Consultant: Future Craft Leaders Programme Design and Development

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Crafts Council seeks to engage a consultant to support the design and development of a new youth leadership programme to launch in May 2027.

Context

Young Craft Citizens (YCC) is the Crafts Council's national participation programme, co-created with young people aged 16-30 who are interested in craft and making. Established in 2017, YCC supports young people to build skills, confidence and connections across the creative sector, with a particular focus on those affected by racism, classism, ableism and their intersections.

Between 2023 and 2025, the Crafts Council piloted a Young Advisory Panel, bringing together six YCC members with an interest in craft, design and making. Working alongside the Crafts Council team, Panel members contributed to programme development, content creation and organisational decision-making, while developing their own leadership, communication and governance skills.

A key ambition of the pilot was to strengthen young people's influence within the organisation and the wider craft sector, including creating a pathway into governance. Following the conclusion of the first cohort in 2025, two Young Trustees joined the Crafts Council Board in February 2026.

As YCC approaches its tenth anniversary in May 2027, the Crafts Council is seeking to build on the learning from this pilot and evolve the Youth Advisory Panel into a more ambitious, structured leadership programme for young people currently underrepresented within the craft sector.

The ambition is to create a clear leadership journey that supports young people's development, progression and influence. The programme should build leadership skills, confidence and sector connections while empowering participants to shape the future of craft.

While the programme will be co-designed with young people, we anticipate it may include:

• A structured engagement journey that reflects the needs and aspirations of young people at different stages of their development
• Make First facilitator training and practical leadership experience
• Workshops with sector leaders exploring topics such as fundraising, project management, freelancing, governance, policy, communications, partnerships and business development
• Mentoring from craft professionals and creative sector leaders
• Stronger links to the wider sector through strategic partnerships, including the Craft UK network
• A national cohort model engaging approximately 20 young people annually from across the UK
• Clear progression opportunities within YCC, the Crafts Council and the wider craft sector

The programme will launch as part of YCC's tenth anniversary celebrations in 2027 and help establish a new generation of confident, connected and influential young craft leaders.

About the Brief

The consultant will design and deliver a co-creation process that engages young people in shaping the Future Craft Leaders programme.

Working closely with the Crafts Council and YCC members, the consultant will explore young people's aspirations, test ideas, identify priority needs and develop recommendations for the structure, content and delivery model of the programme.

The process should ensure that the resulting programme is relevant, accessible, ambitious and rooted in the lived experiences of young people. Young people should play an active role in defining what leadership in craft means and how the programme can best support their development.

The consultant will develop recommendations for a programme that includes:

• A clear and inclusive leadership journey aligned with young people's needs and ambitions
• Make First facilitator training and opportunities for practical leadership experience
• High-quality skills development workshops with sector experts
• Mentoring and peer-learning opportunities
• Strategic partnerships that expand access to networks, opportunities and progression routes
• A national cohort model supporting approximately 20 young people annually
• Clear pathways into further opportunities within YCC, the Crafts Council and the wider craft sector

The final recommendations should provide a practical and sustainable framework for a Future Craft Leaders programme ready to launch as part of YCC's tenth anniversary in May 2027.

Learn more about our Young Craft Citizen's programme here .

Objectives

Initial activity will include:

• Design and facilitate a co-creation process with YCC members and relevant stakeholders
• Engage young people meaningfully in shaping the purpose, structure, content and tone of the programme
• Identify the skills, support and opportunities young people need to develop as future leaders in craft
• Recommend a programme model, including cohort structure, recruitment approach, delivery format and participant journey
• Advise on accessibility, inclusion and safeguarding considerations
• Suggest how partnerships, mentoring and sector connections can be embedded into the programme
• Produce a clear programme framework that can be used to inform planning, fundraising and delivery

The process should be collaborative, inclusive and responsive. We are particularly interested in approaches that create safe, creative and engaging spaces for young people to share ideas honestly.

The consultant should work closely with Crafts Council's Learning and Participation team throughout the process, ensuring that the final programme reflects both young people's priorities and Crafts Council's strategic ambitions for YCC.

Location

Activity is intended to be delivered remotely. Some activity may be delivered onsite at Crafts Council premises based in Islington, London.

Reporting to

Activity will be overseen by Amanda Rigler, Senior Learning and Participation Manager. Freelance consultant will work with the Learning and Participation team, Communications team and Young Craft Citizen network as required.

Days required for scope of work -

Initial activity will be approximately 12 days. Additional days may be agreed.

Fees -

At freelancers own daily rate. Guidance linked to CC daily rates is provided below. Please indicate your daily rate in response to this brief.

A budget and delivery timescale will be agreed with the appointed consultant. We welcome proposals that set out a realistic approach to co-creation, programme development and reporting within the available resources.

About You

We are looking for a consultant or organisation with experience in:

• Youth leadership, youth voice or co-creation
• Working with marginalised young people in accessible and inclusive ways
• Programme design and facilitation
• Creative, cultural or craft sector contexts
• Participatory practice and relationship-centred approaches
• Producing clear, practical outputs for programme development and fundraising

Experience working with young people aged 16-30, particularly those facing barriers linked to race, class, disability, geography or socio-economic disadvantage, would be particularly welcome.

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