Job: Birmingham Accelerate Studios Teacher

Key Details

Contract: Consultant role. 

To engage and inspire year 10 and 11 students based in Birmingham from historically excluded backgrounds through a series of creative skills development in-school workshops and to inform them of further opportunities to explore the built environment with the forthcoming Birmingham Accelerate programme (2024/25).


Reports to: Director of Accelerate and Head of Education

Location: Birmingham and London locations (tbc)

Start date: October 2023

Deadline: 26 July 2023

Interviews: 1 and 2 August in Birmingham

Required: Experience of teaching 14-18 year olds 

Preferred: Experience in a built environment profession, knowledge of the UK school and university system. 

Salary:  £200 - £300 day rate (depending on level of experience)

Expected length of contract: 10 days between October 2023 -April 2024

Job Description

Open City is seeking a new teacher to deliver its Accelerate Studios programme in Birmingham starting in October. This role involves delivering in-school workshops to secondary schools in Birmingham, planning and delivering full-day workshops hosted at Birmingham City University and shadowing Accelerate Course Leaders in London on specific sessions to gain insights into the programme’s reach and potential. These sessions will pave the way for the full Open City Education programme to be rolled out for the next academic year (2024/5) with this person then playing a bigger role. 

You will need to plan creative activities in line with a specific theme relating to the built environment (allowance for course planning days will be provided) and you will be the main point of contact for the students during full day workshops. You will be supported by the Open City Education team with training, preparation and planning ahead of workshops. You will also be supported by a teaching assistant in each session.

Abstract

Open City makes the city and its urban landscape more open, accessible and equitable. We help citizens of all backgrounds to understand and engage with how the city is designed and made, and have a role in shaping its future. 


Open City creates a significant positive social impact through its diverse range of programmes from staging the annual Open House Festivals, to creating year-round educational initiatives and fostering critical dialogue and organising cultural events. As a result of Open City’s work, millions of people have learned about their city and explored boroughs and neighbourhoods they had never previously visited. Through our education and empowerment programmes, thousands of children and young people, in particular from under-represented communities, have been supported to learn about, and pursue careers in, architecture and city-making professions.


Open City is now in a period of exciting change and growth. The charity is embarking on an adventurous new year which will see it expand its education and empowerment programmes into Birmingham and the West Midlands. In the first stage of this expansion, Open City will engage secondary school students in a number of creative and exciting ways with the introduction of in-school sessions and full day workshops that introduce year 10/11 students to key skills involved in studying architecture, including drawing and model-making. These workshops will also advertise the forthcoming Birmingham based Accelerate programme and further ways to explore learning about the built environment. 

The Role

As an Accelerate Studios Teacher you will:

  • Liaise with the wider education team at Open City to plan each workshop in advance, submitting a structured lesson plan as required

  • Develop appropriate exercises in line with thematic topics

  • Join teaching and safeguarding training organised by Open City

  • Be a reliable contact point with clear control over administration and communication.

  • Lead 8 in-school workshops to secondary schools in Birmingham (skills development workshops for 10/11 students 

  • Plan and deliver 2 full-day workshops hosted at Birmingham City University for year 10/11 students (either on Saturdays or during the half term holidays tbc)

  • Attend 4 Accelerate workshops in London to shadow and learn from the course leader in preparation for the 2024/5 course

  • Feedback on course content and planning in a punctual manner, as requested by the Open City Education Team

  • Communicate with the Open City Education Team as required

The Person 

We are looking for someone who:

  • Has the confidence to work closely with teachers and teenage students

  • Will be compassionate and sensitive to the needs and personal situations of each student

  • Is punctual and able to arrive on time or early for scheduled events.

  • Can inspire, engage and organise an audience of up to 30 year 10/11 students  students

  • Has a good knowledge of Birmingham City and can confidently lead groups around the city

  • Has an interest in the architecture and heritage of Birmingham and its built environment and shares in Open City’s core values that this should be open and accessible to all

  • Has very strong communication skills 

  • Is confident in the use of the Google Suite to generate and deliver presentations

  • Is happy and able to attend occasional events/meetings in the evening

  • Is proactive, resourceful and good at problem solving

  • Has a DBS certificate and their own laptop

To apply, please email a cover letter and CV to Siraaj Mitha at Siraaj@open-city.org.uk.

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