Vacancy: Volunteer Film Maker
We are looking for a volunteer/s to make a 5 minute film about our innovative activities and projects with older people. This is a great opportunity to gain amazing experience with a new and exciting charity. It is also a chance to get your work seen, help older people in our community and make a real impact.
About Alive! Background info
Alive! is a Bristol-based charity dedicated to improving the quality of life of older people in care by enabling them to participate in meaningful activity. We provide stimulating activity sessions in care homes, train care staff in providing meaningful activity for residents, and advocate for older people with policy and decision makers. Central to our approach is a focus on human dignity, personal connection and the use of innovative techniques to really engage with older people.
Our workshops
We offer a range of interactive workshops designed to stimulate older people on all levels: cognitively, physically, creatively and emotionally.
- Variety Hour includes quizzes, music and poetry, history, reminiscence and energising activities such as giant balloon play and conducting the orchestra.
- Guided Reminiscence uses the internet and a video projector to help people revisit special places, pieces of music, film clips or historic events. We also use memory boxes full of items from times past such as carbolic soap, old money and green shield stamps.
- Dance& Movement allows those who struggle with verbal communication to express themselves through movement and to experience comforting touch.
- Art Workshops encourage older people to express themselves creatively, make individual choices and discover new skills. In a development of this work, Paint Pals connects care home residents with local school children through painting.
- Art Appreciation sessions, run in partnership with museums and galleries, enable older people to enjoy works of art from their collection.
- We also provide One-to-One sessions for residents unable to leave their rooms, many of whom are severely depressed and/or nearing the end of their lives. We use iPads to find the street where the person grew up, make music or paint, and to find favourite songs, films etc.
Alive! provides regular training days for care home staff in engaging with older people, providing activities and reminiscence and using iPads with older people. Our aim is to build the capacity of care home staff to provide meaningful activity for their residents on a daily basis.
Please see our website ( for more information about our work and our team.
Job Description
Position:Volunteer Film Maker
Reports to:Support and Projects Manager
Informal Interviews:
The deadlines for applications are 9amFriday 24thand informal 45 min interviews will be held the following week. This is to get to know a little bit about you and look at some of your experience with film making. We have iPads/laptops if you need to borrow one for the interview to show your work.
Role
To work with the Support and Projects Manager and the Support and Communications Officer to plan, organise and make a 5 minute film. The purpose of the main film will be to communicate the effectsof an Alive! session.The film will contain: footage of an Alive! Guided Reminiscence session using iPads, a ‘Dance and Movement’ session, a ‘Paint Pals’ session and interviews with our presenters, care staff and residents.
The role is unique and offers the right person an insight into the charity sector. Plus the chance to document inspiring moments that have a real impact on older people’s lives.
These films will be shown worldwide on youtube and our website. They will also be used nationwide at conferences and events. You name will be credited and displayed on all copies of the films.
Follow this link to read a few testimonials about our work with iPads:
If you would like to do this project in a group with colleagues/associates, then great. But we would ask for no more than 4 people to be involved, and to have one primary contact from the group.
Main duties and responsibilities:
•To plan the making of the film with the Support and Projects manager and the Support and Communications Assistant. This will involve attending one day time meeting at the Create Centre in Bristol.
•To communicate with the Alive! staff via email and phone over the duration of the project.
•To attend and film 3- 4 Alive! activity sessions.
•To conduct film interviews with care staff, presenters and residents (we can provide the questions for you).
•To edit the films to a high spec
Person specification
Experience:
Essential
▪Experience of film making
▪Experience of using a film camera
▪Experience of editing and post production
▪You must have access to all the necessary high quality film making and sound equipment. Plus the use of post-production programs.
Desirable
▪Experience of working with older people or vulnerable groups
▪Experience of being in a care home environment
▪DBS
Personal attributes:
Essential
•Friendly, approachable and able to take direction.
•Ability to work independently, proactively and under own initiative.
•An interest in the welfare of older people.
•Able to be professional, discreet, sensitive and respectful when filming.
•Creative, confident person with ideas.
Terms and Conditions of employment
Salary:
This is a voluntary role
DBS
If you have a transferable DBS (formally CRB) then this is great. If you do not have a DBS we will fund the cost and process it for you. We are only able to fund one DBS.
Conditions of the role:
This post is for a short period only. You will need to be available during the day for one or two set up meetings to plan the film. You may like to attend an Alive! session before filming for research purposes prior to making the film.
Availability:
Project timeline: 1st November onwards (start time flexible)
Summary : You will need to be available for 5 mornings/afternoons between 27th October – 15th December to attend sessions and complete the filming. You will then need to finish all post-production by February 28th 2015, (but the earlier the better).
Days for volunteering can be discussed at the informal interview, we will organise the project to fit in with your other commitments.
Location:
Alive! is based at the Create Centre, Smeaton Road, Bristol BS1 6XN.
We will be happy to give you a lift to and from the care home.
Management:
You will report to Alive’s Support & Projects Manager.
Please note:
This voluntary role description is for guidance.