Are you interested in being a Youth Arts Advocate?

Are you driven and passionate about giving a voice to young creative practitioners; do you believe in making arts accessible to young audiences; do you  have an interest in arts organisations, charities and the Third Sector? If that sounds familiar, we’d like to hear from you.

Supported by the Holywood Trust, DG Unlimited (DGU) is looking for an inspiring 18–25 year old currently connected into the cultural pulse of the region to become our Youth Arts Advocate (YAA) for 2020/21.  Our YAA is a paid, commissioned role with a total fee of £7,400 plus reasonable travel costs (£92.50 per day ) – we believe in valuing creative practitioners’ time and experience at whatever stage of their creative development.   

Working alongside our pARTners group, DGU commissioned the development of a Youth Arts Strategy Framework (YASF) to help us:

• Get a better idea of what was already provided for young people involved or interested in the arts across the region;
• Find out the things stopping more young people from getting involved.  

DGU has always seen this as the start of a longer term journey and genuinely believes the best person to give a voice to the young people of our region must be - young!   

What will our Youth Arts Advocate do?
 
Our YAA will be contracted 1 day per week over 20 months/80 weeks and will be expected to :

• Familiarize themselves with our YASF and report.

• Work with our pARTners group, identify one or two key recommendations from the YASF and explore ways in which to develop and promote them.
• Meet up with young artists across the region to promote and actively achieve the agreed key recommendations.
• Share their own and other young people’s experiences and opinions on key areas identified from the YASF via blogs, vlogging, attending events and conferences, responding to policy, writing articles.
• Use initiative to recognise and flag up opportunities and partnerships which help build on the recommendations of  YASF and reflect the needs of young people.

Why Be Involved?
 
DGU values diversity and does not discriminate, welcoming applications from as diverse a range of young people as possible.  The opportunity will enable you to:

• Be part of the conversation that looks to encourage fairer access to the arts for young people, as creators and audience members;
• Build your profile and provide an opportunity to evidence your professional development for future projects;
• Be connected to a wide network of creative organisations, local government staff and other key organisations.

 
What are we looking for?
 
We are looking for our YAA to reach out and act as a connector between young people, DGU and those who support the creative sector.  Get in touch if you:

• Have a minimum of 2 years-experience as a creative practitioner, working/volunteering within an arts organisation or working/volunteering at arts events and festivals;
• Are self-motivated, with an ability to work on your own initiative, be part of a small team and work to deadlines;
• Are able to  speak at meetings or events and provide regular verbal and written updates to the DGU freelance team, our stakeholders and the wider public;
• Are able to take a proactive approach in contacting, networking and supporting young people get involved in the arts;
• Have good time-management and admin/organisational skills, including the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint or similar software/publishing packages;
• Are very familiar with IT, social media, the web.
• Are able to get around the region.

 
For more information or to request an expression of interest form, please email comms.dgu@gmail.com . 
 
How to Apply
 
Completed expression of interest forms should be submitted to comms.dgu@gmail.com before 12 midnight on Friday 28th February – make it as creative as you are; Be Unlimited!
 
We will inform shortlisted applicants on Monday 2nd March, meet with all those shortlisted on Friday 6th March and have our Youth Arts Advocate in place by  week beginning 16th March.