Vacancies

Rap Practitioner (four posts available)

Job Title: Rap Practitioner (one needed for each area - Southampton, Portsmouth, IOW, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole)

Contract: Freelance/Self Employed

Hours: For Phase 1 (Dec 2026 - Dec 2027) a minimum of 15.5 days (£250 per day, £125 per half day). For Phase 2 (Jan 2028 - Dec 2028) the number of hours will potentially double as we get more schools on board.

Reporting to: Project Manager

Shortlisted candidates will need to come to MAST (Mayflower Studios, Southampton) on 5th November 2026 (exact time tbc.), where they will showcase their performance skills as well as attending an interview.

The South Coast Music Partnership has received funding from The Paul Hamlyn Foundation for a three-year ‘Rap and Oracy’ Project. Working within primary and secondary schools across the South Coast, with children aged between 9 and 14, the practitioners will showcase their rap and performance skills, and work alongside teachers to support pupils to write and perform their own raps. Practitioners will be coached by Rob Bradley, founder of The Rap School, during the programme, who will offer training sessions, team teaching and support during the project. The project is designed to be inclusive and Youth Voice will form a central part of the programme.

This role will predominantly take place during the school day (approximately 9 a.m. - 3.30 p.m.), with occasional meetings after school and a small number of performance events, which may take place in the evening. The postholder must be able to attend schools, training sessions, events, meetings, and other activities predominantly in your local area of Southampton, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight, BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole). Access to reliable transport and the ability to travel independently are essential requirements of the role and travel costs will form part of the daily payrate.

The postholder will need to engage in online and in-person communication and collaboration with the Project Manager and the school contact.

Purpose of the Role

To demonstrate skills as a rapper and empower children to learn to create and perform their own raps, working alongside their class teachers/subject teachers.


Key Responsibilities

1. Showcase your own performance style and rapping

  • Confidently perform your own material to groups/classes of school pupils (ensuring ‘school-appropriate’ language and content)

  • Show how rap can be used to express feelings and emotions, as well as telling stories.

2. Work alongside children and their teachers

  • Plan and deliver rap creation sessions (training will be given)

  • To develop your own skills in working with groups of children and young people.

  • Facilitate pupils to compose their own raps.

  • Show pupils how to be creative with their wordplay and rhymes.

  • Work in partnership with teachers in a classroom situation.

  • Encourage and motivate pupils to help them gain confidence and experience.

3. Embedding Youth Voice in Delivery

  • Work with teachers, pupils and the Youth Voice Coordinator to integrate youth voice into workshops and classroom practice.

4. Support pupils to perform their work

  • Lead by example to demonstrate performance skills to pupils (including confidence, stage presence, managing emotions, as well as musicality).

  • Attend performances that we put on as part of this project.


5. Partnership and Communication

  • Work collaboratively with schools, the project coach and SCMP project staff.

  • Share learning and good practice across settings

  • Act as a champion for youth voice within the programme

Person Specification (Summary)

Essential:

  • Experience of creating and performing your own raps.

  • Desire to work in partnership with pupils, teachers, the project coach and SCMP project staff.

  • Understanding of inclusive and accessible practice.

  • Being able to reflect on your work and contributing to evaluation..

  • Good communication skills and the ability to respond to emails in a professional and timely manner.

  • Being trustworthy and reliable and being able to attend training sessions and school sessions on time.

  • An enhanced DBS will be required in order to work in schools - we will pay for this subject to your eligibility.

  • Comply with visiting schools the project's policies and procedures, including those relating to equality, inclusion, safeguarding and data protection.

Desirable:

  • Experience working in education or arts settings

  • Knowledge of participatory or creative methods

Support, Supervision and Review

  • Clear objectives, milestones, deliverables, and expected outputs will be agreed at the commencement of the role.

  • Regular supervision, support, and progress review meetings will be held with the Project Manager to monitor progress, address challenges, and provide guidance.

  • An induction period, including coaching opportunities and additional support where required, will be provided to enable the postholder to become familiar with the role, partnership arrangements, and project requirements.

  • Support arrangements will be reviewed regularly to ensure the postholder has the tools, information, and guidance required to fulfil the responsibilities of the role.

  • The appointment will be subject to a review at six months. Should it become evident that the role, performance expectations, or working arrangements are not meeting the needs of either party, the contract/agreement may be terminated at that point in accordance with the agreed six-month break clause.

How to Apply

Please submit the following to anna@southcoastmusic.org

  • A CV

  • A covering letter outlining your suitability for the role

  • A link to a soundfile or video that showcases your work as an artist/musician.

Closing date: Friday 30th October

Interview date: Thursday 5th November

If you are successful in getting one of these roles, there will be a training day on Monday 7th December which you must be able to attend.