Photography Practitioner
Location: Non-residential role in London, Surrey, Berkshire, West Midlands, North
West, Leeds and Bradford
Length of role: 3 days (plus training)
Dates: Various dates between 27th October – 1st November 2015 (see table below)
Job Description
We are looking for Photography Practitioners who will work during our autumn programme to
support a team of young people through the NCS Team Challenge part of our NCS programme in
London, Surrey, Berkshire, West Midlands, North West England, Leeds or Bradford. These are
passionate individuals with previous experience of facilitating photography groups and an interest in
young people who are ready for a demanding role as part of our intensive NCS programme.
The Photography Practitioner is responsible for leading sessions teaching photography, over three
days, to a team of twelve young people. The Practitioner then leads a visit to local community
groups (including retirement homes and homeless centres) so that the young people can pass on
their skills, culminating in a showcase performance.
This role is suitable for someone with experience of facilitating photography sessions with young
people and working with community groups. This is a fulfilling and demanding position which
involves supporting the skill development of twelve 15 to 17-year-olds.
About the Organisation
The Challenge is a fast-growing social enterprise that connects and inspires people across Britain to
strengthen their communities. Our NCS programme brings together young people from different
backgrounds, builds their confidence, and challenges them to make a difference in their local
community. In summer 2015, 24,000 young people across London, Surrey, Berkshire, the West
Midlands and the North West are taking part in our NCS programme.
Our NCS is part of the National Citizen Service (NCS), a life-changing experience for 16 and 17-yearolds. The scheme is available to people from all backgrounds. Young people get the chance to do
outdoor activities, meet new people and give something back to their communities. By taking part
they learn new skills and have a great experience they can put on their CVs or college applications.
NCS promotes:
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a more cohesive society by mixing participants from different backgrounds;
a more responsible society by supporting young people’s transition into adulthood;
a more engaged society by enabling young people to work together to create social action
projects in their local communities.
Our NCS Programme
We bring together young people from across a community and challenge them to connect with
people from different backgrounds, learn key skills for the workplace, and make a difference in their
community. They achieve this by completing three challenges:
• NCS Personal Challenge (PC): Between four and seven socially mixed teams of young
people bond through a week of challenging outdoor activities.
• NCS Team Challenge (TC): Teams return home and use their skills to experience serving the
local community.
• NCS Real Challenge: Teams work to design and organise activities that will bring the local
community together. The NCS Real Challenge Design (RCD) is the third part of the autumn
programme and the NCS Real Challenge Action (RCA) takes place over weekends in
November.
•
All young people who complete our NCS programme graduate and are signposted into year-round
volunteering, membership and social action opportunities through The Challenge Society.
About the Opportunity
The objective of the NCS Team Challenge week is to assist the young people in gaining confidence
and experience in using their skills and abilities to serve their local community. The Practitioner role
will require facilitating a team of twelve young people working alongside a Senior Mentor as they
complete their NCS Team Challenge. A successful practitioner will engage their team in the
community visit as much as the skill they are learning.
Practitioners will guide these teams through a three day curriculum which will involve:
 Learning and developing photography skills as a group.
 Visiting, listening to and learning from a community group.
 Presenting their week’s experiences to a larger group of young people and guests.
The Photography Practitioner will:
 Work with a different team of young people of varying experience and motivation each
week in delivering the art curriculum.
 Motivate and encourage young people to engage with their community group.
 Work with each team’s Senior Mentor to support and inspire young people.
 Attend curriculum training.
About You
Candidates must demonstrate the following skills and characteristics:
Essential:
 Previous experience of facilitation and leading photography workshops
 Experience of working with young people.
 A belief in the potential of young people and the ability to build a rapport with young
people.
 Energy and enthusiasm to enable young people to use their skills to learn from their
community.
 A willingness to take responsibility for delivering a challenging and safe experience for
participants
 Experience of working with community groups
Beneficial:
 Experience of using photography in a community environment, i.e. schools, youth groups
etc.
 Working collaboratively with colleagues to achieve successful and constructive results
We also look for all employees to show the following characteristics:
 Trust-building: Works hard to build trust with people. Brings people together in the community
 Responsibility-taking: Takes responsibility for actions and attitudes. Claims and solves
problems in the community
 Understanding and Empathy: Works to understand others – their strengths, fears and needs.
Ready to stand up for someone who is different from themselves.
All staff who work on our NCS programme must have prior to starting work a returned satisfactory
enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) dated since 31 January 2014 and two satisfactory
references regarding their suitability to work with young people. The Challenge will assist the
application for, and pay for the processing of, a new DBS for staff members where required. Those
who do not have a satisfactory enhanced DBS processed prior to the start of the role will not be
permitted to work.
Training
All successful Photography Practitioners will be asked to attend a compulsory training to be able to
deliver our NCS programme.
Work Dates
The Photography practitioner will work 3 days. The work date options are below.
Please note that these opportunities are also available during February half term.
Options
Dates
12
27 to 29 October
13
28 to 30 October
14
30 October to 1 November
Note: A day is generally defined as from 9am to 6pm, although times may occasionally vary at the
Programme Manager’s discretion.
Further Details
This is an excellent opportunity to use your skills and expertise to work with a positive and vibrant
team and to be involved in an exciting programme that has tangible results. Be part of a
programme that creates memorable experiences for young people that could last a lifetime.
The compensation for this contract role is £300. This payment includes pay in lieu of annual leave
and is subject to tax and National Insurance deductions. There is no additional payment for
attending training. Staff will be paid through The Challenge payroll on a monthly basis. Staff can only
claim for travel expenses incurred during the delivery of the programme, and not to and from either
the residential or community part of the programme. Staff will be required to travel with their team
during the programme.
To apply
To see timing and location options and to apply, please visit www.ncsthechallenge.org/jobs
Our NCS programme is part of the National Citizen Service.