Youth & Community Trainee
THE YORKSHIRE DANCE CENTRE TRUST
24,785 per year
Leeds City Centre
Part-time
2nd March 2026
Listed 1 week ago
JOB INFORMATION PACK Youth & Community Dance Trainee Start date: April 2026 Images Clockwise from top left; Saturday Superstars Youth Dance Classes © Drazen Priganica, Jija Sohn Residency © Sophie Okwondo, Akademi perform Plastic, Drastic, Fantastic at our Children & their Grown Ups Encounters Festival © David Lindsay, Boogie Wonderland with our Dance On classes for older adults © David Lindsay (these are just a few of the activities which take place in our building) February 2026 Dear Applicant, Are you passionate about dance and the arts? Are you a warm and creative person who enjoys building relationships and working with communities? Do you want to gain experience in arts administration and project delivery? Yorkshire Dance are looking for a part time Youth & Community Trainee to join our team. This role is fully funded by Leeds Community Foundation, to ensure access for those who are currently under-represented in the arts. We are committed to aligning this role with the Culture Consortium Leeds’ ‘Let’s Talk’ initiative, which addresses the persistent lack of representation of Black and Brown individuals within the creative sector in Leeds. We particularly welcome applications from people of African or Caribbean heritage and people of South, East and South East Asian heritage, as they are currently under-represented at Yorkshire Dance. This is a great opportunity to gain a rounded experience in a busy arts organisation, including (but not limited to): • Assisting with co-ordination, planning and delivery within Yorkshire Dance’s Youth and Community programme. • Communicating with families, artists and participants. • Supporting the delivery of dance sessions in the community for all ages. Each year, Yorkshire Dance supports 200 dance artists, hosts 2 dance festivals (audience of 1,500), supports 2 sub-regional dance networks and delivers 1,400 weekly community dance sessions (1,000 participants). Dance sessions take place in our studios, in community centres and care homes throughout Leeds and Bradford. You can find out more about our current programmes on our website and social media. You will be based in our city-centre building which hosts our offices and studio spaces, giving you a real insight and experience of working in a lively arts venue. We are open to conversations around flexible work patterns. Yorkshire Dance offers a supportive work environment, in addition to a range of benefits which include: • Training opportunities relevant to your role and the organisation (e.g. the full staff team have recently undertaken training in anti-racism, Dementia Awareness and Trans Awareness) • An annual Go See Fund to purchase tickets for dance performances (and complimentary tickets for most performances run by Yorkshire Dance) • Maternity and sickness pay in line with our policies • Tech scheme • Cycle to work scheme • Eye care • Access to our Employee Assistance Care Programme, run by One Dance UK • Discounted travel with First Buses If you would like to have an informal chat about the post, or have any queries, please contact us on 0113 243 9867 or admin@yorkshiredance.com. Thank you for your interest, and we look forward to receiving your application. Yours faithfully Hannah Robertshaw Creative Director Yorkshire Dance Jo Hawkes Executive Director Yorkshire Dance February 2026 Yorkshire Dance Recruitment Statement We recognise the positive values of diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. Our jobs are open to all and we particularly welcome applications from people with a disability, and people of African or Caribbean heritage and people of South, East and South East Asian heritage, as they are currently under-represented at Yorkshire Dance. We will interview all applicants who are ethnically diverse or have a disability and who meet the essential criteria of this role. There is a tick box on the application form which asks: Do you wish to be considered for this role under our commitment of interviewing who are ethnically diverse or have a disability? [ ] Please tick this box if relevant to you. We will never ask for clarifying or supporting information. Information collected within the equal opportunities form is kept separately and anonymously and does not form part of the selection process. Yorkshire Dance recognizes that it is possible that there may be more applicants identifying as ethnically diverse and/or as D/deaf or disabled meeting the essential criteria for the role than there are available interview slots. In that event, applicants will be assessed against the desirable criteria and those scoring highest will be invited to interview. If you require support in completing your application, or would like to receive or submit the application in an alternative format, please contact via email on: admin@yorkshiredance.com February 2026 Mission Yorkshire Dance works through dance to create happiness, health, connection and change. We create opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to see, make and take part in high quality dance. Meet the team here. Our Values & How we work We are creative We are curious We are inclusive We are joyful We care Underpinning this plan is our commitment to being an ethnical organisation. We commit to fair pay and fair working practices for all staff and freelancers. We commit to increasing our environmental sustainability and to use our platform to increase public awareness of the Climate Emergency. We apply co-design and co-creation principles to all our activity; from project planning to the creative process wherever possible and appropriate. We are committed to work in partnership with health, sport, community, local authority and arts partners to increase impact and relevance of our work. February 2026 About key Youth and Community programmes Burmantofts and Richmond Hill Outreach Programme This new programme will enable Yorkshire Dance to develop partnerships and links with local communities within walking distance from our building. We will be working with a range of partners in the community to set up taster sessions to support signposting into Yorkshire Dance’s festivals and programmes. Company of People This intergenerational group works together to create performance work which is rooted in the lives and stories of its members. Supported by the Keith Howard Foundation, the company will be creating a new work in 2026 for Yorkshire Dance’s Ageless Festival. Yorkshire Dance’s Youth Dance Company Yorkshire Dance Youth is our free weekly dance class for young people aged 11 -18 who live in East Leeds. Our classes are taught by professional dancers and the group work together to create new routines. The classes are relaxed and fun and open to anybody – even if you’ve never danced before. FRESH: Yorkshire Dance’s annual regional youth dance platform FRESH offers an exciting opportunity for youth dance groups, schools and individual young people from across Yorkshire, to perform on a professional stage. The event includes workshops in a wide range of different dance styles, led by professional dancers and closes with an evening of performances from young people. Saturday Superstars: weekly dance classes for children and young people Our Saturday Superstars dance classes offer the chance to learn from very experienced teachers in a friendly, safe and fun environment. Our dance classes are open to ages 0 – 16 and include: ballet, tap, street dance and creative pop. Dance On Dance On provides fun, social dance classes for over-55s in Leeds and Bradford, with the aim of keeping people active and social. In Mature Company / Dancing Together Creative music and movement sessions in dementia care settings in the community across Leeds. Sessions aim to reduce social isolation and loneliness. February 2026 Youth & Community Trainee - Profile Main purpose of the traineeship To develop understanding and skills in community dance development through supporting Yorkshire Dance’s programmes. Key responsibilities • Assist with co-ordination, planning and delivery of all aspects of Yorkshire Dance’s Youth and Community programme, including outreach and development in local communities and the regional youth performance platform FRESH. This will include administrative tasks such as logging and tracking applications using Excel, contact management by using an online database, booking studios and preparing contracts. • Communicate with families, artists, participants and other key stakeholders. This could be via email, over the phone or in person, taking into account different communication needs such as participants with English as a second language, and adapting language to suit different audiences. • Assist dance sessions in the community for different local groups including with children, older adults and people with a learning and/or physical disability. • Coordinate and administer a range of internal and external meetings and networks, including note-taking and writing up minutes. • Support the marketing team to create content and posts for social media highlighting Youth and Community activity by selecting images, proofing text and developing ideas for content • Support event programming including the recruitment of and working alongside community co- curation groups General duties applicable to all Yorkshire Dance contracted staff The particular duties and responsibilities attached to posts may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties of the level of responsibility entailed. All Yorkshire Dance staff are expected to: • Undertake all activities in compliance with Yorkshire Dance’s policies and procedures with particular reference to equality and health and safety. • Promote the activities, products and values of Yorkshire Dance. • To participate in the staff review and development scheme, and undertake continued professional development activities as identified. Terms and Conditions Salary: Reporting: Pension: Period of contract: Hours of work: Annual Leave: Probation period: Notice period: Right to work: £12.71 per hour (Full time equivalent of £24,785 per annum) The postholder reports to the Youth & Communities Producer Where eligible, auto-enrolment in company pension scheme This post is offered on an 18-month fixed term contract from April 2026 to November 2027. 18.75 hours (2.5 days) per week including evening and weekend work as required (no overtime is payable, but time off in lieu may be given) 25 days plus statutory and bank holidays pro-rata to 12.5 days pa 3 months 1 month The candidate would have to have the right to work in the UK to take up this role. February 2026 How to apply Please apply by sending across your completed application form explaining how your skills and experience meet the person spec. Email your application form to admin@yorkshiredance.com. OR Send an audio recording of up to 8 minutes (MP3 file) or a video application of up to 8 minutes (MP4) using WeTransfer to admin@yorkshiredance.com. The closing date is: 10.00am on Mon, 2 March 2026 Interviews will take place at Yorkshire Dance in Leeds City Centre (or over Zoom if required) week commencing 16 March 2026. If you require support in completing your application, or would like to receive or submit the application in an alternative format, please call us on 0113 243 9867 or contact us via email on: admin@yorkshiredance.com February 2026 Person Specification Experience Essential Desirable but not essential Experience in dance or other art forms Experience and/or understanding of working with children and young people Experience and/or understanding of working in community settings Skills Confident and clear communication skills, both written and verbal, and proven ability to interact with a broad range of people Good IT skills (Microsoft Office) and use of social media Proven ability to work independently and as part of a team A positive and creative attitude towards problem-solving and ability to take initiative when required Attributes Commitment to equality and the power of the arts to change lives A strong interest in a career within the arts sector A strong interest in dance including some dance training Other Satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check Right to work in the UK February 2026 February 2026