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Volunteer Project Co-ordinators needed

What is Local History Cafe?

Local History Café is a membership project, developed by Beauty and Utility Arts, an Arts, Heritage, Health and Wellbeing social enterprise. The project is part funded by Museum Development East Midlands and others.

Local History Cafés are community based heritage and wellbeing get-togethers for over 50s. We work with heritage organisations to tackle social isolation and loneliness.  Each month groups meet for tea & cake, a heritage presentation and a related activity. The project is being evaluated by De Montfort University's Centre for Ageing.

We currently have cafes running with the following partners: Charnwood Museum, Erewash Museum, the Sir John Moore Foundation and our original group in Lutterworth.

Read more about each Local History Cafe at www.localhistorycafe.tumblr.com

Role of a Volunteer Project Co-ordinator

We are looking for two Volunteer Project Co-ordinators, starting in February 2018, to support Local History Cafes at Charnwood Museum in Loughborough and the Sir John Moore Foundation in Appleby Magna.

Responsible to – Katherine Brown, Director of Beauty and Utility Arts

The role is for between one and two days a month and we would like you to:

• Attend monthly Local History Cafes and be a friendly and supportive presence for participants
• Source refreshments (costs covered)
• Help set up and clear down a room
• Support the host venue to keep basic project paperwork up to date at each cafe, including: taking a register, filling in first visit forms, collecting and writing up any feedback
• Collect and record payment from participants
• Keep a simple project diary
• Do a little write up after each session, or support a participant to
• Discuss topics and speakers of interest with participants and help produce a five month programme, including booking speakers and helping identify  relevant activities
• Along the way there might be other opportunities linked to Local History Cafes or with the partnership venue

Skills and experience

Local History Cafes are all about being professional, supportive, observant and organised. A Volunteer Project Co-ordinator needs to support all participants to take part in whatever way they feel comfortable, ensure everyone has a voice, be aware of group dynamics and interests to keep cafes interesting and running smoothly. Ideally you will have the following skills and experience:

• Socially aware and attentive to detail
• Experience or an interest in wellbeing, particularly social isolation and loneliness amongst older community members
• An interest in local history
• An interest in being creative
• Good at spotting opportunities
• Interest in the broader work of Beauty and Utility Arts and contributing ideas to help Local History Cafes be the best they can be

Expenses

Ideally you will live within a 10 mile radius of the Local History Cafe host venue. It should only be necessary to visit the venue once a month for the café. Everything else can be done from home.

You will need access to a phone and internet

We have £15 per month available to cover expenses for the above, payable each month upon invoice. You are responsible for your own tax arrangements.

In addition you will be invited to a yearly Beauty and Utility Arts get together with Directors, Board members, Associates and other volunteers where we think about the work we’ve done together and what’s to come. Travel expenses and refreshments will be paid for.

Expressing an interest

Please send a short email to Katherine Brown, at beautyandutilityarts@hotmail.co.uk by Thursday January 25th telling us a little bit about yourself and why you’d be interested in joining the Local History Cafe project.