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Garage Volunteer Application Form (Word document)

Summer 2011 volunteering programme

Marketing Assistant Opportunity

The Garage is looking for a motivated individual aged 18+ to join our busy team as Marketing Assistant Volunteer/Intern. The role will be from as soon as possible to the end of August, but there may be scope for the role to continue afterwards if you would like to continue to volunteer for us. We are looking for someone to work with us for around 2 days per week. The Garage will be able to cover agreed travel expenses. This is a great opportunity to get some really valuable hands on experience.

The Garage is a busy and vibrant arts venue, offering a varied programme of creative activity ranging from workshops to residencies, projects and regular classes. There are activities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds but our special focus is young people aged 8-25. 

One of our key regular activities is our summer programme which attracts young people from across Norfolk. We run a series of workshops and sessions, producing a high quality and exciting production. The work will build on our previous sell out summer productions which have included comedy, dance and music.

For 2011 we will deliver 5 weeks (40 full days) of activity both at the Garage and in local community locations. We will work with over 150 young people aged 8 to 19 in two groups, setting up Junior and Senior Performance Companies.  Activities will include vocal skills, DJing, music production, performance skills, stage make up and costume design. We will also set up a young Production Company to produce the show alongside out experienced production team including technical, stage management and costume design/making.

This year's production is called ‘Snow White - a Glamtomime' which will be a Garage-style magical journey into the world of fairy tale with a delightfully warped perspective.  Imagine a world of witches, magic mirrors and of course Prince Charming all infused with a dash of glitter, a little Hip Hop and a bit of circus... will they all live happily ever after?!

We are looking for a volunteer marketing assistant to help us promote the summer programme this year. The role will include helping us to promote the programme at events and fetes, brochure distribution, social media marketing (eg Facebook), website updating and marketing administration. You will also get the chance to find out about the wide variety of things that go on at The Garage, from our busy programme of arts activities for young people, to the running of the venue where everything happens. We hope that it will be a positive and enriching experience for you, and give you useful experience of working in the arts.

Role Description

Here are some activities it is likely you will be involved in:

Marketing Support

•·         Helping to promote the summer programme to young people in Norfolk including mailouts and answering enquiries from young people, referral agencies and parents

•·         Promoting the summer programme at external events, fetes and school assemblies

•·         Working closely with our marketing staff to explore and implement new ways to promote the summer programme across the county

•·         Undertaking mailouts, e-bulletins  and brochure distribution

•·         Helping with press and media work

•·         Regularly use  social media sites including Facebook, the Garage website and  Twitter

•·         Taking part in summer programme team meetings

•·         Welcoming participants to the venue, helping them feel comfortable and understanding where all the facilities are

•·         Supporting the Programme Assistant to ensure the smooth running of the programme

General support to Garage team

•·         Answering the telephone and dealing with enquiries

•·         Occasional assistance with manning reception and front of house in this busy arts venue, responding to enquires from the public

•·         Supporting other team members at the Garage including mailouts, filing, making arrangements, photocopying and being an extra pair of hands

Your ideas and input will be valued and this is a great opportunity to be part of a friendly, skilled and well respected team!  Please don't feel daunted if you don't have experience of some of the areas in the role description - this volunteering opportunity is designed to give you that experience and help you move forward.

Progression Opportunities

As already stated, we are initially looking for a volunteer to help us over the summer but there may be scope for you to continue volunteering at the Garage after August. There is no guarantee of finding employment at the end of this position, however we will support you to look at where you would like to go next and what steps you need to take to get there. We can help you get together a CV and we will be able to provide you with a reference. In addition, if you are aged 18-25 we may be able to support you to gain an Arts Award or a certificate of volunteering achievement.

Person Specification

Essential

We are looking for someone who...

•·         Has an interest in the Arts and marketing

•·         Is interested in working with young people

•·         Wants to learn and is willing to work hard and be enthusiastic

•·         Will be happy working in a busy environment and has a  flexible approach

•·         Is able to communicate well with other people from a range of backgrounds and be pleasant and positive

•·         Has some administration experience and is able to work under their own initiative

• Has good written and verbal communication skills
• Has good IT skills, including a knowledge of Microsoft Office programmes e.g. Word, Outlook, Excel and use of social media (eg Facebook)

•·         Has a good working knowledge of English Language (spoken and written)

•·         Really wants to volunteer with The Garage

Desirable

If you have any of the following please do tell us about it in your application, as it will be an advantage, but don't worry if not - we are interested in hearing from everyone who would like this opportunity.  

We would be particularly pleased to find someone who...

•·         Has a particular interest in working with disadvantaged young people

•·         Has experience in working with young people ( this can be as simple as helping out with your family) or leading others

•·         Has some experience of promoting events and activities

•·         Is passionate about the Arts ( Performing arts, Music, Visual Art, Film, ...etc)

Application details:

Because you will be working in a young person's venue, you will need to fill in an application form and provide us with details of two people who will be happy to write a reference for you if you get the post, if possible one of these should be someone who has worked with you or alongside you before. You will have the opportunity to learn about Child Protection and Safeguarding as part of this role. Due to the fact that you not be working alone with young people, you will not need to have a Criminal Record Bureau check, however if you stay on beyond August we may need to review this.

Application deadline:

Please download the Volunteer Application Form from this page and send to The Garage by 12 noon on Friday 24^th June. We will be holding interviews the week after. We are looking for the volunteer appointed to be able to start as soon as possible after that. If you have any questions or would just like to talk it over, please do get in touch. Contact Mel at The Garage on 01603 283382 or melanie.kidd@thegarage.org.uk

Data Protection

We will look after the personal details you give us on your application form carefully, in line with Data Protection legislation. If you are not successful The Garage will confidentially dispose of your application form to keep your details safe.