Dear Applicant,

Re: World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project worker

I am pleased to enclose a job application pack for this post, which includes the following:

London Play background Summary of Terms and Conditions of Employment Play Works project overview Job Description Person Specification Guidelines for Applicants Application Form Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form London Play’s Equal Opportunities Recruitment Policy

Please complete and return the Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. We suggest you refer to the Guidelines for Applicants when completing your application.

Please send your completed forms by email to paul@londonplay.org.uk or post to reach us no later than 5:00pm, 16th September.

We will be holding interviews for short listed candidates on Tuesday 22nd September. We regret that we are unable to contact unsuccessful applicants.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Hocker

Development Director

World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project worker Job description

Job Title World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project worker

Reports to Development director

Location Based in London Play’s Finsbury Park office

Overall Aim To work with pupils from five London primary schools, the Half Moon Theatre Company, volunteers, a film-maker, a historian, playworkers and the Greater London Authority to deliver the World War 1 Play Time – Dora Explorers project.

The successful applicant will be subject to an Enhanced-DBS check.

Application to be returned by: 5:00pm, Wednesday 16th SeptemberInterviews: Tuesday 22nd September

Please return completed form to paul@londonplay.org.uk

London Play background

London Play is a small but influential charity (founded in 1998) whose interventions include the award-winning Street Play and trail-blazing Natural Play projects. We have provided the sector with resources, training and tools via quality assurance (Quality in Play, scaled nationally by Play England), the London Play Network, our website and social media (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube). Our work has received regional recognition (eg, Richmond magazine, Streetlife article, 2012; BBC London September 2012; Vanessa Feltz show; coverage on ITV) and we are members of a steering group leading play provision alongside the Mayor’s Office's Children & Young People’s Unit.

The activities/services we have provided include:

• Our annual Go-Kart Build & Race event, where children from across the capital gather to create their own go-karts and race them against each other

• Evacuee Play Trove, a Heritage Lottery-funded project where evacuees from WWII record oral histories of their childhood play experiences. These histories have been used to create memorable workshop experiences within schools and the Museum of London; culminating in a celebratory event at the Churchill War Rooms (partners included Many Happy Returns and the Half Moon Theatre)

• Play and Plate, a book and website resource supporting parents to encourage children’s active play and healthy eating via fun, short and engaging activities• The innovative Pop up Play Shop, winner of the People's Millions 2013 (out of more than 7,000 applicants)

• Founding and organising London's coveted Adventure Playground of the Year Awards

• Running a Social Action Fund project that motivated thousands of community members to improve play activities in their locale by engaging in nature play/pop up play shops

• Pop up treehouse design and development alongside the design and installation of community natural play elements in public spaces

• Projecting London's Play Streets from the Past into the Present, another HLF scheme, where we empower older generations of Londoners living in six of our current play streets to work with younger residents and their parents to reminisce and educate the public about the value of play streets.

Summary of Terms and Conditions of Employment

Name of employing organisation:

London Play

Place of employment: Finsbury Park office (89-93 Fonthill Road, London, N4 3JH) and various locations across London as the project requires

Date of commencement of employment:

From September 2015

Job title: DORA Explorers project workerRemuneration: Salary £23,759 per annum (including ILW allowance)

Local Government Joint Negotiating Committee-spinal column point .35

Pension provision: London Play will make a matched contribution of up to 6% of salary to a pension scheme of your choice

Duties of the post: As set out in the Job Description below

Hours of work: Part time - three days (21 hours) a week

This is a one-year post

Annual paid leave: 30 working days excluding bank holidays for full-time staff (pro-rata for part-time staff)

Project backgroundWorld War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers will consider the impact of the Defence of the Realm Act on the culture and practice of children’s play during WW1. Building on our partnership with Half Moon Theatre, the project will encourage young Londoners to research DORA and consider the parallels, commonalities and differences between the freedoms and constrictions surrounding play then and now.

The project will empower children in schools across London to work together with archivists, historians and volunteers to research the nature of the Act, its effects and impact - heritage learning that will be shared with pupils, parents and the public.

To celebrate this heritage, the project will culminate in a week-long exhibition run at City Hall, including a film of participants' journey to knowledge. It will be an example of heritage in action, opening children's eyes to how the past shapes the present, encouraging healthy scepticism, raising awareness of propaganda, and forming the basis for campaigning to assert children’s rights to play.

Overall responsibilities

To deliver, as a member of London Play’s development team, the stated outputs of the World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project and ensure that the outcomes and conditions of the grant are fully met.

To develop effective working with the project’s partners: the Half Moon Theatre Company, five primary schools, a film-maker, a historian and the Greater London Authority.

To promote the story of World War 1 Play Time – Dora Explorers to children, parents, the media and the public.

To ensure the successful management, participation and collaboration of volunteers for the duration of the World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project.

To provide archival training to school groups, work with the British Library on the project’s critical-thinking element and engage in peer-to-peer oral history gathering.

To develop with project partners creative, playful and educational play workshops suitable for Key Stage 2 schoolchildren that complement the 20th-century history curriculum, resulting in a performance for participating schools devised by the Half Moon Theatre, an exhibition and a project film.

To develop with project partners creative and informative workshops suitable for visitors of all ages attending the DORA exhibition at City Hall.

To organise and market with project partners the programme’s exhibition and film screening.

To develop the DORA Archive, an online resource that will share findings and material generated by the project’s activities.

To identify opportunities to enhance the online DORA Archive through the collection of related testimonies, images and contextual history.

To work with the independent evaluator for the duration of the project.

Key tasks

1. To act as the key “project driver” and enabler, ensuring the programme’s success.

2. To recruit, train and empower older volunteers to take up a range of volunteering opportunities.

3. To contribute to the dissemination of information gathered by regularly promoting and sharing it, especially through social media with play professionals, schools, museums, the media and the wider community.

4. To manage the project’s budget in line with financial procedures and update London Play’s accountants on its progress at regular intervals.

5. To deliver/organise or signpost appropriate training for project volunteers.

6. To manage the project’s budget, follow financial procedures and keep financial records as required, working closely with London Play’s finance staff to inform trustees, the project’s steering group and its funders.

7. To liaise with London Play’s policy and communications manager and others developing the online DORA Archive and its components.

8. To contribute to the effective reporting of the project’s development to London Play, the funder and others, as required.

9. To undertake such training as is required and approved by the post’s line manager.

10. To undertake all other duties that falls within the scope of the post.

Person specification

London Play is seeking a person who can demonstrate that they have the following abilities, skills and knowledge. This person specification will form the basis for short-listing and interviewing all applicants.

ExperienceProductive partnership working with other charities/organisations EssentialDeveloping a project with volunteering as a central facet EssentialSuccessfully leading on a multi-faceted, multi-partnered project EssentialKnowledge/Awareness of historical archives DesirableDelivering workshops to primary school aged children EssentialOral history research, interviewing and dissemination DesirableWorking on a theatre-in-education project DesirableOrganising and marketing exhibitions EssentialKnowledge and understanding ofThe importance of play in children’s lives and a commitment to children’s right to play

Essential

Playwork (preferably service delivery in a variety of settings) DesirableImplementing health and safety, equal opportunities and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults policies

Essential

Inclusion, the play needs of children with disabilities, equal opportunities legislation and best practice

Essential

World War 1’s significance in the UK’s history Essential

Skills and abilitiesAbility to write for a range of publications and readers DesirableDigital design (Photoshop, Quark, InDesign, etc), word processing, spreadsheets and databases

Desirable

Working on one’s own initiative and/or in a team with a minimum of supervision

Essential

Prioritising workloads, setting and meeting targets and deadlines EssentialWorking flexible hours, including some evening and weekend work, to meet the project’s needs

Essential

Communicating effectively with a diverse range of project participants, including older people, junior schoolchildren, teachers and theatre staff

Essential

Working in an inclusive manner, utilising excellent interpersonal and team-building skills

Essential

Producing and collating statistics for monitoring and compiling financial and evaluation reports for funding bodies

Essential

Guidelines for Applicants

Many employers report that job applicants often do not do themselves justice in the way that they complete application forms. These suggested guidelines are to help you to best present your case so that we should shortlist you for an interview.

1. Read the background information, job description and person specification thoroughly before you begin.

2. Pay particular attention to the job description and the person specification. The person specification lists the criteria by which we will select candidates for interview.

3. If you consider that you match the criteria in the person specification, complete the form as clearly as possible. Word processing will usually give the best results but hand-written forms are acceptable so long as they are easy to read. If in doubt ask a friend's opinion. If they have trouble reading your form - so might we, and this could jeopardise your chances of an interview.

4. Do not simply send a CV, as this will not be considered.

5. Take a copy of the form to use as a rough draft.

6. List only qualifications for which you can produce the relevant certificates - or otherwise authenticate - at a later date. Do not send copies of certificates now.

7. Under the heading "Skills and experience", address your response directly to the person specification. This is how we will measure your skills and experience against the criteria for this job. You must show how you meet each criterion. We will invite for interview only those candidates who have shown that they meet each of the essential criteria.

8. When you have completed your form keep a copy for yourself and bring this with you if you are invited for interview.

9. Please do not send any enclosures with your form, as these will not be taken into consideration. If you are invited for interview this will be the time to show us, examples and evidence of your skills and experience if you wish to do so.

DORA Explorers Project Worker (Part-time) Application form

Please complete all of the following sections.

Closing date for completed application form: 5:00pm, Wednesday 16th September Interview dates: Tuesday 22nd September

___________________________________________________________________

Where did you see the post advertised?

Personal Details

Surname:

Forenames:

Address:

Email:

Telephone

Mobile:Work:Home:

What NOTICE do you need to give to your current employer?

Is there anything concerning your medical history or state of health that is relevant to your application? YES/NO

Please state number of days sick in last 2 years:

Are there any restrictions regarding your employment (e.g. Do you require a Work Permit?) YES/NO

If the answer is YES to either of these questions, please supply details on a separate sheet of paper.

 

Education

Subject Level/Qualification Date Gained

Training

Please list training and other courses undertaken relevant to this post.

Employment Record

Start with your most recent employment including any voluntary work undertaken. Please indicate clearly if any post was part-time or voluntary and indicate number of hours worked. (Please write your name on any separate sheets used.)

Name and address of employer/organisation

Job title Dates of employment

Brief description of duties Reasons for leaving

Experience/Skills

Please write a statement in support of your application. In order to ensure that you cover all relevant information you may follow the headings in the person specification, providing relevant examples as evidence of your achievements. The statement should take up no more than three sides of A4. (Please write your name on any separate sheets used.)

References

Please give details of two referees, one of whom must be your present or most recent employer. References will be taken up following a successful interview.

1.

Name: Position: Organisation:

Address:

Tel:

Email:

2.

Name: Position: Organisation:

Address:

Tel:

Email:

EXEMPTION UNDER THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS ACT 1974 (EXCEPTIONS) ORDER 1975

Because of the nature of this post, it is exempt under the above and you are required to reveal all convictions, even those which are spent. Therefore you must answer the following question:

Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence YES/NO

If the answer is yes, you must give details of all convictions, including date, court and sentence (including conditional or absolute discharge) on a separate sheet. A previous conviction will not automatically disqualify you from appointment, but you may be asked to discuss it at interview.

I confirm that this application was completed by me and that the information given is a true record of my status, qualifications and experience.

Signed: Date:

Please return completed form to paul@londonplay.org.uk

Appendix 1: Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form

It is London Play’s policy to monitor all applications to help ensure recruitment procedures meet our equal opportunities policy and our obligations under the various Acts of Parliament and related codes of practice concerned with race relations, sex discrimination and the employment of disabled people. The form is separated from the application and is used for monitoring purposes only.

Position Applied For:

Male/Female:

Date of Birth:

Ethnic Origin

I would describe my ethnic origin as (please circle as appropriate):

a. Black-Caribbean b. Black-African c. Black Other

d. Indian e. Pakistani f. Bangladeshi

g. Chinese h. White i. Other (specify)

Disability

Do you consider yourself to have a disability? YES/NO

If you are registered disabled, please state your number.

Registration No:

Appendix 2: Equal Opportunities Recruitment Policy

All candidates and all members of the recruitment panel will receive a copy of this policy.

Statement

London Play is committed to equality of opportunity, and is opposed to direct or indirect discrimination.

We, employ staff based only on criteria of knowledge, skills, ability and attitude specific to jobs described, regardless of sex, age, race, colour, being disabled or non-disabled, their HIV or AIDS status, ethnic or national origin, marital status, sexual orientation and regardless of their religious and cultural beliefs or practises which are consistent with this statement.

Recruitment procedure

1. In all but exceptional and temporary circumstances (for example the employment of crèche workers for one off events), staff will be employed via public advertisement and competitive interview. Appropriate publications and websites will be chosen for each advertisement and local and ethnic minority press will be used as well as national newspapers, whenever possible.

2. The recruitment panel, except in exceptional circumstances, will be the same at short listing and interview and shall include at least one member of the Board of Trustees (or co-optee) and the member of staff who will have line management responsibility for the new position.

3. Recruitment will be based on specific criteria drawn only from the job description (enclosed) for the position advertised.

4. These criteria will be fully described in the form of a person specification (enclosed) issued to each prospective candidate along with an application form, the job description and information about the organisation and its aims and objectives.

5. Candidates will be issued with notes of guidance as to completing the form (example attached).

6. Applicants will also be issued with an Equal Opportunities monitoring form. This will be detached from the application form before short listing and filed separately for reference under monitoring procedures. None of the information contained in this form shall be available to the recruitment panel, nor shall any of the questions therein be asked in any form at any stage of the process.

7. Assessment of each candidate’s suitability for the position will be first by viewing their completed application form. At this stage all applicants who meet all the criteria described as “essential”, will be invited to interview.

8. The venue for interview shall be easily accessible by public transport, with full physical access feature and facilities.

9. Candidates will be sent a clear map and directions.

10. In requesting candidates to attend interview, they will be asked to identify any particular requirements to facilitate their attendance and should a candidate indicate (e.g. BSL or other interpreter) the organisation will organise such facility.

11. At interview all candidates will be treated equally, welcomed and introduced in the same fashion and asked the same questions.

12. The questions will be predetermined by the panel, based on the person specification, and this will be made clear to all candidates. In cases where a practical exercise or presentation is required, all candidates will be allowed the same time and subjected to the same conditions.

13. All candidates will be invited to add comments to those given in answer to the panel’s questions and they will also, at the conclusion, be invited to ask questions. No inference will be placed on such questions and they will not be considered in the panel’s assessment.

14. The assessment of candidates will be based only on their answers to the panel’s questions and, where relevant, their completion of the practical exercise or presentation. All members of the panel shall use the same scoring system, which will be agreed in advance.

15. The position will be offered - first verbally and then in writing - to the candidate who both meets all the essential criteria and who achieves the best aggregate score.

16. Where the scoring is close between two or more candidates the panel shall discuss the relative merits of each candidate strictly according to the person specification, until agreement is reached. Where no agreement can be reached the panel may decide to instate a third stage of recruitment, which may be a second interview or further practical test. In such a case the criteria for selection shall not change, only the means for assessing candidates against them.

Information for applicants who are disabled

1. London Play welcomes and encourages applications from disabled people.

2. Our Equal Opportunities Recruitment Policy and Procedure disallows the recruitment panel from having prior knowledge of a candidate’s disability or from the disability being considered as a factor in assessing the application. Candidates shall be assessed on the person specification alone.

3. All applicants are invited to identify to London Play’s administrative staff, particular requirements to facilitate attendance at interview and the organisation will make every effort to accommodate such needs where they are identified. Impairments identified through this procedure will not be considered in the assessment of candidates.

4. Similarly, when the successful candidate is offered a position, particular needs regarding, for example, physical access or communication, will be considered independently of the offer and every effort will be made to meet such needs within the probationary period and then for the duration of the employment contract.