We are recruiting a Project Coordinator, on a part time basis for 24 hours per week.
The role would suit someone who:
- is looking for part time work
- believes that people with learning disabilities have the right to be independent, included and have choice about how they live their lives
- has working knowledge of using social media platforms to increase engagement
- is creative, caring, personable, patient, a good listener and up for having fun!
To apply, please read through this job pack. It includes a job description, person specification, and a link to the online application form.
The deadline to apply is Tuesday 24th October 2023 and interviews will be held on Tuesday 31st October 2023.
Please contact Chez at cherilyn@gigbuddiescroydon.co.uk or evie@gigbuddiescroydon.co.uk if you have any questions.
If this job isn’t for you but you’d still like to get involved, check out how you can volunteer with us!
New music jam for adults starting this month
Do you love music?
Do you want to play an instrument or sing?
Maybe you already sing or play an instrument?
If you are aged 25 or over and have a learning disability or autism you are welcome to join our new weekly music sessions on Thursdays between 5-7pm at Rockbottom (68-70 London Rd, Croydon CR0 2TB) starting on 18 September.
To find out more or let us know you are coming please email olly@clubsoda.org.uk or call 07309 750 283.
Job opportunity! Gig Buddies Access Assistant
We are looking for someone to work on a one to one basis with the Gig Buddies Project Assistant, who has learning disabilities and autism.
This role is funded by Access to Work to provide support to enable the Project Assistant to complete their daily tasks confidently and efficiently, and to help them develop within the charity.
You will be supporting the Project Assistant with;
● Project admin, including sorting digital application forms, keeping our digital folders organised and keeping buddies information up to date.
● Posting weekly on social media, scheduling posts and having conversations with our followers online.
● Time management and keeping on top of weekly/daily tasks such as; managing and checking their email inbox, replying to emails, collecting and storing new member data, updating volunteer references.● Drafting and sending emails out to members and partners.
● Creating a system to manage workload and efficiency that works for them.
● Working as part of a team, sharing skills, and helping the charity to achieve our goals.
And much more.
The Access Assistant will be employed by Club Soda. On a fixed contract until March 2025.
The job is for 26 hours a month. Likely working weekly on a Tuesday or Thursday in our office in Croydon, with occasional evening work at events.
The salary is £13.26 per hour, invoiced monthly.
The successful candidate will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
To apply first download the Information Pack and Job Description here.
Then please complete the application form and submit your 60 second video to tell us why you’d be great at the job.
The videos will be reviewed with the Project Assistant so they can get a sense of who you are and help us with the selection process.
Details of how to send the video to us are in the application form.
SoDaDa
Do you want to perform at SoDaDa?
Club Soda on BBC London news
Following our London Faith & Community Award in November, we were interviewed by the BBC.
Check out this short film that was featured on BBC London news in December and features The Carbonators.
Club Soda WIN a London Faith & Belief Community Award
Club Soda Trustee, Sedley Wilson, and Project Manager, Rachael Phandey, represented Club Soda at the London Faith and Belief Community Awards ceremony in Westminster Abbey on Wednesday 23rd November, where we were presented with an award in the Health & Wellbeing category.
Sedley Wilson said, “I am incredibly proud to have received this award on behalf of Club Soda.”
Rachael Phandey said, “We develop opportunities for people with learning disabilities in Croydon to showcase their creative talents. In recent years we have had to adapt how we deliver our sessions and events. This has been a big challenge for us and our members but the creative results have been amazing. Our Musicians have written and recorded new albums and our Gig Buddies project has found new ways to connect that we never would have imagined possible.
But, we know there are still so many people with learning disabilities in the borough who are still socially isolated and we want to find and connect with them too.”
Where Are You?
Gig Buddies want everyone in our community to have an equal choice in how we live our lives. Everyone with a learning disability should be able to go out and enjoy the things they love.
Not enough accessible events, everything costing more money and the fear of being out and about after lockdown, means lots of people with learning disabilities are at risk of social isolation. This means seeing friends less, staying in more and life not being as fun as it should be.
Click here to read more about our Where Are You? campaign.
Could you be our new Trustee?
Club Soda is looking for a new Trustee to join our Trustee team.
Trustees are people who help decide:
- what Club Soda do
- how we do it
- and how our money is spent.
Trustees do not get paid. This is voluntary role.
Who we are looking for:
- You must be over 18 years old.
- You should have the skills, knowledge and experience to help run Club Soda well.
Skills help you do things well.
Knowledge is what you know and understand. Experience means you have learnt from things you have done before.
What will you get out of it?
- You will meet new people
- Have the chance to make a positive difference in the lives of the people we work with
To find out more, click on the links below:
- Recruiting new Trustees (https://www.clubsoda.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Recruiting-New-Trustees-easy-read.pdf)
- Being a Trustee with Club Soda (https://www.clubsoda.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Being-a-Trustee-for-Club-Soda.pdf)
How can we make Croydon’s social scene truly accessible?
People with learning disabilities have as much of a right to go out to socialise, party and have a good night out as the rest of us. Yet there are longstanding and pervasive boundaries that stop this from happening. Or at least makes it far more difficult than it should be.
At Club Soda we are continually fighting these barriers to try to create an accessible and inclusive social scene in Croydon. However, there is only so much we can do without systemic change in local venues and organisations. Adjustments need to happen across the board. It should not be left to projects like ours or people with learning disabilities having to advocate for themselves.
On November 25th 2021 we invited local learning disability organisations, local venues and representatives from Croydon Council to get to the bottom of what needs to be done to shake up the status quo in Croydon’s social scene.
You can read our report here: