Mousetrap Theatre Projects (MTP) is an independent theatre education charity dedicated to creating opportunities for young people who have limited resources, opportunities, or support to engage with the best of London’s theatre. Many young people can't access theatre either as a participant or audience member. The high cost is an obvious factor, but just as significant are social and cultural barriers and the lack of support for those with disabilities.

MTP sets out to change this by offering highly-subsidised trips to London’s world-class theatre to schools, families and youth clubs, opening up this magical world. We also provide specialist support to those who have special educational needs and disabilities. Importantly, MTP runs innovative drama-based education projects that encourage creativity and use drama as a tool to develop vital personal skills, transform confidence and self-esteem, broaden horizons and help young people on the path to a successful future. MTP focuses its school projects on students in London state schools (mainstream and special). Its community projects are run in London-wide youth and community centres and support young refugees, young carers, young care leavers, young people who are NEET (Not in Employment, Education and Training), homeless youth and those with additional needs.

Each project is specialist and unique, devised by listening to the needs of the young person, teacher, youth leader or family member, but all programmes include a visit to the theatre at a highly-subsidised ticket price. As an independent charity, MTP is able to negotiate exclusive offers with theatres and producers throughout London, which enables it to offer a diverse range of shows and opportunities, identifying the relevant production for the specific young people, family or education project.

One of its hallmarks is its pioneering work with young people with additional needs, recently winning a major award for its playwriting project for deaf and hard of hearing young people. It pioneered relaxed performances in the West End for families with children with special needs in 2012 with Shrek the Musical. Since then it has offered 12 additional relaxed performances and now provides consultation to theatres seeking to offer relaxed performances. Click here to know more about the charity's Relaxed Performances, which are fully-supported performances adapted especially for people with autism, learning difficulties and other communication needs.

The charity also provides training and skills-share events for teachers, theatre practitioners, youth leaders and young people, and leads cooperative educational initiatives with theatres and arts organisations across London and beyond.

Please click here to read the charity's Annual Review to find out more about the work it has delivered during the pandemic which was unprecedented moment in our history, especially for the creative art industry.

Chair

The Chair at MTP will be pivotal in creating the conditions and culture for overall Board and individual trustee effectiveness. The successful candidate will be expected to provide supervision and support to the CEO and help to shape the Board agenda in collaboration with the CEO.

The new Chair will help in fostering and delivering a positive corporate governance culture in line with Charity Commission guidelines and will also work towards supporting the financial development and health of the charity by actively connecting with donors, trusts, foundations and corporations as well as seeking new prospective donors as and when required. With the rebranding, the Chair will play a pivotal role in thinking through a marketing and PR strategy to set the charity on its new course.

Along with Chairing the Finance Committee, the Chair will be expected to attend MTP events regularly as an observer and speak at Galas and other fundraising events. The role will require the Chair to ensure that the charity has in place effective lines of communication with all stakeholders and will further encourage positive dialogue with institutional and individual supporters as well as stakeholders.

Challenging the Board of Trustees and Executive team constructively as well as appropriately scrutinising the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitoring the reporting of performance will also be an important part of the role.

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Trustee

As part of the MTP's growth plan over the next few years, it is now looking to expand its Board of Trustees to help support its vision and mission. The new Trustees will use their specific skillset and relevant experience to help the Board make strategic decisions and expand its reach to transform the lives of young people through theatre and drama. The Trustees will have a strong alignment with the vision and mission of the MTP and pro-actively help to work towards its success and growth.

In addition to the formal Board meetings, Trustees will be willing to undertake informal engagement with the charity, including providing advice on an ad hoc basis to the management team. Trustees will be expected to use their specific knowledge and experience to help the Board reach sound decisions, assist the senior leadership team with advice as required, and keep informed about, and support as appropriate, the activities of the organisation.

Chair

As the current Chair steps down from the position after serving their term, the charity now seeks a new Chair who will head the Board of Trustees which collectively ensures that MTP always acts in the best interest of its beneficiaries and meets its strategic objectives.

The charity seeks to appoint a new Chair who will have senior leadership experience and the gravitas to lead the charity. The successful candidate will be willing to serve as an ambassador for MTP. The Chair will bring a hands-on approach with the ability and enthusiasm to commit the necessary time to the role.

Above all, the successful candidate will be committed and aligned to the core values of the charity with the vision and the energy to move the charity in a positive, forward direction towards its mission of using theatre and drama as a way to engage the younger community, particularly those young people who without MTP's support would not have an opportunity to attend theatre and participate in drama-based projects.

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Trustees

Mousetrap Theatre Projects is seeking three new Trustees who are aligned to its mission and have the relevant knowledge to specialise in one or more of the following areas to support the charity with its growth:

Education: MTP is keen on strengthening this skillset in order to maintain and strengthen partnerships with state schools (mainstream and special) and increase its outreach programmes and therefore seeks a Trustee who has knowledge and experience with state education and can provide guidance, advice and support for MTP's education projects.

Disabilities and neurodiversity: This Trustee would have considerable experience of championing the rights and participation of young people and adults living with difference in a range of activities. They will have the ability to provide strategic input. They will also challenge the approach to delivering programmes suited to young people with impairments and to recruiting staff and leaders with physical impairments and neurodiversity.

Community Arts: This Trustee will represent an interest in socially-engaged artistic practice and expertise in measuring the social value of community-embedded theatre / arts programmes. The candidate could come from any creative arts background, but has a strong understanding of the value of developing and running arts projects in the community setting.

MTP welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. It is particularly keen to improve the diversity of the Board and ensure that it is representative of the communities it supports. As those from an ethnic minority background are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those individuals would be particularly encouraged. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

Chair

This role is unremunerated but reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed. There are four Board meetings per year and four Finance Committee meetings that the Chair will be expected to attended, along with ad hoc communication when needed. Travelling for some in-person education events is encouraged and would be greatly appreciated to maintain and strengthen the culture of the Board.

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Trustee

This role is unremunerated but reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed. There are four Board meetings per year and four sub-committee meetings that the Trustees will be expected to attended, along with ad hoc communication when needed. The current sub-committees are: Finance Committee, Nominations Committee and Fundraising / Development Committee, however there are ad hoc committees established when needed. Travelling for some in-person events such as observing creative learning projects is encouraged and would be greatly appreciated to maintain and strengthen the culture of the Board.