Participation Practice Advisor
Type of employment: 35 hours/week.
Salary: £37,694 - £46,049
Closing Date: 26 August 2026
Change-makers sought!
Do you want to help Scotland to Keep The Promise? At CELCIS, we are driven by a powerful ambition: to create lasting, transformational change in the lives of children, young people, and families.
About you
We’re looking for someone who brings integrity, and deep understanding of this work, someone who has “walked the walk” in Community Learning and Development, or a related field, who is passionate about creating the conditions where children, young people and families are truly seen, heard, and valued. You’ll be a trusted, skilled facilitator, and a passionate advocate for children’s rights and wellbeing. Applicants with lived experience of support, care or protection services are welcomed and valued.
About the role
This role will have an emphasis on creating the spaces and resources which will equip and enable colleagues and stakeholders to develop good practice and knowledge. Our Participation Practice Advisor will work with our experienced, multidisciplinary teams across CELCIS, and work in partnership with organisations and the children’s services workforce across Scotland and beyond.
In this role, you will support the workforce to create readiness and build the confidence, skills, and culture needed to involve people with lived experience in safe, ethical, and meaningful ways. You will be building on the strong foundations on participatory practice that have been established at CELCIS and design and facilitate reflective learning spaces, co-production activities, and inclusive activities that are trauma-informed and rights-based.
This role sits within the team leading CELCIS’s strategic approach to involvement and participation, ensuring that our work and change and improvement efforts across Scotland and beyond is driven by what matters most to those who have experienced these services first-hand.
About CELCIS
At CELCIS we work to improve the lives of children and young people in need of care and protection, and their families and carers. We do this by supporting people and organisations responsible for their care to make changes in services and in the practices and skills they use, all based on the needs, experiences and rights of children and young people.
CELCIS is part of Strathclyde University and staff are university employees with access to rewards and benefits including annual salary increments and membership of the Universities Superannuation Scheme. We are also committed to promoting a healthy work-life balance and offer a number of benefits including flexible working, paid maternity and paternity leave, an on-campus nursery and access to the Strathclyde Sport leisure centre.
Qualifications and experience
Candidates need to have a relevant degree and/or appropriate professional qualification in Community Learning and Development or relevant discipline and relevant employment in a similar role. Alternatively, significant and relevant experience in directly relevant roles. Also, Significant experience of designing and delivering participation or involvement activities with people with lived experience of support, care and protection services. Experience of facilitating engagement, co-production, learning or reflective practice activities with diverse groups of stakeholders, and with a wide range of beliefs and experiences. Track record of developing practical resources, tools, guidance or learning materials to support learning and development. Experience of working with children or young people who are less frequently heard, for example very young children, children with disabilities or additional support needs.
Formal interviews will be held on Thursday 17 September 2026.
Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Craig McCreadie, Participation Practice Lead (craig.mccreadie@strath.ac.uk).
We are working across the country, at local and national level, to help realise The Promise of the Independent Care Review. Change is happening. Be part of it. Together we can make things better for children, young people and their families and carers. Apply now.