Max Kinder – Globe Education Assistant, Learning Projects
I was very late in applying for the Globe Education Assistant position, so late I’m still surprised that I’m here writing on behalf of it today! I really wanted to find some form of work with a theatre whilst applying for drama school. Ideally within London, that was the dream - a very expensive dream but a dream nonetheless! Flicking through websites, I saw an opening for six year-long placements within the Globe’s Education department focussing on professional development and understanding an arts organisation’s inner workings.
This instantly started ringing bells for me, and I sent off my application forms. I was soon invited to interview - a calm and encouraging environment that relaxed my anxious brain. I was then invited to another interview whilst on holiday with friends; I raced across the country to ensure I could make it. This interview involved a task based on what the work might consist of and another chat with members of the team I’d be joining. Two days later, I received a call to say that I had been offered the role of Globe Education Assistant (Learning Projects), resulting in an ecstatic jump in my train seat that shocked the couple sitting directly opposite me.
When I first joined, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I’d never worked in an office before, barely touched Microsoft Excel and was very much out of my comfort zone. But from my first day, the Globe team welcomed me into the fray. I was shown around the site, met the Learning team who I would be working with, and was automatically given tasks to start working on.
The support here is massive, not just in the Learning team but in the Globe as a whole. They understood that I might not be initially comfortable with a task and would talk me through it, giving me professional but easy-to-follow training.
My normal day is largely administrative. I will be communicating throughout the day with the Southwark Youth Theatre, and people interested in Summer Schools or any of our other projects. I might also be preparing resource packs for our teacher training days or liaising with the rest of the Globe to source costumes, props or musical instruments.
That’s what I’ve always liked about working here. From day one, I was already given tasks and some form of responsibility and that kept growing and evolving throughout the months. I support the Learning team as much as they support me.
A big example of this is my position as the Southwark Youth Theatre Company Manager, one of my largest responsibilities. The Youth Theatre Company is comprised of 10 - 18 year olds that live and/or learn within Southwark, the Globe’s local borough. They audition in September and work together for a full academic year on Saturdays. They get the chance to work with professional actors and directors, develop their skills such as improvisation, and share their work with parents and teachers at the end of each term. My role involves administrative monitoring of the company (contact details, dietary requirements, etc.), pastoral care and assisting the practitioners during sessions.
My team have also given me the chance to offer my own ideas and make my time in this position unique. I wanted to make the Youth Theatre more visible to the wider world, so the Education and Communications team helped me set up my own blog based around the Youth Theatre. Here, I can share experiences that the Youth Theatre have had and what I believe makes it truly unique.
I might have made this job sound quite administrative, but there are also lots of practical elements that have made my time here amazing. I have got to work as an assistant stage manager during A Concert for Winter, a festive performance for Southwark schools and community groups. I’ve had the chance to usher our performances of The Taming of the Shrew, which was produced specifically for schools as part of Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank. I’ve also been able to help set up and run live streams to schools in the USA, taking the lead from our amazing digital team.
Whilst I don’t know what I’ll be doing specifically next year, I know that my time at the Globe has enhanced my confidence and skillset a hundred times over. It’s been challenging at times, but it has left me with a drive to push for what I want and yet feel comfortable in who I am.
Interested in becoming a Globe Education Assistant? We want to hear from school leavers who are interested in developing careers in the arts or education. Applications are open until Monday 5 June. Find out more and apply.