The Vital Link workplace engagement project in Yorkshire
We are seeking a consultant to lead an exciting project funded by the Department for
Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and being delivered by The Vital Link
programme between January and the end of March 2008.
The Vital Link is a national programme designed to build and promote libraries’ capacity
to support the adult literacy agenda. Run by The Reading Agency in partnership with the
National Literacy Trust, it encourages libraries and adult literacy providers to work
together and has a special focus on using reading for pleasure to motivate and inspire
existing students and to engage potential learners. The Vital Link forms part of the
Government’s Framework for the Future strategy for public libraries being taken forward
by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and has support from DIUS for its
Reading and Libraries Campaign.
The Vital Link workplace project is designed to reach and engage priority groups in the
workplace through libraries working in partnership with Union Learning Reps. We will be
using The Reading Agency’s Six Book Challenge to create a focus for this work with the
National Year of Reading acting as an additional catalyst. The Challenge will offer
employees the opportunity to read six books and record their reading in a diary.
Individuals completing the Challenge by the end of May/early June will have the chance
to enter a national prize draw sponsored by the Costa Book Awards. Celebration events
for Challenge participants and completers could coincide with Learning at Work Day on
Thurs 22 May.
We will be working in the Yorkshire & Humberside region in order to build upon the
experience of libraries in the region who have been running the Six Book Challenge
during 2007 plus some initial links already made between the two sectors.
We need to recruit a Project Manager to initiate workplace involvement in the Six Book
Challenge in a short timescale (14 January – 31 March 2008).
Length of contract: up to 35 days to be spread throughout the length of the project.
Fee:
£215 per day plus agreed expenses
Aims of the project: to engage employees in a range of workplace settings across
Yorkshire in reading for pleasure as a way of motivating and supporting their learning.
The project should:
 Provide an opportunity for sustained reading activity supported by incentives and
creative reading activity through the Six Book Challenge
 Encourage employees and Union Learning Reps to use their local library service
and raise their awareness of the facilities on offer
 Introduce them to the National Literacy Trust Reading Champions scheme
 Work towards a replicable and sustainable model for partnership working
between library services and local workplaces through Union Learning Reps
Tasks for the Project Manager
 Project planning and development of the timeline and targets in liaison with the
lead partners : The Reading Agency, Yorkshire library authorities and Unionlearn
in Yorkshire.
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Liaison with the Reading Champions coordinator at the National Literacy Trust to
determine how this aspect of the project will be delivered.
Liaison with a minimum of five workplace settings to initiate and support use of
the Six Book Challenge and associated Reading Champions activity, and in
association with other possible partners such as MLA Yorkshire, NIACE and the
LSC.
Briefing for library staff involved in the project, including project expectations and
data collection.
Organising delivery of Six Book Challenge and Reading Champions promotional
materials to enable the project to happen to time and to target.
Preparation of a partnership event for library staff and ULRs involved in the
project. This will involve the overall coordination of the day and commissioning of
the various speakers. Some admin support and input on the day can be provided
by The Reading Agency’s core staff.
Leading on the communications plan for the project (alerting the library and
workplace sectors and ensuring all stakeholders are kept aware of the work).
Liaison with library authorities and ULRs throughout the project to ensure the
work progresses smoothly and is sustainable.
Some expenditure of the project budget within agreed parameters.
Liaison with the Vital Link management group and DIUS Skills for Life Strategy
Unit.
Creating advocacy materials to support future activity in the region and beyond.
Producing an evaluation report to include recommendations on future roll-out.
Support
The postholder will work closely with the national coordinator for the Vital Link
(Genevieve Clarke), of which this project forms a part. Management support will be
provided via The Reading Agency’s Director of Programmes (Liz Dubber).
Skills, knowledge and understanding required
Essential skills are:
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Project management, excellent communication and inter-personal skills, and
good organisational and time management skills.
Experience of managing projects and planning and running training events are
also required.
The project manager must also have an understanding of adult literacy skills and
the Skills for Life context and an awareness of the role of Union Learning
Representatives. Experience of working in or with libraries in a community
setting is essential. Experience of workplace settings is desirable.
If you would like to apply for this contract, please send a letter outlining your skills in
relation to this role, together with your CV and confirmation of your availability from
January to April 2008, to Christine Cherry at The Reading Agency,
chris.cherry@readingagency.org.uk by Wednesday 2 January 2008 at the latest. We
will invite shortlisted candidates for interview in London on either 7 or 9 January, with a
view to the contract starting on 14 January 2008.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Genevieve Clarke, National
Coordinator for the Vital Link, before Friday 21 December on 0871 750 2104 or
genevieve.clarke@readingagency.org.uk