Community Arts Internship

June 12th 2019

Based: Headway Arts, Blyth
Hours: 35 per week
Duration: 2 weeks
Pay: £8.75 per hour
Eligibility: These vacancies are open to currently-enrolled Northumbria students, and Northumbria graduates who graduated in 2017, 2018, or 2019.
Deadline: Wednesday 10th July 2019, 11.59pm

There are 2 vacancies available.

Internship 1: 29th July – 9th August 2019

Internship 2: 12th August – 23rd August 2019

 

Job Description

Community arts workers plan, develop and oversee community arts projects/ programmes, raise funding for such projects and generate local interest and/or involvement in the arts. They can use a range of art forms, including visual arts, theatre, dance, music, carnival arts and film to engage and collaborate with community groups where there are social, cultural or environmental issues to be addressed.

Headway Arts is offering 2 paid internships to undergraduates/recent graduates of Northumbria University. The post will suit a reliable and motivated person who will join our professional team as Artist/ Facilitator Intern, working 35 hours per week. The internships will be a short term contract for 2 weeks.

As Artist/Facilitator Intern you will work alongside colleagues encouraging and supporting individuals who attend the centre to participate in a variety of arts activities within the centre. You will work alongside a worker contributing to the planning, development and implementation of arts sessions for adults with learning disabilities and autism.

 

Role of Community Arts Intern

This is a post which offers a unique and exciting opportunity for an arts/social care graduate to work as part of a committed and enthusiastic team. This key role offers support to participants and is a flexible role which changes constantly in response to the needs of the participants and the project. The main focus is to enable people to engage in the creative work of Headway Arts by helping them to feel comfortable and relaxed so they can get the most out of their time at Headway ArtSpace, feeling safe and comfortable at all times. The Intern will work closely with the Headway Arts team to provide a welcoming and safe environment for Headway Arts participants with responsibility for:

• Developing and delivering a 2-week plan of arts workshops for and with a group of 10-15
  learning disabled adults

The art form is up for discussion and all ideas are welcomed. The post is a hands-on opportunity to gain a wide range of experiences in the arts and offers the opportunity to work with learning disabled people, those with mental health issues and with their carers/supporters. It will give those wanting a career in community arts an insight into working with service users with different issues and challenges.

 

Specific Duties & Key Responsibilities

• With support, developing and defining a 2 week arts/ drama project
• Report regularly to the Senior Management
• Attend staff team meetings

 

Other duties

• Contribute proactively to the work of Headway arts as a supportive team member
• Keep Creative Director/ Chief Executive aware of initiatives which could enrich the wider work of Headway Arts
• Observe Health and Safety regulations at all times and ensure adequate supervision is maintained for the health and safety of all participants
• Observe Headway Arts’ Equality and Diversity Policy and Safeguarding policies
• Undertake regular Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks as required

 

Equal Opportunities

Headway Arts seeks to ensure that no present or potential member of staff or project participant is treated less favourably than another on grounds of age, disability, ethnic origin, gender, political persuasion, marital status or sexual orientation. Headway Arts is in the process of developing a new fully accessible space which will offer greater opportunities to the local and regional community. Our aim is to ensure that all our work is fully accessible so if you have particular needs please contact us.

 

Enhanced DBS Disclosure

Because the person appointed to this post has access to vulnerable people we follow strict procedures in checking our staff. The successful applicant will require an Enhanced DBS check. Having a criminal background does not automatically discount you from being appointed, but you are obliged to disclose all convictions including those considered spent. Failure to disclose convictions is considered gross misconduct and will make a person liable for dismissal. If you want to discuss your eligibility for employment please telephone the Chief Executive, Frances Castle, for a confidential discussion.

 

Person Specification

We are looking for a bright and enthusiastic person with a commitment to the arts and a strong drive to increase the experience of arts in the community to join our team.

• Active interest and enthusiasm for the arts
• Excellent communication skills including ability to communicate with people of diverse backgrounds & communities.
• Methodical and efficient approach with good attention to detail
• A willingness to take on and work with the ideas of others
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a busy team
• Demonstrable ability to work on own initiative and to organise and prioritise workload
• A positive attitude and an ability to find creative and flexible solutions
• A commitment to one’s own professional development

 

About Headway Arts

Unique in the Northern region, Headway Arts specialise in highly inclusive participatory arts projects which offer world class opportunities for people to contribute to the cultural life of their communities. Headway Arts work across art forms to motivate, build confidence and creativity and offer a means of expression to those who otherwise would not have the opportunity. The Company specialises in working with those who are learning disabled and supports an Inclusive Theatre Company, and an inclusive Dance Company.

 

About Northumbria Santander Universities Internships

Main business: Teaching and education
This programme provides the opportunity to secure a paid fixed-term internship in a small to medium sized business. These vacancies are open to currently-enrolled Northumbria students, and Northumbria graduates who graduated in 2017, 2018, or 2019. Please note that if you have undertaken a Santander Internship at a company in the past, you cannot undertake another Santander Internship at the same company.

This vacancy is an Internship part-funded by Northumbria University / the Santander Universities Internships Scheme. It is open only to current students or recent graduates of Northumbria University.

 

How To Apply

Please supply a recent CV and covering letter of no more than 300 words describing your approach to the internship (ie. what you can bring to the internship and what you will hope to get from it.)

We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme, which means that if an applicant for a vacancy has a disability and their application demonstrates that the applicant meets the minimum criteria outlined within the role description and person specification, the applicant will be guaranteed an interview for the advertised role.

If you wish to apply under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this within your application covering letter.