Digital Communications Internship, Super Slow Way

We are looking for a Digital Communications Intern to join us and play a crucial role in supporting the delivery of our activity. You will be involved in supporting the development and delivery of a digital communications strategy designed to enable us to engage as many people as possible in the work that we do.

Please note that this opportunity has been created through funding from the Creative Employment Programme.  This means there are certain criteria you must meet in order to be eligible to apply for a Creative Employment Programme funded internship. At the time of applying you must be aged 18 to 24 years old and you must be registered as unemployed with Jobcentre Plus. These eligibility criteria have been approved by the Department of Work and Pensions.

Background

Super Slow Way is part of Creative People and Places, a national arts programme funded by Arts Council England to test out new and experimental approaches to arts and cultural activity and to build audiences and participants in areas currently shown to have low levels of engagement. This exciting and innovative £2 million arts programme is being shaped by the people of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn and Pendle collaborating with local, national and international artists and arts organisations. Our role is to try out new ways of enabling more people to get involved in arts activity and working with artists; and to support artists and arts organisations who put people and communities at the heart of their practice to try out new approaches. Above all, we are here to make art happen and in making art happen, transform lives and places.

The programme takes its name from a poem by Ian McMillan that tells the story of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, the original‘Super Highway’ of the Industrial Revolution that transformed Pennine Lancashire, bringing with it hundreds of mills and thousands of homes and placing it right at the epicentre of British commerce and culture. Two hundred years on the canal has been transformed into a ‘Super Slow Way’, a place of tranquillity where time has slowed down, nature has taken over and we can take some valuable time out. At the same time, fibre optic cables that now run under the canal towpath are once more connecting this area to the rest of the world and reinventing the canal as a new ‘Information Superhighway.’It is these three themes inspired by the canal; manufacturing past and present, the natural environment and the digital world, that are the focus for the programme.

Digital Communications Internship

As our Digital Communications Intern you will play a key role in positioning and raising the profile of Super Slow Way through exploring creative ways of enriching our website and populating social media platforms with activity and critical debate about the range of arts and cultural activities happening across the Super Slow Way area. As part of this remit you will play a key role in developing a team of Super Slow Way ‘Cultural Bloggers’ who will work with our partner arts and cultural organisations to further animate social media platforms and create increased awareness of activities and events happening across the area.

The ideal candidate will be hands on, imaginative and have a keen interest in social media and how digital tools can develop audiences and participation in the arts. On completion of the internship you will be able to demonstrate how you’ve developed strong working relationships with a range of individuals and organisations, enhanced your communications and marketing skills, and developed an understanding of the local arts and cultural infrastructure. Mentoring support will be provided to support your next steps on completion of the internship.

Whilst we have high expectations for the post we welcome applications from people with the capacity to grow into the role.

You will:

• Learn about how to develop and deliver a communications strategy for a large scale arts programme
• Learn about various marketing techniques including generating copy for websites, writing blog posts, maintaining websites and generating marketing databases
• Learn about creative ways of populating social media to develop engagement, activity and critical debate
• Develop a deep understanding and knowledge of the methodologies, power and presence of social networks and blogging
• Learn about participant and audience development and a range of strategies for engaging different communities across Pennine Lancashire
• Provide marketing and communications support for events, seminars and artist residencies
• Work with other arts and cultural organisations to ensure the Super Slow Way brand is applied effectively and consistently across programme activity
• Develop an in-depth understanding of the arts and cultural sector in Pennine Lancashire and beyond
• Contribute to the co-ordination and analysis of monitoring and evaluation activity, providing information and data from audience engagement and marketing to funders and evaluators.

Further Details Person Specification

The key competencies the post holder is required to demonstrate are:

Skills

• Administrative skills – computer literate and able to use a wide range of software packages, including word processing, spreadsheets, email social media and web-based applications
• Organisational skills – able to work on own initiative or as part of a team; able to manage workload and prioritise tasks; deliver work on time and to a high standard.
• Problem-solving skills – ability to analyse circumstances, identify a range of solutions and select most appropriate course of action to achieve the best outcome
• Communication skills – tailors message to audience; able to adapt message and working style to people and groups from diverse backgrounds and cultures; attention to detail, spelling and grammar in writing; committed to plain English; helpful and concise telephone manner; able to represent the programme confidently
• Knowledge management skills – able to transcribe conversations, meetings and events in a timely, accurate and concise manner

Knowledge

• A good understanding and keen interest in marketing and social media; e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest
• Knowledge of routine office systems and procedures
• Awareness of diversity issues and a commitment to inclusiveness

Experience

• Preferably educated to degree level but a strong commitment to and a desire to pursue a career in digital media and/or arts marketing is more important, along with a passion for the arts and working with people.
• Experience of working (either paid or unpaid) in or with the arts, digital media, education, or third sectors

Location: Super Slow Way’s base is in Rose Grove, Burnley, although the role is likely to involve some travel around Pennine Lancashire.

Management: Reporting to the Communications & Marketing Manager.

Contract period: 12 month fixed term contract

Salary:  £7.85 per hour

Working Hours: 37.5hrs per week. Due to the nature of the programme, some flexibility in terms of working hours may be required and this may include occasional evening and weekend working. A system of Time off in Lieu applies for additional hours worked.

Employer: The Digital Communications Intern will be employed by the Canal and River Trust on behalf of Super Slow Way.

This paid internship has been created as part of the Creative Employment Programme. The Creative Employment Programme is an Arts Council England fund to support the creation of traineeships, formal apprenticeship and paid internship opportunities in England for unemployed young people wishing to pursue a career in the arts and cultural sector. You can find out more by clicking here

How to apply: If you wish to apply for this position please contact Rachel Holden (Rachel.holden@lancashire.gov.uk) and quote the following LMS reference: 8356044.

DEADLINE 23 OCTOBER 2015