Dear Applicant,
Re: World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project worker
I am pleased to enclose a job application pack for this post, which includes the following:
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London Play background
Summary of Terms and Conditions of Employment
Play Works project overview
Job Description
Person Specification
Guidelines for Applicants
Application Form
Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
London Play’s Equal Opportunities Recruitment Policy
Please complete and return the Application Form and Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. We
suggest you refer to the Guidelines for Applicants when completing your application.
Please send your completed forms by email to [email protected] or post to reach us no later
than 5:00pm, 16th September.
We will be holding interviews for short listed candidates on Tuesday 22nd September. We regret that
we are unable to contact unsuccessful applicants.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Hocker
Development Director
World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project worker Job description
Job Title
World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project worker
Reports to
Development director
Location
Based in London Play’s Finsbury Park office
Overall Aim
To work with pupils from five London primary schools, the Half Moon
Theatre Company, volunteers, a film-maker, a historian, playworkers and
the Greater London Authority to deliver the World War 1 Play Time – Dora
Explorers project.
The successful applicant will be subject to an Enhanced-DBS check.
Application to be returned by: 5:00pm, Wednesday 16th September
Interviews: Tuesday 22nd September
Please return completed form to [email protected]
London Play background
London Play is a small but influential charity (founded in 1998) whose interventions include the
award-winning Street Play and trail-blazing Natural Play projects. We have provided the sector with
resources, training and tools via quality assurance (Quality in Play, scaled nationally by Play England),
the London Play Network, our website and social media (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube). Our work
has received regional recognition (eg, Richmond magazine, Streetlife article, 2012; BBC London
September 2012; Vanessa Feltz show; coverage on ITV) and we are members of a steering group
leading play provision alongside the Mayor’s Office's Children & Young People’s Unit.
The activities/services we have provided include:
• Our annual Go-Kart Build & Race event, where children from across the capital gather to create
their own go-karts and race them against each other
• Evacuee Play Trove, a Heritage Lottery-funded project where evacuees from WWII record oral
histories of their childhood play experiences. These histories have been used to create memorable
workshop experiences within schools and the Museum of London; culminating in a celebratory event
at the Churchill War Rooms (partners included Many Happy Returns and the Half Moon Theatre)
• Play and Plate, a book and website resource supporting parents to encourage children’s active play
and healthy eating via fun, short and engaging activities
• The innovative Pop up Play Shop, winner of the People's Millions 2013 (out of more than 7,000
applicants)
• Founding and organising London's coveted Adventure Playground of the Year Awards
• Running a Social Action Fund project that motivated thousands of community members to improve
play activities in their locale by engaging in nature play/pop up play shops
• Pop up treehouse design and development alongside the design and installation of community
natural play elements in public spaces
• Projecting London's Play Streets from the Past into the Present, another HLF scheme, where we
empower older generations of Londoners living in six of our current play streets to work with
younger residents and their parents to reminisce and educate the public about the value of play
streets.
Summary of Terms and Conditions of Employment
Name of employing
organisation:
London Play
Place of employment:
Finsbury Park office (89-93 Fonthill Road, London, N4 3JH) and
various locations across London as the project requires
From September 2015
Date of commencement of
employment:
Job title:
Remuneration:
DORA Explorers project worker
Salary £23,759 per annum (including ILW allowance)
Local Government Joint Negotiating Committee-spinal column
point .35
Pension provision:
London Play will make a matched contribution of up to 6% of salary
to a pension scheme of your choice
Duties of the post:
As set out in the Job Description below
Hours of work:
Part time - three days (21 hours) a week
This is a one-year post
Annual paid leave:
30 working days excluding bank holidays for full-time staff (pro-rata
for part-time staff)
Project background
World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers will consider the impact of the Defence of the Realm Act
on the culture and practice of children’s play during WW1. Building on our partnership with Half
Moon Theatre, the project will encourage young Londoners to research DORA and consider the
parallels, commonalities and differences between the freedoms and constrictions surrounding play
then and now.
The project will empower children in schools across London to work together with archivists,
historians and volunteers to research the nature of the Act, its effects and impact - heritage learning
that will be shared with pupils, parents and the public.
To celebrate this heritage, the project will culminate in a week-long exhibition run at City Hall,
including a film of participants' journey to knowledge. It will be an example of heritage in action,
opening children's eyes to how the past shapes the present, encouraging healthy scepticism, raising
awareness of propaganda, and forming the basis for campaigning to assert children’s rights to play.
Overall responsibilities
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To deliver, as a member of London Play’s development team, the stated outputs of the
World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project and ensure that the outcomes and
conditions of the grant are fully met.
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To develop effective working with the project’s partners: the Half Moon Theatre Company,
five primary schools, a film-maker, a historian and the Greater London Authority.
To promote the story of World War 1 Play Time – Dora Explorers to children, parents, the
media and the public.
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To ensure the successful management, participation and collaboration of volunteers for the
duration of the World War 1 Play Time – DORA Explorers project.
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To provide archival training to school groups, work with the British Library on the project’s
critical-thinking element and engage in peer-to-peer oral history gathering.
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To develop with project partners creative, playful and educational play workshops suitable
for Key Stage 2 schoolchildren that complement the 20th-century history curriculum,
resulting in a performance for participating schools devised by the Half Moon Theatre, an
exhibition and a project film.
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To develop with project partners creative and informative workshops suitable for visitors of
all ages attending the DORA exhibition at City Hall.
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To organise and market with project partners the programme’s exhibition and film
screening.
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To develop the DORA Archive, an online resource that will share findings and material
generated by the project’s activities.
To identify opportunities to enhance the online DORA Archive through the collection of
related testimonies, images and contextual history.
To work with the independent evaluator for the duration of the project.
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Key tasks
1. To act as the key “project driver” and enabler, ensuring the programme’s success.
2. To recruit, train and empower older volunteers to take up a range of volunteering
opportunities.
3. To contribute to the dissemination of information gathered by regularly promoting and
sharing it, especially through social media with play professionals, schools, museums,
the media and the wider community.
4. To manage the project’s budget in line with financial procedures and update London
Play’s accountants on its progress at regular intervals.
5. To deliver/organise or signpost appropriate training for project volunteers.
6. To manage the project’s budget, follow financial procedures and keep financial records
as required, working closely with London Play’s finance staff to inform trustees, the
project’s steering group and its funders.
7. To liaise with London Play’s policy and communications manager and others developing
the online DORA Archive and its components.
8. To contribute to the effective reporting of the project’s development to London Play,
the funder and others, as required.
9. To undertake such training as is required and approved by the post’s line manager.
10. To undertake all other duties that falls within the scope of the post.
Person specification
London Play is seeking a person who can demonstrate that they have the following abilities, skills
and knowledge. This person specification will form the basis for short-listing and interviewing all
applicants.
Experience
Productive partnership working with other charities/organisations
Developing a project with volunteering as a central facet
Successfully leading on a multi-faceted, multi-partnered project
Knowledge/Awareness of historical archives
Delivering workshops to primary school aged children
Oral history research, interviewing and dissemination
Working on a theatre-in-education project
Organising and marketing exhibitions
Knowledge and understanding of
The importance of play in children’s lives and
a commitment to children’s right to play
Playwork (preferably service delivery in a variety of settings)
Implementing health and safety, equal opportunities and
safeguarding children and vulnerable adults policies
Inclusion, the play needs of children with disabilities, equal
opportunities legislation and best practice
World War 1’s significance in the UK’s history
Skills and abilities
Ability to write for a range of publications and readers
Digital design (Photoshop, Quark, InDesign, etc),
word processing, spreadsheets and databases
Working on one’s own initiative and/or in a team with a minimum
of supervision
Prioritising workloads, setting and meeting targets and deadlines
Working flexible hours, including some evening and weekend
work, to meet the project’s needs
Communicating effectively with a diverse range of project
participants, including older people, junior schoolchildren,
teachers and theatre staff
Working in an inclusive manner, utilising excellent interpersonal
and team-building skills
Producing and collating statistics for monitoring and compiling
financial and evaluation reports for funding bodies
Essential
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Essential
Desirable
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Desirable
Desirable
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Desirable
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Desirable
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Essential
Guidelines for Applicants
Many employers report that job applicants often do not do themselves justice in the way that they
complete application forms. These suggested guidelines are to help you to best present your case so
that we should shortlist you for an interview.
1. Read the background information, job description and person specification thoroughly before you
begin.
2. Pay particular attention to the job description and the person specification. The person
specification lists the criteria by which we will select candidates for interview.
3. If you consider that you match the criteria in the person specification, complete the form as
clearly as possible. Word processing will usually give the best results but hand-written forms are
acceptable so long as they are easy to read. If in doubt ask a friend's opinion. If they have trouble
reading your form - so might we, and this could jeopardise your chances of an interview.
4. Do not simply send a CV, as this will not be considered.
5. Take a copy of the form to use as a rough draft.
6. List only qualifications for which you can produce the relevant certificates - or otherwise
authenticate - at a later date. Do not send copies of certificates now.
7. Under the heading "Skills and experience", address your response directly to the person
specification. This is how we will measure your skills and experience against the criteria for this job.
You must show how you meet each criterion. We will invite for interview only those candidates who
have shown that they meet each of the essential criteria.
8. When you have completed your form keep a copy for yourself and bring this with you if you are
invited for interview.
9. Please do not send any enclosures with your form, as these will not be taken into consideration. If
you are invited for interview this will be the time to show us, examples and evidence of your skills
and experience if you wish to do so.
DORA Explorers Project Worker (Part-time) Application form
Please complete all of the following sections.
Closing date for completed application form: 5:00pm, Wednesday 16th September
Interview dates: Tuesday 22nd September
___________________________________________________________________
Where did you see the post advertised?
Personal Details
Surname:
Forenames:
Address:
Email:
Telephone
Mobile:
Work:
Home:
What NOTICE do you need to give to your current employer?
Is there anything concerning your medical history or state of health that is relevant to your
application? YES/NO
Please state number of days sick in last 2 years:
Are there any restrictions regarding your employment (e.g. Do you require a Work Permit?) YES/NO
If the answer is YES to either of these questions, please supply details on a separate sheet of paper.
Education
Subject
Level/Qualification
Date Gained
Training
Please list training and other courses undertaken relevant to this post.
Employment Record
Start with your most recent employment including any voluntary work undertaken. Please indicate
clearly if any post was part-time or voluntary and indicate number of hours worked. (Please write
your name on any separate sheets used.)
Name and address of
Job title
employer/organisation
Dates of
employment
Brief description of duties
Reasons for leaving
Experience/Skills
Please write a statement in support of your application. In order to ensure that you cover all
relevant information you may follow the headings in the person specification, providing relevant
examples as evidence of your achievements. The statement should take up no more than three sides
of A4. (Please write your name on any separate sheets used.)
References
Please give details of two referees, one of whom must be your present or most recent employer.
References will be taken up following a successful interview.
1.
Name:
Position:
Organisation:
Position:
Organisation:
Address:
Tel:
Email:
2.
Name:
Address:
Tel:
Email:
EXEMPTION UNDER THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS ACT 1974 (EXCEPTIONS) ORDER 1975
Because of the nature of this post, it is exempt under the above and you are required to reveal all
convictions, even those which are spent. Therefore you must answer the following question:
Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence YES/NO
If the answer is yes, you must give details of all convictions, including date, court and sentence
(including conditional or absolute discharge) on a separate sheet. A previous conviction will not
automatically disqualify you from appointment, but you may be asked to discuss it at interview.
I confirm that this application was completed by me and that the information given is a true record
of my status, qualifications and experience.
Signed:
Date:
Please return completed form to [email protected]
Appendix 1: Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
It is London Play’s policy to monitor all applications to help ensure recruitment procedures meet our
equal opportunities policy and our obligations under the various Acts of Parliament and related
codes of practice concerned with race relations, sex discrimination and the employment of disabled
people. The form is separated from the application and is used for monitoring purposes only.
Position Applied For:
Male/Female:
Date of Birth:
Ethnic Origin
I would describe my ethnic origin as (please circle as appropriate):
a. Black-Caribbean
b. Black-African c. Black Other
d. Indian
e. Pakistani
f. Bangladeshi
g. Chinese
h. White
i. Other (specify)
Disability
Do you consider yourself to have a disability? YES/NO
If you are registered disabled, please state your number.
Registration No:
Appendix 2: Equal Opportunities Recruitment Policy
All candidates and all members of the recruitment panel will receive a copy of this policy.
Statement
London Play is committed to equality of opportunity, and is opposed to direct or indirect
discrimination.
We, employ staff based only on criteria of knowledge, skills, ability and attitude specific to jobs
described, regardless of sex, age, race, colour, being disabled or non-disabled, their HIV or AIDS
status, ethnic or national origin, marital status, sexual orientation and regardless of their religious
and cultural beliefs or practises which are consistent with this statement.
Recruitment procedure
1. In all but exceptional and temporary circumstances (for example the employment of crèche
workers for one off events), staff will be employed via public advertisement and competitive
interview. Appropriate publications and websites will be chosen for each advertisement and local
and ethnic minority press will be used as well as national newspapers, whenever possible.
2. The recruitment panel, except in exceptional circumstances, will be the same at short listing and
interview and shall include at least one member of the Board of Trustees (or co-optee) and the
member of staff who will have line management responsibility for the new position.
3. Recruitment will be based on specific criteria drawn only from the job description (enclosed) for
the position advertised.
4. These criteria will be fully described in the form of a person specification (enclosed) issued to each
prospective candidate along with an application form, the job description and information about the
organisation and its aims and objectives.
5. Candidates will be issued with notes of guidance as to completing the form (example attached).
6. Applicants will also be issued with an Equal Opportunities monitoring form. This will be detached
from the application form before short listing and filed separately for reference under monitoring
procedures. None of the information contained in this form shall be available to the recruitment
panel, nor shall any of the questions therein be asked in any form at any stage of the process.
7. Assessment of each candidate’s suitability for the position will be first by viewing their completed
application form. At this stage all applicants who meet all the criteria described as “essential”, will be
invited to interview.
8. The venue for interview shall be easily accessible by public transport, with full physical access
feature and facilities.
9. Candidates will be sent a clear map and directions.
10. In requesting candidates to attend interview, they will be asked to identify any particular
requirements to facilitate their attendance and should a candidate indicate (e.g. BSL or other
interpreter) the organisation will organise such facility.
11. At interview all candidates will be treated equally, welcomed and introduced in the same fashion
and asked the same questions.
12. The questions will be predetermined by the panel, based on the person specification, and this
will be made clear to all candidates. In cases where a practical exercise or presentation is required,
all candidates will be allowed the same time and subjected to the same conditions.
13. All candidates will be invited to add comments to those given in answer to the panel’s questions
and they will also, at the conclusion, be invited to ask questions. No inference will be placed on such
questions and they will not be considered in the panel’s assessment.
14. The assessment of candidates will be based only on their answers to the panel’s questions and,
where relevant, their completion of the practical exercise or presentation. All members of the panel
shall use the same scoring system, which will be agreed in advance.
15. The position will be offered - first verbally and then in writing - to the candidate who both meets
all the essential criteria and who achieves the best aggregate score.
16. Where the scoring is close between two or more candidates the panel shall discuss the relative
merits of each candidate strictly according to the person specification, until agreement is reached.
Where no agreement can be reached the panel may decide to instate a third stage of recruitment,
which may be a second interview or further practical test. In such a case the criteria for selection
shall not change, only the means for assessing candidates against them.
Information for applicants who are disabled
1. London Play welcomes and encourages applications from disabled people.
2. Our Equal Opportunities Recruitment Policy and Procedure disallows the recruitment panel from
having prior knowledge of a candidate’s disability or from the disability being considered as a factor
in assessing the application. Candidates shall be assessed on the person specification alone.
3. All applicants are invited to identify to London Play’s administrative staff, particular requirements
to facilitate attendance at interview and the organisation will make every effort to accommodate
such needs where they are identified. Impairments identified through this procedure will not be
considered in the assessment of candidates.
4. Similarly, when the successful candidate is offered a position, particular needs regarding, for
example, physical access or communication, will be considered independently of the offer and every
effort will be made to meet such needs within the probationary period and then for the duration of
the employment contract.