Open Book is looking for a creative writing Lead Reader to deliver monthly sessions for our BAME group. The sessions will be delivered in a digital format on the Open Book Zoom platform. The new Lead Reader will be joining a strong community of approximately 75 Open Book Lead Readers.
About Open Book
Since March 2013 Open Book (www.openbookreading.com) has run shared reading and creative writing sessions for adults. In 2020/21 project year, we’ll have delivered around 1100 sessions in over 70 locations – the islands off Shetland, to Stranraer, on Uist and Tiree, in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee and in the Central Belt. We work in a number of sectors – libraries, health care settings, with the elderly, refugees and migrants, community groups, prisons, libraries and other public settings and on Scottish islands. Stories and poems are read aloud then discussed in a relaxed, informal setting, with about one-third of the groups adding creative writing.
Applicant Requirements
The successful applicant will:
- identify as BAME or a person of colour;
- be a published author with a publication record commensurate with authors on Scottish Book Trust’s Author Database;
- have previous experience of workshop delivery;
- be asked to join the PVG (Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme) and to provide two references (Open Book will meet the costs of PVG membership and process the application on behalf of the Lead Reader); and
- be available to attend a paid training session in September and deliver 10 monthly workshops between 1 Oct 2021 and 30 Sept 2022.
Role
The successful candidate will be contracted to deliver ten 90-120 min shared reading+creative writing workshops in the Open Book model across a twelve month period. The workshops will take place on the same day and at the same time each month (i.e the third Wed of the month). The fee in respect of each workshop (including preparation, delivery and post session feedback) is £175. Eight additional hours for training /CPD/project review – including initial training in the model – will be funded at £25 per hour.
Lead Readers are asked to support their groups to attend a literary event during the course of the project year. This can be attendance at a Festival event or an author visit (either on-line or in person). An additional fee of up to £75 (3 hours at £25 ph) will be available to Lead Readers for this purpose.
Application Process
- Please submit a CV including details of publications, experience in community workshop facilitation and any other experience you feel is relevant, together with a short sample of writing (c500 words of prose or one page of poetry) to admin@openbookreading.com by 5pm Monday 27th September. A short list of applicants will be invited for an interview over Zoom on Friday 8th October.
- Please direct any questions relating to the application to admin@openbookreading.com.
