Posted By: Anonymous, 29 September 2011
Poet Coach Job Description
The role of the poet coach is to inspire young people, to get them excited about writing and performing poetry and to bring out the best in them, both individually and as a team.
You will guide them through a process, teaching them how to write original, meaningful group poems and to perform them in an exciting, dynamic way.
You will be an ambassador for the project and for the poetry community and will be expected to be professional, punctual and prepared at all times.
As a poet coach, you will:
Attend two professional development days in your region led by Jacob Sam-La Rose, to help you prepare for the project
Be paired with a school or youth group and liaise with a teacher contact to organise workshop dates in line with the project timeframe
Lead an initial workshop and performance day in your school/youth group
Lead three workshops for a group of up to 20 young people
From that group of 20, select a team of 8 young people to represent your school/youth group in your region. Strategies for making this selection will be discussed during the professional development days
Lead a further six workshops with your team to prepare them for the regional slam final
Attend your regional slam final, running workshops if required and giving performances for young people from across the five project schools/youth groups in your region
If your team is the highest scoring team at your regional final, you will accompany them to the national Shake the Dust weekend in London from 5 - 8 July 2012, where you will support your team, run workshops for groups of participants from across the project and perform
If your team is the highest scoring team at your regional final, you will run one extra workshop for them in preparation for the national slam final
Work with and support a ‘shadow’ throughout the project. This will be an emerging poet or spoken word artist who wants to develop their experience in education. You will involve them in your workshops, creating opportunities for them to perform, lead exercises and support students where appropriate. You will be encouraged to develop a strong working relationship with your shadow and to find ways for the two of you to benefit from working together
Keep in touch with the regional contacts for the project in your area and raise any issues/challenges as soon as they arise
Poet Coach Person Specification
Excellent performance poet
Strong track record of developing work with young people
Strong track record of working with schools and/or youth groups
Reliable, punctual and professional
Willingness and ability to work with and support the development of a shadow artist working on the project
Good availability throughout the project, Jan – July 2012, with availability to schedule 10 workshops at reasonable intervals between Feb – June 2012. Candidates will be informed as soon as possible of the regional project dates. All candidates must be available 5-8 July 2012 in case their team is the highest scoring team in their region and is invited to attend the national Shake the Dust weekend
Poet Coach Fees
Poet coaches will be paid £1,800 for 10 workshops. This is based on a half day rate of £180 per session, but in practice the first workshop is likely to be a full day and subsequent workshops approximately two hours long, with some variations.
In addition, poet coaches will be paid £300 to attend their regional final and £150 per day to attend the two professional development days. The poet coach of the highest scoring team will also be paid a fee (tbc) to attend the national Shake the Dust weekend from 5-8 July 2012.
Deadline for applications:
Deadline for applications is Friday 21st October at 5pm.
Interviews are scheduled to take place on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th November.
Please submit completed application forms to Emily Cox, Programme Manager, The Garage, 14 Chapelfield North, Norwich. NR2 1NY
If you have any questions relating to the role or application process please contact Emily Cox T: 01603 283 368
or Laura Stimson T: 01603 877 177
E:
laura.stimson@writerscentrenorwich.org.ukShadow Job Description
The role of the shadow works in two ways: on the one-hand, you will be there to support the poet coach in the successful delivery of workshops, on the other hand, you will be there to learn and develop your skills as an artist working in education.
You will be paired with a poet coach who is leading the workshop programme in a particular school or youth group. You will be encouraged to develop a strong working relationship with your poet coach and to discuss your goals for the project and how to achieve them.
As a shadow, you will:
Attend all the workshops in your allocated school/youth group
Support the poet coach in the delivery of these workshops. Your exact role in the workshops will be decided between yourself and the poet coach beforehand and is likely to become bigger over the course of the project. Your involvement is likely to include: performing for participants, supporting group or individual work in the classroom, leading exercises and supporting the poet coach generally as needed
Take part in the regional final, and be ready to perform and assist with workshops as necessary
If your team is the highest scoring team in your region, you will attend the national Shake the Dust weekend from 5-8 July 2012 in London, and be ready to perform if required and assist with workshops and other activities
Undertake some basic administration for the project, notably monitoring of numbers, completing any paperwork and liaising with teachers
Complete shadow evaluation at the end of the project to chart your process
Shadows will also have the opportunity to apply for the voluntary position of ‘Digital Champion’ for their region. Digital Champions will blog about their regional project and their experience as shadows. This is not a requirement, but an opportunity for those interested in blogging. Even if you are not selected for this role, you will have the opportunity to submit pieces to be blog if you would like.
Shadow Person Specification
Essential:
Strong potential as a performance poet
Strong desire to work on participatory projects with young people
Strong desire to learn from an experienced poet coach
Reliable, punctual and professional
Willingness to undertake some administration as part of the project, for example monitoring numbers, coordinating with teachers
Good availability throughout the project, from Jan – July 2012. Shadows must be able to attend workshops during the daytime and must be willing to follow the project schedule as arranged by the poet coach and the school/youth group. Candidates will be informed as soon as possible of the regional project dates. All candidates must be available 5-8 July 2012 in case their team is the highest scoring team in their region and is invited to attend the national Shake the Dust weekend
Desirable:
Some experience of working with young people
Experience of blogs/websites and a desire or willingness to contribute
Shadow Fees
Shadows will be paid £750 for their attendance of and involvement in 10 workshops. This is based on a half day rate of £75 per session, but in practice the first workshop is likely to be a full day and subsequent workshops approximately two hours long, with some variations.
In addition, shadows will be paid £125 to attend their regional final and £150 per day to attend the two professional development days. The shadow of the highest scoring team will also be paid a fee (tbc) to attend the national Shake the Dust weekend from 5-8 July 2012.
Deadline for applications:
Deadline for applications is Friday 21st October at 5pm. Interviews are scheduled to take place on Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th November.
Please submit completed application forms to Emily Cox, Programme Manager, The Garage, 14 Chapelfield North, Norwich. NR2 1NY
If you have any questions relating to the role or application process please contact Emily Cox T: 01603 283 368
