Fee: £5,250

In our new project care-experienced young people will create a comic book. Working with social workers, a lead creative facilitator (freelance, to be appointed) and a comic artist (to be appointed through this brief), young people from Leeds will explore their experiences of care through creative activities linked to comic book art styles and techniques. This will lead to the creation of a single comic book which will be shared with other young people and used as a training tool for teachers, foster carers and other adults. .

The project sessions will include the following, though we expect the lead creative facilitator to shape this in collaboration with the comic book artist and social workers:

1. Activities to help young people settle into the group, space and project

2. Introduction and maintenance of the boundaries we will work within (e.g. that no-one has to share anything they're not comfortable with)

3. Activities to help young people imagine themselves and their stories as comic book characters, settings and narratives

4. Exploring different comic styles and genres, focusing on comics that explore life stories and share aspects of the comic creators' lives with other people

5. Trying and learning new art techniques relevant to creating comics

6. Supporting young people to decide what stories they want to tell and how

7. Structuring the young people's stories and supporting them to create their own sections of the comic.

There will be 15 project sessions held at a central Leeds venue (tbc). Each two-hour session (likely to be 18.00-20.00) will take place on a weekday evening in the spring and summer of 2024. Final dates will be confirmed on appointment of the facilitator, comic book artist, and selection of the venue. Around 10 young people will take part in the project, including three who are joining in advance to collaborate in project planning.

Essential:

• Excellent comic book art skills including design skills to pull the whole book together

• Experience of teaching art skills to others

• Accessible and engaging interpersonal skills

Desirable:

• Experience of working with vulnerable young people

• Understanding of the context of care-experienced young people

• Experience of planning and delivering creative activity with young people

All individuals working with young people must adhere to our Safeguarding Policy, which will be provided on appointment. This role will require an Enhanced DBS Check including a check of the Barred List, which the British Library will administer.

The Library's standard Conditions of Contract for the supply of goods and services will apply. These are available on request and will be supplied to the selected person.

1. Support the planning and delivery of the project sessions

2. Support each young person to take part fully in the way that works best for them

3. Work closely with social workers to ensure that the project is delivered with sensitivity to the needs and life experiences of the young participants

4. Ensure the British Library and our comics collections are embedded in the project

5. Support project evaluation

6. Design and lay out the final comic book

7. Take part in the end-of-project celebration event