At Fight for Peace we support young people to reach their full potential. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we have been operating since 2000 and have impacted the lives of thousands of young people at our Academy in east London, and via a national and international network of partners who are trained in our approach.
We focus on marginalised communities because typically this is where the need for our work is greatest, and where we can have the biggest impact. Our work covers three complementary strategic areas to ensure that we can maximise our reach and impact Academy, Alliance and Collectives. We work directly with young people at our Academy, developing their potential using a Five Pillars methodology which combines combat sports, education, employability, youth leadership and support services.
Via our Alliance, we exchange skills, knowledge and support with over 120 community-based partners around the world to strengthen youth programmes and enable us to maximise our influence and reach. And through our Collectives in east London and Jamaica, we bring together services, decision-makers and stakeholders to strengthen youth services across communities and find solutions for complex issues affecting young people.
Purpose of the role
The purpose of this role is to provide inspiring and resilient leadership that empowers both colleagues and young people to thrive. The postholder will foster strong, trusting relationships with young people, families, professionals, and partner organisations, ensuring collaboration and support at every level. With a deep understanding of the complex challenges young people face today, they will ensure services remain responsive, impactful, and aligned to holistic youth development.
As the designated safeguarding lead, the role carries significant responsibility for embedding a culture of safety and accountability across the organisation. The postholder will bring expert knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice in youth work, ensuring compliance while driving a proactive approach to risk management.
Above all, this role exists to create a safe, supportive, and empowering environment where young people can develop, achieve, and realise their potential.
You will lead in the following areas of work:
Programme Delivery
Lead the Youth Leadership and Personal Development programmes to ensure they meet young people's needs and align with Fight for Peace's strategy.
Ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people through ongoing and formal risk assessments of the open-access space.
Programme Design and Development
Develop and maintain programmes with a clearly defined theory of change, ensuring outcomes are aligned with targets set by agreed KPIs.
Embed personal development fully into sports programmes to contribute to holistic youth development.
Safeguarding
Serve as the primary safeguarding lead within Primary Interventions, ensuring compliance with policies and legal requirements.
Manage safeguarding concerns in line with Fight for Peace's safeguarding policies and statutory guidance, including timely reporting.
Lead on embedding a culture of safeguarding across all primary intervention services.
Academy Management
Maintain a minimum four-day presence at the Academy, including participation in the Friday rota.
Oversee effective delegation and produce robust funder reports supported by impact data.
Provide structured line management for a team of youth workers, ensuring they are action-focused and accountable, with goals tied to the long-term vision.
Regularly assess training needs to support ongoing professional development.
Partnerships
Build, maintain, and strengthen strategic partnerships with local organisations (e.g., social services, YJS, CAMHS, probation, schools, sports clubs).
Represent Fight for Peace professionally to enhance organisational visibility and create collaborative opportunities for young people to train, compete, and develop together.
Management of self
Develop knowledge, personal skills, time management, being an advocate
and representative of the organisation.
Be effective within a role: learning, well organised, excellent communication.
Provide line manager with updates on progress of work as well as challenges faced.
SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES
Required
Working knowledge of issues surrounding young people and including but not exclusive to youth involvement in offending, violent behaviour and gangs, working knowledge of multicultural inner city areas and an ability to relate to young people of all backgrounds.
Experience of working with tertiary-level young people based on the public health approach to violence prevention.
Experience in designing and delivering youth-based programmes.
Understanding of transversal themes and developing strategies that have resulted in behaviour changes.
Experience of using MEL tools in the design, delivery and evaluation of programmes.
Ability to design and deliver training.
Safeguarding trained and experienced in overseeing safeguarding in a youth work setting.
A strong knowledge of safeguarding & child protection principles and good practice and how this translates in a youth sports environment.
Ability to provide programme update reports in a timely and concise manner.
Experience of working with young people and FFP demographic.
Qualifications
A recognised youth work qualification at level 3 or above.
A recognised safeguarding qualification.
Application process
Interested candidates should send their CV and a covering letter of no more than 2 pages to jobs@fightforpeace.net with the subject title 'job title application'.
On receipt of your application, you will be sent an Equal Opportunities questionnaire to complete.
Closing date for applications is
midnight on 21 September 2025.
The Use of AI
We understand the benefits of using AI in work. However, if you are thinking of using AI to support your application, we ask you to think carefully about what value it adds. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. Therefore, we encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.