Sessional Educator

Thames21 is the leading waterway charity in London.  The charity is a vibrant and growing organisation with approximately 24 staff, with projects that are located across Greater London as well as offices in Central and East London.  There is an opportunity for you to be part of our small dynamic charity.

Initially established as a research project in 1994, Thames21 became an independent registered charity in 2004. Thames21’s Board of Trustees also includes representatives from Thames Water, the Environment Agency and the Port of London Authority. It continued to expand and develop projects and programmes and today has nearly 10,000 volunteers on waterways across London.

Thames21 aims to develop lasting connections between local communities and their waterways through education. We are looking for people who can deliver key environmental educational messages through an approach that is accessible, engaging, and motivational. We are seeking to employ people as freelance educators who have good environmental knowledge and with the skills to manage and educate people on a one-to-one level or in large groups, across all age ranges.

To achieve this Thames21 will be developing a list of suitable freelance educators who are skilled and able to deliver this outreach through a variety of in-school, community and large scale events. Being on the list does not guarantee any work.

Main responsibilities

Deliver curriculum linked and informal educational sessions at educational institutions and community venues.

Manage large groups of young people and ensure agreed timing is adhered to during educational sessions.

Encourage active participation and learning, and ensure learning objectives are met during educational sessions.

Delegate tasks to and manage individuals supporting sessions such as teachers and volunteers.

Ensure you have access to session resources and are completely familiar with them before session delivery.

Facilitate pop-up information stands at events.

Communicate messages of Thames21 projects to the general public. Encourage people to take action to improve river water quality in a friendly and positive way.

Make environmental information easy to understand by tailoring it to the audience and communicating it in as lively and interactive a manner as possible.  Utilise games, activities and discussions to relay information.

Encourage dialogue with and between people engaged and wherever possible facilitate their ability to share experiences and learn from each other.

Be willing to move resources between Thames21 locations and events.

Be willing to continue updating your environmental knowledge and be informed about the latest key issues.

Provide Feedback to Thames21 of lessons delivered including numbers of people engaged.

Thames21 Freelance Educators agree to:

• By undertaking a booking it is considered a contractual obligation to attend and to arrive on time. Adequate notice must be given to Project Manager to allow a replacement Educator to be found if you cannot make a booking.

• Thames21 staff member will send out available education sessions to Educators, please reply by given deadline: your response does not guarantee the session. The staff member will get in touch to inform which sessions you have been allocated. All efforts will be made to share out sessions between educators.

• You will be expected to read and adhere to the Thames21 Welfare of Children and Other Vulnerable Groups Policy, and sign-up to Thames21 Code of Conduct.  You will also need to have a current or agree to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

• Attend an induction prior to delivering Education sessions for Thames21

Closing date for application: 30^th June 2015

Interviews: 8^th July 2015

If you are interested in becoming a Freelance Educator for Thames21 then please send you CV and covering letter via email to: adrian.spalding@thames21.org.uk

or by post marked private and confidential to

Adrian Spalding, Personnel Manager, Thames21

Walbrook Wharf, 78-83 Upper Thames Street, London EC4R 3TD