Youth Engagement & Learning Officer – Ripon Museums Trust
Youth Engagement and Learning Officer needed at Ripon Museums, comprising a Victorian Workhouse, a Georgian Prison, and a Georgian Courthouse, they illustrate the history of poverty, crime, fairness, and justice in Yorkshire.
The “Inspiration for a Fairer Future” project, with a total project value of £3.3m, aims to enhance visitor experiences, attract diverse audiences, and preserve local heritage. It will focus on essential repairs at The Workhouse Museum and manage 8,700 artefacts from the Prison & Police Museum currently in storage. Additionally, the project will unify interpretation and activities across the museums, continuing to act as a powerful learning environment, exploring the evolving history and modern context of social justice and the broader heritage of Ripon.
There are three main strands to the project which are:
1. The conservation of one of the buildings at the Workhouse (Resident’s block) including a new roof, repairing and replacing windows and making the building more energy efficient and accessible.
2. Transforming the visitor experience through new interpretation and exhibitions at the workhouse, and connecting our stories across the three museum sites.
3. A programme of activity, delivered in partnership, that will reach broader more diverse audiences.
The Youth Engagement and Learning Officer will lead on the youth engagement and education elements of the activity plan.
About the Activity Plan:
The project’s activity plan has identified priority audiences that RMT would like to engage. These include young people aged 16-24, young people with complex needs, local communities, isolated adults in ill health and secondary school pupils.
The Youth Engagement & Learning Officer will lead on the youth engagement elements of the activity plan. They will be the main contact for project partners including Evolve Ripon, YMCA, and the Wetherby Young Offenders institution. They will also work with local community agencies to recruit, train, and build the volunteering offer for young people. This will also involve developing RMT’s youth engagement procedures and practices and build and develop existing and new partnerships with youth organisations. In addition, they will help to develop and implement the Fairer Futures school programme, with a particular focus and specialism on the secondary school sessions. As the Youth Engagement Officer will have specific skills in engaging with young people, they will facilitate school visits for at least one day a week in term times, to secondary schools. As part of this element of the programme, we will be creating new self-led school sessions with an education consultant. The postholder will work with other staff members and freelancers to facilitate creative workshops and museum visits with groups of young people and organise and manage Museum Takeover days.
Postholder requirements:
* Responsible for the development and delivery of a youth engagement programme as part of the ‘Inspiration for a Fairer Future’ Activity Plan.
* Work with the Learning Officer and education consultant to develop a new strand of the secondary and primary school learning programme which focuses on fairness and social justice.
* Deliver the new strands of the learning programme to secondary schools once developed.
* Work with the Visitor Experience & Volunteer Manager to develop volunteering, training and development opportunities for young people.
* Coordinate training for staff and volunteers in relation to the youth programme.
* Develop RMT’s youth engagement procedures and practice.
* Build and develop existing and new partnerships and relationships with youth organisations.
* Work with other staff members and freelancers to facilitate creative workshops and museum visits with groups of young people.
* Liaising / working with the Evaluation Consultant to evaluate activities.
* Organise and Manage Museum Takeover days.
* Supervise freelance staff, volunteers and artists.
* As we are a small team the successful candidate will be expected to have a flexible and collaborative approach to their work.
* Safeguarding: This position is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) check.
This role is based in the museum with some working from home and hybrid working supported. We understand how important work/life balance is for wellbeing and are open to considering a variety of options, including hours of work, work patterns, secondments and job shares.
Ripon Museum Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community regardless of race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, age or gender identification. This is part of our commitment to equality and reflects the diversity of our population.
Method of Application:
If you are interested in this position, please complete the application form on our website www.riponmuseums.co.uk showing how you meet the criteria for the position by Sunday 04 May 2025. Please send the completed application form to Laura Allan our Curator at laura.allan@riponmuseums.co.uk or post to The Workhouse Museum, Allhallowgate, Ripon, HG4 1LE. Please do not send a CV – it will not be used for shortlisting.
If you have any queries about the role and would like to find out more before applying, please contact Laura in the first instance.
From £26,000.00 per year FTE (£18,270 pro rata)
Expected hours: 26 per week / Contract length: 30 months
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