Updated: 22-11-99

Creative Internet Workshop

Access Space Jobs - 22nd November 1999

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Access Space is an exciting new project: a low-cost creative internet workshop powered completely by recycled computers. It operates on a non-profit basis and is funded by the National Lottery and European Development funds.

Applications are invited for the posts of:

Project Manager & Volunteer Coordinator (0.5) £15000 pro rata
A positive communicator with the ability to motivate by encouragement.

I.T. Technician (0.5) £12000 pro rata
With knowledge of LINUX and LAN management and good people skills.

You'll find further details of both of these posts below. To apply for either of them please write enclosing your CV to:

Richard Siddall
Redundant Technology Initiative
5 Brown Street
Sheffield
S1 2BS

We encourage applicants from groups under-represented as IT users.

Project Summary

Access Space will convert an industrial space into an open-access workshop where people can experiment, explore, communicate and create with computers. For a very low monthly fee users will have access to creative software, e-mail and internet, and computer hardware for experimental use.

A part-time member of staff supporting hosts paid by the session will introduce users to the workshop and facilitate access to its services. Results of users' creativity will be shown on the internet and at four public exhibitions in the workshop.

Uniquely, the workshop will be equipped with redundant computers donated to the project. By making use of superseded computers Access Space will discourage thoughtless computer disposal and demonstrate low-cost ways to be creative with technology.

What is Access Space?

  • Access Space is a low-cost creative internet workshop.
  • Access Space is an open access computer activity lab where people can come and be creative with the internet.
  • Access Space is a non-profit arts project funded by the National Lottery and European Development Funding.

What's so good about Access Space?

  • It's about helping people to be creative and express themselves with technology.
  • It's about widening access to the internet by only charging fees that anyone can afford.
  • It's about recycling and making best use of resources - all of Access Space's computers have been given to the project instead of being thrown out.
  • It's about gaining skills for jobs - Access Space provides a low-cost environment in which people can teach themselves and share computer skills.

What's the thinking behind the project?

Access Space is part of the ongoing activities of arts group Redundant Technology Initiative. With their exhibitions and publicity campaigns RTI encourages people to ask some awkward questions about our relationship with information technology:

  • Are expensive computers really obsolete after two or three years?
  • Why does information technology cost so much?
  • Who gets access to powerful new information systems?
  • Do computers give too much power to governmental and corporate systems?
  • Is the internet really about communicating, or is it a new way to sell products?

The two principal funders of the project are the National Lottery's Art 4 Everyone programme and the European Regional Development Fund. They have their own priorities:

  • A4E helps projects that create exciting, innovative cultural activity.
  • A4E is supporting the project because it will get more people involved in the creative arts.
  • The ERDF helps projects that support small and micro businesses - in this case, cultural producers (like artists and musicians) who want to promote their activities by using the internet.
  • The ERDF supports projects that increase people's skills - it's easy to see how Access Space can help people to learn about IT - a vital skill for jobs in the 21st Century.

Project Manager & Volunteer Co-ordinator

Job Title: Project Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
Salary: £15,000 per annum pro rata
Leave: 20 days per annum pro rata
Hours: 18.75 hours per week (0.5 equivalent)

Access Space's working times are Wednesday-Sunday 11am-7pm. Some flexibility with working hours may be required and time off in lieu will be agreed. Overtime will not normally be available.

Access Space is an evolving project and the Project Manager will be expected to develop the role as appropriate in consultation with the Project Director.

Job Outline:

  • Ensure the smooth daily running of Access Space.
  • Manage Access Space's hosting provision throughout the week.
  • Ensure that Access Space maintains an exciting, creative atmosphere and is a welcoming and safe environment for positive participants.
  • Develop responsive mechanisms to encourage users to share skills and develop their own projects.
  • Recruit and induct Access Space volunteers.
  • Keep records of Access Space's hosted sessions, including visitor introductions, user inductions, hosting and progress of user projects.
  • Communicate effectively with team members, users, volunteers and trainees.
  • Organise group meetings for users and ensure that users' views and requirements are communicated to the management team.
  • Ensure that employees, volunteers, trainees and users adhere to Access Space's Health & Safety procedures.
  • Actively promote the project's Equal Opportunities policy and to ensure that it is implemented effectively.

Required Qualifications & Experience

  • Experience of organising or managing voluntary activities
  • Experience of time management and timetabling
  • Experience of communicating with groups of people

Essential Skills:

  • The ability to motivate by positive encouragement
  • A creative approach to helping users and volunteers exceed their own expectations.
  • Strong ability to organise self and others
  • A systematic approach to keeping records

Desirable Skills:

  • Familiarity with using a computer
  • An interest in the creative arts
  • Familiarity with using the internet
  • An understanding of issues relating to fundraising

Personal Qualities

  • Excellent communication skills
  • Cheerful and outgoing personality
  • An empathy with diverse personalities
  • An enthusiasm for learning new skills
  • Reliability
  • Flexibility

I.T. Technician

Job Title: Information Technology Technician
Salary: £12,000 per annum pro rata
Leave: 20 days per annum pro rata
Hours: 18.75 hours per week (0.5 equivalent)

Access Space's working times are Wednesday-Sunday 11am-7pm. Some flexibility with working hours may be required and time off in lieu will be agreed. Overtime will not normally be available.

Access Space is an evolving project and the IT Technician will be expected to develop the role as appropriate in consultation with the Project Director.

Job Outline:

  • Maintain the Access Space Local Area Network, LINUX servers and leased line connection.
  • Actively promote and demonstrate the benefits of trailing-edge technology.
  • Assist the Project Manager in finding useful tasks for Access Space IT trainees and volunteer technicians and help to co-ordinate their activities.
  • Communicate effectively with other team members and Access Space users, volunteers and trainees, including writing & maintaining plain English "How To" documents.
  • Assess, record and, where appropriate, repair newly acquired IT equipment.
  • Maintain an inventory and monitor the security of Access Space's IT equipment.
  • Install software & operating systems in line with Access Space's IT usage policy.
  • Assist and advise team members, volunteers, trainees and Access Space users with technical issues.
  • Assist with helping and encouraging users to engage in exciting, creative networked activity in line with Access Space's aims and objectives
  • In consultation with the Project Director take reasonable steps to ensure that users follow the project's "Acceptable Use" policy.
  • Ensure that employees, volunteers, trainees and users adhere to Access Space's Health & Safety procedures.
  • Help to implement and promote Access Space's Equal Opportunities policy.

Required Qualifications & Experience

  • Experience of installing software and operating systems
  • Experience of configuring operating systems
  • Experience of using the internet

Essential Skills:

  • Familiarity with the LINUX operating system
  • Familiarity with Local Area Networking
  • A good ability to communicate with other team members
  • A systematic approach to record keeping

Desirable Skills:

  • An interest in the creative arts
  • An enthusiasm for bargain basement technology
  • The ability to bring out the best in volunteers and trainees with diverse skills
  • An innovative approach to problem-solving

Personal Qualities

  • A passion for learning new skills
  • An enthusiasm for sharing information
  • A tenacious approach to technical problems
  • Reliability
  • Flexibility

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