Role: Community Music Apprentice (freelance)

Job Summary: Apprentice position for 18-25 year olds offering training and work-experience in community music settings.  You will support lead tutors to deliver music workshops with different youth and community groups, and be part of an exciting and collaborative, city-wide youth music programme. The groups will come together to form a unique and contemporary youth music ensemble.

Dates:

• One term between Tue 21st January and Tue 31st March 2020. Workshops on various days and times, see below for details.
• Training/induction sessions will take place on:
  • Tue 21st Jan 2020 5-8:30pm
• Other group meetings, workshops, rehearsals and concerts will also be arranged in the course of the project.
• There will be an opportunity to re-apply for placements on future terms

Pay offered:

• All work will be paid at a rate of £8.21/hr. This includes delivery/engagement time and any additional group meetings, admin or preparation work.
• Unless otherwise specified the Tuesday Night workshops at North Edinburgh Arts last 3.5 hours from 5pm – 8:30pm at a total fee of £28.74.
• The timings of any other workshops, preparation work, or meetings will be agreed with the Lead Tutor or General Manager beforehand.

 Note: Most workshops will be paid at the fees above, and any additional work will be discussed and arranged at the rates described. If there is significant or unexpected extra work (or work of a different nature/timeframe) that comes up during the project we will try to support this within the budget, or help manage the workload using the people and resources we have available.

Job description:

You will support Tinderbox Lead Tutors and Assistant Tutors to deliver music workshops with different youth and community groups. This may involve shadowing, assisting and leading where required and generally helping to prepare & deliver sessions.

This is a trainee position and you will have the support of a Lead Tutor who knows the group well, and who will manage your work-placements and help make them as beneficial as possible for you. You will also receive training in areas relevant to community music.

You will be part of a large team of Lead Tutors, Assistant Tutors, Apprentices, Youth Workers, and Volunteers, all working together to build and develop an alternative and accessible youth music collective and orchestra, and to inspire young people in music who may not otherwise have these opportunities.  This team will be working with several different groups of young people and community groups across Edinburgh.  These groups will come together in different ways, performing with and alongside each other at events, and/or combining to form an orchestra playing their music.  With each group we would like to work on some original material from the group, as well as teaching some basic parts of one or more pieces so everyone can perform together in the orchestra. The groups have widely varying needs, structures, ages and behaviours, so we will have to be flexible and adaptive to bring to life what the different groups achieve in the best way possible, and in how we bring the different groups together as well.

 Duties & Responsibilities

• To shadow and support Lead Tutors at workshops, assisting with various tasks and helping provide the best workshops possible for the participants involved.
• To help prepare music & activities for each workshop.
• To be on time, responsible and professional in your conduct.
• To keep in contact with the Tinderbox project manager & Lead Tutor of your group.
• To attend all meetings and training events.
• To complete a short evaluation of each week and update the team and Tinderbox project manager either via the online forum or directly.
• To write a case study of a participant you have worked with to be completed by Tue 31st March 2020 (support for this will be provided if needed).
• To generally contribute to discussion and work as part of a team to build and shape the Tinderbox Youth and Community project as it evolves.
• To keep record of and invoice for all work in a professional and timely manner.
• To familiarise yourself with the Tinderbox Project Child Protection Code of Conduct.
• To be aware of, and comply with, any child-safety regulations, risk assessments and other policies and procedures of Tinderbox and any partner organisations you may be working with.
• If you are not already registered with Disclosure Scotland, to be registered/apply for PVG (Tinderbox will support you with this application & cover the cost of application)

Person Specification:

To be a suitable candidate for this post you should be:

• A highly motivated individual with a good level of musical ability and an interest in working with young people in music.
• Responsible, reliable and punctual.
• Resourceful and able to adapt to changing plans or circumstances, which is often necessary due to the nature of the groups we work with.
• Friendly and able to communicate well with young people.
• Aged 18-25.

 Essential Experience:

• A good level of musical ability and experience playing with others in bands or ensembles.
• Work-experience within youth music settings, such as group teaching or group music workshops, is preferred.
• Work-experience with vulnerable groups and young people with behavioural support needs, is preferred.

Dates and Times:

Term dates and workshop times are outlined below. All apprentices will ideally work at the Tuesday Night hubs at North Edinburgh Arts with the possibility of working at other workshops by arrangement with the Lead Tutor.

• Tue 21st January – Tue 31st March 2020 5-8:30pm at North Edinburgh Arts.

 Currently the days/times for the different workshops are scheduled as below, though these may be subject to change depending on the needs of the group. These include set-up time for the workshops.

• Tuesdays, 5pm – 8.30pm– Tinderbox Youth & Community Hub at North Edinburgh Arts
• Other workshops will be arranged throughout the course of the programme.

Collaborating Groups & Organisations:

The core youth and community groups involved in the project are (with other partners/contributors potentially becoming involved as the project develops):

• Kaimes School – working with young people with autism and additional support needs.
• Rock Trust – Charity working with young people around homeless issues.
• Muirhouse Youth Development Group – Drop in youth hubs at Pilton Youth and Children’s Project and North Edinburgh Arts centre.
• Tinderbox Youth & Community Music Hub at North Edinburgh Arts – central music hub for the project.
• Tinderbox Orchestras – Part of the wider Tinderbox Collective, these are contemporary youth orchestras for more experienced young musicians. The groups often collaborate and perform together.
• Craigroyston Community High School.
• Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity – Transforming the experiences of children and young people in hospital so they can be a child first and a patient second.
• Amazing Harmonies Choir Workshops
• Granton & Ferryhill Primary Schools Project

The key aims of the project are:

• Engaging young people in music who would not otherwise access these types of opportunities.
• Creating opportunities for young people of diverse and often isolated and vulnerable backgrounds to take part in positive activities, meet and work with new people, and engage with wider networks.
• Developing an all-inclusive and contemporary youth orchestra, accessible to young people who do not play any music through to experienced young musicians.
• To build and grow an exciting and diverse creative collective of young people in Edinburgh.
• To build a sustainable and lasting youth music hub in North Edinburgh Arts Centre as a base for Tinderbox Youth and Community, and a place where young people can continue to attend if and when these workshops end.

Applications:

Applications should consist of a cover letter detailing your experience and interest in the position, and a recent CV including a reference.

Please email your application to admin@tinderboxcollective.org by Midnight on Sunday 22nd December.

Shortlisted candidates may be asked to attend an interview to discuss the project and position.

If you have any questions or for an informal chat about the post, please contact Jed Milroy at jed@tinderboxcollective.org  or 07537147658