Learning from Big Local
Challenge: Develop an approach for telling the story of the Big Local programme.
Working pattern:
Either full-time over six months or part-time over a year. At least 1 day a week in our office by Borough Station, London, with travel for fieldwork around England.
Who we’re looking for:
Someone with qualitative research skills and the ability to craft impactful stories that can drive meaningful changes.
Start date:
Story Associates will join the scheme in early September. They will start by taking part in a Deep Story Training Camp and will then move on to their Host projects and placements.
How:
You might approach this as an exploration of how Story Skills can create a legacy of learning and drive lasting change from long-term, community-led funding programmes.
Award:
£37,099, pro rata, point 30 on National Spinal Point, or equivalent value fellowship grant (paid on supplier contract basis).
The scene is set…
In 150 areas around England, communities have been leading transformations of their own neighbourhoods. Under the ‘Big Local’ programme, they have been given £1.15m to pursue ambitions of local importance and make resident-led decisions on what is best for their area.
Local Trust is the funder administering Big Local. They have enabled communities to improve local places and the lives led in them by providing support and oversight, as well as conducting research and evaluations on the community-led projects.
Big Local is coming to an end in 2026 so now is the time to create a legacy of learning that can continue to inform future community-led funding. A new website will bring together learning, research and data around ten identified themes from the projects that have taken place.
A hero is summoned…
Local Trust have invited a hero to lead on telling the stories of Big Local. This hero will be passionate about community development and diligent in their approach to crafting and curating stories. They will develop an approach to telling the story of ten themes from across the Big Local programme and will complete the creation of one theme ready to showcase on the website. They will present a compelling and compassionate narrative of what Big Local has achieved, producing a lasting legacy for the scheme.
An adventure gets underway…
To complete their adventure our hero will need desk-based and empirical research skills. They will review existing learning and research while running workshops, interviews and focus groups with communities in Big Local areas, and with Local Trust staff.
They will work with a small team dedicated to learning from Big Local but will be independent and courageous, and willing to take the lead on story development. This is an opportunity to funnel positive transformations in communities around the country into actionable learnings to drive meaningful change.
This adventure will contribute to the StoryArcs mission to explore the value and uses of Story Skills in life, learning and work. The findings brought back to StoryArcs HQ will be crucial in our development and co-creation of a Story Skill Set.
This is one of eleven projects. You can find out more about the Story Associate opportunity and explore all eleven opportunities.
Application Portal is now closed.
If you were unable to submit your application due to technical difficulties, personal reasons or other factors please contact us at story@bathspa.ac.uk.
