17 Advocate jobs in Central London, Greater London

The Youth Endowment Fund

Youth Voice Officer (Maternity Cover)

Reports to: Youth Understanding Manager

Salary: £34,200

Location: Central London or Hybrid

Contract: 12-months fixed term – Maternity Cover

Closing date: 5pm, Wednesday, 7th October 2026

Interview dates: week commencing 19th October 2026. 

DBS requirement: Enhanced + Children’s Barred List

About the Youth Endowment Fund

All of us will experience violence at some point in our lives. For many children, it is a daily reality. Each year, tens of children are killed, hundreds are hospitalised, 1 in 5 teenage children are victims and the majority admit to feeling afraid of violence. It scares them when they travel home from school, prevents them from going out and makes the most vulnerable feel like they don’t matter. It is taking lives, traumatising families and dividing communities. It robs potential, progress and hope.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Youth Endowment Fund believes that no child should be affected by violence. We research violence to understand it; we find, fund and test what works to prevent it; and we are building a movement to end it.

It's critical to our mission that we understand how and why young people become involved in violence. The YEF’s work combines conducting rigorous evaluations and research studies with hearing directly from young people – their individual stories and perspectives. It is also important to us that young people are central to the messages we share externally.

As a part of the Youth Understanding team, you will play a vital role in supporting young people to use their experiences and voices to shape, support, and amplify YEF’s work through the YEF’sYouth Advisory Board (YAB)

DBS check

This role requires an Enhanced with Children’s Barred List DBS check because the role involves regular direct work with children and young people in both online and in person.

Having a criminal record does not automatically prevent you from working at YEF. Any information disclosed will be considered fairly and in relation to the requirements of the role.

Key Responsibilities

You will: 

• Co-lead an accessible, safe and effective Youth Advisory Board:
  • Planning,leadingand reviewingengaging activities for young people, includingmeetings and events. Most activities take place online, with some evening work, usually 1–2 evenings per week. We plan this carefully: meetings will finish no later than 7.30pm, and you’ll have later starts on the previous or following day to recognise the additional working time. There may also be occasional weekend and in-person activities, with time off in lieu provided for any weekend work.
  • Build and develop trusting relationships with YABmembers providingsupport and pastoral care to members, including personal development planning and safeguarding.
  • Help recruitand inductYAB members (young people aged 16 –25) through interviews and managing recruitment.
  • Monitor attendance and engagement of YAB membersand coordinate YAB attendance at external events.

• Champion and facilitate lived experience involvementacross YEF’s work
  • Working closely with YEF colleagues to provide engaging opportunities for YAB members,includingleading lived experience focused working groups and supporting young people to play a central role in YEFs emerging priorities.
  • Create safeand trauma informedspaces where young peoplefeel confident and supported tocommunicate their voices ensuring these are heard and feedback on how they have influenced is communicated.
  • Build positive relationships where required with external providerssuch as secure settings to ensure young people within these can also inform and influence our work.
  • Support engagement and preparation of YAB involvementfor external events and conferences.

• Coordinate and encourage youth voice in communications

  Work in collaboration with the YEF Comms team to:

  • deliver effective outputplanning/creation; acting as a bridgebetween the YAB and our external communications team.
  • amplify young people's voices on social mediaand other media opportunities.
  • assistyoung people in sharing their views and stories through various communication methodsand creative means.
  • work in collaboration asrequiredwith external companies andcreatives on project with YAB members to ensure ideas can be effectively realised.

About You

You are this sort of person: 

• You believe in young people:You have worked with young people and know thehuge potentialyoung people have tobring change.You have experience and knowledge of adhering to safeguarding processes, and are able to be flexible to suit young people’s needs- understandingwhen plans need to change at short notice.
• You’re passionate about helping young people to be heard: You have experience in supporting young people to share their stories and experiences in safe, strength-based ways. You can do this in groups and on an individual basis, and understand the care and support this needs.
• You’reable to juggle many diverse tasks at once: You enjoy moving betweendifferent typesof projects, whether that be leading YAB sessions, supporting the development of young peopleone-to-oneor creating exciting content with young people. You prefer a job that looks different every day. Youdon’tget overwhelmed by a long to-do list andcaneffectivelyidentifywhat’s most important and how to balance different priorities.
• You love collaborating and supporting:You understand that young people’s voices fit centrally in the mission of YEF.  You’ll know how to work with others to find the right spaces and best methods of involving young people that both support YEF’s work and the young person.

While it’s not a criterion, we’re especially interested to hear from applicants who have lived experience of youth violence.

It’s also important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all backgrounds regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background.

Hybrid Working Details

Our office is in Central London, and we work in a hybrid way that combines time together in the office with remote working. This role requires the team member to be based in London and to work from the office at least 2 days a week.

As part of our commitment to flexible working we will consider a range of options for the successful applicant. All options can be discussed at the interview stage.

To Apply

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter, and complete the monitoring form click on "Apply for this" buttonby 5pm 7th October 2026.

When applying for this role, please ensure that your cover letter can answer, within a maximum of 1000 words, the following questions:

• Your experience in supporting young people, including those affected by violence, to share their experience and insights
• How you feel young people can contribute to YEF’s mission

Interview Process

This will be a 2-stage interview process. The first stage interview will take place on the week commencing 19th October 2026.

The second stage interviews are currently scheduled for the week commencing 26th October 2026.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not sponsor work permits and you will be required to provide proof of your eligibility to work in the UK.

Benefits Include

• £1,000 professional development budget annually

• 28 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

• Employee Assistance Programme – 24hr phone line for free confidential support • Volunteering days - 4 half days per year

• Death in service - 4 times annual salary

• Flexible hours. Core office hours 10am – 4pm

• Financial support including travel and hardship loans

• Employer contributed pension of 5%

Personal Data

Your personal data will be shared for the purposes of the recruitment exercise. This includes our HR team, interviewers (who may include other partners in the project and independent advisors), relevant team managers and our IT service provider if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. We do not share your data with other third parties, unless your application for employment is successful and we make you an offer of employment. We will then share your data with former employers to obtain references for you. We do not transfer your data outside the European Economic Area.