Finance Volunteer

We're looking for someone with excellent financial experience who would be interested in supporting our work making theatre with children and young people in areas of deprivation as we grow and implement new financial strategy

Brave Words is in a period of growth, including the implementation of new financial software and procedures to help manage our CIC. We're looking for someone who can help us to:

- Implement new financial processes to efficiently and accurately manage our accounts

- Undertake monthly book-keeping, invoice runs, expenses and payments

- Work with our accountants in support of annual tax return submissions

- Provide mentorship and guidance on the executive functioning of a social enterprise

The volunteer will work primarily with our Artistic Director and Director of Creative Producing. We envisage the role will be 1 or 2 days per month, ideally based at our office in Chapel Allerton.

Alongside the role, there are opportunities to meet and work with our young producers (young people at risk of becoming NEET who are beginning careers in theatre), to support our professional touring theatre productions and to meet and work with members of our pay-what-you-can youth theatres (children from 4-18 years old.) As a CIC we do not have a board, but would love a volunteer who wants to help us grow as an organisation, and can contribute to strategy as well as monthly bookkeeping!

We're looking for a volunteer with experience:

- Implementing financial processes and systems

- Using Quickbooks

- Managing/monitoring budgets

- Bookkeeping/accounting

- Knowledge/experience working with not-for-profit organisations

- Invoicing and administration

- Working with young people (not essential!)

We work with over 160+ children and young people in areas of Leeds that are in the top 15% indices of deprivation. All of our provision is pay-what-you-can to ensure that children can access a professional quality youth theatre in their local area. We work with 160+ children and young people every week, over 50% of whom are from families in receipt of benefits; over 60% from the global majority and over 49% who speak English as an additional language. Many of our members identify as LGBTQ+ and many are neurodiverse.

We aim to be a mediating presence, working with children from 4 years old to help them reach their full potential. Every term we host performances that bring together parents, carers, family and friends to watch plays created by the groups, promoting connection, community cohesion and celebrations of their local communities. In 2022 and 2023 our young people performed on professional stages at Leeds Playhouse.

We always prefer to let young people and parents sum up the impact our work has:

"You've given her confidence to be herself."

"I love coming here because when everything's bad at home, I can have fun and be a kid."

"I never did any theatre, it sounds too posh for me, but she can't get enough of your classes"

"His English is getting much better."

"I never done anything like this before but I want a job with the youth theatre when I'm older."

"Brave Words is the only space I feel safe to express myself".

"Brave Words has helped me know what I want to do with my life."