Contract: 1 July 2025 – 31 July 2026, with possible extension to July 2027
Location: In person across West Dorset and South/West Somerset. You will be expected to travel independently to rural locations where no public transport exists.
Fee: £3,413 based on 23 days @ £150 per day.
Dates: See detail in Contract Details below
Training: This is workplace/on the job training where you will learn from experienced staff as you work together. It is not linked to a qualification. You will have free access to any relevant training sessions or courses delivered by Take Art during the contract period. See https://takeart.org/whats-on/category/cpd
This career development opportunity is for anyone keen to develop their creative arts practice with young children aged 2- 4. This role offers training and mentoring sessions with two experienced creative arts practitioners as well as paid shadowing placements.
Through working alongside two experienced Take Art early years creative practitioners, you will develop your knowledge, skills and experience of undertaking creative practice with children, families and staff in early years educational settings in West Dorset and South/West Somerset.
This role will support you to:
- Gain skills and confidence to plan and lead creative sessions with children aged 2 - 4 years old.
- Gain an understanding in how to work collaboratively with adults who care for young children.
- Gain an understanding of child-centred practice, some theory/ies behind creative activity and possible learning outcomes.
- Gain insights into the current early years education sector and the challenges it faces.
This role will extend skills for those already working in the early years sector or those with a current creative practice, or be a stepping stone into working within the early years education or arts sector.
The Project – Little People Big Ideas (LPBI)
LPBI runs from September 2024 to August 2027 and is part of a national programme with links to other creative organisations across England who also place the creativity of young children at their centre.
Take Art is excited to welcome and upskill a new Trainee Early Years Creative Practitioner who will support delivery of creative experiences for 2 - 4 year olds across West Dorset and South/West Somerset.
Who can apply?
Anyone is welcome to apply.
We are particularly looking for applications from young people aged 18- 25 years.
You do not need to have worked with very young children before but you should have a commitment to developing creativity with 2 – 4 year olds and to sharing skills with the adults who care for them.
We are interested in any form of creative/arts practice.
Applications from those already working in the early years sector who wish to extend their skills and experience in creative practice are welcome.
Take Art is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and wants to build a workforce that is representative of the children and families we work with. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and from all sectors.
How to apply
To apply for this opportunity we would like you to send us a statement of interest to recruitment@takeart.org
This could be written (no more than 2 sides of A4) or via video or audio recording (no more than 10 minutes). It should include:
● your contact details, including address, email and telephone number
● a short CV including recent work or voluntary experience and any qualifications you hold
● a bit about your art form/s, including what you are exploring through your creative interests.
● why you are interested in this professional development
● what you hope to gain from this opportunity.
● You will also need to include the details of two references, including email addresses.
Application deadline: 9.00 am Monday 2 June 2025.
Interviews will take place on either 19 or 20 June 2025
If you would like to talk to someone about this role or about how to apply and what to include, please contact Jennie Loader jennie@takeart.org to arrange a time and date for a phone conversation. If you are unsure about anything or new to the workplace you will find that Jennie is friendly and happy to advise you, so do get in touch.