Volunteer learning mentor volunteer roles in birmingham
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Join REMIX as our Volunteer Personal Development and Life Skills Programme Manager and Transform the Future of London's Youth!
Do you believe that every young person possesses a unique spark needing guidance to flourish in every aspect of life? At REMIX, we envision a future where London’s youth are empowered not only professionally but also personally—confident in their ability to navigate life’s challenges and seize opportunities for growth.
REMIX is a vibrant, brand-new youth charity dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals aged 16 to 26 years old. Our mission is built on four strong pillars—employability, healthy living, personal development, and essential life skills. To drive a holistic transformation, we are seeking a dedicated Volunteer Personal Development and Life Skills Programme Manager to lead initiatives that build self-awareness, resilience, and practical life skills among young people.
In this role, you will:
-
Empower Through Personal Growth: Design and deliver engaging workshops, mentoring sessions, and interactive activities that foster self-discovery, emotional intelligence, and leadership.
-
Equip with Essential Life Skills: Develop innovative programmes that address practical skills such as time management, effective communication, decision-making, goal-setting, and conflict resolution—tools that empower young people to thrive in every arena of life.
-
Cultivate Resilience and Confidence: Create dynamic initiatives that inspire youth to overcome obstacles, embrace change, and build lasting confidence and mental resilience.
-
Integrate Holistic Development: Collaborate with our interdisciplinary team to connect personal development with other core pillars, ensuring our programming nurtures well-rounded individuals ready for the future.
-
Continuously Innovate and Evaluate: Utilize feedback and best practices to refine programme content, ensuring that the sessions are engaging, impactful, and responsive to the evolving needs of our community.
-
Inspire and Mentor: Offer your expertise and energy to serve as a role model, guiding young people as they discover their inner strengths and chart their course towards a fulfilling life.
If you have a passion for personal development and believe in the power of learning life skills to transform futures, REMIX offers you a unique opportunity to spark change from within. Your innovative mindset and commitment to holistic growth will help shape resilient, well-prepared young Londoners ready to tackle tomorrow’s challenges.
Step forward. Lead the change. Transform lives at REMIX.
REMIX
INSPIRE. EMPOWER. TRANSFORM.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Join REMIX as a Volunteer Project Manager and Transform the Future of London's Youth!
Do you have a passion for driving projects from concept to reality? REMIX is a dynamic, brand-new youth charity dedicated to empowering individuals aged 16 to 26 years old through employability, healthy living, personal development, and essential life skills. We're on the lookout for an experienced and enthusiastic Volunteer Project Manager to support our Founder by setting up REMIX from the ground up and steering us confidently toward launch.
In this role, you will:
-
Develop a Robust Project Plan: Collaborate closely with our Founder to construct a comprehensive roadmap that defines clear milestones, timelines, deliverables, and resource allocations for the charity’s successful launch.
-
Oversee Operational Setup: Lead the coordination of various tasks—from establishing operational processes and project governance to managing stakeholder collaborations—ensuring that every aspect of REMIX's foundation is solid and sustainable.
-
Manage Risk and Adapt: Identify potential challenges and proactively craft solutions while regularly monitoring project progress. Your keen oversight will help keep the project agile, adjusting plans as required to stay on track.
-
Coordinate Cross-Functional Teams: Facilitate seamless communication among teams, volunteers, and external partners, ensuring that ideas and efforts converge to create a unified vision for REMIX.
-
Deliver Regular Updates: Keep our Founder and board informed with insightful progress reports, ensuring transparency and providing opportunities for feedback to continuously refine our approach.
If you are a strategic thinker with a passion for project management and a mission to make a tangible difference, REMIX offers you a unique opportunity to shape the launch of a charity that aims to empower young people across London. Your expertise and drive will be the cornerstone that transforms vision into reality.
Step forward. Lead the change. Transform lives at REMIX.
REMIX
INSPIRE. EMPOWER. TRANSFORM.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Join REMIX as our Volunteer Healthy Living Programme Manager and Transform the Future of London's Youth!
Do you have a passion for inspiring healthy lifestyles—body, mind, and spirit? At REMIX, we envision a future where every young person not only dreams big but also lives well. Our mission thrives on four pillars: employability, healthy living, personal development, and essential life skills. We’re seeking a dedicated Volunteer Healthy Living Programme Manager to lead innovative wellness initiatives that empower London’s youth.
As our Volunteer Healthy Living Programme Manager, you will:
-
Inspire Wellness: Design and deliver engaging programmes that promote fitness, nutrition, mental health, and overall well-being, ensuring our young people have the tools to live healthier, happier lives.
-
Forge Community Partnerships: Build alliances with local gyms, nutritionists, health professionals, and wellness centres to create accessible opportunities that speak directly to the needs of the community.
-
Champion Mental and Emotional Health: Develop initiatives such as mindfulness workshops, stress management sessions, and mental health awareness events that support emotional resilience and balance.
-
Drive Innovation in Health Education: Create interactive workshops, fitness challenges, and resourceful tools that make healthy living not only informative but also fun and transformative.
-
Cultivate a Supportive Environment: Work hand-in-hand with our team to integrate healthy living strategies into REMIX’s broader mission, fostering a culture where every participant feels empowered to act on their well-being.
Your enthusiasm, innovative approach, and commitment to health and wellness will help build a foundation for a more resilient, energetic future for London’s youth.
Step forward. Lead the change. Transform lives at REMIX.
REMIX
INSPIRE. EMPOWER. TRANSFORM.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Bright Futures UK are looking for warm, energetic, and experienced volunteer tutors to provide educational support remotely and a fun, safe space for young people living with serious illness.
Please note you must be 18+ and live in the UK for this opportunity.
Starting from as little as one hour per week, you will:
- Offer engaging and dynamic online tutoring sessions to support a young person.
- Help to combat social isolation through fun and engaging tutoring sessions.
You are the perfect fit if you have:
- Subject Knowledge: Strong understanding of subject concepts and theories.
- Teaching Skills: Ability to explain ideas in a clear and engaging way.
- Empathy and Patience: Kind and understanding nature, especially towards those facing health challenges.
- Consistent availability for the agreed-upon time commitment for a minimum of 14 weeks.
Your valuable time and experience will make a difference by:
- Academic Progress: Help young people stay on track with their studies despite their health challenges, ensuring they do not fall behind.
- Confidence Builder: Provide a stable and encouraging presence that helps build the students' confidence and resilience.
- Future Opportunities: Equip students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
In return, Bright Futures UK will support you by:
- Covering all expenses and materials used
- Providing DBS where needed
- Training you in safeguarding and other skill development opportunities
- Keeping in contact throughout your programme to ensure you feel comfortable and capable
If you are ready to make a difference in a young person's life and have the opportunity to tackle educational inequality, we would love to hear from you!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Educators and facilitators wanted to help East London Waterworks Park deliver its environmental learning goals.
East London Waterworks Park is a volunteer-led charity that has won a 2024 New London Architecture award and raised £2m towards buying land from the Department for Education to transform the 14-acre Thames Water Depot on Lea Bridge Road on the border of Waltham Forest and Hackney, into a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces.
We are looking for educator and facilitator volunteers to participate in our community-led working group, who are collaborating with schools, universities and youth groups that help the design of the park.
Examples of projects are:
- collaborating on nature walk activities for schools
- supporting university students interviewing teachers
- creating lesson plans to co-design the park.
Schools, universities and youth groups we've collaborated with include:
- Buxton School, Leytonstone
- Kingsmead School, Enfield
- UCL
- Royal College of Art
- University of Westminster
- Project Zero
- Voyage Youth
- Loyola University Chicago
- Vanderbilt University Nashville.
We're looking for people to lead on these projects and facilitate the direction of the learning working group.
The Learning Circle currently meets monthly on a Wednesday evening at 8pm for an hour on Google Meet and spends voluntary time outside of the meeting completing agreed tasks remotely.
You should be an experienced teacher, educational consultant, forest school leader, training and development specialist, learning designer, facilitator or any other kind of role creating learning projects, programmes and experiences. Our roles are quite flexible. We hope that people bring radical imagination, peace with nature, and courageous inclusiveness to the role.
Your support will help young people and learners improve their environmental knowledge of design and research as well as contributing to our community-owned park. This will in turn provide a sense of stewardship over the land once the park is created and student's ideas have been built into the park.
Creating learning projects with educational institutions will also help our charity with the strategy to buy the land through showing the value of our environmental education programme before we create the park.
East London Waterworks Park is a charity campaigning to create a new biodiverse park with natural swimming ponds, forest schools and community spaces




Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Travel Radar is a purpose-driven media organisation committed to making travel more meaningful and accessible for everyone. Since launching in 2015, we’ve become a trusted voice in aviation and air-travel news, reaching over 20 million people worldwide.
We’re powered by a fully remote and diverse team of 50+ volunteers who are passionate about travel, media, and making a global impact. Our HR and People Operations team plays a vital role in ensuring this community is supported, valued, and empowered.
About the Role
We’re on the lookout for a motivated HR Assistant to join our People Team. This is a generalist entry-level role with the opportunity to specialise in an area such as:
-
Recruitment Coordination
-
New Hire Onboarding
-
HR Administration
-
Employee Experience & Engagement
-
Training & Development
You’ll gain hands-on experience in a collaborative, fast-paced environment — ideal if you’re looking to kick-start or grow your career in HR.
Key Responsibilities
Depending on your assigned focus, tasks may include:
-
Supporting the recruitment process by posting ads, screening applicants, and scheduling interviews
-
Assisting with onboarding new volunteers, including documentation and welcome sessions
-
Maintaining digital HR records and tracking key data
-
Responding to team queries and supporting the delivery of internal communications
-
Helping organise training opportunities, check-ins, and team initiatives
-
Supporting our HR projects and contributing ideas to improve team culture
Perks of Volunteering with Travel Radar
(Please note: This is a voluntary, unpaid role — but packed with value!)
Flexible workload – Fit your hours around your schedule
Fully remote – We can provide a laptop, desktop, or virtual machine if needed
Lunch & travel expenses covered – For any in-person events or team meetups
✈️ Exclusive discount program – Save with 3,000+ retailers (travel, fashion, insurance & more)
Professional training – Fully funded CPD Level 3, 5, or 7 certification + industry mentoring
Premium tools – Access Office365, Grammarly Premium, Canva Pro, and Adobe Photoshop — available for both Travel Radar and personal use
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you enjoying talking with people and helping them based on your life experiences?
Are you able to volunteer a few hours a week?
Yes? We’d love to hear from you.
What is knus?
knus is the UK’s first free, confidential, mental health peer support and coaching online chat service. knus offers mental health educational plans, relaxation experiences and live workshops.
What does knus mean? 'hug' in Danish.
Here’s some further information on what’s needed:
Are you over 18 and living in the UK?
You must be over the 18 years of age and live permanently in the UK.
Do you have a laptop?
A laptop and a quiet space to volunteer is essential.
How much time can you give?
A minimum of 3+ hours per week is required. We are flexible and like to work around you.
Do you like to learn?
We provide training for all volunteers that join us. Our peer support training is CPD accredited. 20-25 hours of volunteering training is required and is self led online.
If you’re interested head over to our website and we can have a chat or apply here.
Please note - all successful volunteers are required to donate the cost price of £20.60 for an Enhanced DBS check. If you've got a current Enhanced DBS on the update service, this cost will not apply.
You must be a UK resident to apply for this role.
To always be ‘by your side’ when you need mental health peer support.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
"We are looking for 3 candidates to join our volunteer enhanced professional development programme and gain real world experience in your chosen field. While we only have 3 vacancies available through this programme, other options are available if your skills match our criteria".
About the Role
The ePDP Programme Manager is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing the Enhanced Professional Development Programme (ePDP) and managing the ePDP Liaison. This position ensures the successful delivery of the ePDP, aligning it with organisational goals and fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. The Programme Manager will work closely with senior leadership, Heads of Department (HoDs), and the ePDP Liaison to design, implement, and refine the programme, ensuring it meets the needs of participants and the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Oversight of the ePDP
-
Develop and execute the strategic vision for the ePDP, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives.
-
Collaborate with the Director: HRBP, Legal, IT & ePDP to define programme goals, KPIs, and success metrics.
-
Continuously evaluate and refine the programme to address emerging needs and industry trends.
2. Team Leadership & Management
-
Manage and mentor the ePDP Liaison, providing guidance and support to ensure effective programme execution.
-
Foster a collaborative and results-driven team culture, encouraging innovation and accountability.
3. Stakeholder Engagement
-
Build and maintain strong relationships with Heads of Department (HoDs) and external partners to ensure programme relevance and impact.
-
Act as the primary point of contact for senior stakeholders, providing regular updates on programme progress and outcomes.
4. Programme Design & Implementation
-
Oversee the design and delivery of ePDP content, ensuring it meets the developmental needs of participants.
-
Coordinate with internal and external facilitators to deliver high-quality training sessions, workshops, and resources.
-
Ensure the integration of feedback from participants and stakeholders to enhance programme effectiveness.
5. Monitoring & Evaluation
-
Establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track participant progress and programme impact.
-
Analyse data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
-
Prepare comprehensive reports for senior leadership, highlighting achievements, challenges, and recommendations.
6. Communication & Advocacy
-
Promote the ePDP across the organisation, ensuring high visibility and engagement.
-
Develop communication strategies to highlight success stories and programme benefits.
Required Skills
-
Strategic Thinking: Ability to align the ePDP with organisational goals and adapt to changing priorities.
-
Leadership & Team Management: Proven experience in leading and mentoring teams to achieve results.
-
Stakeholder Management: Exceptional relationship-building skills to engage and influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
-
Project Management: Strong organisational skills to manage complex programmes, budgets, and timelines.
-
Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
-
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to articulate programme vision and outcomes.
Preferred Qualifications
-
Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
-
5+ years of experience in programme management, learning and development, or a related field.
-
Experience in designing and implementing professional development programmes.
Do you want to help promote social mobility, and diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)? Can you play a valuable strategic leadership role in a charity that supports young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds to achieve their potential and progress to careers in STEM?
Remuneration: The Trustee role is not remunerated, travel and other reasonable expenses may be claimed.
Location: Remote, with one in person strategy meeting in London per year.
Time Commitment: Four board meetings per year, plus up to three virtual committee meetings per year (depending on committee membership) and a small amount of support and advice as required between meetings.
Application Submission: The application deadline is 17:00 on the 2nd of June 2025
Overview of In2scienceUK
In2scienceUK is a charity with a mission to empower young people from low-socioeconomic backgrounds to achieve upward social mobility by unlocking their potential to access degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
Responsibilities
The role of a Trustee is to ensure that In2scienceUK fulfils its duty to the young people with whom it works and delivers on its vision. The trustees of In2scienceUK fulfil an essential and influential role, and have the opportunity to both support the activities and strategic decision making of the charity.
Trustees have collective responsibility for the strategy and oversight of the charity and the trustee board works as a team to fulfill its statutory role, to provide help and advice to the staff team, and to represent the organisation in their respective networks.
The expected duties of an In2scienceUK trustee are:
- To contribute actively to teamwork within the Board of Trustees, providing strong strategic direction to the organisation in line with its mission and purpose.
- To safeguard the reputation and values of In2scienceUK and ensure the effective and efficient administration and financial stability of In2scienceUK.
- Support the effective running of the organisation, by scrutinising the work of the leadership team in a way that is supportive and motivational. Trustees collectively hold executive staff to account for their performance, are involved in executive appointments as appropriate and appoint a Chief Executive Officer whenever necessary.
- Serve in one or more subgroups of the board for a deeper dive into Income/Growth, Operational Assurance, Evaluation & Learning, and People.
- To ensure that in2scienceUK complies with articles of association and fulfils charity commission responsibilities.
Experience and skills
The most important characteristic of our trustees is a commitment to helping young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds access social mobility through careers in STEM, and so helping to ensure that the STEM professions are populated by people reflecting diverse backgrounds, in all respects including socio-economic background.
We need the right mix of skills overall and anticipate making 4-6 appointments in this round who will work collaboratively to ensure good governance and the success of the organisation. Specific areas where we would like to strengthen the team, bearing in mind our natural turnover and our strategy for the future, are listed below. If you are able to contribute in one or more of these areas, please make this especially clear in your application.
Lived experience: Personal experience of transitioning into STEM degrees and careers from an underrepresented background.
-
We are interested in applications from young people still going through this transition, for example undertaking undergraduate study, and for whom we can provide additional support in the trustee role as needed; we see this as an excellent development opportunity and a chance to get governance and leadership experience on the CV in line with our overall mission.
-
We would welcome applications from current In2scienceUK participants and alumni. Trustees are required to be 18 years or older.
-
We are also interested in hearing from people with current experience of working with young people undertaking this transition.
Professional expertise: Finance, Communications, HR, Governance, Entrepreneurship, Fundraising and philanthropy, Career advice/coaching
-
The whole of the board is responsible for key decisions such as budget setting, strategy, policies and prioritisation, however it is useful to have subject experts who can take a functional lead on helping ensure colleagues are asking the right questions and getting good answers.
Commercial contacts: An understanding of corporate social responsibility and sponsorship, networks in industries and organisations that employ STEM professionals
Subject areas: Personal experience and industry or academic contacts in the following subject areas
-
Maths/Computing/AI,
-
Life Sciences,
-
Physical Engineering.
Treasurer: We are currently seeking a Treasurer to join the board of Trustees and take the lead on finance. This is an immediate vacancy with our current Treasurer coming to the end of their term. The Treasurer will be a qualified accountant. We are looking for people who have pre-existing experience or desire to support an organisation of our size. As such, the role will be both providing financial oversight and governance as well as providing advice, support and guidance to our executive team. Those applying without prior charity accounting experience should be willing to undertake any relevant training.
Chair succession: While not an immediate appointment, as part of managing Chair succession we are interested in people who would be candidates for a chair designate role and chair in due course, probably via an initial Vice Chair position within the organisation.
For those who have any further questions or would like an initial discussion about these roles with our current Chair, Jonathan Flowers, please contact us. ( Our email address can be found in the documents under 'Application resources').
Recruitment Process
The application deadline is 17:00 on the 2nd of June 2025
Please send a covering letter and CV about how you would contribute to the work of the trustee board . Please ensure you set out specifically how you would want to contribute and the experience, skills or insights you would offer us, based on the list of skills and experiences above. We would like each applicant to include a concise (no more than 2 sides of A4) cover letter that goes beyond repeating their CV.
Equal opportunities
In2scienceUK is committed to promoting diversity and equality of opportunity for all staff and trustees. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of ethnicity, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.
As part of our commitment to creating a more inclusive environment, we ask all applicants to complete an equality and diversity monitoring form ( link can be found in the 'How to apply' section on Charity Job). This information is collected anonymously and used solely for monitoring and reporting purposes. It helps us to better understand who we are reaching, identify gaps in representation, and ensure that opportunities at In2scienceUK are accessible to all. All responses are kept confidential in line with data protection regulations.
Governance
We kindly ask all prospective trustees to complete a Declaration of Interest form as part of the application process. This helps ensure transparency and allows us to assess any potential conflicts of interest, ensuring the best governance for our charity. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we work to strengthen our board and further our mission.
Interview and selection
Successful candidates from the application stage will be interviewed by existing trustees. The interviews will all be held via Zoom and take place between the 7th and 21st of July.
Safeguarding
In2scienceUK is committed to our responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults as outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children. We are committed to recruiting trustees who share this commitment to safeguarding, and therefore we apply robust recruitment and selection procedures to ensure that the people selected are right for the job, and that all candidates are appropriately screened prior to appointment.
The following checks will be undertaken as applicable:
-
References
-
DBS check and/or Overseas criminal records check where applicable
-
Self-Disclosure
-
Identity check
-
Confirmation of registration with applicable registered body where applicable
Further information can be found in the documents below.
In2scienceUK exists to unlock the potential of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and boost diversity and inclusion in the STEM sector.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you for your interest in the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees at Music For Youth (MFY); a national youth music charity that provides life-changing musical experiences for young people aged 25 and under.
Music for Youth brings together over 40,000 young people a year to perform in live music festivals and concerts across the UK. The charity uniquely provides open access to young people, from whatever background or ability, to perform live to audiences: from grass-roots community halls to the Royal Albert Hall. We develop their musicianship, showcasing the richness and diversity of their music through our impactful live performance and development programmes. The wider social and life skills developed by participating in our events benefits all who take part and propels some of the UK's most promising young musicians onto career-changing platforms.
Our vision is to ensure that every young person in the UK can achieve their musical potential by performing the music they love. We believe that music, and the chance to participate in high-quality musical activities, should be open to every young person.
As Chair, you will guide a committed and experienced Board of Trustees, working closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to drive strategic growth, strengthen partnerships, and champion our cause at the highest levels.
This is a crucial time for Music For Youth, as we navigate a changing funding landscape and continue to innovate to reach even more young people.
If you are an experienced leader with a passion for the vision, mission, impact and potential of this unique organisation, we would love to hear from you.
About Us
Who We Are
Music For Youth is a national youth music charity that works with schools, youth groups, music hubs, and community organisations to break down barriers to music-making and showcase the incredible talent of young musicians.
Our Programmes and Impact
Each year, Music For Youth reaches over 40,000 young people across the UK, offering them platforms to develop their musical talents across all music genres, and gain confidence. Many of our alumni have gone on to successful careers in the music industry and beyond.
National Music Festivals and Concerts:
We produce and stage high-quality professional standard live music events (including gigs, concerts, and festivals) for young musicians, both regionally at grass roots level, and at the UK’s most prestigious live music venues.
Young Artist Development:
We nurture and develop young musicians so they can realise their musical potential, by initiating adventurous collaborations, commissioning new music, and providing a robust music mentoring programme.
Creative Skills Development:
We provide skills and training development for young people looking for a career in the creative industries in non-performance and stagecraft roles such as stage management, sound engineering, lighting and digital production skills.
Advocacy for Young Musicians:
We campaign to highlight the brilliance of young musicians.
Our work takes place across the whole of the UK with events in all nine regions of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This coverage enables us to support and tour the work of other partner organisations so they can reach young people further afield.
For over 50 years, Music for Youth’s annual cycle of regional festivals, local events, a national festival and showcase concerts has made a significant contribution to the music education calendar, bringing together regional providers and young performers, and putting young people’s own achievements into a wider national context:
The Music for Youth Regional Festival is a collection of festivals across the UK aimed to inspire musicians at every level of experience and across every genre of music. This collection of regional festivals forms the UK’s largest festival for young musicians. 30,000 musicians take part every year and many go on to perform again at the Music for Youth National Festival and Music for Youth Proms.
The National Festival is a coming together of musicians, bands and ensembles from across the regions to perform on world-class stages including Symphony Hall, and the CBSO Centre. It is a key date in the Music for Youth calendar, hosted by the city of Birmingham in July. Over 12,000 young musicians aged 4-21 from across the UK take part, featuring all styles, instruments and genres of music.
The Music for Youth Proms takes place at the renowned Royal Albert Hall in London. This two-day showcase celebrates the incredible diversity, talent and creativity of young musicians from all corners of the UK. From orchestral ensembles to choirs, bands, soloists, and more, these talented young performers get the unique opportunity to showcase their skills and share their music with a wider audience.
Staff and Head Office
Given the charity’s national reach, the head office recently relocated from London to Birmingham, now based in CBSO Centre (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) close to the city centre. The staff team of seven permanent staff are based across the UK, with hybrid home / office working arrangements.
Board and Governance
There are nine Trustees, each co-opted on to one (or more) subcommittees: the Audit & Risk Committee, Programmes Committee, and Fundraising Committee.
How Music For Youth is Funded
Music For Youth is one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations, receiving 42% of its funds from the annual grant of £279,980 in 2023/24. In addition, the charity raises income from fundraising (sponsorship, institutions, individuals) totalling 33% of annual turnover £672,938 in 23/24, with 10.6% from earned income including event ticket sales of £71,785 in 2023/24.
The charity’s turnover in 2023/24 was £672,938, ending the year with reserves of £101,224.
For further information, please see our latest Annual Account and Report here.
The Opportunity
We are excited to be seeking our next Chair of Trustees to lead the organisation, as our current Chair, John Dixon, comes to the end of his term of service.
With an energetic, skilled and focused Executive Team led by Phil Castang MBE - and a highly experienced supportive Board of Trustees bringing their wealth of collective experience spanning leadership in music, education, arts, fundraising and industry - now is an exciting time to join this unique national music charity, as we prepare for the next phase of development.
The Chair of the Board of Trustees will provide strategic leadership and governance to Music For Youth, ensuring the organisation is well-managed, financially sustainable, and delivering on its charitable objectives:
Leadership
- Chairing meetings of the Board and ensuring that it runs effectively, fulfils its duties and carries out resolutions.
- Creating an environment in which all Board members are encouraged to participate and challenge constructively and appropriately.
- Provide clear strategic direction for the charity, working with the CEO and Board to set long-term goals.
- Act as an ambassador for MFY as required, promoting our work and advocating for youth music at national and local levels.
- Support MFY in maintaining strong partnerships with funders, arts organisations, schools, and the wider music sector.
Governance & Compliance
- Lead an engaged and effective Board of Trustees, ensuring good governance and compliance with charity law.
- Manage, support and appraise the performance of the CEO, ensuring they and their senior leadership team have the resources and guidance to deliver MFY’s mission.
- Oversee financial sustainability, risk management, and organisational policies.
Fundraising & Advocacy
- Work with the Board and executive team to develop fundraising strategies, securing income from grants, corporate sponsors, and individual donors.
- Represent MFY at high-profile events, engaging with stakeholders and championing the value of youth music.
What we are looking for
As our new Chair, you will share a commitment to the mission of Music For Youth. While it is not essential to be from a Music or Music Education background, we are looking for someone who has passion for the impact - and potential - of the charity and can demonstrate how their experience can help us navigate the pivotal years ahead.
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following:
- Strong leadership and strategic thinking.
- Financial literacy
- High level networking and advocacy skills.
- Knowledge of charity and corporate governance.
- Experience and confidence in managing risk, change and innovation.
- Understanding and awareness of broader social, political and economic issues.
In addition, please let us know if you are able to bring experience, skills or knowledge in one or more of the following beneficial areas.
- Board membership in the not-for-profit sector
- Working in or with organisations and with individuals in the cultural sector
- Working in or with public bodies or national policy makers
The organisation recently undertook a Skills Audit of the Board and identified the following areas where we are looking to continue strengthening the experience. While not essential for the role of Chair, alongside the core skills and experience outlined, we would certainly welcome individuals who may also be able demonstrate experience around:
Digital: to take advantage of the potential for digital transformation
Finance: to provide additional oversight and financial rigor
Fundraising: with income from individuals a future opportunity to explore further
Time Commitment
The Chair can expect to commit the equivalent of 12-15 days per year at - and in prep for - key Trustee meetings, including full Board Meetings held four times a year (at least one in person in Birmingham, where the charity is headquartered). This time also includes regular meetings with the CEO (the majority online), and regular comms with the CEO as required, which may ebb and flow, depending on the time of year. In person meetings are kept to a minimum.
In addition, the Chair would be expected to attend a minimum of two of our: Regional Festivals (March – April), National Festival (Birmingham or elsewhere, early-mid July) and the Youth Proms (London, end of November), to represent the Board and host key stakeholders, including funders. ,
Term
We are looking for someone who can commit to an initial three-year term, which could then be renewed for a second term.
Learn more and apply
If you would like to have an exploratory conversation with the current Chair or Vice Chair about the charity or the role, please contact John Dixon (current Chair).
Application Process
To apply for the role of Chair at Music For Youth, please submit:
- 1. A CV.
- 2. A cover letter (max 2 pages) detailing:
- Why you are interested in this role.
- How your skills and experience align with MFY’s mission.
- What you would bring to the organisation.
Please send your CV and Cover Letter to Phil Castang (CEO) with the subject line: Application for Chair of Music For Youth.
Deadline for Applications: Friday 27th of June at 12pm.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the Music for Youth National Festival taking place between Thursday 10th to Saturday 12th July in Birmingham. (Please note - this is not a requirement of the application process but a chance for you to see the work of the charity in person).
Interviews: will take place on Wednesday 10th September in Birmingham.
The week before the interview (week commencing 1st September), you will have the opportunity to have an informal conversation with the CEO and other Trustees online. Date to be confirmed.
If you have any access needs or other practical questions - or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the role with the Vice Chairs before applying - please get in contact.
This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.