Creative Writing Youth Mentor – Writing Within Walls in Glasgow

Arkbound Foundation is a charity publisher based in Bristol and Glasgow, dedicated to amplifying marginalised voices through literature and creative mentorship. Founded in 2015, Arkbound has published over 100 books by underrepresented writers and believes everyone has a story worth telling and hearing.

Writing Within Walls is a creative writing and mentoring programme for young people aged 14-25 who are incarcerated or at risk of offending. Delivered across Scotland and supported by The Robertson Trust, the programme is endorsed by the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) and designed to complement existing rehabilitation, education, and throughcare provision.

The programme matches young people with trained volunteer mentors who support them through one-to-one creative writing correspondence over 12-18 months. Participants develop genuine creative writing skills across poetry, memoir, fiction, and drama; process difficult emotions and experiences in structured, therapeutic ways; and have their voices heard through a professionally produced and widely distributed anthology. Previous iterations of the programme have supported over 40 writers in prison and secure settings, with independently evidenced improvements in literacy, confidence, and mental wellbeing.

We are looking for a volunteer programme assistant to support the day-to-day running of Writing Within Walls as the programme expands. This is a hands-on, varied role sitting at the heart of the programme’s operations, working closely with Emma Venter, Programme Coordinator, to keep things running smoothly and ensure that both mentors and participants receive a well-organised, consistent experience.

Responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the coordination and scheduling of mentor inductions, training sessions, and peer network meetings
• Assisting with mentor recruitment communications, including responding to enquiries and tracking applications
• Maintaining records of mentor-participant matches, correspondence milestones, and programme timelines
• Helping to draft and send programme updates, newsletters, and communications to mentors, partner organisations, and institutional contacts
• Supporting outreach to partner organisations, YOIs, schools, and community groups
• Assisting with the coordination of anthology production, including gathering participant submissions and liaising with the editorial and design process
• General administrative support to the Programme Coordinator as needed

What you'll gain:

While this role is unpaid, it offers meaningful hands-on experience of programme coordination and communications within a nationally recognised social enterprise. You will play a direct part in supporting a programme that changes young people’s lives, build practical transferable skills in coordination and charity communications, and leave with a strong reference upon successful completion. We are committed to making the experience as valuable and skills rich as possible and will provide guidance and support throughout.

Arkbound Foundation is committed to equity and inclusion. We particularly welcome applications from individuals with lived experience of the care or justice system, and from those from underrepresented backgrounds more broadly.

Experience required:

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. You do not need prior experience in publishing, youth work, or the justice sector; what matters most is that you are warm, reliable, and genuinely committed to the programme’s mission of supporting young people to find their voice.

The ideal candidate will be:

• Organised and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and keep accurate records
• A clear and friendly communicator, comfortable writing emails and liaising with a range of contacts
• Self-motivated and able to work independently, with minimal supervision
• Comfortable working remotely using standard tools such as email, shared documents, and spreadsheets
• Genuinely interested in the intersection of creative writing, social justice, and young people’s lives

Any experience in administration, coordination, communications, or a related field is welcome, but not required.

Remote!

Arkbound provides mentors with:

• Full induction, PVG check, and trauma-informed training
• A structured framework and writing resources so mentors are never without support
• Regular peer sessions with the wider mentor community

Frequency & commitment:

2-hour weekly commitment (flexible, based on your schedule). Volunteers (aged 12-25) taking part in this opportunity are eligible to claim Saltire Awards hours for their activity.