REACH Manager opportunity

WHAT IS REACH?

REACH (Reconnecting Education, the Arts, Creativity and Heritage) is the Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP) for York. It is made up of a diverse range of organisations from the local authority, public health, cultural, education and community sectors, who have agreed to work in partnership to provide opportunities for children and young people to benefit from the amazing creative and cultural offer across York.

REACH’s core purpose is to strive for York to be the first city to achieve cultural entitlement for all children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

REACH is based on collaboration, co-production and active listening to our communities and to one another. For more information, please visit: https://www.makeityork.com/culture/children-and-young-people/

REACH has embarked on an ambitious programme to develop the LCEP. This consists of programmes focusing on the arts, creativity, skills and health and well-being.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The REACH Manager will develop the strategic reach of the partnership and drive the vision, embedding infrastructure and facilitating new ways of working to:

• Develop links to the education sector, strengthening REACH’s identity through regular communications and a programme of networking/CPD (under the Cultural and Creative Champions Programme) amongst York schools.
• Develop delivery and implementation of Artsmark and Arts Award.
• Grow the partnership, making existing relationships sustainable, ensuring REACH involves a wide range of key strategic stakeholders across the city.
• Embed evaluation/monitoring of impact to enable REACH to share ‘what works’ and inform strategic plans which will enable us to build financial sustainability for the partnership through fundraising and bid writing.

KEY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The REACH Manager will focus on developing the following strategic objectives:

• Deliver the REACH Cultural and Creative Leadership Programme

Cultural and Creative Leaders are school subject leads/SLT who advocate and work to improve schools’ access to arts, culture and creativity, developing the appetite and confidence in schools to access it.

Twenty one schools have signed up to provide a Cultural and Creative Leader within their staff team.

• Pilot and develop the REACH Cultural and Creative Ambassadors

REACH will manage a rolling programme to recruit Ambassadors – children of primary school age who can help shape the programme and demonstrate the impact of arts, creativity and cultural learning within schools across the city.

• Co-ordinate and manage the development of the Make It York/REACH Children and Young People’s Web Hub

A REACH directory for local creative resources, offers and activities has been developed and is now hosted on the MIY site. The role will promote this directory to creative partners and schools and will co-ordinate further development of the hub to provide a platform for young people to share and showcase their work through case studies, and host a series of best practice resources for schools and creatives to access for free.

• Develop, coordinate and manage other REACH initiatives:
  • REACH/UNESCO ‘Drawing with Denmark’ initiative
  • REACH ‘Green Bags of Creativity’ initiative
  • REACH ‘Health and Well-being’ initiative
  • REACH ‘Skills and Employability’ initiative

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the coordination and collaboration of the bi-monthly REACH steering group to ensure objectives are achieved;
• Co-ordinate, programme, and promote the termly meeting of the wider REACH partnership and the REACH schools network to ensure that this continues to be a purposeful space for learning and networking;
• Connect with stakeholders and potential beneficiaries by forming good relationships with schools, statutory services, education services, communities, partners, children and young people and other groups as appropriate;
• Ensure the strategic objectives are delivered.

COMMUNICATIONS:

• Lead on the creation and delivery of REACH’s communications framework to ensure the programme reaches a wide network of beneficiaries and stakeholders; promote projects, produce and collate copy for the website hub
• Take a lead on establishing REACH social media channels and ensure regular content is produced and scheduled.

FINANCE:

• Manage the REACH budget; administer expenses, monitor expenditure in-line with income to ensure a breakeven budget and report regularly to the Steering Group.

FUNDRAISING:

• In consultation with the steering group, develop a fundraising plan to ensure long-term sustainability;
• Undertake the implementation of a fundraising plan drawing on support from REACH partners where appropriate.

MONITORING & EVALUATION:

• Collating data for regular reporting to CYC and the Steering Group, ensuring reports are produced and disseminated as necessary.

GENERAL:

• Support a culture of trust, respect, best practice, good communication and shared risk management;
• Act as an advocate for REACH and its partners, representing the programme at fundraising opportunities and events;
• Maintain a good knowledge and understanding of how young people connect with the creative and cultural sector;
• Proactively keep abreast of local and national research, initiatives and best practice;
• Carry out risk assessments as required and ensure the Steering Group are aware of any immediate and urgent risks.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

REACH are looking for a self-motivated, resilient and approachable individual who is excited by collaboration and can take initiative, inspiring those around them with the potential of REACH.

Essential:

• Experience of partnership or consortium working in the Arts and Cultural sector;
• Experience of working and building relationships with schools;
• Experience of working with children and young people;
• Experience of monitoring and updating websites (ideally via WordPress) and social media channels;
• Excellent communication skills with a clear, concise, tactful and compassionate manner;
• Strong IT literacy with attention to detail and accuracy;
• Understanding of and commitment to the promotion of Equal Opportunities in practice when working with children and young people;
• Understanding of safe guarding and risk of self-harm procedures in practice;
• Experienced of balancing a varied workload, with strong time management skills;
• Ability to travel to different locations within York;

Desirable:

• Experience of involving service users in commenting on, changing and planning services;
• Experience of monitoring, leading and managing large cross-sector projects, including budget management;
• Proven track record of writing successful funding bids;
• Knowledge and understanding of Artsmark and Arts Award;
• Knowledge of the children and young people services and cultural sectors;
• Knowledge of political environment locally and nationally for the cultural and voluntary and community sectors;
• Knowledge and understanding of the Arts Council’s ‘Let’s Create’ strategy and Investment Principals;
• A strong understanding of data protection requirements, including of GDPR;
• Training and/or experience in disability and/or mental health awareness;
• Experience within and/or an understanding of the NHS and health sector.

KEY TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Responsible to: Chair of REACH for delivery of objectives and the Head of Creative Engagement at York Theatre Royal

Responsible for: REACH Strategy Group meetings, REACH Partnership meetings, REACH Schools network

Salary: £33,000 pro rata

Employment Period: June 2023 – July 2024

Hours: Equivalent to 2.5 days per week

Location of Work: York Theatre Royal, REACH Partnership locations and remote working.

Probationary period 3 months

Notice period 1 month within the Probationary Period and 2 months thereafter

Annual leave Statutory 28 days, pro rata.

APPLYING

To apply please send a CV and covering letter stating how you fulfil the person specification to Chris Edwards, REACH chair: chrisedwards51@hotmail.com by Monday 17 April 2023.