Whether you are looking for your first exciting Social Enterprise role, want to volunteer or are offering to work with our board, if you have passion, skills and drive to work in a small team making a real difference, we want to hear from you.

We don't need perfection, but a love of the outdoors and a strong willingness to learn are the basic requirements!

We are currently looking for sessional playworkers.

We will also be advertising for freelance Play in Schools trainers to work with OPAL schools and/or deliver playwork or other training with schools. If you think you might be interested, please email Cath Prisk

All the details are below.

Sessional Playworker 

Supporting

• Playbox, Somers Town, Camden 
• Playworks at Pitzhanger Gallery, Ealing
• Other Play Projects as they arise

We are looking to build a small team of skilled, reflective and enthusiastic playworkers to deliver exciting community play projects across London throughout the summer and beyond.

Our projects transform parks, estates, galleries and public spaces into welcoming places where children and families can experience freely chosen play, creativity and community connection.

Whether we're opening a Playbox in Somers Town or creating playful experiences in the gardens of Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, our approach is always rooted in high-quality playwork and the Playwork Principles.

We are looking for people who believe children thrive when they have the time, space and permission to play in their own way.

Sessions are open access, child-led and designed to welcome families who may never have visited the gallery before, helping connect children with nature, art, architecture and each other through play.

How to Apply

Please complete this application form and include:

• A CV.
• A short statement (maximum 500 words) telling us:
  • Why you are interested in the role.
  • Your experience of working with children and families.
  • What child-led play means to you.

All details, including the Recruitment Pack and Job Descriptions, are HERE

We Particularly Welcome Applications From

• Local residents..
• People with lived experience of the communities we work alongside.
• People from underrepresented backgrounds.
• Practitioners with diverse playwork experiences - Adventure Playgrounds, schools, hospitals, museums....
• People who share our belief in the importance of freely chosen play.

We believe great play spaces are created by diverse teams that reflect the communities they serve.

There is potential for trainee positions if you have not been a playworker before but are keen to learn. Full training will be given.

Successful applicants may be offered work across a range of Outdoor People projects as new opportunities arise, including Playbox, Playworks at Pitzhanger, WildWalks and future community play initiatives across London. We will also circulate OPAL opportunities to you

Volunteer Playworkers - or other roles

If you would like to volunteer for a few hours or longer, we are keen to hear from you.

We always welcome an extra pair of hands, whether it's making tea, doing playwork, or taking photos!   If you can help us support more play, do more walks or reach more people, we want to know.

Let us know HERE

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Play in Schools and Community Trainer

Would you like to work with schools to help them make playtimes better every day?

Job description: Download HERE

Do you want to be part of a mission that will see every child having outdoor play every day, at home, at school and as part of big adventures in their community and beyond?

Do you love training? mentoring? coaching? Are you great at following up and seeing opportunities to make the world better for children?

Are you an excellent communicator who can support schools through a challenging change programme?

Or convince schools' support staff that they have what it takes to become amazing playworkers?

Would you like to offer courses in related areas? Maybe woodwork, communication skills or guerrilla gardening?

Outdoor People are proud to be licensed to deliver the OPAL Primary Programme and OPAL Next Steps. We currently have three OPAL mentors on staff and are now looking to add capacity to our team.

In addition, we are planning our Play in Schools training programme for later in the Autumn term and want to be ready with amazing trainers who can deliver exciting, memorable and transformational training to staff in schools, after-school clubs and similar settings.

Playwork in Schools, a new training package designed and licensed by the amazing Meynel Games, and sponsored by OPAL CIC, will be our primary training package, but we are very interested in trainers offering related training skills that can broaden our offer.

This really is quite possibly the best job ever if your purpose is to change the world for hundreds of thousands of children.

You will be in different places every day you work - there is lots of travel - and you will be working within a very friendly and supportive team.

Ideally, we are looking for three or four part-time staff geographically spread across the South East. 

These posts could be either sessional (freelance) or on a part-time contract, with the option to become full-time subject to income generation.

Full training will be given and, once you have completed the training, the session rates will be very competitive, with all travel and admin costs covered.

If this sounds like your dream job but you aren't sure if you meet the criteria, please email our Chief Explorer for a chat: Email Cath

To apply, simply complete this short application form telling us why you are perfect for this role.

Application Form

We can't wait to hear from you!