Volunteer
Volunteer
Be part of our incredible team. Be inspired by ballet and performance. Make new friends. Know that you’re integral to what we do – three fabulous reasons to get volunteering.
It’s the skills, time and expertise of our volunteers that operationally facilitate and help the growth and development of our company and make what we do unique. Whether you’re looking to help in our Wardrobe department, be a House Parent at our Residential Performance Company, Chaperone, help out backstage or as part of our administration team, we have lots of roles that might appeal.
We are currently seeking House Parent Volunteers for our 2025 Residential Performance Company. Please see more information below.
House Parent Volunteer
To join our core team, NYB is seeking a Support Team of House Parent volunteers to join us at the residential. Whether your young person is joining the NYB family for the first time or not, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience first-hand how NYB works, either as part of the intensive or within the companies. It also opens a window for parents to see the values and culture of NYB come alive in the beautiful setting of Elmhurst Ballet School and to get to know the core NYB team and creative practitioners.
The adult team working at the residential will include:
- 7 core NYB RPC management team
- 1 Safeguarding and Support Team Manager (leading Support Team)
- 1 Healthcare Support Team worker (onsite medic)
- 12 full time house parent volunteers
- 1 soft tissue / physiotherapist
- 12 creative practitioners plus technical and production team
- 2 recent alum volunteer helpers
- Elmhurst site and kitchen staff
Photo (c) Lachlan Monaghan
We are looking for volunteers for the duration of the residential activities from Sunday 10 August – Saturday 16 August 2025 (6 nights total). As a House Parent volunteer you will work as a team from a rota, providing pastoral support and supervision of young dancers throughout the residential week. House Parents are the backbone of pastoral support, and look after the day to day social and emotional needs of their young dancers as part of a team from waking until bedtime, during leisure time and at meal times. During studio time, dancers are supervised by NYB practitioners.
The Support Team will be led by Jules Renahan, our Safeguarding and Support Team Manager, who will be the first point of contact for any concerns, questions about the day, medical issues or problems associated with the residential setting and its maintenance.
*We understand that you may only be able to offer a few nights of your time and therefore role shares are possible. Please complete the Volunteer form and share your availability with us.
Key responsibilities
We want our House Parent volunteers to feel well informed about the role. You will have access to a Support Team webpage 6 weeks prior to arrival. You will be required to attend an online meeting ahead of the residential with the Safeguarding and Support Team Manager and meet the support team, identify any students with additional needs, and talk through the key responsibilities. House Parents will also be required to watch NYB’s Safeguarding Videos and attend an online all-team Safeguarding refresher ahead of the residential at a date to be confirmed.
The House Parent role is about providing excellent pastoral care, and nurturing a safe environment in which all our young dancers can thrive. All NYB staff and volunteers adhere to our NYB policies, including our Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. The House Parent role is most busy around waking, mealtimes, recreational activity and bedtimes. There is a rota throughout the day to ensure a balance of rest breaks with on-duty support for young dancers who come out of the studio for whatever reason.
This is an important and responsible role (just like parenting your own child/children) and you must be passionate about the wellbeing of children. In particular, we welcome volunteers with experience of working in a setting with children and young people e.g. paediatric healthcare workers, teacher, teaching assistant, sports coach, youth worker or youth performing arts. House Parents need to have a strong sense of responsibility, be kind, approachable, good listeners, organised and able to work collaboratively with others.
House Parent Volunteer Requirements
Licence
House Parents must have either a chaperone licence which is approved and licensed by their local authority where they reside OR have an up to date enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. NYB can support you to obtain a DBS check if needed. Any costs associated with this will be reimbursed.
House parent role
- To supervise the children and young people outside of their scheduled timetables.
- To have knowledge of the whereabouts and timetable of each child and young person allocated to their house.
- To ensure that the children and young people have a routine in the mornings, afternoons and evenings when they are in their housing blocks, to include, general hygiene, cleanliness, getting ready for day etc
- To ensure the children and young people are participating in meal times (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- To ensure the children and young people are having a good amount of water throughout the day, reminding them where possible.
- To ensure the children and young people attend their timetable activities throughout the day.
- To be proactive, enthusiastic and think outside the box.
- To supervise and arrange activities in line with the children and young people’s needs and interests.
- To report any concerns to the Safeguarding and Support Team Manager. This includes, safeguarding, general wellbeing or if you are unsure of something.
- To participate in daily check-ins with the other house parents and support team to ensure effective handover and information sharing.
- To record, and update where necessary medical injuries to the Safeguarding and Support Team Manager.
- Be responsible for ensuring that any children or young people in your house requiring medication (allergies or medical needs) are seen by onsite medic for suitable administration
- To ensure fire safety drills are followed should this arise.
- To complete daily registers and head counts throughout the day for the children and young people you are responsible for in your housing block.
Key dates
Key dates are Sunday 10 August – Saturday 16 August 2025 for the residency at Elmhurst Ballet School, plus one prior meeting online and one all-staff Safeguarding training session as outlined above. We will have a balance of full and part-time house parents throughout the course of these dates.
In addition, NYB offers every volunteer £50 towards travel expenses, and full accommodation in individual rooms (shared bathrooms) plus three hot meals per day provided by the Elmhurst kitchen.
How to get involved
Interested volunteers should complete the link to the Google Form included in the offer letter to your child.
The closing date for applications is Thursday 17th April 2025.
Reasonable adjustments will be made for applicants if required, please let us know if you have any additional needs.
If you would like to discuss anything in relation to this application please don’t hesitate to get in touch at admin@nationalyouthballet.org
Safeguarding
NYB is committed to safeguarding and protecting all children and young people who participate in our activities. We ensure that we have the policies and procedures in place so that we can do everything possible to safeguard all our staff and participants. NYB practises Safer Recruitment. In line with our Safeguarding Policy if you are offered the role, you will be subject to a DBS check, a short online meeting with our Safeguarding and Support Team manager, and asked to complete a Safer Recruitment form.