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Work Experience

Work experience spots for summer 2024 are now all filled but please check our website and socials for voluntary and participatory opportunities.

Global Grooves is committed to supporting young people in their personal development, and introducing people to the careers available within Carnival arts, outdoor arts, music and performance.

Our work experience opportunities provide a high-quality insight into a range of careers that are available in Carnival and the arts. Work experience is offered both on site at our venue, The Vale, Mossley, and out at events. 

We receive many work experience requests and unfortunately are unable to accommodate everyone who applies. 

We give priority to young people who are:

  • Age 14-19 (years 10 and 11 at school and sixth form)
  • Living or studying in Tameside, Glossop and Oldham
  • Studying Music, Media, Photography, Visual Arts, Performance, Dance, Events, Lighting Design, as we feel experience with us is particularly well suited to these subjects
  • Showing an interest in a career in Carnival/Outdoor arts/Cultural industries

Please note:

  • We require minimum 3 weeks notice to coordinate your placement
  • A pre-start meeting is required to ensure a good fit for both the student and Global Grooves. This can be on video call if necessary.
  • We do not accept requests from agencies and would prefer to hear from young people directly, where possible.
  • Work experience is offered May-August and may occasionally be offered mid October-early December 
  • As a small team we may not be able to accommodate dates 

If you’re interested in regular opportunities outside of work experience you can check out our volunteering programme and sign up to our newsletter. Volunteering – Global Grooves

"During my time here I have acquired many new skills, and have loved working in such a creative environment' -Zack

Opportunities

This is just some of what we regularly work on and a taste of  what it might be like to work with us. If there’s a specific role you’d like to do please let us know. It depends on the week, and what’s happening, but we’ll strive to give you variety and a realistic snapshot of working life here at The Vale/Global Grooves.

  • Marketing

Help us tell our story through our website, social media, and other marketing channels.

  • Office administration

No organisation works without the vital administrative work of its staff. Whether it’s diary coordination, emails or making calls we can show you a flavour of this role.

  • Events crew/logistics

Enjoy our events up close and personal as a member of the crew team. Guide our puppets and walkabouts safely around sites and parades and support the team to bring joy to the crowds.

Before and after events we play mental tetris to pack and unpack our van’s as efficiently as possible.

  • Puppet maintenance

Our puppets, costumes and props need a lot of care in between outings. We steam clean costumes, sew or re-affix anything that’s come loose, and ensure they’re ready to get back on the road.

  • Music

Are you studying a music GCSE, A-level or degree? Are you experienced in playing an instrument? You may be able to get involved with us at festivals and performances. Let us know what you play and we can talk to you about our upcoming performances (please note these are usually weekend events).

To get a flavour for what we do, we encourage all players to come along to our Global Grooves Bloco rehearsal sessions. Percussionists can join us on Tuesday evenings between 7pm and 9pm, and for brass, reeds and melody, it’s Wednesday evenings between 7pm and 9pm.

  • Dance 

If you’re studying dance, you might be interested in getting out to perform with us! Speak to our team and we will talk to you about our upcoming opportunities.

We encourage individuals to come along to our Global Grooves Bloco rehearsal sessions to get a feel for what’s in store. These happen every Wednesday 7pm – 9pm.

  • Visual Arts 

During your time with our team you may learn traditional batik techniques with our in house artists and volunteer team, supporting with painting and waxing silk. These sessions will be hands on and usually quite messy so please wear clothes you wouldn’t mind getting paint on.

  • Music and lighting tech

If you have a keen eye or ear for live performance, getting some hands on experience in our venue might be for you! Shadow our lighting and sound technicians during set up, the gig and pack down to get a rounded picture of what’s involved.

We run live music and performance events once a month, so get in touch to discuss a suitable night to come along.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for  work experience or a work placement please fill in the form below:

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Pop your email address in the box here and we’ll send you updates about our work, including how to get involved. We promise we won’t inundate your inbox, but you will be able to unsubscribe at any time.

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Subscribe to our newsletter

Pop your email address in the box here and we’ll send you updates about our work, including how to get involved. We promise we won’t inundate your inbox, but you will be able to unsubscribe at any time.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.