Participle

Participle is a small organisation that wants to change the world. Our intention is to remain on the small side, that is to say, not to build a large office full of people, but instead grow our approach through a series of networks and spin out enterprises. We are a team of designers, policy analysts, social scientists, business thinkers and entrepreneurs that know how to get things done. We have a core team of full-time employees, but we also have many people working here in different capacities, either based on a specific project for a short amount of time (a few months), for a particular part of a project process (a few weeks), or on a retainer (working a few days a month). We run large projects that deliver social enterprises, and we hire many new team members for our projects and enterprises. We are a flexible organisation, with an interest in building a wide network of highly diverse individuals to involve in our work, from nationally renowned specialists, to community activists interested in the areas in which we work.

We welcome contact from all, and we do check the various blogs on this site, to get a sense of you via your contributions.

Truth be told - we get sent a large number of CVs. We endeavour to answer all CVs sent to us within a few days. Priority is given to those CVs that are referenced correctly, either to a specific job advertised below, or to a specific area. It would help us greatly if you could let us know where you have ‘come from’; if you are a designer, entrepreneur, ethnographer, social scientist, a recent ‘misfit’ graduate, policy analyst etc., stating in what capacity you would like to work with us. In addition, if you could reference any project areas that you have worked in, such as youth, ageing, urban planning, young offenders, chaotic families etc., that would be useful too.

For general enquiries please send your CV to

All Participle positions are subject to relevant CRB checks.

Currently looking for:

Project Leads

As a Project Lead you will help develop and deliver a new project, initially fine-tuning the starting hypothesis and securing already identified project partners. Once up and running, you will deliver outcomes consist with the project plan on time and on budget. You will hire, lead and manage a diverse team drawn from internal and external sources. You will engage very effectively with internal and external partners to ensure the best possible outcomes consistent with establishing new models of how the 21st century welfare state will be created. Once this is done, you will be ready to start on a new subject area. This is a full time position - whilst we can offer some flexibility you need to travel and work across the UK.

For more information, please download the job description.

If you wish to apply, please send a CV and a maximum two page covering letter to reach Participle (FAO Michael Tolhurst) by 10th March 2010. Michael Tolhurst can also be contacted for informal discussions and questions:

Entrepreneurs

Participle’s vision is bold and ambitious.  Our goal is not only to improve the lives of those who live in Britain, but also to develop new business models that can take the innovation to scale, whilst working with policy makers at the highest levels to develop the future of the ‘welfare state.’ As an Entrepreneur, you will have a track record of making things happen, of turning ideas into workable enterprises, of delivering solutions, not just managing them. The purpose and initial structure of the enterprise that you will create and run, will have been developed and prototyped through a previously run Participle project. Your primary outcomes are to turn this into a sustainable business, and run a successful enterprise.

We are looking for entrepreneurs to run a number of Circles, Loops and Get-Together. Please visit Our Projects, for more information on these enterprises.

For more information on the role, please download the job description

If you wish to apply, please send a CV and a maximum two page covering letter to reach Participle (FAO Michael Tolhurst). Michael Tolhurst can also be contacted for informal discussions and questions:

Project Developers

Participle is looking for a number of enthusiastic, inspiring, enterprising people to join our project teams and new enterprises this year. We have several 6-12 month roles for Project Developers, and are also looking for freelancers able to join us for a few weeks or months at time on an ongoing basis depending on project demand.

Upcoming work includes: a project to create a new kind of employability service, a project to support low income families to build new opportunities, the development of a rural version of Southwark Circle, and the launch of other new social enterprises, working with older people and teenagers.

We’re interested in meeting people from a range of backgrounds. Qualifications and experience matter less to us than the qualities we think make a Participle. We expect you to come with an open mind and an open heart and be up for learning as you go. For more information on the role, please download the job description. If all or at least two of the descriptions sound like you, we want to meet you!

Please send a CV, covering letter and up to 3 examples of projects you’ve worked on in Pdf format to . Please select projects that you have been part of where you feel your contribution reflects some of the qualities we’re looking for. A project might mean something you have been part of professionally, as a student, or in a personal capacity.

We think interviews don’t always show the qualities we’re looking for in people, and so if you are shortlisted, we’ll also arrange a date for you to take part in a workshop so we can get to know you better and figure out who you’d work well with.

6 – 9 month positions
We are looking for a number of people to start between March and April 2010 and then will have an ongoing requirement throughout the rest of the year. To be considered for the first set of interviews and workshops, please send your application by Friday 19 March. The second set of interviews and workshops will take place in early July, and again in September. Please check our website for the next application deadline.

March/April 2010 positions
Application deadline: Friday 19 March 2010

July 2010 positions
Application deadline: check website for updates http://www.participle.net/about/job_opportunities/

Ongoing freelance work
For those interested in working with us for a few weeks/months on an ongoing basis, please apply in the same way, and once we’ve met, we’ll invite you to join our network and collaborate on projects as and when opportunities arise.