Craft Tutor (Sessional Tutor)

Hours: Variable

Pension: Teachers’ Pension Scheme

Benefits: Cycle to Work Scheme, Season Ticket Loan, Regular Training & A Subsidised Course of Your Choice.

Information about the Organisation

Who we are Mary Ward Settlement

The Mary Ward Settlement is a medium sized multi-service charity founded in 1895, focused on supporting the efforts and achievements of people in the communities it serves through adult education, access to welfare and social justice and community services. Mary Ward’s work is focused on empowering people to enrich and transform their lives, in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.  Advancing equality and diversity remains at the heart of Mary Ward’s practice and policy and continues to reflect our founder’s concept of ‘equalisation’ and original vision for adult learning which remains to open up the pleasures and opportunities afforded by education to all.  Mary Ward works with Londoners to help create opportunities for them to reach their educational, social and economic potential, enabling them to learn not only practical skills but to feel part of a community.

The Settlement has three core areas of work which are spread over 3 sites, Stratford, Southwark and Holborn.

Purpose of the role

We are looking for someone with a passion for teaching a variety of crafts and who can bring interesting and innovative ideas to our community outreach programme. We are interested in crafts that can be taught offsite in community settings to make high end completed products. We are particularly interested in textile crafts, mixed media craft, mixed media jewellery, high end paper craft, embroidery.

Widening the reach of our adult education programme has always been a key part of the Mary Ward Centre’s ethos. We work in partnership with community groups and organisations across Tower Hamlets, Newham, Hackney, and Islington. Our partnerships take place in community centres, schools, sheltered accommodation, older people’s centres, hostels and health projects, to offer a rich variety of courses. Our aim is to provide education and learning opportunities for those who have been traditionally excluded from mainstream education, and/or who may have a negative experience of formal education.

We are especially interested in tutors who can work in East London, particularly Tower Hamlets and Newham. If appointed, you will become part of a pool of sessional Widening Participation tutors who deliver short courses in local community settings, in response to local community needs and interests. This could be one off taster workshops or short courses running weekly and lasting 4– 6 weeks.

Organisation wide commitment

To play a proactive role in all organisation-wide initiatives and developments to enhance and improve our work

To identify students, members or clients  who may be  at risk of harming themselves or others and to invoke emergency procedures or referrals where necessary, ensuring that duty of care responsibilities are discharged at all times under our safeguarding duties

To deal with all matters sensitively and discretely at all times abiding by relevant confidentiality and data protection policies

At all times to help maintain a safe working environment by attending training as necessary and to carry out responsibilities with due regard to the organisations Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety Policies

To undertake any other reasonable duties responsibilities as may be reasonably expected as part of this role and in line with the scale of the role

Participate in training that is needed for the role, identify training and development requirements and attend an appraisal and review each year.

Job Description

The tutor will be expected to:

1. Take responsibility for planning and preparing short courses, including the production of materials/equipment lists, monitoring the progress and achievement of students, giving feedback both written and verbal, under departmental guidelines. Update his/her subject specific skills, as required Teach the Course in a community setting Act in a reliable and professional manner at all times. Devise methods of working which will suit all students. Assess student progress throughout the course and give feedback to students Attend Departmental meetings. Carry out administrative tasks required of the tutor (for example, record-keeping and end-of-course evaluation). Ability to work with digital technologies in their teaching practice, including online course delivery via Zoom or similar platform, or a willingness to undertake training to develop their skills in this area.

Person Specification

Successful applicants will:

Be a practising textile Artist with a high level of skill and flair and demonstrate extensive knowledge, experience and understanding of the subject area. Have experience of working with community partners in diverse community settings. Hold the correct qualifications Have proven experience in adult education, or relevant experience in leading groups of adults from a variety of different backgrounds. Demonstrate understanding of the ethos of adult education. Have a recognised qualification in teaching adults, or be committed to acquiring a qualification in the next two years. Know how to structure and deliver a course, and how to monitor and evaluate it.

Have the following teaching skills:

1. good communication skills
   ability to work with mixed ability groups
   strategies for assessing student progress and achievement

Experience of working with digital technologies in their teaching practice, including online course delivery via Zoom or similar platform, or a willingness to undertake training to develop their skills in this area. Be prepared to reflect on and improve their teaching practice. Have a commitment to updating his/her skills as required Have an awareness and comply with Health and Safety issues Have a commitment to the Centre’s Safeguarding Policy Have a commitment to the Centre’s Equal Opportunities Policy stated below

The Mary Ward Centre is committed to providing an adult education service which offers equality of opportunity. We believe that all people have a right to an adult education service which promotes social justice and is free from unfair discrimination on any grounds. We are committed to opposing discrimination both in the delivery of our adult education service and in our recruitment and employment practices.

This organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of service users and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

How to Apply: 

Please read the full job description and person specification. Please send in your completed application form, including the supporting statement saying how you meet the Person Specification and recruitment monitoring form to recruitment@marywardcentre.ac.uk

Please send in your completed application form, including the supporting statement saying how you meet the Person Specification to recruitment@marywardcentre.ac.uk

Deadline: The deadline to submit application forms is 09:00am Monday 30^th September

If you wish to discuss the vacancy informally, please contact:

Maddy Fisk 020 7269 6088 or email maddy.fisk@marywardcentre.ac.uk

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