Youth Junk Orchestra Leader

Two suitable volunteers, under the direction of Music Harvest two skilled volunteers, will build Nablus’s first Percussion Youth Orchestra with a group of children from a range of different backgrounds over 3 months in Palestine. The project will comprise a cultural exchange of musical traditions between West and East. Our students and volunteers will exchange their ideas and skills base in a non-formal setting to build a confident youth orchestra capable of performing across the West Bank with the hope of inspiring other children to pursue a life in music, and appreciate the powerful impact that it can have on their lives.

The project will promote active engagement, social inclusion and solidarity amongst both the UK volunteers and the local volunteers in Palestine by empowering them to contribute their skills in under-resourced and isolated communities, and whilst doing so foster a greater sense of mutual respect and understanding for one another’s culture, traditions and social circumstances.

Tasks
Workshops will take place each week with a selection of young musicians that have already worked with Music Harvest and have shown the enthusiasm and skill necessary to embark upon such an ambitious project. Students will include refugees and the disenfranchised, and MH will ensure gender equality amongst the group, so that the final orchestra can embody a complete representation of Palestine. The project will utilise the skills and backgrounds in music of the selected volunteers to create a percussion youth orchestra of considerable talent and skill. Similarly, the volunteers will work with local volunteers who have an interest in music and youth work to impart upon them the skills necessary to sustain the project after their departure. This will allow the children to continue to develop as musicians both individually and as part of a larger orchestra/ensemble long into the future.

Criteria
Both volunteers should be aged 18 - 30 and have a solid background in music. Both volunteers should have good communication and team leadership skills. Candidates should be passionate about music education, especially music education for children coming from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds in society. Candidates should demonstrate a sense of tolerance and understanding of diversity. In addition, candidates should be enthusiastic about learning from the culture, societal norms and musical traditions of their host community. Volunteers will be chosen regardless of their ethnic group, religion, sexual orientation, political opinion, etc.

Procedure
There are four stages to Music Harvest’s application process. 1) Once a candidate receives our volunteer pack, and all queries are answered, it is up to the candidate to complete our application form and send it back to us. After assessing the application form we then decide as to whether the applicant has a suitable skill set and range of experiences that would deem them a valuable addition to our team and to the work being carried out by our organisation. Applications are welcomed from all individuals aged not younger than 18. Music Harvest has an equal opportunities policy in place that ensures that we: provide equality of opportunity for all; protect the dignity of our employees and volunteers; and promote respect for others at work. 2) If our HR team feel that the applicant is adequately equipped to take up a position with our team, a telephone interview ensues between the candidate and one of our team. The telephone interview lasts between thirty and 1 hour and attempts to attain a complete understanding of the candidates skills, aptitudes and suitability to our organisation. 3) If the candidate is deemed suitable after the telephone interview we check the two references that were given on the application form. 4) After receipt of positive references endorsing the candidate by two qualified referees, all prospective volunteers are DBS checked. Only after this stage are volunteers offered positions with our organisation.