Illustrator: Picture Book Refining - Volunteer in London

We are developing a set of 12 beautifully illustrated picture books designed to accompany classroom learning within our pioneering Heroism Curriculum. Each story is a moral journey that encourages empathy, courage, and selflessness in young readers.

Being The Cure is a UK charity dedicated to inspiring children and young people to live with humility, honesty, and kindness through our pioneering Heroism Curriculum. Our mission is to develop the next generation of society's heroes through evidence-informed character education that instills humility, honesty, and kindness in every child and young person.

We are working to introduce the Heroism Curriculum into schools nationwide. Through storytelling, discussion, and practical projects, we help children discover what it means to be heroic, not in grand gestures, but in everyday actions of humility, kindness, and honesty. This project will culminate in a national pilot from September 2026, feeding directly into the Department for Education reforms on character and values education in primary schools. Your work will therefore contribute not only to our charity's creative development but also to a significant educational initiative that has the potential to influence national policy.

By volunteering your time and talent, you will be part of a transformative movement, one that aims to redefine how character and heroism are taught in schools. Your illustrations will help shape how children see themselves and others, encouraging them to act with courage, humility, and kindness in their daily lives.

What are we looking for?

• Creative, collaborative, and purpose-driven illustrators or designers who are passionate about using their artistic talent to make a difference in children's education.

Our ideal volunteer will have:

• Experience in illustration or graphic design, particularly for children's books, educational materials, or storytelling projects.
• A strong eye for detail, composition, and visual storytelling, with the ability to translate moral and emotional themes into engaging imagery.
• Proficiency in digital illustration tools (e.g. Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, or equivalent).
• Understanding of design for print and publication, including layout, typography, and preparing artwork for publishing.
• The ability to refine and modernise existing artwork while maintaining the essence and tone of the original designs.
• A genuine belief in education, character development, and positive social change.
• A collaborative mindset, open to feedback and creative dialogue.
• Reliability and self-motivation, with the ability to manage their time effectively across a flexible schedule.
• A sensitive and thoughtful approach to storytelling, especially when depicting moral, emotional, or cultural themes for young audiences.

You do not need to be a professional illustrator, but you should have a portfolio or examples of your creative work that demonstrate storytelling through art. We welcome both early-career artists looking to gain experience and seasoned professionals who wish to give back through meaningful, values-driven work.

Most importantly, we're seeking people who want to be part of something bigger, helping shape how children across the UK learn about heroism, kindness, and integrity. By lending your creativity to this project, you will play a vital role in bringing the Heroism Curriculum to life and inspiring the next generation of young heroes.

What will you be doing?

We are seeking talented and creative illustrators/designers to help revitalise and prepare 5–10 existing picture books (currently in PDF format) for publication. The original illustrations and layouts are in place, but they need professional refinement and enhancement to meet modern publishing standards.

You will work collaboratively with our creative team to:

• Redesign and refine artwork, text placement, and overall layout.
• Digitally enhance or redraw illustrations while retaining the integrity of the original style.
• Prepare print-ready and digital formats suitable for publication.

Depending on the number of successful applicants, each illustrator will be responsible for 2–5 books.

Who We're Looking For:

• You will be a good fit if you have experience in children's book illustration, graphic design, or visual storytelling.
• You can work independently but are open to creative collaboration and feedback.
• You are passionate about educational or values-based storytelling.
• You can commit time flexibly over the next few months to complete your assigned books.

This is a volunteer opportunity that offers portfolio-building experience, the chance to contribute to national curriculum reform, and to inspire the next generation of young heroes through your art.