Firefly seeks a creative and enthusiastic youth theatre practitioner to work with their team on outreach projects and re-establish additional sessions of their regular after-school programmes. Their workshops provide young people with a safe, supportive environment to explore their world, challenge themselves, build creative and resilient futures.

Some main responsibilities will include:

• The Engagement Coordinator will work in collaboration with other Firefly practitioners, and be supported by Firefly’s Artistic Director, Kirsty Byers.
• The Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for coordination and delivery of eight taster workshops in five locations around West Lothian.
• Organise and run four “clubnite” evening activities for Firefly youth community and new participants.
• Re-establish four ongoing regular term-time programmes (two to start after the summer break, two to start after winter break).
• Establish one group programme for participants with additional support needs (to start after winter break).
• Coordinate with schools groups for a visit to one matinee performance in September.
• Collaborate with the Firefly Arts team on summer programming.

Work at the beginning of the contract will focus more on outreach, partnership, and recruitment activities to re-establish connections in communities around West Lothian, with hands-on delivery and session planning increasing as a proportion of hours spent across the project. Age groups of participants will range from P4 – S6.

All activities will be supported by a Practitioner Assistant. There is some flexibility across the Firefly team of staff and freelancers around delivering programmes at different times and locations once the final timetable is confirmed. The successful candidate will be the lead practitioner on two – four ongoing programmes per week during term time. They will be based primarily at the Firefly offices at the Howden Park Centre in Livingston, with travel to activity locations across West Lothian.

This post requires:

• Experience of managing and delivering quality youth arts activity.
• Experience of, and commitment to, working with young people who are socially, emotionally or economically marginalised.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Capacity to travel and work in venues across West Lothian.
• PVG clearance.

Interviews: 24 or 25 June 2022
Position start date: TBD, mid-July 2022

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to helen@firefly-arts.co.uk.

Read more about Firefly here. The company specialises in developing transformative and inclusive arts experience for young people who are socially, emotionally and economically marginalised and all Firefly activity is underpinned by the following five key principles:

1. Creativity: Firefly are committed to generating fun, creative and life-transforming arts experience for all.
2. Young People: While many Firefly projects run in successful partnership with adult groups, their core purpose is to transform and enrich young lives.
3. Place: Firefly programmes are rooted in West Lothian, with commitment to, and in partnerships with, local communities.
4. Partnership: Firefly’s strategic and community partners play a key role in their capacity to engage effectively with hard to reach groups, new participants and the wider community.
5. Equality: Firefly activity is committed to addressing social, economic and cultural inequality.

Pre-COVID, Firefly programmes engaged with up to 200 participants each week in communities across West Lothian. The organisation has been around for over 30 years and is a robust, experienced contributor to West Lothian community development, third sector and cultural provider networks.