Spark Young Writers are Recruiting Assistant Writers

Volunteer with the Spark Young Writers team and be part of delivering 190 children’s writing workshops across the region. With a mix of in-person and online groups, you can support your local community, or join our writers on Zoom from your living room!

We are now recruiting for Assistant Writer roles for groups beginning in September and October 2024. We are particularly interested in application from people in Coventry, Staffordshire (for Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme), Wolverhampton and Worcester. 

What does it meant to be an Assistant Writer?
You will work closely with a professional author, poet, or scriptwriter to deliver a two hour workshop once a month. You’ll have the opportunity to develop your own skills, whether that is as a writer, educator, or in organisation and leadership.  

A strong candidate would be enthusiastic and passionate about reading and writing, or would like to work with children. We want our team of Spark Lead and Assistant writers to be ready to share their love of creativity, explore imagination, and help develop the next generation of talent in the West Midlands! 

Over the course of the year, you will receive training and shadow your Lead Writer until you feel ready to take on more in your role (which might be right away!). We will check in with you to make sure you feel like you are getting the most out of your time with us. 

Past volunteers have gone on to do PGCEs, run their own workshops for adults, or have returned in the Lead Writer role.

Apply through our form below. You will need to tell us why you would like to work with us, and why you’d be a good match. You can also upload your CV (as a word document or PDF) if you have a relevant one.

If you want to chat about the role, you can call us on 0121 246 2770 or email Emma Boniwell

Please use the postcode from which you will be travelling to get to the group, e.g. a term time address from September 2024.
House name and or number, and street name
Street name if required
Town/City
Most of our posts for this year have been filled, but we are still looking for people interested in working in these places:
Please only select groups that are near to where you live, or easy for you to reach by public transport. We prioritise working with people living or working in the West Midlands.
Click or drag a file to this area to upload.
Word Document or PDF only. If you don’t have a writing-focused CV, don’t worry. You don’t have to upload one.

Get Writing

If you’d like to submit a piece of your writing for possible inclusion in the magazine, please see the Get Involved page to see more details. This magazine is published online three times a year: summer (June/July), winter (October-December) and spring (February-April) terms.

Our Spark Young Writers groups for September 2024-June 2025 are now available to book. 

Submissions for the 30th anniversary edition of the Spark Young Writer Magazine are now being accepted – our biggest edition yet! The deadline is 28th April 2025

The 2024 Spark Anthology The Worry Balloon is now available to buy. Full details can be found here.

 

Check out all our ideas for writing prompts at our Get Writing tab. 

A wide selection of images, videos and Funsheets for young writers to complete.