Learning and development manager jobs in Stevenage, hertfordshire

One YMCA provides housing, health, wellbeing, children’s, youth and community services across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. We are committed to helping people reach their full potential and strengthening communities through inclusive, high-quality programmes.

Are you an experienced youth worker ready to take the next step in your development?
Do you enjoy leading sessions, supporting colleagues, and shaping meaningful opportunities for young people?

We are seeking a Senior Youth Development Worker to support the development and delivery of One YMCA’s Universal Youth Work provision in Bedford.

The Role

Reporting to the Youth Work Coordinator, you will play a key role in delivering high-quality youth work for young people aged 9–18. You will lead engaging sessions, support and supervise sessional youth workers, and contribute to the growth and development of One YMCA’s youth work offer in line with the YMCA Youth Work Strategy.

This is a hands-on role combining direct youth work, team support, and partnership engagement. You will help ensure young people feel safe, included, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, deliver and evaluate inclusive youth work sessions for young people aged 9–18
• Lead sessions and act as a positive role model for young people
• Support and supervise sessional youth workers during delivery
• Build and maintain positive relationships with partners, schools and external agencies
• Maintain accurate records to monitor attendance, engagement and outcomes
• Contribute to the development and expansion of One YMCA’s youth work offer, including partnership and funding opportunities
• Promote safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion in all areas of work

About You

You are passionate about youth work and committed to making a positive difference in young people’s lives. You are confident leading sessions, supporting others, and working collaboratively as part of a team.

You will have:

• Experience delivering youth work (paid or voluntary)
• Confidence leading group sessions and supporting small teams
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• An understanding of inclusive and safeguarding-led practice
• A Level 3 Youth Work qualification, or willingness to work towards one (essential)

Hours and Contract

• Part-time role
• 18 hours per week, salaried on a monthly basis
• Working pattern is flexible but will include evenings and weekends, with most delivery taking place after school

Additional Information

• Interviews will be held on a rolling basis, so early application is encouraged
• Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK (visa sponsorship is not available)
• This role may require a Basic or Enhanced DBS check, subject to a conditional offer

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: At One YMCA, we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We actively promote equality of opportunity and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, communities, and experiences.

Accessibility & Adjustments: We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. Please let us know if you require any support to participate fully.

This is an exciting and pivotal leadership role at the heart of Kinship’s digital transformation. You’ll lead a talented and ambitious team to deliver and develop live digital services, accessible content and user-centred products that kinship carers rely on to access support.

This role does not own all services delivered through digital channels. It owns selected shared digital products while also enabling teams across Kinship to deliver their work effectively through digital platforms, content and journeys, while teams retain ownership of their services and outcomes. You’ll provide leadership on standards, user experience, accessibility and innovation.

Context:
Kinship is expanding its reach and digital capabilities, and our digital platforms are central to how we deliver services at scale. In 2024, we launched a new website bringing together all content and services under one home, and introduced Kinship Compass, a postcode search tool that helps kinship carers find relevant local and national support.

Alongside this, we have been developing a new AI-powered tool to help kinship carers access trusted information quickly and accurately, 24/7. You will lead the evolution of these digital services ensuring they are safe, ethical, resilient and data-informed, and that innovation is always grounded in reliability, safeguarding and user trust.

You’ll play a key role in the Department for Education funded national Training and Support Service, ensuring kinship carers can easily access and book high-quality training through our digital platforms.

You’ll oversee content design in collaboration with internal and external subject experts and kinship carers themselves and lead the digital and content streams for Kinship Minds, including the development and delivery of our e-learning platform and curriculum.

This role sits at the intersection of digital service delivery, product development and content design. At Kinship, content design is distinct from communications or marketing. It focuses on designing clear, accessible and trauma-informed information, learning content and user journeys that enable kinship carers to understand their options, make decisions and access support. Content is treated as part of the service itself and is central to the quality, safety and effectiveness of our digital platforms.

This is a role for a digital leader who is both strategic and operationally grounded. You’ll balance innovation with delivery, experimentation with governance, and ambition with accountability. You’ll champion inclusive, accessible and co-produced design, ensuring digital products support real-world service delivery and improve outcomes for kinship families.

You will work closely with colleagues in the Communications and Policy team (who sit in a separate department and lead external communications, campaigns and social media) and who own the external communications strategy. You will ensure clear alignment while retaining a distinct focus on digital service innovation, product development and content design.

What you'll be doing:

Digital leadership and strategy

• Lead the Digital and Content Design team, setting clear priorities and building a culture of high performance, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Own and deliver Kinship’s digital strategy and product roadmap, covering the website, Kinship Compass, Kinship Minds, the AI tool and other digital services, excluding marketing and social media.
• Provide digital leadership across Kinship, strengthening capability and effective cross-organisational working.
• Lead responsible digital innovation, ensuring AI and emerging technology are used where they clearly improve service delivery, accessibility and user experience.
• Take accountability for digital budgets, agency relationships and delivery against agreed outcomes, timescales and quality standards.
• Horizon scan and translate external digital developments into practical, service-led improvements for Kinship.
• Contribute to organisational planning, reporting and income generation linked to digital innovation.

Website, content and digital product development

• Lead the ongoing development and innovation of Kinship’s digital platforms to ensure they are user-centred, accessible and continuously improved.
• Oversee the content strategy and governance for Kinship’s website, Kinship Compass and new e-learning platform.
• Work with internal colleagues to improve our workshop booking system.
• Ensure a consistent content design approach across all digital platforms, grounded in user need, plain English, trauma-informed practice and continuous testing and improvement.
• Lead the content design team to develop content for strategic projects working collaboratively with subject experts and kinship carers.
• Work closely with Advice and Training teams to ensure digital platforms and content design support service delivery, quality standards and DfE contract requirements.
• Develop an excellent understanding of end-to-end audience experience and how the website, online content and digital products can drive effective online services and enhance the kinship ecosystem. Map the user journeys across our website and digital products leaving no dead ends.
• Ensure integration across all platforms (e.g. website, telephony, Salesforce, Kinship Minds) to create seamless user journeys for kinship carers and internal teams.
• Embed meaningful participation and co-production with kinship carers in digital service and content development.
• Drive accessibility and inclusion, ensuring our digital services reach and work for all kinship carers, including those with lower digital literacy.
• Ensure strong digital governance, accessibility, documentation and use of insight to continuously improve performance and impact.
• Oversee SEO, analytics and data-driven optimisation to improve engagement, performance and impact.

Type of person we’re looking for:

We’re looking for a service-led digital leader who is as comfortable with operational delivery as they are with strategy and innovation. You’ll understand that digital products are part of how services are delivered, not an add-on, and that reliability, accessibility and trust matter as much as creativity.

You’ll be curious, pragmatic and values-driven, with the judgement to know when to push innovation forward and when to prioritise stability, safety and user confidence.

You are likely to:

• Have led live digital services or products that people rely on, not just content.
• Be comfortable balancing innovation with delivery, and experimentation with governance.
• Think in terms of end-to-end service journeys, not just platforms or pages.
• Be motivated by improving outcomes for people, particularly families experiencing complexity or crisis.
• Value co-production, accessibility and inclusive design as core to good digital practice.
• Bring clarity, calm and consistency to teams working in complex environments.
• Be confident working across disciplines such as digital, services and delivery without needing to own everything.
• Care deeply about doing digital work ethically, safely and well.
• Show commitment to personal development and learning. 

How to apply:
Please apply for the role of Head of Digital and Content by sending a tailored CV and responding to these 4 questions below in the online application process.

Closing date is midnight on Sun 18 Jan 2026, first interview online on Thurs 22 / Fri 23 Jan 2026 and second interview in person on Thur 29 Jan 2026. 

1. What attracts you to this role at Kinship, and how does your experience prepare you to lead digital services, content design and innovation in the context of kinship care and families experiencing complexity or crisis? (250 words max)
2. Give an example of where you introduced or explored digital innovation (for example AI, automation or new platforms) in a service context. How did you balance innovation with reliability, safeguarding or user trust? (250 words max)
3. Describe a time you used content and/or service design to help people understand complex information or access support. How did you identify user needs, test what worked, and ensure the content enabled action rather than just engagement?(250 words max)
4. This role leads a small but mighty remote and dispersed team. How have you managed remote teams to maintain clarity, wellbeing, accountability and delivery? Please include a practical example. (250 words max)

What we offer you:

• Flexible working - we understand how important it is to balance family and work life.

• 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (1 April to 31 March) pro rata (3 to be taken at Christmas shutdown).

• Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential advice line and counselling).

• Charity Worker Discounts. 

We Are Purposeful is looking foe a Senior Learning and Insights Manager!  This is a remote role with a preference for candidates based in the Global South.

WHO WE ARE:

 .

“Remaking the world with and for girls”

Purposeful is a movement-building hub for adolescent girls and young feminists. We resource their resistance, accompany journeys of political education, build solidarity between and across movements, amplify their voices, catalyse collaborative philanthropy and support innovation in grassroots programming with and for girls and young feminists.

Our work is both global and deeply local. In Sierra Leone, we bring our work together into one integrated strategy, sparking a groundswell of girls and young feminists who can access and imagine new possibilities for themselves and their communities. We move money to their allies to influence change, from communities to courtrooms. Across the world we support girls’ and young feminists’ organising and activism through a girl-led participatory grant-making process called the With and For Girls Fund. In times of crisis, we move money rapidly to girls and young feminists organising on the frontlines via the Global Resilience Fund.  No matter where we are, we work so that girls and young feminists can access the resources, networks and platforms they need to remake the world for themselves.

Purposeful is a proudly feminist organisation, with a strong intersectional power analysis. We pursue strategies that prioritise the collective liberation of girls. We are looking for team members who share our feminist ideals. We believe the best work happens in dialogue, and we value collective decision-making. We believe in celebrating success, amongst staff and partners alike. We are looking for team members with a deep commitment to collaborative working, and who bring a sense of joy and humour to what can be challenging work.

We pride ourselves on our diversity, the multiple languages we speak and places we live. We are all parents or have other caring responsibilities. We prioritise work-life balance, many of us have other projects and passions outside of Purposeful. As a team we prioritise opportunities for learning, sharing, and embedding different worldviews. We are looking for team members who thrive in diverse and cross-cultural contexts, and who bring passion, creativity and a thirst for learning to their work.

We are our partnerships. We are most proud of the shared vision we have built with our partners - rooted in mutuality, trust, and collaboration. We are looking for team members who will work tirelessly to rebalance power disparities in funder-partner relationships, acting as responsible stewards of resources of and for our movements.

CONTEXT OF THIS ROLE:

At Purposeful, learning is a political responsibility. We are reclaiming and organising our many ways of knowing, meeting stories with data, and building a robust case for this work. We are bridging traditional logical frameworks with feminist learning principles and creating space for their co-existence. 

The Senior Learning and Insights Manager will play a critical role--  contributing to a bold learning and insights strategy aligned with Purposeful’s vision, mission, and growth, leading the design of data collection systems, contributing to data collection efforts, from surveys to storytelling, closing feedback loops and crafting knowledge products, intended to inform, influence and amplify. 

They will bring technical expertise across a range of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, they will come with curiosity and a willingness to share. The Learning and Insights Manager will work closely with the Learning and Insights Lead and across all Purposeful teams, particularly Grant-making, Communications and Resource Mobilisation. 

This is an exciting opportunity to join Purposeful at a time when we are launching a new strategy and consolidating everything we’ve learned about our learning and insights approach over the last seven years. 

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Learning and Insights Strategy and Systems

• Contribute to the delivery and implementation of a new Learning and Insights strategy and results framework, building on our Learning Agenda. 

• Lead the design and embedding of data collection tools and systems across Purposeful teams, in particular our global grantmaking and advocacy teams.

• Work closely with the Learning and Insights team to champion a culture of learning within Purposeful and with grantee partners. 

2. Technical Support

• Lead cycles of data collection across our global grantmaking work - supporting regional teams with technical expertise, as and when needed. 

• Periodically join learning calls, spaces and convenings with our grantee partners - embedding and supporting documentation. 

• Lead regular cross team learning and insights meetings and drive follow up actions.

• Conduct periodic analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, and produce synthesis that informs strategic choices across thematic and regional work.

• Facilitate sense-making and feedback loops with the Purposeful team, girls, young feminists, and grantee partners. 

• Manage timelines and workplans to feed into key learning and reporting moments. 

3. Research 

• Move learning grants to grantees (approximately five to ten grants annually) to enable them to document their work and/or conduct research which they have identified as a priority  - this includes an application process, accompaniment plan and check-ins. 

• Contribute to the delivery of research led or commissioned by Purposeful, this may include the reviewing TORS and methodologies, check ins with consultants, and reviewing deliverables.

4. Knowledge Production and Dissemination 

• Conceptualize and produce case studies, briefs or other knowledge products underpinned by quantitative and qualitative data, to assist with case building.

• Contribute to the development of other external knowledge products as required, such as slidedecks, thematic briefs, regional briefs, blogs, op-eds, and research reports. 

• Work across teams to identify opportunities to disseminate and amplify knowledge products, including conference spaces, social media campaigns, webinars, instagram lives and academic publications. 

• Lead and/or contribute to the drafting of conference and journal abstracts. 

• Represents Purposeful in high level external spaces, including conferences, funder collaborations and research partnerships.

5. Other 

• Line manages one to two team members and oversees consultants as required.

• Respond to information needs and requests of the Senior Management and Leadership Team as needed. 

• Stay abreast of research related to our work and research methodologies, by reviewing publications and attending related conferences, meetings, and other events. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Experience & Skills

• At least five to seven years of experience in MEL or research, including experience working with philanthropic funds, feminist organisations or social justice movements.

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing learning frameworks and systems across multiple projects or funds. 

• In-depth understanding of feminist issues, movement building, social justice and/or girls’ rights, or another thematic area, such as humanitarian aid or climate change, and how it relates to girls and young feminists.

• Experience in qualitative and quantitative research.

• The capacity to analyse, critique and identify themes and insights.

• Experience of Salesforce or another database or information management system.

• Proven experience facilitating cross team learning and influencing senior colleagues to act on evidence and insights.

• Excellent writing skills, with demonstrable experience of tailoring knowledge products for different audiences. 

• Data visualisation skills are desirable. 

• Strong attention to detail, organisational skills and ability to multi-task.

• Strong (in-person and virtual) workshop development and facilitation skills. 

• Strong project management skills.

• Confidence to work both independently and collaboratively.

• Fluency or high proficiency  in a second language, preferably Arabic (spoken and written) 

• Willingness to travel, approximately four to six weeks per year

About Social Investment Business:

By providing finance and support, at SIB we enable charities and social enterprises to exist, grow and thrive. We have disbursed nearly £0.5bn to thousands of organisations since 2002. Our team believes in the power of the social economy, champions the charities and social enterprises we support - and we are all working together to build a more equal society. 

It is a hugely exciting time to join the organisation. We are growing, investing in our expert team, and building on the successes of the last few years. 

Our values are: People First, Curious, Bold, Collaborative, Accountable

For further information on what it is like to work with us and our generous benefits please visit our website.

About this role: Reporting to the Deputy CEO, the Head of Business and Market Development will build on SIB’s existing research and findings on market scope and scale, organisational financial resilience, the cost of capital and fund financial modelling to support the delivery of SIB’s ambitious new strategy, and hit our business development targets as part of an ambitious growth plan. This new post will develop SIB’s work and the rigour and robustness of our market and financial analytics in order to grow the organisation, the amount of investment under management and the annual disbursement of grant funds.

Key responsibilities

1. Working closely with the CEO and Deputy CEO support the delivery of ambitious growth targets under the new strategy.

2. Oversee the regulatory transition to FCA regulation for a defined number of SIB subsidiaries, drawing together the relevant internal documentation, working with the FCA – and any specialist retained consultants – to ensure that SIB is quickly and effectively accredited.

3. Work with the CEO and Deputy CEO to advance SIB’s applications for capital from Public Finance Institutions including the National Wealth Fund.

4. Working with the wider BD team, draw on market and financial modelling that incorporates existing data on SIB’s customers across its funds (using e.g. IMD, turnover, assets, age, business model) to develop excellent bids and tenders for new grant funds and to structure successful investment raises.

5. Oversee the reporting of all funds managed through the SIB group subsidiaries to their investors. This should include quality control of regular analytics, KPIs and case studies, regular catch up calls with investors and occasional presentations remote and in person.  

6. Oversee the regularity and quality of analytics of SIB’s enterprise level impact to provide a consistent snapshot across all funds, including for SIB’s internal subsidiary board meetings.

7. Work with the Market and Financial Analyst to develop a strategic approach to financial modelling of funds. This should include an approach to cost base calculations (taking into account variability in disbursement rates, portfolios under management, loan vs. grant, capital vs. revenue, pace and automation), consistent treatment of interest payments, management and administrative fees and internal investment. The base model should be able to inform forward planning and business development, as well as serve to stack up the financial viability of BD opportunities as they arise.

8. Work with the Systems and Data teams to ensure that the base model is embedded within SIB’s operations and informs fund and programme management.

9. Lead a horizon scanning function that effectively drives comparative benchmarking against competitor / peer organisations.

10.  Oversee the team’s work with the Finance and Governance teams to ensure that market analytics include effective customer feedback, collected regularly and embedded in key performance indicators.

11.  Alongside the Deputy CEO and the wider Data, Insights and Advocacy team, oversee the delivery of the annual impact report, bringing colleagues together to identify key findings and deliver each report. Ensure that the impact report reflects market analytics, providing context that identifies SIB’s leadership and place within the wider sector.

12.  Oversee the management – as needed – of any external consultants working on more complex financial models / additional research and learning that contributes to market or business development.

13.  Alongside the Deputy CEO and the wider BD team, design and facilitate general learning sessions and programme specific learning sessions with small and large groups, this may include partners, customers and the SIB Board as well as colleagues. Elicit learning from these sessions, share findings and support your colleagues to integrate action points into our systems. This learning approach should particularly reflect how customer need / satisfaction is met by different fund and programme structures.

14.  Line manage the Market and Financial Analyst, Marketing Manager and BD Manager.

15.  To work in line with the organisation's values, principles and processes to achieve operational excellence.

16.  To adopt our continuous improvement and learning ethos

17.  To support and embed equality, diversity and inclusion into day-to-day behaviours and activities within your role as well as contributing more widely across SIB’s commitment to E, D & I

18.  To support and contribute to the implementation and delivery of SIB’s strategy

19.  In agreement with manager to undertake other tasks and work on cross team projects that support the objectives of SIB as required

Core competencies

• Familiarity with raising investment
• Experience of managing a high functioning business development team achieving strategic objectives
• Knowledge of financial analytics
• Excellent excel skills
• Excellent writing skills
• Excellent project management to tight deadlines
• An understanding of how to share research and data analysis with audiences of mixed experience
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire teams across functions to work in an integrated way
• Strong planning skills and an ability to multi-task, work well under pressure and meet deadlines
• Excellent IT skills and the ability to learn new programmes quickly

Desirable competencies

• Understanding of FCA regulation
• Prior experience of working in a regulatory environment
• Understanding of the UK charity and social enterprise sectors

Education / Professional experience

Team leadership experience

Title: Volunteering Learning Engagement Executive

Location: Gilwell Park (Hybrid) or Home-based
Contract: Two-year fixed-term
Hours: 35 hours per week

Salary:
£37,800 per annum – Band F Level 3 (Home-based)
£39,560 per annum – Band F Level 3 (Gilwell-based, inclusive of Outer London Weighting)

Location and attendance expectations:
For a Gilwell-based contract, there is an expectation to attend the office one day per week, plus one additional day per month for collaboration with the wider team.

For a home-based contract, there is an expectation to attend the office approximately once per month.

About the role

Are you passionate about engaging volunteers and helping build a positive learning culture?
We’re looking for a Volunteering Learning Engagement Executive to join our Learning Team and work closely with the Senior Learning Designer and Volunteering Learning & Development Manager. You’ll play a key role in engaging volunteers across the Scouts Movement, ensuring learning feels relevant, supportive and motivating.

Some evening or weekend working may be required to connect with volunteers.

What you’ll do as our Volunteering Learning Engagement Executive

• Create practical resources that help Volunteering Development Teams foster a strong learning culture
• Work with volunteers and colleagues to shape new approaches to locally delivered learning, training and validation
• Support the development of learning frameworks, including a refreshed approach to the Wood Badge
• Co-design learning solutions with volunteers, ensuring their voices shape our work
• Help promote continuous learning and development across the Movement

Key responsibilities as our Volunteering Learning Engagement Executive

• Engage with volunteers to understand their learning needs and experiences
• Develop clear, engaging resources and guidance to support volunteer learning
• Support the rollout of learning frameworks that balance heritage with modern approaches
• Design and deliver communications that keep volunteers informed and involved
• Maintain up-to-date learning guidance on scouts.org.uk in collaboration with colleagues

If you’re motivated by working with volunteers and want to help shape learning experiences that make a real difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits:

• We are an award-winning Charity of the Year (Charity Times Awards 2022) with over 400 employees across multiple locations across the country.
• 28 days holiday and going up to 32 days after 2 years’ service plus additional days at Christmas
• Flexible working hours
• Work in a way that suits you, your role and your department
• Double matching pension up to 10% of gross salary

For a full list of our benefits, click .

Closing date for applications: 23:59pm on Monday, 12th January 2026 

Interviews will be held the Week Commencing Monday, 26th January 2026.

Strictly no agencies. 

The Scouts is an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. We offer flexible working arrangements to support diverse needs and lifestyles, ensuring that our teams can thrive both professionally and personally. We welcome and encourage applicants from all walks of life, believing that varied perspectives strengthen our innovation and community. Your unique experiences and ideas are essential to our success, and we look forward to hearing from all voices.

Amala’s mission is to use the power of education to transform the lives of young refugees, their communities, and the world. We deliver innovative learning programmes for displaced youth globally, including the world’s first internationally accredited secondary education programme for out-of-school refugee and crisis-affected young people, as well as Changemaker Courses in Peace-building, Ethical Leadership, and Social Entrepreneurship.

We’re seeking a strategic and driven Trusts & Foundations Manager to grow our global trust, foundation, and institutional fundraising portfolio. In this role, you’ll build and steward high-value donor relationships, secure six- and seven-figure grants, and work closely with our Education Programmes and MEL teams to craft compelling proposals and demonstrate impact.

Key responsibilities include:

• Cultivating and stewarding high-value partnerships with trusts, foundations, and institutional donors

• Securing six- and seven-figure grants that support Amala’s global programmes

• Developing compelling proposals, concept notes, and donor briefings aligned with funder priorities

• Managing reporting cycles and producing timely, high-quality submissions

• Collaborating with Education Programmes and MEL colleagues to align proposals with evidence and impact data

If you share our commitment to transforming education for displaced young people, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more and apply: For detailed information on this role, including the full list of responsibilities, experience, and application instructions, please refer to the job description.

Closing date: Wednesday 7 January 2026, 12:00 GMT

Title: Senior Volunteering Learning Designer

Location: Gilwell Park (Hybrid) or Home-based
Contract: Two-year fixed-term
Hours: 35 hours per week

Salary:
£37,800 per annum – Band F Level 3 (Home-based)
£39,560 per annum – Band F Level 3 (Gilwell-based, inclusive of Outer London Weighting)

Location and attendance expectations:
For a Gilwell-based contract, there is an expectation to attend the office one day per week, plus one additional day per month for collaboration with the wider team.

For a home-based contract, there is an expectation to attend the office approximately once per month.

About the role

You’ll lead learning design activity across volunteering, ensuring our learning offer is engaging, accessible and learner-centred. You’ll manage a small team and work closely with volunteers and colleagues across the organisation to deliver high-quality learning experiences that make a real difference for young people.

Some evening or weekend working may be required to engage with volunteers.

What you’ll do as our Senior Volunteering Learning Designer

• Lead and line manage two Learning Designers, supporting high-quality delivery and professional development
• Own the quality of volunteering learning content, ensuring alignment with organisational values and design principles
• Use our Learning Experience System to deliver engaging, personalised learning journeys
• Work with volunteers to co-design, test and improve learning content
• Continuously improve learning design processes and ways of working

Key responsibilities as our Senior Volunteering Learning Designer

• Manage stakeholders and subject matter experts to support timely content creation and sign-off
• Design and deliver a range of learning resources, including digital, blended and facilitated learning
• Develop and embed competency frameworks into practical learning journeys
• Curate existing learning content from internal and external sources
• Create clear guidance to support staff and volunteers in using learning systems confidently

If you’re passionate about enabling volunteers through great learning and want to help shape the future of volunteering at scale, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits:

• We are an award-winning Charity of the Year (Charity Times Awards 2022) with over 400 employees across multiple locations across the country.
• 28 days holiday and going up to 32 days after 2 years’ service plus additional days at Christmas
• Flexible working hours
• Work in a way that suits you, your role and your department
• Double matching pension up to 10% of gross salary

For a full list of our benefits, click .

Closing date for applications: 23:59 on Monday, 12th January 2026 

Interviews will be held the Week Commencing Monday, 24th January 2026.

Strictly no agencies. 

The Scouts is an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute. We offer flexible working arrangements to support diverse needs and lifestyles, ensuring that our teams can thrive both professionally and personally. We welcome and encourage applicants from all walks of life, believing that varied perspectives strengthen our innovation and community. Your unique experiences and ideas are essential to our success, and we look forward to hearing from all voices.

Learning and Development Advisor

We have an exciting opportunity for a Learning and Development Advisor to join the Witness Service Learning and Development team working from home, 37.5 hours a week.

Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change and improvement for those who need it?

Do you have resilience and adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?

If yes, then we’d love to hear from you…

Position: 6513 Learning and Development Advisor

Location: Remote

Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week. Monday to Friday 9-5

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £29,413.74 per annum

Closing Date: 12th January 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if enough suitable applications are received.

About the Role

This is an exciting role that requires a mixture of skills in relation to learning and development. The role is varied and will involve delivery, design and management of learning to support staff and volunteers within the Witness Service delivered by the charity. As the face of learning and development for the Witness Service within the organisation, you will build positive relationships, promote learning and act in an advisory capacity when it comes to development.

You will;

• Deliver and design face to face and virtual training for our volunteers, staff and partners. There is an expectation that you will deliver 4 days per week, with 1 days administration work and time allocated for design projects.
• Work with Subject Matter Experts and senior staff both within Victim Support and external stakeholders on learning projects relevant to the Witness Service.
• Create accurate delegate reports and take appropriate action to address any identified under-performance.
• Deliver high quality presentations and learning interventions with a focus on evaluation and continuous improvement.

It is essential to be able to work without direct supervision, prioritise work and deal with competing and conflicting demands in an organised and effective manner.

You will need to work flexibly as required and whilst the role is home-based there will be a requirement for moderate travel throughout England and Wales.

About You

We are looking for someone with experience of delivering training programmes using a variety of different methods e.g. face to face, virtual and one to one, managing delegates and issues that may arise. You will need to know how to plan and evaluate outcomes and have experience of delivering soft skills training and experiential learning activities

Benefits include:

• Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.
• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
• Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
• Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
• Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
• Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
• Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
• Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
• Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.

About the Organisation

Join an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales.  The charity put them at the heart of the organisation and the support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.

The organisation is committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

The charity is proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong and is committed to being an antiracist organisation, and actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, the team offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so and are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.

You may have experience in areas such as Learning, Learning and Development, L&D, Training and Development, Learning Officer, Learning and Development Officer, L&D Officer, Training and Development Officer, HR, Human Resources, Personnel, People. #INDNFP

Please note this role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of our client.  

The Information Manager is a pivotal senior role within The Migraine Trust—responsible for shaping and developing all health information produced by the organisation. This role ensures that our information is accurate, accessible, evidence‑based and meets the highest national standards, including oversight of our Patient Information Forum (PIF TICK) accreditation. The health information we produce covers a wide range of topics from migraine treatments, management of migraine, latest research and migraine triggers. There is also an ongoing need to scope new information needs and, where identified, produce new information. The depth of health information we currently have and will produce in the future ensures that this role will offer plenty of opportunities to work with a range of stakeholders on a variety of information topics. We currently hold PIF TICK certification, which will be part of this role to maintain. You will help us maintain the quality of our health information and ensure that we comply with the charity’s writing style and branding.

Acting as the charity’s subject‑matter expert on migraine information, the postholder plays a vital strategic role in influencing organisational priorities, ensuring the public, healthcare professionals, policymakers and wider stakeholders have access to accurate, impactful and up‑to‑date content.

This role directly contributes to the Trust’s strategic ambitions by:

• Strengthening public understanding of migraine
• Reducing stigma and misinformation
• Improving healthcare navigation and outcomes
• Supporting clinical and policy change
• Enhancing organisational reach

Key tasks and responsibilities

Producing and maintaining quality information

Manage The Migraine Trust’s provision of health information in line with the charity’s annual planning cycle and the PIF TICK accreditation.  This will include: -

· Lead The Migraine Trust’s health information portfolio, ensuring alignment to annual plans, organisational strategy, and PIF TICK quality standards

· Manage the full lifecycle of health information—from scoping and research to writing, expert review, design and publication

· Reviewing and updating existing information content, ensuring it is accurate, up-to-date, accessible and produced in consultation with service users and people with lived experience, relevant medical advisors, health care professionals, the charity’s staff and other relevant specialists and organisations when appropriate

· Identify emerging gaps in information and lead the development of new materials

· Identify and engage with target groups identified in our three year strategy to identify need and produce associated materials

· Support staffs learning and build knowledge of migraine

Build key strategic partnerships to assist us in disseminating information on migraine.

· Champion the use of world class health information within the organisation, as well as displaying a high level of expertise around all our health information content

· Build and maintain strategic partnerships with healthcare professionals, professional bodies, and charity sector organisations to increase reach and influence

· Represent the charity externally as a health information expert at conferences and events

· Help to support our busy communications team to help provide messaging content for videos, blogs, responses to media requests etc

· Take responsibility for the provision of printed information materials to ensure we can continue to provide resources to suit demand, in a cost-effective manner

· Work with the communications team to identify creative and accessible ways to disseminate our information to a variety of audience

· Work closely with our valued volunteer group to gain feedback and direction on all aspects of our health information

· Explore opportunities of coproduction with other charities to further our reach

Support the evaluation and impact reporting of our information provision by regularly monitoring its use using a variety of evaluation methods and produce timely and accurate reports for both internal and external use.

· Updating and maintaining the health information web pages

· Lead the monitoring and evaluation of all health information outputs

· Produce impact reports and insights to inform strategic decision‑making, fundraising proposals, research priorities and service development

· Maintain and continuously improve data‑driven approaches to evaluating reach, accessibility and effectiveness of health information

· Keep up to date with relevant information and research on migraine

· Work with external suppliers such as designers, printers

Research

A very small aspect of this role is to be the focal point for our research administration which will include:

· Being the key point of communication and support for the research committee

· Manage administrative duties relating to new applications for research funding and current grant holders

· Co-ordinate and send out papers for research meetings (once a year maximum)

· Liaising with researchers funded by the charity and ensuring project reporting is up to date

· Liaise with the AMRC as and when appropriate

Other

· Represent the charity at appropriate external events for both the public and healthcare professionals

· Build relationships with healthcare professionals, external stakeholders and members of our community

· You may be asked to work outside of office hours or travel within the UK

· Be a supportive and participatory senior member of the team

· Abide by the charity’s policies, practices and core values

· Support diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace.

• • nsuring project reporting is up to date
  • Liaise with the AMRC as and when appropriate

Help launch and run a nationally significant trial that could shape the future of kinship support. This role turns complex plans into reality and makes high-quality delivery happen.

Kinship is undertaking a major feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of Kinship Connected. This is aligned with recommendations set out in the Kinship Care Practice Guide published by Foundations (2024) and builds on evidence from the Kinship Navigator intervention of support for kinship carers in the USA. 

This feasibility RCT is a complex, multi-partner programme involving: 

• An active funding partner 
• An independent evaluation team 
• 5 participating local authorities (to be confirmed) 
• Internal delivery teams and cross organisational services 
• Kinship carers and lived experience subject experts

The Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager is the operational engine of the programme, ensuring that every workstream is scoped, resourced, sequenced, delivered and evidenced, and that Kinship is trial-ready, compliant, and well-coordinated through set-up and delivery.

This role needs someone who is an excellent communicator, highly organised, unflappable, curious, and able to sit comfortably in the detail. The successful person will keep a firm grip on timelines, dependencies and risks.

You will manage a Programmes Officer as well as the set-up, processes, documentation, reporting, trial readiness, communications and cross-team coordination. You will work closely with the Programmes Manager who will share responsibility for ensuring high quality performance across the feasibility trial. You will both work closely with the core project team and partners.

You will lead operational quality, systems, processes, data, and compliance. The Programmes Manager will lead practice quality, staff development and supervision, safeguarding and relational delivery. Together you make sure the trial is delivered ethically, consistently and to a very high standard. 

Key responsibilities include:

• ​Lead the mobilisation plan across all workstreams and ensure trial readiness.
• Develop all processes, documentation and operational frameworks in line with the intervention protocol.
• Coordinate local authority onboarding, staff training and internal operational setup with the Programmes Manager.
• Work with internal Kinship teams to ensure everyone has clear expectations and is held to account for their performance during mobilisation and delivery – owning the workstreams.

• Ensure weekly pipeline monitoring for treatment and control recruitment.

• Work with the Programmes Manager and Kinship Family Workers to strengthen referral and screening processes where appropriate.

• Identify recruitment risks early and drive rapid problem-solving. 

• Maintain delivery tracking and operational dashboards.

• Identify throughput or workload risks and support adjustments. 

• Lead operational quality assurance (QA) including data quality checks, file audits and process compliance. 

• Coordinate data collection, monitoring and data quality for evaluator requirements (both treatment and control).

Essential knowledge and experience includes:

• Project Management Qualification or commensurate experience.

• Significant experience managing complex projects or programmes with multiple partners and tight delivery requirements.

• Proven experience designing and maintaining structured workflows, operational systems and project plans in fast-paced environments.

• Experience coordinating across multidisciplinary teams without direct line management responsibility.

• Strong background in quality assurance, process improvement and operational risk management.

• Experience translating evaluation, compliance or regulatory requirements into practical delivery processes.

• Experience developing and maintaining documentation, SOPs, manuals and operational toolkits.

• Experience working with data for monitoring, decision making and evaluation readiness.

• Proven ability to ensure data quality, consistency and audit readiness.

What we’ll offer you 

Kinship offers 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time). We have an excellent wellbeing offer including the Employee Assistance Programme and clinical supervision. We will invest in your professional development with training and career development opportunities.

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us.

Key dates:

Application deadline: 11.59pm, Sunday 4 January 2026

First interview: Thursday 8 January 2026 (online)

Second interview:Wednesday 14 January 2026 (in-person, London)

How to apply

Respond on CharityJobs to these 5 questions, along with your CV:

1. Kinship’s mission and values emphasise putting kinship families first, being bold, stepping up and working stronger together. What motivates you to apply for this role, and how would these values shape how you lead mobilisation and delivery?

2. Describe a time you managed a complex programme or project with multiple partners or workstreams. What approach did you take to keep delivery coordinated and on track?

3. Give an example of how you improved data quality, compliance or process consistency. What actions did you take and what was the outcome?

4. Tell us about a situation where you worked closely with colleagues delivering frontline or relational support to solve a delivery or operational challenge. What did you do to ensure alignment and shared ownership?

5. Describe a time you worked in a fast-changing or uncertain environment. How did you stay grounded, support others and keep delivery moving forward? 

We are looking to fill this role quickly and reserve the right to close a recruitment campaign earlier than the advertised where we have received sufficient applications so please apply early! 

Guide a skilled team providing one-to-one Navigator support to kinship carers. You will set the standard for high-quality practice and ensure kinship families feel supported, understood and connected.

Kinship is undertaking a major feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of Kinship Connected. This is aligned with recommendations set out in the Kinship Care Practice Guide published by Foundations (2024) and builds on evidence from the Kinship Navigator intervention of support for kinship carers in the USA. 

This feasibility RCT is a complex, multi-partner programme involving: 

• An active funding partner 
• An independent evaluation team 
• 5 participating local authorities (to be confirmed) 
• Internal delivery teams and cross organisational services 
• Kinship carers and lived experience subject experts

This role leads and supports the staff team delivering one-to-one navigator-style support to kinship carers as part of the Kinship Connected feasibility randomised controlled trial. You will ensure the team provides consistent, high quality, relational support that reflects Kinship’s values and trauma-informed practice. 

You will work closely with the Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager and will share responsibility for ensuring high quality performance across the feasibility trial. You will both work closely with the core project team and partners. 

The Programmes Manager leads practice quality, staff development, safeguarding and relational delivery. The Mobilisation and Delivery Project Manager leads operational quality, systems, processes, data and compliance. Together you make sure the trial is delivered ethically, consistently and to a very high standard.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead the day-to-day practice and relational delivery of the Kinship Connected (Navigator) support model.

• Support Kinship Family Workers to deliver high quality, trauma-informed and strengths-based support to kinship carers.

• Ensure clear case management, boundaries, risk management and reflective practice.

• Embed the delivery approach set out in the Intervention Protocol and Kinship Navigator Service Manual.

• Ensure equity, accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of delivery, with particular focus on minoritised ethnic kinship families. 

• Maintain delivery tracking and operational dashboards.

• Provide high quality line management, reflective supervision and pastoral support to Kinship Family Workers

Essential knowledge and experience includes:

• Strong experience leading frontline delivery teams providing emotional, relational or social care support.

• Proven track record ensuring high quality casework, assessments, boundaries and risk management.

• Experience delivering strengths-based, trauma-informed and evidence-informed approaches.

• Substantial experience in line managing practitioners, delivering reflective supervision and supporting wellbeing.

• Experience leading high performing dispersed teams with confidence, consistency and compassion.

• Experience managing change and supporting staff through shifting delivery requirements.

• Strong background in safeguarding decision making, case discussions and organisational safeguarding culture. 

What we’ll offer you 

Kinship offers 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time). We have an excellent wellbeing offer including the Employee Assistance Programme and clinical supervision. We will invest in your professional development with training and career development opportunities.

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us.

Key dates:

Application deadline:  11.59pm, Sunday 4 January 2026

First interview: Friday 9 January 2026 (online)

Second interview:Wednesday 14 January 2026 (in-person, London)

How to apply

Respond on CharityJobs to these 5 questions, along with your CV:

1. What is it about Kinship’s mission and values that motivates you to lead the delivery of relational support for kinship carers, and how would these values shape your approach as a Programmes Manager?

2. Describe a time you led or supported a team delivering emotional or relational support. How did you ensure consistent, high-quality practice?

3. Give an example of how you have developed or supported practitioners through reflective supervision, coaching or managing difficult practice situations. What approach did you take and why?

4. Describe a situation where you had to make or support a safeguarding decision. How did you balance risk, judgement and support for staff?

5. Tell us about a time you worked with a local authority, commissioner or another external partner to resolve a challenge or improve delivery. What did you do?

We are looking to fill this role quickly and reserve the right to close a recruitment campaign earlier than the advertised where we have received sufficient applications so please apply early! 

Macular disease is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, with around 300 people diagnosed every day. The Macular Society is the only charity determined to beat the fear and isolation of macular disease with world class research, and the best advice and support.

To support people affected by macular disease now, the Macular Society provides a range of support, information and services. Our research programme is focused on finding new treatments and a cure to beat macular disease forever.

We’re seeking a creative and organised individual to lead on communications and learning for our volunteer network. You’ll be responsible for developing engaging content, coordinating volunteer newsletters, and supporting the delivery of training and learning resources across a wide range of roles. This role requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, a keen eye for detail, and a collaborative approach to ensure volunteers feel informed, supported, and connected. If you feel you have the attributes above, we would love to hear from you.

In return, we provide a great working culture and offer flexible working options, 26 days annual leave, the ability to buy or sell annual leave, supportive family policies, and a 6% pension contribution.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons.

This is a UK-wide role and can be home-based from anywhere in the UK. Some travel will be required, including occasional visits to our office in Andover, Hampshire. Office-based or hybrid working is also available for those living within commuting distance of Andover.

About us

Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea. 24 hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue.

We’re looking for a Senior Face to Face (F2F) Fundraising Manager to join our Face to Face Fundraising team. This is a fantastic opportunity within the RNLI to play a vital role in developing and growing the RNLI in-house F2F Fundraising team to reach the ambitious targets we have ahead. This role manages a team of F2F Managers who each lead a team of F2F fundraisers signing up regular supporters within a defined geographical area and raise vital long-term funding for the charity, as well as delivering lifesaving water safety messaging. The role is part of the F2F Senior Management Team, supporting the team’s development through leading projects that drive forwards team performance.

Your role

As a Senior F2F Fundraising Manager, you will be tasked with focus on the following areas:

• Recruit, train and manage a geographically diverse group of direct reports. Develop and motivate direct reports to deliver key messages, campaigns and products within the F2F strategy.
• As a senior manager in the F2F fundraising team (200+ staff), continue to develop and maintain a positive high-performing culture to ensure the team are performing at their best and developing. Drive continuous improvement across all KPIs.
• Construct and monitor financial and performance reports to ensure budget & KPIs are met, reforecasting where necessary.
• Develop a positive safety culture by identifying and managing risks to health and safety and safeguarding.
• Oversee compliance & complaints to ensure RNLI F2F fundraising adheres to best practice.
• Lead the delivery of selected team projects from initiation to completion, working with colleagues both within the F2F team and the wider organisation to provide the plans, processes and tools needed for the team to achieve their objectives. Develop solid relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders across the UK and Ireland.

About you

Leading a frontline team, you’ll have excellent communication skills and people management capabilities, with a proven track record of achieving fundraising targets. You will be a strategic thinker, with the ability to use your networks to ensure that plans are executed well and future opportunities are maximised to drive both the volume and value of new supporters.

You’ll be a role model to others, displaying behaviours that inspire respect. You’ll look after your people so they in turn can look after our donors, by displaying a passion to lead, manage and motivate a diverse team who engage with the public. You’ll be positive, confident, determined resilient and naturally outgoing. You’ll be a self-starter who can lead an energetic and innovative team to success.

You’ll be a team player with a pragmatic and solution-focused approach to problem solving and a calm attitude to prioritising a busy workload. Your strengths in planning and critical thinking will help you strike the balance between taking calculated risks where required and maintaining compliance to policies and sector regulations.

You’ll be flexible and prepared to work out-of-office hours with travel throughout the year. Substantial annual leave during the summer would not be practical for this role. This post requires a valid driving licence.

To be considered as the Senior F2F Fundraising Manager, you will need:

• Proven experience and success in leading a remote face-to-face fundraising team. This will either have been gained working for a charity or a fundraising agency
• Evidence of managing and motivating a team of paid staff or volunteers to achieve goals/targets
• Demonstrable experience of delivering projects that provide improvement to process
• Excellent communication skills and teamworking ethos
• Self-motivation and ability to create and prioritise own workload
• Knowledge of F2F charity sector, compliance and regulation
• This post requires a valid driving licence

For more information and to apply, please visit our jobs page.

Closing date: 4 January 2026.

Interview date: 12 January 2026.

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include relevant criminal record checks being carried out dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable), and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.

We are seeking a Community Development Officer to lead a major in-progress project improving recognition, support, and care for people with smell and taste disorders at a local level across England. 

This three-year, volunteer-led programme, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund has achieved significant success in its first eighteen months. We are now recruiting a new postholder to take this strong foundation forward through the next phase of delivery. 

Over the past eighteen months, we have recruited and established a thriving network of volunteers and local groups across England. This momentum is expected to continue. The Community Development Officer will work closely with existing volunteers and groups, primarily remotely, while also attending in-person events and meetings in different parts of England as needed. 

The postholder will lead the ongoing recruitment, training, and support of volunteer groups, working with them to identify opportunities for local outreach and engagement. Together, you will ensure that more people affected by smell and taste disorders access the information, support, and recognition they need, while continuing to raise awareness of these often-unrecognised sensory impairments. 

Our volunteer groups bring together people with lived experience alongside experts from the food, beverage and fragrance sectors, and other relevant fields. 

We are looking for a motivated, forward-thinking individual with experience in leading and inspiring others. You will bring energy, creativity, and excellent communication skills to drive the project forward and help build an innovative, sustainable programme of volunteer-led activity, supporting our volunteers to influence change within their communities. 

You will empower volunteers to play an active role in transforming public understanding of how essential smell and taste are to our lives, whether they are running peer support groups, organising local events, delivering talks in community settings, or representing the charity at information days. 

You will join a small, friendly and ambitious team committed to your professional development as the charity continues to grow. 

If you are passionate about making a difference, enjoy working with people, and want to contribute to a pioneering and collaborative organisation that values and empowers its community, we would love to hear from you. We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences.