Charity Leadership Team – Voluntary Position

Charity Leadership Team – Voluntary Position

LOCATION: London – Inner London
WORKING ARRANGEMENT: Flexible / Hybrid / London
COMMITMENT: Flexible, with regular involvement expected
TYPE: Volunteer – Unpaid
CLOSING DATE: Friday 28th August 2026, before 12pm

Help Build Something Different. Help Build Urban Youth.

London is moving faster than ever. But for too many young people, the doors are locked.

Urban Youth is a new, volunteer-powered youth work charity built around a simple idea:

Youth work should go where young people are.

We don't want to sit in static buildings waiting for young people to find us.

We want to drop into the heart of the city – empty shops, unused spaces, concrete cages, community centres, public spaces and street-side studios – and create opportunities where young people can connect, create, learn, grow and belong.

• We are building something bold.
• Something energetic.
• Something that feels like London.

And we are looking for people who want to help us make it happen.

THE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

We are looking for passionate, capable and community-minded volunteers to join the Urban Youth Charity Leadership Team and help us establish, grow and run Urban Youth across Inner London.

This is an opportunity to play a genuine leadership role in an ambitious new youth work charity.

You don't need to have worked in the charity sector before.

You might be a youth worker, community organiser, entrepreneur, creative professional, project manager, fundraiser, educator, marketer, designer, finance professional, HR specialist, safeguarding professional, operations expert, partnership builder – or simply someone with the drive, experience and ideas to help build something extraordinary.

What matters most is your commitment to young people, your willingness to get stuck in, and your belief that opportunity should not depend on which postcode you live in.

WHAT YOU'LL HELP US DO

As part of the Charity Leadership Team, you'll help shape Urban Youth from the ground up.

Depending on your experience and interests, you could contribute to:

• Developing Urban Youth's strategy, vision and operating model.

• Helping establish our volunteer-powered delivery model.

• Developing and launching pop-up youth work sessions across Inner London.

• Identifying and developing relationships with community organisations and local partners.

• Finding and securing free or low-cost spaces for youth work.

• Building partnerships with businesses, charities, community groups and local organisations.

• Developing fundraising and income-generation opportunities.

• Supporting grant applications, sponsorship and community fundraising.

• Helping recruit, welcome, train and support volunteers.

• Developing youth work programmes, projects, workshops and activities.

• Supporting safeguarding, risk management and good governance.

• Developing our policies, procedures and operational systems.

• Helping establish strong monitoring, evaluation and impact measurement.

• Supporting communications, marketing, social media and campaigns.

• Helping Urban Youth build a strong public profile across London.

• Representing Urban Youth at meetings, events and partnership opportunities.

• Identifying opportunities to make better use of empty, unused or underused spaces.

• Bringing your own professional skills, knowledge, networks and ideas to the table.

You won't just be advising from the sidelines.

We want people who want to build.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We're looking for people who are:

• Passionate about young people and their potential.

• Positive, energetic and solutions-focused.

• Reliable and committed.

• Comfortable taking initiative.

• Able to work collaboratively.

• Good communicators.

• Willing to share ideas and listen to others.

• Comfortable working in a developing organisation where things will evolve.

• Able to bring either professional experience, specialist knowledge, community experience or valuable networks.

• Committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and safeguarding.

• Excited by Urban Youth's vision of taking youth work into the heart of London.

You do not need to have experience in every area listed above.

We are building a diverse leadership team with complementary skills.

Bring what you're good at. Bring what you've learned. Bring your ideas.

WE PARTICULARLY WELCOME EXPERTISE IN

We are especially interested in volunteers with experience in:

1. Leadership & Strategy

Organisational development, strategic planning, charity development or social enterprise.

2. Youth Work & Community Development

Youth work, community engagement, outreach, education, mentoring or participation.

3. Fundraising & Partnerships
Trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, sponsorship, major donors, fundraising campaigns or business development.

4. Operations & Project Management
Project delivery, systems, logistics, programme management, venues or event management.

5. Finance
Financial management, budgeting, accounting, financial controls or charity finance.

6. Safeguarding & Risk
Safeguarding children and young people, risk management, safer recruitment or policy development.

7. Marketing, Communications & Digital
Branding, social media, content, PR, campaigns, websites, digital strategy or creative communications.

8. HR & Volunteer Management
Recruitment, onboarding, volunteer engagement, learning and development or organisational culture.

9. Legal, Governance & Compliance
Charity governance, legal advice, policies, compliance, data protection or regulatory matters.

10. Creative & Cultural Practice
Music, arts, film, photography, fashion, design, digital media, performance, sport or other creative disciplines.

And if your expertise isn't on this list?

We still want to hear from you.

WHY JOIN URBANYOUTH

Because this isn't about simply adding another volunteering role to your CV.

It's about helping create something that could make a real difference to the lives of young people across London.

YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO:

• Help shape a new charity from the beginning.

• Take on meaningful leadership responsibility.

• Use your professional skills for social good.

• Build new relationships and networks.

• Develop your leadership and community experience.

• Work alongside passionate volunteers and community partners.

• Help create genuinely accessible opportunities for young people.

• See your ideas move from concept to reality.

• Be part of a bold new movement for youth work in London.

Most importantly:

You'll help create spaces where young people can show up, be themselves, discover what they're capable of and believe in what's possible.

WHAT WE OFFER OUR VOLUNTEERS

Urban Youth is committed to creating a positive, inclusive and supportive volunteering experience.

Volunteers will receive:

• A clear volunteer role and expectations.

• An induction into Urban Youth.

• Appropriate training and development opportunities.

• Ongoing support from the leadership team.

• Opportunities to develop new skills and experience.

• Opportunities to contribute to projects that match your interests and expertise.

• A welcoming and inclusive environment.

• Appropriate safeguarding guidance and support.

• Recognition for your contribution.

• Reasonable volunteering expenses reimbursed in line with our volunteer expenses policy.

We recognise that volunteering should not leave people out of pocket, and we will work to remove practical barriers to participation wherever possible.

SAFEGUARDING

Urban Youth is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, volunteers and everyone involved in our work.

All volunteers are expected to uphold our safeguarding policies, code of conduct and other relevant policies and procedures.

Where a particular volunteering activity requires a DBS check or other safeguarding checks, these will be identified and completed as appropriate to the role.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Urban Youth wants to build a leadership team that reflects the diversity of London.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, ages, abilities and experiences.

We particularly value the different perspectives that come from lived experience, professional experience and connection with London's communities.

You don't have to look like everyone else to belong at Urban Youth.

In fact, we think London's diversity is one of its greatest strengths.

THE COMMITMENT

This is a flexible volunteer leadership role.

We understand that people volunteer alongside work, study, caring responsibilities and other commitments.

The exact time commitment will depend on your role and availability, but we are looking for people who can make a reliable and meaningful ongoing contribution.

Some leadership activities may take place online, while others will involve meeting in person or representing Urban Youth across London.

READY TO HELP CHANGE THE CITY?

London has no shortage of young people with talent, creativity, ambition and potential.

What it sometimes lacks is;

• Somewhere to go.
• Somewhere to be heard.
• Somewhere to belong.
• Somewhere to try something new.

Urban Youth wants to change that.

• We want to take youth work out of the building and into the city.
• Into the places others overlook.
• Into the spaces that are empty.
• Into the communities that deserve more.

And we want you to help us do it.

Your experience. Your skills. Your ideas. Your time.

Their future.

JOIN URBAN YOUTH'S LEADERSHIP TEAM

URBAN YOUTH
Youth Work. Anywhere. For Everyone.