people. Our overarching mission is to educate those with responsibility for children and young people - parents and carers, teachers, college and university staff, and employers - about children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

The Youth Ambassador Role: We are seeking UK-based Youth Ambassadors (16-25 year olds) to join our Youth Involvement Team. We wish to appoint people that can bring diverse experiences in education, work or community in order to help create and shape the work that we do. The Youth Ambassadors role is about prioritising youth representation, identity and community across our charitable activity and beyond. The Charlie Waller Team will provide appropriate training, guidance, and ongoing support to those selected.  

What will the role involve? 

• Working remotely for up to 2 days (14 hours) a month.
• Attending a Charlie Waller Team day in person in March 2025, in London. Travel expenses will be covered.
• Attending up to six online group meetings with other youth ambassadors and the youth involvement team.  
• Preparing for all meetings by reading any specified materials and conducting any preparatory activities. 
• Making advisory recommendations regarding the Charlie Waller Trust’s existing projects and programmes in schools, universities, colleges and the workplace. 
• Opportunities to be involved in our podcast series, our equity, diversity and inclusion and sustainability working groups, fundraising events and co-delivery of training.
• Co-producing new and reviewing current training materials, resources, and communications.
• Opportunities to public speak at CWT meetings and events, as well as at events and conferences with external partners.
• Attending training sessions around topics ranging from public speaking to mental health research.
• Opportunities to attend mental health conferences on behalf of CWT.
• Opportunities to work with partnership organisations such as The Charlie Waller Institute or the Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Coalition.
• There will be other potential opportunities to co-produce and contribute to other CWT projects and activities, for example as a filmmaker/ researcher/ event organiser/ fundraiser etc.  
• There will also be opportunities to bring ideas of your own to the Youth Involvement Team.

Am I suitable for the role?

We are looking for people with:

• Passion, commitment and creative ideas about improving young people's mental health
• Insight on the current challenges to young peoples mental health both inside and outside of schools, further education colleges, universities and workplaces
• Experience of advocating for young people's mental health with friends, family, at work, school, university or college. We are keen to work with young people with lived experience of mental health difficulties and services, as well as those who have an interest in mental health but no lived experience of difficulties 
• Interest and enthusiasm in engaging with, learning about, and sharing the Trust’s work 

What skills will I need? 

We are looking for people who can: 

• Demonstrate effective teamwork skills  
• Demonstrate effective communication skills 
• Demonstrate effective organisation and time management skills  
• Commit to a role with responsibilities over an extended period 
• Treat discussions with sensitivity, professionalism, and confidentiality 
• Consider a range of different viewpoints to make a decision 
• Share and promote the Trust’s work with other young people in their network
• Take action to look after their own mental health and wellbeing 

What will I gain from the experience? 

• Experience working as part of a young, dynamic team inputting into the way in which child and adolescent mental health is approached by the charity sector and is supported at home, in schools, colleges, universities and workplaces by the Charlie Waller Trust
• An opportunity to work alongside the CWT core office team on resources, projects and programmes
• An exciting opportunity to give feedback and evoke change on behalf of other young people and those responsible for them 
• Knowledge, skills and training in relation to mental health 

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Terms and Conditions We are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion and are working to ensure that our staff represent the communities we aim to support. We activity utilise positive action as set out in the Equalities Act (2010) to ensure we attract and recruit candidates from backgrounds and groups that are currently underrepresented in our workforce. We therefore particularly encourage applications from boys, men and non-binary folk, and those from Black, Asian and minoritised backgrounds. When we recruit, we will ask all our shortlisted candidates to tell us about any reasonable adjustments they need.

How much time am I expected to commit?  
We expect those joining the Youth Ambassador group to join on a freelance basis for one year from February 2025 to January 2026. 
Hours are subject to change each month but on average we would plan for you to work for CWT for up to 14 hours (2 days) per month. The majority of the working hours offered can be arranged as flexibly as possible around your other commitments

Will I be paid?  Ambassadors will be remunerated for their time at a delivery and desk rate of £15 per hour for work both online and in person. 

Desk work includes training preparation, resource coproduction or review, attending meetings and involvement in focus groups. Delivery work includes training delivery, public speaking at an event about the work of the Trust or hosting or being interviewed on the ambassador podcast. 

Any expenses incurred in the role will be covered in line with the Charlie Waller Trust’s expenses policy (public transport or mileage at 45p mile). Payment will be made via bank transfer following the completion of an invoice or hours claim form. Further detail will be provided if you are appointed to the group.  

If you would like to discuss the role before applying, please email Alice Palmer, Youth Involvement Lead - details found in the job description in the link.

What is the deadline to apply? 12:00PM, Tuesday 14th Jan, 2025

What will happen once I apply? 

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by email in the week commencing 20th January. We will invite successful applicants to an online interview w/c commencing 27th January 2025.