WAP - Chair required for Children and Young people's Sub Group

 

Worcestershire Arts Partnership

 

Children and Young People Sub Group

 

 

Background

The Worcestershire Arts Partnership is looking for a person or organisation to Chair the Children and Young People's Sub Group of the Worcestershire Arts Partnership. (WAP).

 

The WAP was established in 2009 with the intention of providing a more strategic, partnership based approach bringing arts and non arts organisations together to develop and strengthen the sector.

 

A consultation was carried out with a diverse range of stakeholders, leading to the development of an Arts Strategy for the county, “The Arts Matter”, published in 2010, outlining the priorities and actions for the newly created, county wide partnership. The consultation was widespread, including both professional and amateur arts sectors but also with non arts sectors such as education, health and tourism, to achieve wider buy in and begin a meaningful and productive dialogue.

 

 Since then, WAP has gone on to become a functioning and successful network with significant achievements to its credit. WAP currently operates as a non-constituted organisation made up of arts and non arts stakeholders from across the county. It delivers its priorities through a programme of projects, CPD and networking events. Its programme of activity increases participation in and audiences for the arts through projects developed through the work of several sub groups.

 

The Children and Young People Sub Group

This Group is made up of different stakeholders including arts organisations, Local Authorities, Schools, Libraries as well as independent practitioners and stakeholders. There are also advanced plans to get more young people actively involved in the Group through a project called The Arts Chat.

 

In January 2014 the WAP was awarded a GFA from the Arts Council to enable it to develop its organisation including looking at becoming a formal independent organisation, to write a new business plan but to also develop and put more resources into its sub groups.

 

The work of the Children and Young People Group.

This Group has been working on the Arts Chat but has also been developing ways in which the arts can work in and out of schools and to also make more sense of the rapidly changing world of arts education and the reduction of traditional public funding routes.

 

It has also been working on developing the County Council Arts Programme, Voices and Visions as well as developing relationships with the West Midlands Bridging Organisation 'Arts Connect'.

 

Worcestershire's County Arts Officer, Stephen Wilson, has been chairing the Group but would now like to work alongside a new chair to give this group an enhanced impetus over the next two years.

 

 

Person Specification

We are looking for someone with the following skills, experience and knowledge:

 

• Knowledge of the work of Bridging organisations and experience of local, regional and national cultural agenda for children and young people.
• To be linked in local and national agendas for Children and Young People
• Experience of chairing a Group of arts professionals from different sectors
• Experience of working with the Children and Young People Arts Sector
• Experience of working with schools and FE Colleges  
• Knowledge of the arts education sector including Arts Awards

 

 

Duties of the Chair

In conjunction with the group’s administrator:

 

• To agree agendas for meetings and to ensure that papers are not sent out at least a week before the meeting
• To ensure that meetings take place at least four times per year.
• To ensure that all meetings run on time and are chaired effectively with minutes taken with agreed actions.
• To approve all minutes of meetings

 

In conjunction with the County Arts Officer and WAP Development Manager

 

• To set annual action plans for the group
• To feedback on sub group meetings to the main WAP Steering Group.
• To attend ad hoc meetings in relation to the sub groups as agreed by all
• To ensure that the action plan relating to the Group is carried out in the best possible manner and to report back on this to the WAP Steering Group.

 

Fee £2,000 per year for approximately 9 days per year.  There may be additional payments to attend conferences and events. Equally although the post is for one year only this may be extended beyond this time.

 

To apply

Please email Steve Wilson, County Arts Officer on swilson@worcestershire.gov.uk by 5pm on the 23^rd June.

 

Please send us a CV and a letter of no more than 3 pages outlining your skills, experience and interest in the role.

 

Interviews will take place on the afternoon of the 8^th of July at County Hall in Worcester.

 

Please also feel free to email Steve for an informal chat about the role too.