adventure youth coach

We are seeking adventurous, energetic and people-focused Adventure Youth Coaches to join us on our journey with young people. If you want to support, empower and inspire young people, push yourself out of your comfort zone and work together towards a shared vision, we'd love to hear from you.

What is Basecamp?

Basecamp Adventure Trust is a registered charity delivering life-changing programmes to young people from Leeds and Bradford which enable them to better thrive. Our programmes blend outdoor adventure, personal development and compassionate coaching to support young people to break down the barriers they face, transform their wellbeing and learn skills for life. The Core Programme is a year-long programme using inspirational skills workshops and exhilarating adventure residentials to enable young people to see all they are innately capable of, and at the centre of this work is the transformative coaching relationships our Adventure Youth Coaches build throughout the year.

the role

We are seeking committed, empathetic and life-loving Adventure Youth Coaches to deliver this mission, working directly with young people across the entire year-long programme. This is a coaching and pastoral role delivered in the outdoors, meaning you will demonstrate a real passion for transforming the lives of vulnerable young people whilst taking part in all outdoor adventure activities. Adventure is an exhilarating and impactful vehicle for personal change, but the real magic of the programme lies in high-quality, trusting relationships and vulnerable conversationsyou will build. Basecamp residentials are a fast-paced, intensive environment which requires Coaches to be open-minded, highly organised and able to take initiative and respond dynamically to challenges and changing circumstances.

NB: This is a freelance role comprising of 21 days guaranteed work every year. Our programmes run to academic years (Sep - June) and in this period you would come on 6 adventure trips. There are also a few ad-hoc days in June/September for induction and training days.

The 3-day adventure trips will be paid at a comprehensive trip rate of £500, which also covers a pre-trip briefing, feedback writing after each trip and 2 mid-programme supervision check-ins. Food and accommodation (with exception of lunch on Day 1) is provided, alongside the ability to claim up to £50 in travel expenses per event. The day events will be paid at a day rate of £125. There are opportunities for pay progression based on years of service.

Commitment is key to this role. We are looking for individuals that are able to commit to attending all 6 trips over the course of at least one 1-year programme. They will either be Mon-Weds or Weds- Fri, during term-time. Dates are in the process of being secured but provisional ones are available upon request.

- Managing a ‘Huddle’ of 10 young people, taking lead on behaviour management, pastoral care, and general wellbeing. You will:
  - Offer individualised mentoring and emotional support, getting to know their needs, trigger, strengths and goals
  - Take part in all the outdoor activities with your Huddle whilst on residential. Please note, adventures requiring an AALA licence are delivered by our Outdoor Instructor partners. Your role within these adventures is to challenge, celebrate and inspire young people, rather than instruct. You must be comfortable engaging with these activities but you do not need outdoor qualifications to be successful in this role
  - Manage the behaviour of your Huddle using our ‘high challenge, high support’ approach
  - Support pastorally as regards wearing the right layers, packing enough food, tying laces
  - Overseeing the safety of your Huddle, especially in regards to their medical requirements
- Delivering in-house adventurous activities such as low-level walks, treasure walks and outdoor cooking (in tandem with the other programme delivery staff)
- Running 30-45 minute check-in coaching circles with your Huddle
- Helping run evening activities on residential such as games, quizzes, escape rooms and challenges
- Working long days and be able to keep energy high!
- Writing up a short paragraph of feedback on each of your Huddle members after each trip
- Managing day-to-day unplanned situations that arise (including behaviour management strategies, emotional support, and spontaneous crises)
- Referring safeguarding issues immediately if they qualify as a ‘Cause for Concern’
- Push themselves out of their comfort zones and do things they never though themselves capable of
- Help them to identify their strengths, talents and weaknesses
- Feel more confident in their skin and know their worth
- Understand what they could be capable of becoming or achieving, with increased aspiration to do so
- See themselves as drivers of their own future
- Be more confident meeting new people, forming friendships and engaging in social situations
- Be more determined, resilient and less likely to give up easily

person specification

We are looking for people who can reliably commute to the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District where our residential trips are held. There will also be the occasional day event in the Leeds area.

- Someone who has an empathetic and compassionate approach to vulnerable young people.
- A strong relationship and trust builder who can get alongside young people and build rapport with them.
- Someone with a genuine passion to see young people grow and thrive.
- Someone who can positively model the kinds of behaviours we look to instil. These include a willingness to show vulnerability, empathy, a willingness to step outside the comfort zone, taking personal responsibility and resilience.
- An optimistic life-lover who embodies the Basecamp culture of energising and inspiring.
- Someone who can engage in potentially vulnerable and difficult conversations with young people, either to support them or challenge them towards their personal targets.
- A team-player who can help us problem-solve dynamic situations.
- Someone who is able to handle stressful situations with a calm and professional manner and approach.
- Excited by the prospect of working with a young, dynamic charity!
- Willing to participate in training sessions, post and pre-trip debriefs
- Physically fit and active
- Organised, punctual and good at managing your time
- Knowledgeable/experienced/willing to train in issues of child protection and safeguarding
- Experience of working with vulnerable/challenging young people in a relevant context, such as school or youth work setting
- Knowledge or experience of psychological/developmental research relevant to working with vulnerable young people (such as ADHD/ASD/ACEs and Trauma-informed approaches)
- Clear Enhanced DBS check (please note we will be doing our own Enhanced DBS check)
- Current First Aid certificate
- Outdoor/nature experience (we’re not talking qualifications here, but any experience in map-reading, the use of outdoor stoves, bushcraft skills, nature-based practices etc is helpful)

how to apply

Does this sound like the role for you? Please apply to anna@basecamp.org.uk by submitting the two documents below:

Current CV including contact details for two referees (one from your current/most recent employer)

A covering letter (500 words max.) that outlines your personal vision, values and motivations for this role, as well as any skills you have developed through working in this field.

Note: All documents should either be in PDF or MS Word format and be attached to the application. (Documents should not require passwords or links to cloud systems, such as Google Drive).

Applications will start to be processed as soon as they are received. If we think you might be a good fit, you will be invited to meet with us for an informal chat over Zoom and thereafter we may invite you to an assessment day on the 9th or 11th June 2026 where you'll get the chance to interact with some of our young people. Please make us aware on interview if you cannot make these dates.