| Diverse Sensory Calm Space - Paid Staff Application Form Season 2025 |
(This form is for those wanting to apply to be a paid Assistant or paid Manager in our pool of Sensory Calm Space Staff for the 2025 summer season).
About Diverse UK
Diverse UK is an independent charity organisation run by and for individuals who identify as Autistic or Neurodivergent in the South West Avon area. We support and organise activities specifically for those who identify as Autistic or Neurodivergent. Our Sensory Calm Spaces are a part of this and provide appropriate sensory responses for individuals feeling overwhelmed at festivals or large-scale events. One of the most effective ways to raise awareness of neurodiversity is by recruiting new supporters through our Festivals and Events Team, who educate the public about everything that we do.
About the Roles
The Sensory Calm Space Managers and Assistants work closely with the Operations Manager, Volunteer Manager, and Coordinators to provide practical and logistical support for this important project whilst also representing the charity as a whole. Responsibilities will include transporting and setting up the Sensory Calm Spaces, maintaining the equipment, supporting the effective operation of the space and assisting with tasks as directed by the onsite Accessibility Manager or Coordinator. Candidates should possess a strong understanding of Autism, be able to support neurodivergent people's questions, have excellent interpersonal skills, and demonstrate flexibility while working under pressure.
Who do you report to: Accessibility Manager, Diverse Events Operations Manager, Charity Trustee - Andrew Powell
What are the hours: 0-40 Hours a week available, varying hours, varying days. Usually Thursday/ Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday/ Tuesday but each show differs.
Freelance arrangement – must be tax registered and permitted to work in the UK. We can explain all of this if you apply!
Working Relationships: Diverse Events Operations Manager, Volunteer Manager & Onsite Festival Accessibility Manager/Coordinator along with the festival site/production team and must be happy interacting with members of the public and other festival/event staff.
What is the day rate?: £150 per day for assistants and £200 per day for managers whilst on-site. There will be some administration work to do before each event also which is paid hourly at minimum wage. The admin includes contacting volunteers, contacting the festival production and accessibility lead, accreditation and rota planning. The admin is several hours prior to the show to make sure you have a smooth arrival, set up and operation.
When does the work take place?: This could be year around if we get in additional contracts but at the moment work is concentrated between May and September; UK wide. (If you are successful you would be allocated a specific show to work on and more than one if you specify you have more availability).
Note: Festivals may include Love Saves The Day, Bristol Pride, Glastonbury Festival, Download, Leeds and Reading Festival, Boardmasters and Forwards Festival with many more still in the pipeline.
Applications close on the 11th February but sooner if all positions are filled. If you are successful with your application form, interviews will start being held in late December onwards and will be either in person or online.
Key areas of Responsibility and Logistics
- Overall responsibility for ensuring the safe transport and set up of kit to and from festivals/sites.
- Overall responsibility to ensure all kit is constructed safely in line with the festival health and safety guidelines.
- Keeping an inventory per event and reporting damage to equipment after each festival so equipment can be replaced or repaired.
- Assist with sanitising surfaces and making sure the Calm Space stays clean and secure.
- Assist with the set up of equipment and updating the inventory spreadsheet where appropriate.
- Booking a hire van if required for the show you are allocated to. Full Clean Drivers Licence.
- Ensuring the vehicle transporting equipment is registered for congestion zone/tolls as appropriate on route to festival sites.
- Ensuring the safe pack down of each Calm Space within the time frames of the festival organisers. (This includes making sure you know when the tent supplied by the festival is being taken down).
- Creating the space into a visually pleasing aesthetic, supporting the Diverse image. Full training given.
- Keeping a merchandise stock inventory and any cash donations safe, before depositing to the manager.
- Managing a small team of neurodivergent volunteers and shift patterns across festivals to ensure that the space is functional over opening hours. This includes supporting signposting to accessibility applications for on site reasonable adjustments.
- Compiling rotas.
- Ensuring volunteers and staff get breaks.
- Raising awareness of Diverse and what we do with festival-goers when asked.
- Ensuring that registered access customers are permitted into the space.
- Will be required to camp (with own camping gear) over camping festivals. Or live in vehicle.
- To ensure the Calm Space remains a low sensory arousal area and friendly environment for those who are overstimulated to decompress.
- Keeping an accurate log of footfall into the space and the types of people who are using it. This data is handed over when the kits are returned post show.
- Be able to send over feedback in a constructive way for future improvements.
Equipment
- Overall responsibility for maintaining Calm Space and all equipment /items in it.
- Ensuring that safety is prioritised when setting up the Calm space.
Decorating the space in accordance to sensory areas such as audio/touch/light.
- Setting up audio/technical equipment within the Calm space and maintaining over the festival. (This isn't over complicated!).
Festivals
- Work in a solution focussed manner to resolve any issues that arise at festivals.
- Communicate effectively when onsite with Accessibility Manager, festival and event organisers.
- Communicate team names ect to festival manager for accreditation ahead of the show.
- Be able to calculate meal tokens required for those on shift and transer this information to the correct channels.
- Make sure that upon pack down we leave no trace and the site is left as it was found.
Reporting and Admin
- Communicating regularly with the Operations Manager and Assistant, Volunteer Manager and Andrew Powell, keeping them updated on progress and plans if required.
- Maintaining audits of items and equipment.
- Keep a log of all incidents and customers numbers per show.
Essential Requirements
- Good knowledge of social barriers faced by Autism at public events and large crowded environments
- Ability to manage a team of neurodiverse volunteers
- Must want to help build a festival network for neurodiversity and actively promote inclusivity
- Ability to work under pressure and autonomously when required to
- Demonstrate good time management skills
- Must be Avon area based (or willing to travel into Avon area to collect and drop off kit)
- Clean valid driving license of at least 2 years (Ability to drive large vans on standard driving licence)
- Good communication skills with a diverse range of public members and Autistic/ neurodivergent people
- Happy to camp at camping festivals with own tent etc and enjoy being in a vibrant sometimes chaotic environment…even in the rain!
- A base knowledge of Safeguarding procedures or a willingness to learn
- Physically able to heavy lift and build the space. The weight of some equipment can be up to approx 15kg. There are also large bits of kits such as gazebos that will need erecting etc. Training provided and sack trucks available.
Specific Work Environment
- You will be required to travel on a regular basis between sites during the festivals/events season. (This will involve camping when required).
- You may be required to work long days. For example a standard full day is 12hrs, although you will have breaks and volunteers supporting you.
- Some aspects of the role may be independent until volunteers arrive on site.