Call for singing/ choral directors

The Dun laoghaire-Rathdown/HSE Arts and Health Partnership and the Living Well with Dementia Stillorgan – Blackrock Project, are looking for two Choral Directors to pilot an Arts and Health project for people with dementia.

The Choral Directors will lead singing sessions with people with dementia, their family members and friends in two locations in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area. It is essential that the successful applicants are responsive to the needs of the participants. Experience of working with people with dementia is desirable but not essential, as training will be provided.

There will be two projects within Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County; one will be based within the Stillorgan/Blackrock area where the Living Well with Dementia Project is centred. It is envisaged that the second will be in the Deansgrange area of the county.

Guidelines:

• The successful applicants will be required to undergo dementia awareness training in advance of the start date.
• The Living Well with Dementia Project will require tangible research outcomes as an integrated part of the pilot project. The successful applicants will be required to feed into this process.
• The successful applicants will be subject to Garda Vetting.
• Selection will be based on the written submission and any additional supplementary material supplied only.
• Applications received after Friday 5th July at 12 noon will not be accepted under any circumstances.
• Emailed applications will be deemed ineligible.
• Applications that do not include three hard copies as requested will be considered ineligible.
• Short-listed applicants will be called to an interview.

Please apply in writing and include three hard copies of each of the following (email applications will not be accepted):

• Curriculum Vitae with relevant experience detailed
• Statement clearly outlining your interest in the pilot project and the relevance of this project to your work to date
• Two referees

In addition to the above requirements one copy of supplementary information that will support the application is advised, for example a short description of relevant previous projects and photographs/audio or visual documentation. Please note that supplementary information will not be returned to applicants (applicants should ensure that they do not send any unique or irreplaceable material).

Selection criteria and marking: 

• Previous experience working with people with needs through the arts. (For example: disabilities, mental health, dementia) (60 marks)
• Relevant expertise as a Choral Director. (40 marks) 

The timeline for the engagement is August 2013 – Jan 2014 and each project will consist of approximately 24 contact hours (this will be broken down to one, two hour session on a weekly basis). The fees are €50 per hour for facilitation; there is additional payment for research and meetings re: programme. It is envisaged that one project will take place on a Saturday morning and one on a mid-week day in the late morning time.

Summary timeline: 

• Deadline for receipt of applications: Friday 5 July at 12 noon 2013
• Interview dates for short-listed applicants: Fri 19 July and Mon 22 July 2013
• Selected applicants will be informed by Friday the 26 of July 2013
• Training will occur during the last week in August 2013. This will consist of a 3 hour session, specific date to be confirmed
• Contact hours and research element will be commenced in mid September and finished by the last week in Jan 2014
   

All additional queries to: mdavey@dlrcoco.ie or (01) 2719528.

Applications to be sent to:
Máire Davey, Assistant Arts Officer, Participation and Learning, The Arts Office, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Marine Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Deadline for applications is Friday 5 July at 12 noon

The project partners reserve the right to form a panel from applicants to this call out for future opportunities and to extend the lifetime of the selected applicants. The project partners reserve the right to pursue a different selection process if applications received are deemed unsuitable.

This project is funded/supported by:
HSE Health Promotion Service Dublin South East/Wicklow
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
Living Well with Dementia Stillorgan – Blackrock Project (The Living Well with Dementia project is being supported by the Atlantic Philanthropies and the Health Service Executive through the Genio Trust)
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland
Sonas apc