About Spiral Skills
What is Spiral Skills?
Spiral Skills is a South London-based youth-empowerment social enterprise. It exists to ensure every young person is excited about their future, motivated to make it a reality, and equipped with the essential skills they need to succeed. The charity delivers immersive career programmes and events, one-to-one mentoring, and empowers lived-experience change makers from underserved communities.
Each year, Spiral Skills works with over 1,000 young people across London, many of whom face systemic barriers linked to socio-economic inequality or exclusion from education. Programme delivery is tailored for schools, colleges, and pupil referral units. The mentoring service offers individuals aged 16-30 — who are not currently in education, employment, or training — a series of 10 complimentary one-on-one sessions to explore values, set goals, and connect with opportunities. Spiral Skills won at the London Youth Awards 2025, was featured by DJ AG and BBC Children in Need in December 2025, and helped launch the Lambeth Charter for Change.
Where will I work?
Spiral Skills is based in central London (locally rooted in South London). Roles are typically London-based with delivery happening in schools, colleges, and pupil referral units across the city. The team uses a flexible-working policy across hours and days.
What is the Spiral Skills team like?
Spiral Skills is led by Aurora Arista (Head of Youth Development and Senior HR Manager) and Ben Kahn (Director of Programmes), with Emma Allen as Chief Marketing & Operations Officer. The frontline delivery team includes Jhemar Jonas (Youth Chair & Lead Youth Worker), Angie Lorena and Tafari Clark (Lead Youth Workers), Andrea Saint Aime (Programme Manager), Luis Dembina (Programme Lead & Mentor Coordinator), and Abdoul Ndambi (Youth Community Outreach Lead). The board has eight named trustees including Louise Taylor, Sophie Hackforth-Jones, Jonathan Katz, Shakira Richardson Wilks, Thomas Harwell, Oruj Defoite, Justin Sesay, and Jef Shah. The values are youth-centred, enabling, fun, and collaborative — and the team explicitly champions a holistic, trauma-informed approach to youth development.
Work-Life Balance
Spiral Skills runs a 4-day work week (pro-rata, 32 hours) with flexible working hours and days. Annual leave is 30 days including a 5-day winter closure, plus UK bank holidays. After 4 years of continuous service, every staff member is eligible for a 3-month paid sabbatical — a powerful policy for a small social enterprise.
Perks and Benefits
- 4-day work week (pro-rata, 32 hours)
- 30 days annual leave inclusive of 5 winter closure days, plus UK bank holidays
- 3-month paid sabbatical after 4 years of continuous service
- Annual wellbeing allowance for physical and mental health
- Annual professional development budget for training
- Paid parental leave
- Company pension scheme
- Weekly staff socials — tea and cake (sometimes ice cream) on Wednesdays
- Flexible working hours and days