Moonstruck Astronaut is a not-for-profit community theatre company based in Newport, Shropshire.  Our mission is to bring the local community of Newport, Shropshire together through theatre projects and foster friendship, self-expression, belonging and confidence, first with our primary-school age children, then extending to young people and adults in time. We run a Youth Theatre in Newport and outdoor Drama in the Forest workshops.  We are seeking volunteers to join our passionate team and help Moonstruck Astronaut community theatre company succeed in filling the gap in supporting local children’s creative development.

Volunteers to be 16 years or over. There is no upper age limit.

Please see www.moonstruckastronaut.com   and www.facebook.com/moonstruckastronaut  to learn more about the theatre company.

‘Summer Drama in the Forest’ Drama Workshop Assistant Volunteers:

Event: Outdoor 5-day drama workshop on the Events site of Wrekin Forest School (WFS), with 22-25 children, mixed ages (6-12 yrs), abilities and drama experience, run by Moonstruck Astronaut theatre company.

Venue: WFS, Events site, Crudginton Moor Lane, Telford,  

Dates & times required: Mon 31^st July – Friday 4^th August, 8.30am – 4.30pm* (*until 5pm Friday 4^th August for performance) and for a volunteers briefing at the venue on Sunday 30^th July at 1.15 – 2.15pm.

Please visit  https://SummerDNF.eventbrite.co.uk to see full info on the project and the delivery team.

Role description:  To support Drama, movement and music workshop leaders, pastoral workshop leader and each other to facilitate the project where 22-25 children will be taught drama, movement and music skills culminating in a triumphant sharing of our communal creativity at the end of the last day to parents/guardians/supporters.

Main duties:

• Volunteers are to support the mini play development when the children work in small groups, acting as a facilitator/ lead for their own group
• Help facilitate and take part in drama/dance/music/craft/ sport activities
• Assist all children in having a great time, ensuring all feel respected
• Input into team meetings at the end of each day
• Support the fun, inclusive and safe collaborative environment, building up the confidence and trust of all participants and celebrating /recognising their achievements over the week.

Skills:

• A certain degree of physical fitness and stamina is needed.
• Work as part of a team, efficiently communicating with each other.
• Reliable and arrive to help on the dates and times agreed.
• Model a pro-active, engaged, supportive attitude.
• Confident and assertive with younger children.
• Quick-thinking, resourceful, positive and adaptable.
• Prior experience in drama and a passion for drama would be ideal.
• Understand the importance of the groups’ Health & Safety procedures.
• Understand the importance of confidentiality & safeguarding vulnerable children, efficiently reporting to the Safeguarding leads any concerns as they happen.

Benefits:

• Valuable experience of hands-on drama workshop facilitating
• Impressive CV credit as a ‘workshop leader’ on professional cross-arts workshop
• Enjoyable work experience supporting younger children’s development
• Reference provided upon request
• Travel expenses can be covered if requested, lunch every day will be provided.

To apply to be a drama workshop assistant volunteer please send an email to hannah@moonstruckastronaut.com by Friday 14^th July detailing any relevant experience and skills (attaching a CV if you have one) and why you are a great fit to support the project.  

Fundraising and Grants Application Volunteer:

Suggestive Hours per week: 2 – 4              Reporting to: Artistic Director

Role description

We are looking for a volunteer Fundraising and Grants Application Manager, to help us improve our grant making and fundraising processes and achieve more successful grant applications.

Main Duties:

• Create/manage a database of funders
• Manage subscriptions to funders (this could be subscribing to newsletters)
• Research potential grant funding and fundraising opportunities
• Support with writing applications and securing evidence (for example collecting testimonials/case studies)
• Create/manage a database of applications and outcomes
• Help monitor and evaluate our impact.
• Help Artistic Director meet grant funding deadlines and organize her time.

Skills required:

• Excellent I.T skills
• Good organisation, attention to detail and admin skills
• Good communication skills both written and verbal
• Proactive approach to tasks and activities

Benefits:

• Gain valuable work experience and enhance your CV
• Enhance your communication, organizational and planning skills
• Be part of an exciting community theatre company that is growing
• Help improve the lives of our children and surrounding community in Newport

Social Media and Digital Marketing Volunteer:

Suggestive Hours per week: 4 Reporting to: Artistic Director

Role description:

To help MA increase social media presence and engagement, generate content and help promote existing activities.  The initial focus would be the service’s Instagram and Facebook pages and to gain more of a following.

Main Duties

• Develop and produce social media material for Facebook, You Tube and Instagram
• Encouraging others to comment/like and share our posts with others
• Increasing the numbers of people following our social media platforms
• Develop digital marketing and images to promote the theatre company’s work
• Identify gaps and create specified content for our social media

Skills required

• Open-minded, flexible and assertive
• Good organisation skills and ability to be pro-active and motivated
• Be able to come up with ideas on how to promote
• Demonstrate knowledge of the organisation, its mission and aims to help promote correctly
• Able and willing to respect confidentiality online in accordance with our policies & procedures
• Experience within social media and digital marketing is preferred but not necessary

Benefits:

• Gain valuable work experience and enhance your CV
• Enhance your communication, organizational and planning skills
• Grow in confidence
• Help improve the lives of our children and surrounding community in Newport

Marketing and PR Volunteer:

Suggestive Hours per week: 4 Reporting to: Artistic Director

Role description

Help us engage our audiences by improving our PR and marketing presence.

Main Duties:

• Make PR contacts e.g local press and media
• Help write PR articles for the local press and media
• Help organise PR campaigns 
• Find people and organisations relevant to our mission
• Help us develop and execute our social media campaigns and liase well with the team

Skills required:

• Excellent I.T skills
• Good organisation, attention to detail and admin skills
• Good communication skills both written and verbal
• Proactive approach to tasks and activities
• Experience in journalism and marketing preferred but not necessary

Benefits:

• Gain valuable work experience and enhance your CV
• Enhance your communication, organizational and planning skills
• Be part of an exciting community theatre company that is growing
• Help improve the lives of our children and surrounding community in Newport

Photography and Filming Volunteer:

Role description:   

To share your photographic talent and capture moments of our work through photography, and if possible, filming.

Main duties:

• Take photos of workshops, events and performances (next one 10^th July)
• Spot photographic opportunities throughout. Eg. cover different aspects of the day from warm ups, rehearsals, coaching and final performances, capturing the spirit of the day/ session.
• Deliver quality well exposed photos/film that may be used for social media and website promotion.
• Understand the importance of confidentiality & safeguarding vulnerable children/and or adults.

Skills required:

• Interest/ passion for photography
• Ability to work independently, spotting photographic opportunities throughout the session.
• Confident and supportive with children.
• Organised, adaptable and positive.

Benefits:

• Valuable experience of photography work
• Exciting subject matter to photograph
• Be part of an exciting community theatre company that is growing
• Reference provided upon request.

To apply for any of these volunteer roles please send an email to hannah@moonstruckastronaut.com which details any relevant experience and skills, attaching a recent CV if you have one, and what interests you about this role within the theatre company.