Children’s Capital of Culture Traineeship Programme

For their application to be considered, all potential host organisations must evidence:

• Their public liability insurance
• Their safeguarding policy
• Their equal opportunities statement or policy
• Their health and safety policy
• Their GDPR policy

They must also commit to:

• Having a named member or members of staff who will line manage and support the trainees. The member or members of staff must have an Enhanced DBS certificate and must have completed recent safeguarding training (within the last three years).
• The named staff member(s) attending regular consortium meetings with the Children’s Capital of Culture team and other host organisations (no more than monthly)
• The named staff member(s) attending an induction session at the start of the traineeship programme. This session is designed to give a more in-depth insight into programme delivery, support hosts’ programme planning, identify opportunities for partnership working and introduce our shared monitoring and evaluation tools.
• Providing trainees with a suitable and safe workspace, and providing the necessary IT equipment and other resources they need to work in their assigned role
• Conducting regular (at least monthly) one-to-ones with all their trainees. These one-to-ones should support trainees’ wellbeing and work planning, troubleshoot any issues, and identify and nurture opportunities for training and development.
• Giving the trainees occasional time off-site for ‘full cohort meet-ups’ (no more than monthly)
• Supporting their trainees to engage in training and continuing professional development during their traineeships. This could include through shadowing, mentoring, networking, trips and visits.
• Completing any reporting and monitoring information requested by the Children’s Capital of Culture team thoroughly and on time. If you are receiving creative programming funding from Children’s Capital of Culture, this will include reporting on how your creative programming budget has been spent.
• Using the Children’s Capital of Culture and approved SYMCA/UKSPF branding on all marketing, promotions and communications materials linked to the traineeships and the trainees’ work, and to promote Children’s Capital of Culture across their work as a whole
• All organisations applying to be part of the traineeship programme must provide match funding, and a clear budget breakdown of this must accompany their application form.
  • If the organisation is only applying for funding for trainee wages, then this match can be wholly made up of in-kind funding. In-kind funding might include things like: staff time of whoever will be line managing and supporting your trainees; overheads (e.g., a percentage of the cost it takes to provide your trainees with office space); equipment costs (e.g., laptops, staff uniforms, etc); and so on.
  • If the organisation is applying for a creative programming budget, they must evidence a 10% cash match to their budget breakdown.
  • Please see further details about how the creative programming budget ‘works’ below.

Please note that the funding for traineeships is not allocated on a full cost recovery basis. Children’s Capital of Culture will not fund existing staff costs, core operational costs and overheads, or equipment.

If organisations wish to, they can apply for creative programming funding. The creative programming funding can be used by host organisations to fund the development and delivery of a range of activities, including festivals, exhibitions, workshops and events, that will form part of the Children’s Capital of Culture Festival Year public programme in 2025. These activities must take place in the Rotherham borough, must be developed in collaboration with and approved by the Children’s Capital of Culture team, and must respond to our programming themes for the Festival Year, which have been decided in consultation with local children and young people.

Our programming themes for our Festival Year are:

• You’re Not From New York City, You’re From Rov’rum:

This theme is focused on celebrating the brilliant people, places and stories that already exist in Rotherham. It champions the gems of our borough, and helps make people feel proud to call Rotherham home.

• Who We Are, Where We Come From:

This theme is focused on celebrating the diverse individuals and communities who call Rotherham home. Work under this programme strand might include activities targeted at meeting the needs of and/or championing specific marginalised and underrepresented groups. Overall, work under this programming strand aims to increase equality, accessibility, and inclusion, and build community cohesion, through platforming and celebrating diverse stories and identities.

• Plug In & Play:

This theme is focused on all sorts of play and games. It covers elite sports, grassroots games and play-based activities – for all ages! It also includes videogaming, coding, and different forms of digital making such filming, photography, projection mapping, AR, VR – and much more!

• World Beneath Our Feet:

This theme is focused on celebrating our borough’s natural environments. It has a focus on sustainability and conservation, helping make sure Rotherham’s woodlands, meadows, parks, rivers and lakes can be enjoyed by generations to come.

The creative programming budget can be used by host organisations to fund artists and cover venue hire and transport costs.