Erasmus+ Student Traineeship

Erasmus+ supports traineeships (work placements, internships, etc.) abroad for students currently enrolled in higher education institutions at Bachelor and Master Level as well as for doctoral candidates. These opportunities are also open to recent graduates.

Crooked House Theatre Company welcomes students who wish to carry out either short term or long term traineeship, supported by Erasmus+, in the fields of Theatre, Applied Drama, Drama in Education, or Youth Studies.

As a trainee in Crooked House you will have the opportunity to be involved in facilitating drama with youth and community groups, assisting directing, stage management and play productions. You will also gain experience in communication, administration and project management.

Period of Traineeship

Our work is busiest from September to June each year, so this is when we prefer traineeships to occur. We accept trainees for at least three months and we will favour those who can stay for 6 months or a year. We do not accept trainees during the summer months (June to August) as we are mostly involved in projects abroad at this time).

Accommodation 

We cannot provide accommodation for you, unfortunately, as there is a housing crisis in Ireland and we cannot afford to pay the high cost of rents locally. However, we can recommend some hosts we know and you can contact them to see if their room is available. You will need your grant to allow for €550 to €650 per month for renting a single room in a shared home. In some cases we may have a room with a host family that is cheaper. In all cases, contact us to help you with this before you find somewhere.

Living Expenses

Food is actually quite reasonably priced in supermarkets (Lidl, Aldi, Tesco, Dunnes Stores etc). There are many second-hand clothes shops here too where you can buy warm clothes and rain-gear very cheaply. Eating out, getting a take-away coffee, or buying a sandwich at lunchtime is quite expensive. We advise everyone to use our kitchen in Crooked House and make your coffee and lunches there. Travel on public transport varies in costs. With a student card it is cheap but without it you will pay a lot of money. Going for a night out with friends to the pub and have beers or water is very expensive. There are deals to be found on gyms and yoga classes, and there are many walks and parks in the area to use for free. 

Project Activities        

Students work alongside ESC volunteers on these projects. You choose one from the list below. We will try to place you in the activity you prefer but we may need you to choose a different one before you come.

ACTIVITY ONE: Supporting Carlow Youth Theatre

This position is for one volunteer/student only. One volunteer/student will support our project called Carlow Youth Theatre. The tasks involved are:

• • Workshop Assistant:
    • Travelling to the drama workshop every Monday with the Facilitator and being a Workshop Assistant.
    • Registering participants, keeping an attendance record, greeting new participants, helping anyone who has difficulty in the workshop, taking photos and records of the workshop.
  • Administration:
    • Writing monthly 50 to 100 word reports about the youth theatre
    • Writing 4 longer reports (300 words) about the project every 3 months
    • Writing emails to the funders, parents, the young people, venues and others about logistics and regular activities
    • Writing short project finding applications to local and national organisations to support the young theatre
    • Managing the Carlow Youth Theatre social media
    • Organising logistics for projects. Examples are:
      •  booking venues and workshop facilitators for the week-long summer project; 
      • Preparing young people to take part in international youth exchange projects run by Crooked House;
      • Helping to send young people to national events like Youth Theatre Ireland’s summer festival.
  • Production Assistant:
    • Attending once a week rehearsal for the Carlow Youth Theatre play and helping the Director.
    • Acting as Stage Manager for this show.
    • Helping with props, costumes, productions details.
    • Gathering information for poster, fliers, and programme.

• Additional Tasks:

• • • Other tasks may arise during the course of the nine months that are not mentioned here and that will require the volunteer’s help. These may include activities like directing a short 10 minute devised performance with the young people; or offering occasional specialist workshops; or attending training and networking events on behalf of Carlow Youth Theatre.

• Common Activities:

The Volunteer will join with the other volunteers during thew week to:

• Devise and perform a short play about a social issue that will be staged in local schools;
• Attend a Volunteer Meeting with the Volunteer Supervisor once a week;
• Have a one-hour supervision session with the Volunteer Supervisor once every three weeks;
• Have a one-hour meeting with your Mentor every 6 weeks;
• Attend weekly training in Drama Facilitation.

The Volunteer/student will have free days on Saturday and Sunday. There will be an additional two free days offered per month. Th number of hours volunteered should be between 30 and 35 per week.

ACTIVITY TWO: Supporting Kildare Youth Theatre

This position is for two volunteers/students. The volunteers/students will support our project called Kildare Youth Theatre. The tasks involved are:

• • Workshop Assistants:
    • Attending the drama workshops every Saturday (11.30am to 7.00pm) and supporting the Facilitator and participants 
    • Registering participants, keeping an attendance record, greeting new participants, helping anyone who has difficulty in the workshop, taking photos and records of the workshop.
    • Keep an up to date attendance register for each workshop.
    • Be aware of policies and procedures in areas relevant to the youth theatre and maintain correct procedures according to current Child Protection legislation.
    • Help to co-ordinate visits for youth theatre members to go see professional theatre and partake, where appropriate, in post-show talks / pre-show workshops.
  • Administration:
    • Writing monthly 50 to 100 word reports about the youth theatre (numbers attending, any incidents or issues emerging, etc)
    • Writing emails to the funders, parents, the young people, venues and others about logistics and regular activities
    • Writing short project funding applications to local and national organisations to support the young theatre. 
    • Managing the Kildare Youth Theatre social media
    • Organising logistics for projects. Examples are:
      •  booking venues for workshops and events
      • Preparing young people to take part in international youth exchange projects run by Crooked House;
      • Helping to send young people to national events like Youth Theatre Ireland’s summer festival.
  • Production Assistant:
    • Attending once a week rehearsal for the Kildare Youth Theatre NT Connections play (Tuesdays 6pm to 8.00pm, October to April)  and helping the Director.
    • Acting as Stage Manager for this show.
    • Helping with props, costumes, productions details.
    • Gathering information for poster, fliers, and programme.
    • Attending twice a week rehearsal for the Kildare Youth Theatre Shakespearean play (Wednesdays 6pm to 8.00pm and Sundays 2.00pm to 5.00pm from October to May) and helping the Director.
    • Acting as Stage Manager for this show.
    • Helping with props, costumes, productions details.
    • Gathering information for poster, fliers, and programme.

• Additional Tasks:

• • • Other tasks may arise during the course of the nine months that are not mentioned here and that will require the volunteer’s help. These may include activities like directing a short 10 minute devised performance with the young people; or offering occasional specialist workshops; or attending training and networking events on behalf of Kildare Youth Theatre.

• Common Activities:

The volunteer/student will join with the other volunteers/students during the week to:

• Devise and perform a short play about a social issue that will be staged in local schools;
• Attend a Volunteer Meeting with the Volunteer Supervisor once a week;
• Have a one-hour supervision session with the Volunteer Supervisor once every three weeks;
• Have a one-hour meeting with your Mentor every 6 weeks;
• Attend weekly training in Drama Facilitation.

Free days

The Volunteer/Student will have free days on Monday and Tuesday. The number of hours volunteered should be between 30 and 35 per week.

There will be two week’s break at Christmas and at Easter. 

ACTIVITY THREE: Supporting Crooked House Outreach and Community Response

This position is for one volunteer/student. The volunteer/student will support our projects in the community. They are:

1. Houselights Group. Weekly drama workshops with local women in their 60s or over, from 10.00am to 12.00pm on Mondays from October to May. This includes a performance at the end of the year.
2. Sonas Senior project. This is a weekly drama workshop with adults who have additional needs or disabilities. The project runs in partnership with KARE to create short performances with members and to document and record their learning as part of a national certificate awarded to them at the end of the year. Workshops are usually on Mondays.
3. Sonas Junior project. This is a weekly drama workshop with two groups of children in St Mark’s School in Newbridge. The children have additional needs. The workshops are on Thursday mornings (although this can change depending on the school timetable).
4. Women’s Shed Project. This weekly, two-hour workshop happens with the members of Newbridge Women’s shed. They devise performances based on their interests, and stage these in Riverbank Arts Centre. The workshop is on Thursdays from 12.00pm to 2.00pm.
5. Day Care Drama. This on-hour workshop is with the members of Newbridge Day Care Centre for the Elderly. The workshop is a mix of singing, gentle movement and stories. It is usually on Tuesdays.
6. Elevate Project. This is a 12 week drama programme with young people in another town – in Enniscorthy, County Wexford. It supports their wellbeing and resilience and runs from January to April. It is usually on Thursday evenings.

The tasks involved are:

• • Workshop Assistant:
    • Attending the drama workshops above and supporting the facilitator and participants. 
    • Registering participants, keeping an attendance record, greeting new participants, helping anyone who has difficulty in the workshop, taking photos and records of the workshop.
    • Keep an up to date attendance register for each workshop.
    • Be aware of policies and procedures in areas relevant to the youth theatre and maintain correct procedures according to current Child Protection legislation.
    • Take over, after a time of observation and training, to lead a workshop.
  • Administration:
    • Writing monthly 50 to 100 word updates about some of the projects for our newsletter.
    • Writing emails to the funders, parents, the participants, venues and others about logistics and regular activities
    • Writing short project funding applications to local and national organisations to support the projects. 
    • Managing the project social media
    • Organising logistics for projects. 
    • Keeping receipts for project spending and updating the Accounts with these.

• Production Assistant:

• • • Acting as Stage Manager for any show performed.
    • Helping with props, costumes, productions details.
    • Gathering information for poster, fliers, and programme.

• Additional Tasks:

• • • Other tasks may arise during the course of the nine months that are not mentioned here and that will require the volunteer’s help. 

• Common Activities:

The volunteer/student will join with the other volunteers during the week to:

• Devise and perform a short play about a social issue that will be staged in local schools;
• Attend a Volunteer Meeting with the Volunteer Supervisor once a week;
• Have a one-hour supervision session with the Volunteer Supervisor once every three weeks;
• Have a one-hour meeting with your Mentor every 6 weeks;
• Attend weekly training in Drama Facilitation.

Free days

The volunteer/student will have free days on Saturday and Sunday. The number of hours volunteered should be between 30 and 35 per week.

There will be two week’s break at Christmas and at Easter. 

ACTIVITY FOUR: Crooked House Schools’ Drama Programme

This position is for two volunteers/students. The volunteers/students will deliver our free drama workshops in schools. Every year the school requirements are different. Some years there are different schools. We will know for sure in September and October. Usually, the schools are:

1. St Conleth’s Community College. 2 one-hour workshops with approximately 20 teenagers in each group. They are aged 16 to 17. This happens from September to May (although there are some weeks during the year when there are no drama workshops). The project is for drama workshops only – they do not lead to a performance. There is always a teacher present during the class.
2. Patrician Secondary School. There are two (sometimes three) workshops in this school during the week. They are with classes of approximately 15 to 20 students, some of whom are studying Drama, Film and Theatre studies. September to May. The project is for drama workshops only – they do not lead to a performance. There is always a teacher present during the class.
3. Cross and Passion Secondary School. There are up for 5 one-hour drama workshops with different classes here. They are aged 16 to 17. This happens from September to May (although there are some weeks during the year when there are no drama workshops). The project is for drama workshops only – they do not lead to a performance. There is always a teacher present during the class.

The tasks involved are:

• • Workshop Facilitator:
    • Preparing the weekly workshop plan.
    • Co-facilitating the workshops (or in some cases facilitating it on your own).
    • Always arriving on time and never missing scheduled workshops unless it’s an emergency
    • Be aware of policies and procedures in areas relevant to the youth theatre and maintain correct procedures according to current Child Protection legislation.
  • Administration:
    • Writing occasional 50 to 100 word updates about the programmes for our newsletter.
    • Liaising with the school teacher and relevant people in the school 
    • Writing a project report in December for the funders.
    • Managing travel to the school is needed.
    • Keeping receipts for project spending and updating the Accounts Team with these.

• Additional Tasks:

• • • Other tasks may arise during the course of the nine months that are not mentioned here and that will require the volunteer’s help. 

• Common Activities:

The volunteer/student will join with the other volunteers during the week to:

• Devise and perform a short play about a social issue that will be staged in local schools;
• Attend a Volunteer Meeting with the Volunteer Supervisor once a week;
• Have a one-hour supervision session with the Volunteer Supervisor once every three weeks;
• Have a one-hour meeting with your Mentor every 6 weeks;
• Attend weekly training in Drama Facilitation.

Free days

The volunteer/student will have free days on Saturday and Sunday. The number of hours volunteered should be between 30 and 35 per week.

There will be two week’s break at Christmas and at Easter. 

HOW TO APPLY

The steps you need to make in order to do your traineeship with us are the following:

1. 1. Contact the International Programmes or Erasmus+ office of your University in order to get informed about the dates you can submit your application or other arrangements that might apply to your institution.
   2. Go to the online Google form and complete it here: https://forms.gle/MCe8TRecua84ot979 
   3. Contact Crooked House at info@crookedhouse.ie to let us know that you have filled in the form. We will reply, and if you are a suitable candidate, we will arrange an online interview with you.
   4. If you are successful in your interview we will write a letter of invitation which you can present, along with other documents, to your university.

Your Individual Learning Programme

If you are accepted and you come to Ireland, the first two weeks will be spent attending and observing workshops, receiving welcome orientation, and meeting with the Volunteer Supervisor (Pauline Sartori). 

Then Pauline and the Company Manager (Oğuzhan Şahin) will work with you to develop a programme that suits your goals and learning needs. If you are a Masters student we can also help with your area of study and research.

Your programme is flexible and can change according to your needs.

For more information about Erasmus+ traineeship click here!