Dear Applicant,

Re: Vacancy – Part-time Play Works Research & Evaluation Mentor

I am pleased to enclose a job application pack for this post, which includes the following:

Play Works project overview Job Description Person Specification Summary of Terms and Conditions of Employment 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 paul@londonplay.org.uk or post to reach us no later than midday on Monday 8th June.

We will be holding interviews for short listed candidates on Friday 12th June. We regret that we are unable to contact unsuccessful applicants.

Yours sincerely,

Paul HockerDevelopment Director

Job description

Job title: Part-time Play Works Research & Evaluation MentorHours of work: 21 hours per week Salary: £32,221 (including LW & on-costs) pro-rataProject duration: Three yearsLine management: Development DirectorResponsible to: Trustees

IntroductionLondon Play is a small, award-winning and influential charitable company, which aims for every child in London to have quality, accessible and inclusive play opportunities. Play is one of the most natural parts of childhood, but in the capital, where space is at a premium and overcrowding is a fact of life, opportunities and space for play are under daily threat.

London Play campaigns for policymakers, decision-makers, planners and parents to work together with children to recognise the importance of play.

Play Works overviewPlay Works is a joint evaluation project involving London Play and 12 of the capital’s 85 adventure playgrounds, analysing their activities (play, sport, arts and outreach work) to assess their ability to deliver against social outcomes, which vary depending on the location and community they serve: for example, tackling youth crime, anti-social behaviour or obesity; improving mental health; providing transition work; or promoting community cohesion.

Each playground will evaluate their services as a whole. We will measure locally and project-wide the contribution these under-recognised providers make to their communities.

The programme will provide data-collection options (and help implement them), analytical tools and methods, mentoring, guidance, independent evaluation and support so that each partner can gather evidence of how their services achieve their specific outcomes and objectives. They will also be supported to develop appropriate outcome indicators to do so. The ways in which users’ wellbeing is supported will be measured, too.

Play Works mentor: main functionsWorking with London Play’s development director and an independent evaluator, you will train and mentor 12 adventure playgrounds to develop their own site-specific evaluation methodology. This process will inform the development of an online evaluation toolkit which can be used as a remote resource for other play projects in the capital.

You will collaborate effectively with the playground staff and trustees to develop deep understanding of the impact of their services, support the integration of

evaluation into their daily work, and create strategies for change. You will track all participants to measure the impact of the project and provide remote support to groups trialling the toolkit remotely.

Specific tasks and responsibilities

1. Provide basic training in monitoring and evaluation to adventure playground staff and trustees

2. Provide one-to-one and peer-group support/review opportunities for adventure playground staff

3. Provide and manage funding to each site for a half-day-a-week impact worker to implement improvements

4. Establish evaluation guidance to set local indicators and choose data-collection methods and analysis

5. Help with independent data evaluation to produce a high-quality report that can be utilised in the future (supported by the independent evaluator)

6. Coordinate community events to collect data, launch local reports to share evidence and promote the evaluation tools

7. Provide development support to put the evidence collected to good use, thus improving and developing services

8. Develop online resources and learning to cascade the Play Works toolkit to the sector

9. Work closely with the external evaluator to monitor and evaluate the progress of the project

10. Build upon and sustain deeper professional relationships with London’s adventure playground sector

11. Promote the project and its outcomes across all media platforms and in person at conferences and seminars

12. Report on the project’s progress to London Play’s development director, at monthly team meetings, monthly trustee meetings (in writing) and to the funders, City Bridge Trust

13. Play a supporting role in London Play events and use them to promote the project

14. Take an active part in London Play’s meetings and events across the year.

Person specification

Blue text indicates an essential criterion that must be fully met to progress to interview stage

Experience and qualifications Significant experience in children’s services and the voluntary sector,

together with an understanding of the differing needs and abilities of people living in the capital

Knowledge of Play work and adventure playgrounds A recognised qualification at degree level Experience of working with and for children At least two years practical experience of action research and evaluation

within project delivery, including use of participatory methods At least two years practical experience of consulting with the public Adult training/teaching experience

Organisation and delivery Ability to organise and plan effectively and select priorities Ability to reflect on personal learning and that of others Ability to record data accurately, and prepare and present succinct reports Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and demonstrate

initiative in taking on additional responsibilities when needed Ability to work efficiently and effectively, both autonomously and within a

small team, in a highly fluid, fast-paced work environment Demonstrate experience of using statistical evaluation packages, Excel and

MS Office products Ability to identify and make the best of opportunities that will benefit the

project

Building relationships Ability to understand the culture and ethos that adventure playground

staff/volunteers/trustees operate within and provide specific support Be sensitive to and aware of values, styles, attitudes, plus cultural and ethnic

diversity specific to the communities involved in this project.

Communication and interpersonal skills Ability to be assertive to develop a professional relationship and

communicate appropriately Make and sustain working relationships with user groups including:

staff/volunteers/trustees/children/parents and the community Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written) An understanding and/or previous experience of utilising digital media to

promote and sustain a project

Plan and manage your work Ability to identify areas for change and development in your project delivery,

utilise colleagues’ support and apply problem-solving techniques

Demonstrate good ability to structure information and define long- and short-term goals

Willingness to work unsociable hours when required Experience of managing a complex project budget

Mentoring support Ability to support adventure playground staff through mentoring support to

reflect on their work and improve practice Engage in reflective criticism as a shared process in a supportive and

constructive manner

Summary of Terms and Conditions of Employment _____________________________________________________________________

Name of employing organisation: London Play

Place of employment: 89-93 Fonthill RoadLondonN4 3JH

Date of commencement of employment:

To be agreed

Job title: Play Works Research & Evaluation Mentor (Part-time)

Remuneration: £32,221 (including LW & on-costs) pro-rata

Pension provision: London Play will contribute up to 6% of the value of your gross annual pay to a personal pension scheme of your choice provided you contribute the same amount

Duties of the post: As set out in the Job Description

Hours of work: 21 hours per week

Annual paid leave: 30 working days + bank holidays (pro rata)

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.

Play Works Research & Evaluation Mentor (Part-time) Application form

Please complete all of the following sections.

Closing date for completed application form: Monday 8th June 2015, midday Interview dates: Friday 12th June 2015_____________________________________________________________________

Where did you see the post advertised?

Personal Details

Surname:

Forenames:

Address:

Email:

Telephone Home:Work:Other:

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 RecordStart with your most recent employment including any voluntary work undertaken. Please state name and address of employer/organisation; dates of employment;

job title; brief description of duties and reasons for leaving. 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.)

Experience/SkillsPlease 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.)

ReferencesPlease 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:Address:

Tel:Email:

2.Name:Position:Organisation: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 paul@londonplay.org.uk

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.