Are you a humanist interested in education? Do you believe that children should receive a broad education about both religious and non-religious beliefs and values? Are you willing to help support our network of humanist representatives on the bodies that guide local authorities’ religious education provision: SACREs (Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education) in England and SACs (Standing Advisory Councils for Religion, Values and Ethics) in Wales? Then you could be our new Local Religious Education Assistant Coordinator!
That representation is so important to help guarantee a subject that is both high-quality and fully inclusive of non-religious perspectives. Over 130 of the 170 committees in England and Wales already have a humanist member. We work consistently towards humanist representation on all SACREs/SACs, to fill vacancies where they arise, and to support reps in their role.
Role of the Local Religious Education Assistant Coordinator volunteer
The Local Religious Education Assistant Coordinator plays a key role in ensuring that Humanists UK keeps an accurate record of the humanist representatives currently active in Standing Advisory Councils for Religious Education (SACREs) in England and Standing Advisory Councils on Religion, Values and Ethics (SACs) in Wales, and assists with our work to increase the number of these committees that have a humanist representative.
The role is primarily administrative, but also involves communication with SACRE/SAC chairs and clerks, and with existing and potential reps. Much of this is via email, so monitoring of the SACRE/SAC inbox is also part of the role.
The Local Religious Education Assistant Coordinator reports to, and liaises closely with, the Education Networks Manager. They also work alongside the Lead SACRE/SAC Volunteer Coordinator and communicate regularly with the Education Campaigns Manager, in the Public Affairs and Policy team.
You will find more information about how we work with SACREs/SACs here.
The Local Religious Education Assistant Coordinator role offers a great opportunity to make a real difference to humanist representation on these committees and so to shaping inclusive religious education. The volunteer will be part of the Understanding Humanism team, liaising closely with our people working to raise awareness and understanding of humanism.
Key Activities
- Maintaining a record of the number, status and details of humanist reps on SACREs/SACs across England and Wales, and informing Humanists UK of any updates through accurate record keeping.
- Approaching SACREs/SACs to offer a humanist representative where needed.
- Helping to promote the role of SACRE/SAC rep to potential candidates where vacancies exist, including by drafting mailings and submitting mailing requests.
- Helping to assess the suitability of potential humanist SACRE/SAC reps.
- Responding to queries from humanist SACRE/SAC reps.
- Providing advice or resources to humanist SACRE/SAC reps, or directing them to where help can be found.
- Helping to enable communication between SACRE/SAC reps who can support or mentor each other.
- Supporting the team’s communication with SACRE/SAC reps via contributions to newsletters and webinars.
- Attending and contributing to a monthly update meeting with the Lead SACRE/SAC Volunteer Coordinator, Education Networks Manager, and the Education Campaigns Manager.
This application pack contains all the information you will need to decide whether the role is right for you.
To apply for the role, please email volunteers@humanists.uk letting us know:
- Who you are, including a little bit about yourself
- Why you are interested in the role
- What you think you’d bring to the role (e,g. your skills and experiences that would be particularly relevant)
- What you’d like to get out of the role
- Any concerns, or extra support you’d need in the role
You are welcome to contact the Education Networks Manager, Bethan Fowler, by email at education@humanists.uk or Humanists UK at volunteers@humanists.uk to discuss the role before applying.
We actively encourage applications from all sections of our community. We particularly welcome applicants from groups currently under-represented among section volunteers and leaders; these would include individuals who identify as female, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, disabled, or trans.
You can read our Recruitment and Promotion and Equal Opportunities policies online.