Name: Daniel Rees-Jones
Age: 36
Role: Outdoor play development officer - Playwork Partnerships, Community play ranger - Wansdyke Play Association
Qualifications: BA Hons QTS in Design Technology specialising in early years, CACHE level 3 in playwork, City & Guilds 7302 - Training the Trainer
Playwork Partnerships is best described as a 'networking organisation' with a mission to enrich children's and young people's lives through their experience of quality play by promoting the importance of play and playwork and increasing the learning opportunities for playworkers. Within my role as a community play ranger, my main remit is to facilitate and promote play opportunities, inclusive for all children, in parks and open spaces all year round. This involves consulting with, and being an advocate for, children's rights to play, to be listened to, and to be safe. It also means promoting participation of young people with decision-making bodies and providing evidence of this process. I work in close partnership with schools, clubs, the youth service, the park department, housing associations and other community organisations.
9.00AM - Today I am working at home for the morning and writing one of a series of briefings for Play England which aim to tackle current issues for play rangers and provide support and direction. This particular briefing is about open-access play provision for under-fives.
11.30AM - Take a phone call from GAVO Wales adventure play site, assisting me with some research I am doing into sustainability for play ranger projects in the UK through answering a questionnaire. The data collected will eventually form part of a sustainability report for Play England.
12.15PM - Drive to the play ranger office while eating lunch en route.
1.00PM - Write up a session sheet about yesterday's play session detailing numbers, inputs, outputs and outcomes that were observed.
1.30PM - Meet a contractor at one of our play sites to discuss the design plans and logistics of a community shelter that we are working with the local community to construct during the summer holidays.
2.30PM - Work with my colleague to prepare the play session by cramming my car with resources requested by the children.
3.15PM - Drive to the designated park and deliver the play session, which is open access to children. We believe that play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated, and so let the children decide the content and intent of their play. In the previous session the children had requested nets and ropes which they then happily spend the next 45 minutes using to construct dens and assault courses, using the playground equipment and nearby trees. The children then ask us to help them set up a cooking activity using a camping gas stove. We all make pancakes and then add a choice of toppings including lemon, honey, orange and sugar.
As the end approaches, we let the children know about the shelter construction event that is coming up and ask them what activities or equipment they would like us to provide at the next session.
6.00PM - Go back to the office, unload and wash up.
6.30PM - Drive home
WHAT IT TAKES by Tina Jefferies
A play development officer has a crucial role within children and young people's services, and in particular the early years, influencing and maintaining the quality of play experiences in learning, development and recreational settings. Being able to engage with people across agencies, sometimes negotiating on behalf of children, is central to successful working.
Playworkers understand that children learn best when engaged in play allowing exploration, experimentation and enquiry, while stretching physical, emotional, social and intellectual capacity. So an understanding and respect for play as the basis for learning is fundamental to this type of work. The play development officer must be able to recognise the wider factors that will stimulate a child's engagement with his or her environment, such as when agencies work together to promote the importance of play. Being able to positively communicate and collaborate with other professionals involved in early years is vital, as is the ability to recognise and implement learning structures that reinforce play as the universal medium for learning.
It takes a creative outlook and energetic attitude to plan, prepare and implement new or different activity on a regular basis and challenge practices where necessary. A clear and practical vision of a community's needs in engaging children of all ages in play, and the ability to turn these into sustainable projects, is a key skill, as is being flexible and resourceful, particularly when materials are scarce and environments more challenging.
As play is a very specific area in the wider remit for children's services, qualifications for this role must include Playwork to at least level 3, along with other qualifications at degree level in either teaching, play, early years, social care or community development disciplines. Training in management, project planning, equality and diversity are also appropriate.
Other related work would be in areas such as community and family learning, lecturing and youth services.
By Tina Jefferies, managing director of training provider The Red Space Company, www.redspace company.com
