Marketing & Communications Trustee - Volunteer

As Our Second Home grows in scale and public profile, you will help strengthen our brand, grow our audiences, and ensure that our public voice reflects the ambition, joy and lived-experience leadership at the heart of OSH.

At a time when refugees are often presented as a divisive issue in politics and the media, Our Second Home offers a genuinely positive story. OSH worked with around 350 young people with refugee backgrounds across London and Bristol in 2025, supporting them to build confidence, leadership skills and community. Many of the young people who come through our programmes go on to university, employment and leadership roles, studying subjects such as Medicine, Business and Media and contributing actively to the communities around them.

However, the impact of this work depends not only on the programmes we run but also on how effectively we communicate what we do and why it matters. As OSH grows in reach and ambition, the ability to clearly communicate our mission, values and impact will directly influence our ability to engage supporters, attract partners and build a wider community around our work.

This trustee role will help ensure that our communications match the scale and quality of the work happening within the organisation. By bringing expertise in marketing and communications, the trustee will support the Board and CEO to think strategically about how OSH presents itself publicly and how it connects with different audiences.

One key area of impact will be strengthening OSH’s brand and messaging. The organisation is currently entering a phase of development where we are refreshing elements of our brand and communications approach with the support of external consultants. A trustee with marketing and communications expertise will play an important role as a strategic partner in this process, helping ensure that our messaging clearly reflects the ambition, values and lived-experience leadership at the heart of OSH.

The trustee will also help the organisation think more strategically about audience growth and digital engagement. By advising on digital marketing strategy, audience insight and communications trends, they will help OSH better understand how to reach and engage supporters, volunteers, partners and the wider public. Ultimately, this role will help ensure that the stories and leadership of young people with refugee backgrounds are seen and heard more widely, helping OSH build public understanding, deepen support for our work, and grow a movement that celebrates the potential and contribution of young people rebuilding their lives in the UK.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for a trustee with strong professional experience in marketing, communications or digital strategy who can bring strategic insight to the Board as Our Second Home continues to grow. Our ideal candidate will have significant experience shaping communications strategy, brand positioning or audience engagement at an organisational level. They will understand how marketing and communications can support the growth of a mission-driven organisation and will be comfortable advising senior leaders on strategic communications decisions. Experience in digital marketing strategy will be particularly valuable.

We are keen to hear from people who understand how organisations grow and engage their audiences online, including the use of analytics, audience segmentation and digital channels to reach new supporters and communities. The trustee should also bring an interest in values-led communications and an understanding of how storytelling, messaging and public engagement can support social impact organisations. Experience of media relations, brand development, website strategy or communications campaigns would all be helpful.

We are not looking for someone to run our communications activity directly. Instead, we are seeking someone who can contribute strategic perspective, offer constructive challenge and act as a trusted adviser to the Board and CEO. An interest in Our Second Home’s mission and the leadership of young people with refugee backgrounds is essential.

What will you be doing?

Our Second Home (OSH) is a growing youth movement supporting young people with refugee backgrounds to build community, leadership and belonging in the UK. Over the past few years, the organisation has grown significantly – expanding its residential programmes, leadership training and community hubs while increasing both income and organisational capacity. With this growth has come a shift in governance needs. The Board of Trustees is evolving from supporting a founder-led charity in its early stages to guiding a more established organisation that is increasing in reach, complexity and public visibility.

Our trustees bring skills across safeguarding, strategy, youth development, finance and governance, and the board includes people with both professional expertise and lived experience connected to the communities we serve. As OSH continues to grow, communications and public engagement are becoming increasingly important to our future. We want more people to understand the impact of our work, to connect with the young people and communities we support, and to help us build a stronger national presence.

Strong communications will support our ability to grow audiences, attract supporters and partners, and ensure our messaging reflects the distinctive values and culture that underpin the organisation. We are therefore seeking a trustee with expertise in marketing and communications to join the Board and provide specialist strategic insight in this area. This trustee will act as the Board’s lead adviser on communications and brand, supporting the Board and CEO to think strategically about how OSH presents itself publicly and how it engages audiences.

They will help the organisation strengthen its brand positioning and messaging, particularly as we work with external consultants to refresh elements of our brand and communications approach. The trustee will also bring expertise in digital marketing and audience growth. They will help the organisation think about how to better understand and reach its audiences – including supporters, partners, volunteers and the wider public – and how digital channels can support stronger engagement with our work.

Another key focus will be supporting the strategic development of OSH’s website and wider digital presence. The trustee will provide guidance on how our digital infrastructure can better support storytelling, accessibility and audience engagement as the organisation grows. The trustee will also advise on approaches to strengthening OSH’s media and public profile, helping the organisation consider how it might engage more effectively with press, partnerships, ambassadors or public champions where appropriate.

This role is primarily advisory and strategic, working closely with the CEO and providing input and feedback to staff or freelancers working on communications. For the right person, this role offers the opportunity to shape how a values-led organisation tells its story at a pivotal stage in its development.