Current Opportunities

Student & Graduate Placements

Current Opportunities

Location
Edinburgh

Category
Environmental Placement Programme

Start Date
Mid August

Length
8 Weeks

Salary
£8.75 per hour

Hours
35

Deadline
01-08-2018

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Project Description

 
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a key event for the City of Edinburgh, for the University of Edinburgh and for the Edinburgh University Students Association. The Fringe brings many positive impacts, however due to its scale there are some actual and potential negative environmental impacts which need to be mitigated.

In terms of environmental impacts, there are many good practices already in place, with the Students’ Association briefing festival employees and requirements included in contracts with festival companies. A review of waste practices was carried out in 2013 with recommendations made. Reviews of energy use at festivals were also carried out in 2012 and 2014, with recommendations made.

In 2018, the University of Edinburgh and Students’ Association are keen to collaborate on learning more about opportunities to embed sustainability into the practices of the Fringe Festival in their venues. This would allow for student-led social innovations and social enterprises to be developed and implemented in 2019, addressing both risks and opportunities associated with environmental impacts. 

The University’s Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability, in collaboration with the Edinburgh University Students’ Association, is seeking to recruit a Sustainability Festivals Assistant to support the following:

 

1.       Support mapping of stakeholders and processes relevant to embedding sustainability within the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (based at the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh University Students’ Association venues).

2.       Research best practice of citywide arts festivals implementing sustainability policies and practices.

3.       Identify opportunities to implement social innovations and support social enterprises to address sustainability issues in 2019.

 

The Sustainability Festivals Assistant will be based in the University’s Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability, where they will work closely with the Edinburgh University Students’ Association.

Desired Outcomes

The Sustainability Festivals Assistant will support efforts to make the Edinburgh Fringe, based at the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh University Students’ Association more sustainable. Due to the size and breadth of the Edinburgh Fringe, the work cannot be exhaustive, instead it will provide a snapshot, providing information and recommendations for further opportunities in 2019. The main objectives of the internships are to:

1.       Support mapping of stakeholders and processes relevant to embedding sustainability within the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (based at the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh University Students’ Association venues).

2.       Research best practice of citywide arts festivals implementing sustainability policies and practices.

3.       Identify opportunities to implement social innovations and support social enterprises to address sustainability issues in 2019.

The work will include:

·         Review current Edinburgh Festival Fringe efforts to promote sustainability, identifying key stakeholders and processes.

·         Desk based research on reviewing how other citywide arts festivals approach sustainability, with a focus on how it is embedding in policies and practices, reducing negative environmental impacts.

·         Support onsite visits of Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues (based at the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh University Students’ Association).

·         Liaising with colleagues to identify opportunities to better environmental impacts and relevant social innovations and social enterprises.

Key tasks will include:

·         Desk-based research and gap analysis.

·         Onsite visits to Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues.

·         Interviews and meetings with key stakeholders.

·         Report writing.

 

The desired deliverables from the internship include:

·         Mapping of current sustainability policies and practices at Edinburgh Festival Fringe (including key stakeholders and processed)

·         Summary report of best practice from citywide arts festival on sustainability policies and practices.

·         GAP analysis and recommendations to improve sustainability policies and practices at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (based at the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh University Students’ Association).  

Student skills requested

This internship will interest someone with a passion for social responsibility and sustainability, and the arts.

The ideal candidate will possess the following skills:

·         Good knowledge of social responsibility and sustainability issues and, ideally, how they relate to both business and the arts.

·         Strong communication skills, confidence in engaging with diverse stakeholders.

·         Good IT skills are essential, with sound knowledge of Microsoft Office, in particular Excel and Word, and Windows.

·         Good research and analytical skills are essential.

·         Confidence to work independently.

·         Willing to work in a team and assist colleagues to identify creative solutions to problems.