In order to join the programme, an applicant must: 

• Be at least 18 years old
• Working or volunteering in a youth facing sector
• Carrying out this role in the city of Leicester  
• Be able to commit 6 days during working hours across the year to the programme. We strongly encourage you to discuss this programme with your Line Manager and direct them to the website to find out more information

The JUI is a professional development programme aimed at supporting and connecting the change makers of tomorrow.   

We will be prioritising applications from emerging leaders. There are various ways this could be interpreted; for instance:  

• You may be in a position (a paid role or in a voluntary capacity) where you can influence the practice of others and help shape positive outcomes for young people (e.g. you may be a middle leader within your organisation, a well-networked practitioner, or a member of board or advisory group)  
• You would like to take an active leadership role in influencing the hearts and minds of other people in the sector, and a wider set of decision makers
• You have a vision of how you want your role to evolve and shape youth futures  

These are just examples, so if you don’t feel like you reflect the above criteria, we would still encourage you to apply and tell us why you would like to join the programme. 

Applications are reviewed on potential over credentials and we are looking to see the following 4 attributes (the Big Change‘s 4 dimensions of leadership) in your application. 

Purpose: Looks at personal/lived experience, values and motivation
Growth: Looks at openness to learning, self-awareness and desire for development
Agency: Looks at vision, commitment to change and willingness to challenge the status quo
Relationships: Looks at collaboration, network-building and system leadership mindset

In order to reflect the diverse community of Leicester and achieve an inclusive systems change we will be piloting positive scoring of certain applications.

Applications will be reviewed on the basis of potential over credentials but we understand some people have had less opportunity and experience due to systemic barriers.

We are therefore particularly encouraging applications from:

• Young people aged 18-25​
• Applicants from Global Majority backgrounds​
• People who are disabled or have a long term health condition ​

Applications will be reviewed anonymously by a diverse panel of individuals across organisations and roles based on UK Youth’s commitment to inclusion in consultation with TRIUMPH, our racial equity partners.

Here we ask for standard information including your contact details, current employer/organisation you volunteer for, sector and role details.

So that we can understand why you want to join the programme, we ask you two questions. You can either write an answer in 250 words per question or email in a 2– minute video or audio file for each question to joined_up@ukyouth.org. Please be sure to include your full name in the file title. 

We ask for some details that might feel irrelevant or intrusive but we want to make sure the JUI is accessible to everyone and we can only do this by gathering this information. You are welcome to select ‘prefer not to say’ for all questions.  

Please confirm you are happy to be contacted as part of The Joined Up Institute and your data to be stored. You can view full details of our privacy policy here.

To be a Joined Up Institute participant, you need to be over the age of 18, working in Leicester and be able commit to 6 days total of your time during working hours across the September 2025 to June 2026 period. 

No. The Joined Up Institute is free to take part in for individuals. However, we do require you to invest time – which is why we recommend that you seek permission from your line manager before applying. 

Yes, there are x3 in person workshop days, based in central Leicester, that you need to be able to attend and there will be online learning to complete between these events. 

No. Applications are made directly by people interested in joining the programme. However, we do recommend that you discuss the opportunity with your line manager first and seek their approval first. 

The programme will require around 6 days of your time across the September to June period. 3 days for the in-person events and 3 days for the online learning, networking and communities of practice.   

There may be opportunities for deeper levels of engagement as the programme progresses. 

Then you can sign up to be part of our network to stay up to date with the latest sector news, hear about what works and find out where the Joined Up Institute will be next! 

Applications close on 16 July ‘25 

During the application process you will be able to let us know if you require reasonable adjustments to enable you to join the programme. 

We will also take account of key religious festivals (i.e. offering flexibility during Ramadan). 

That’s great, please reach out to joined_up@ukyouth.org with your query and we will get back to you as soon as possible.