Student Ld

[paulears]

We've done it before, but under 16s cannot work in theatres in every county that I have checked in England. I'm not sure about Scotland or Wales, but the Children's Act applies in Wales to the best of my knowledge. Scotland has a different version. Theatres, along with abattoirs and commercial kitchens are one of the excluded workplaces that are in the model rules used by most Local Authorities. Work is only allowed when there is a Children's license taken out, with the usual chaperone, toilet and DBS checks in place. I do know, however, quite a few venues who do have school work experience people in, totally ignorant of the fact they're not only breaking the law, but the bit that protects vulnerable people - and we've all seen what happens to people who get this wrong!

 

I don't know any paid employees who would willingly get themselves tangled up in the hassle of chaperoning instead of doing their proper job. I refused to do this because as a self-employed person, I'm there to do a job, and if part of the job was being responsible for a young adult, making sure they didn't get into trouble, and trying to train them within all the rules, then my real job would suffer.

 

As I'm a qualified teacher, who's got a current transportable DBS, I could be a chaperone quite easily, but it's a dreadful role to play, and the risks are too high.

 

You explain to a 16 year old why he cannot talk privately to a 15and a ½ year old girl. Personally, I wouldn't be bothered, but as part of my job?

 

The rules are rubbish really - BUT - who dare break them? They're so daft I'm sure that's why some Councils don't realise they can't do this!

[mikelx]

Don't forget your library as a resource.

ask a librarian or search database for stage lighting.

This should provide you with some books that will explain the basics of fresnels, profiles & parcans etc!

Sometimes books may be obtained from a larger central county source if the local branch doesn't have them

Good researching

[Jivemaster]

From discussion with a police licensing officer it is also an offence to find work for a child or young person in a place with an alcohol licence, so the 17 and a half year old DJ in a pub could cost the publican his licence, with a possible exemption for in course training work arranged by a college -such as a chef doing a work placement as part of their course.

[Junior8]

There was a long discussion on here last year about this issue and the consensus was that any so-called 'work-experience exemptions' did not actually over-ride the law as regards hazardous premises. It is very depressing to be 14 confronted with this I suspect but that is the way it is.

[paulears]

It does seem that this bit of the law does need looking at - the Government spend time and money encouraging Arts training, but don't allow it to be actually done for real?

[Robin D]

Indeed, the original poster could do no better than detailing his difficulties in a letter to his MP. Find your MP

[adonex]

From discussion with a police licensing officer it is also an offence to find work for a child or young person in a place with an alcohol licence, so the 17 and a half year old DJ in a pub could cost the publican his licence, with a possible exemption for in course training work arranged by a college -such as a chef doing a work placement as part of their course.

 

I'm not sure if this is different or not in Scotland but my high school is actually licensed to sell alcohol and has done at many live events, it's license is official and was all properly gone through via council and obviously police, so I'm not sure. But what I can tell you is that I am 15 and I have contacted the correct people and have managed to do some shadowing for Glasgow 2014. obviously its shadowing and not volunteering as I'm not 16 yet and still classed as a minor but all in all I don't mind and am very happy. I've been doing lighting for a long time and obviously there are more experienced people on this forum than me. but for what I do (large Productions, School shows) and from what you and me can be doing at our age, art net and other things mean nothing. Being a Lighting designer is more than just the equipment, its knowing how to use it to its full potential and getting the most out of it. You can have the best equipment and consoles in the world but if its not used correctly, it can still look like an amateur mobile disco (thats not me saying that your lighting skills are amateur, its just my opinion on the subject). anyway, I sort of went off on a tangent, back to the job info. My advice to you from what I have found out is gain contacts, email people and ask around, tell them your age upfront and say "Shadow" not "Volunteer" because they mean two completely different things. thats how I got the glasgow 2014 opportunity. Also, I was in contact with a guy called Piers Shepperd who was the technical designer for the Olympic Games in London, and pretty much asked him the same thing as you he told me to wait, he said that I was never going to get in at the top straight away and that everyone has to work their way up. He said that it is a good idea to contact companies like PRG and NEG Earth and work for them before wanting to do more serious events, eg. Commonwealth Games, Euro vision and Olympics. NEG earth also run courses which you might find useful, you can find them on its website. Also working for a crewing company like Gallowglass might be a good idea. This is all just advice and I am by no means an expert but jobs like this are hard to come by at our age due to H&S. Just wait until you turn 16 then you will have a much better chance. If you want more advice on companies or courses to look into then just PM me and ill be happy to help.

 

[Jivemaster]

Lots of good advice, but this clearly shows a difference in the regulation of children at work between Scotland and England.

[paulears]

The entire Children's Act is a mess really - totally out of date, but as that old topic showed, the situation in Scotland is very much the same. The real issue is interpretation - so a Council, who have the duty to follow the legislation, and enact it via bylaws, has a big problem. Work experience - a very common term contains the word 'work' - which is the word used in the prohibited workplace section. A Council, perhaps keen to get the kids into places good for them, career or lifestyle wise might decide that calling it 'shadowing' might be an acceptable get around the law for a good cause. Other Councils, perhaps worried about all the under 16 bad press might not have any officer willing to fudge it.

 

My view is that it's clearly a fudge. If the law says work in a theatre os forbidden, then can you imagine how it would look if a child was injured, or worse? The Officer who put somebody into a venue the law considered unsuitable would get crucified.

 

It's clearly stupid. It is, however, the law. Schools, like any organisation can sell alcohol if they have the appropriate people and licenses - there's never been a problem with this.

 

Schools have a lot of official and unofficial get arounds. However, there's a clear difference between educational activities and commercial activities. For instance, kids in school can do cooking - and have well equipped kitchens and equipment. However, they're not allowed to work in the school kitchen that serves food, because this is a commercial kitchen, and that's one of the prohibited places. An under 16 washing glasses in a disco/nightclub isn't on either. Once they're out of full time education, then the prohibited places rule ceases, but a 17 year old can work in a venue or pub subject to some rules - which changed from the version described by the Police Officer back in 2003 or so. The current situation is that the old rule where somebody had to be on a nationally approved course or apprenticeship has gone, but replaced by wording that every sale has to be authorised and monitored by the license holder or a designated premises supervisor aged over 18. If they let the person make an alcohol sale when it was not approved, then they can be fined.

[Junior8]

I hope Elliott has not been too put off by this, as there are plenty of suggestions for things he could do. I'd just add - based on some work I saw this week - the idea of projected video, which he might well be able to to do at school, both as lighting and setting. (BTW the link here will take you back to the other discussion which might help explain why we adults really can't risk letting young people do things that otherwise we might actually encourage!)

[constabeats]

I am 15 at the moment, and I have been helping with a local theatre group since I was 12. This has really got me into theatre and has shaped where I want to go with my life. I also am pretty much in charge of lighting and some sound in my school at the moment. I have stuck with this for years now and I have been able to assist with sound, operating lighting, assistant stage manage over loads of shows in large commercial theaters with my theater group. I am currently working in school doing my GCSE's and I have already got my college place studying Theater Production in September. Once I've got my college qualification I will be able to hopefully go into work or study further at university. Its just lucky for me that my theatre group is able to provide insurance for me to be in the theatre before I'm even 16! Have a look around and see if anyone is willing to let you help, or wait a few years and get into theatre work once you are a bit older.

 

My advise - if this is really what you want to do (like me) , stick with it. try to get in some voluntary work and then look into a course studying technical theatre or similar once you have finished school. I think its a great career to get into as there's so much variety of where you can work with knowledge/qualifications in Sound, lighting and Stage Management. I can't wait to get school out of the way and get into what I have wanted to do for years.

 

I hope this helps a bit as I can see where your coming from :D