Work with Tinker Lab

Our fantastic facilitator Sarah is moving on from Tinker Lab in September to pursue forest school training (which we know she'll be brilliant at) and focus on her own family's home education journey so we're recruiting...

About Tinker Lab
Waymakers Cambridge CIC is recruiting a Lead Facilitator and Support Facilitator for Tinker Lab, our developing neurodiversity-affirming, child-led learning space for home-educated children aged approximately 6–10.

Sessions focus on open-ended play, creativity, making, movement, sensory exploration and curiosity-led discovery.

Children will attend independently and be supported by a facilitation team rather than their parents or carers. Parents/carers may stay initially to help their child settle and, in some cases, ongoing parental attendance may be agreed where additional support is needed.

This is not a teaching environment. Children will not be expected to complete set activities or achieve predetermined outcomes. Instead, facilitators will support children to explore their interests, build relationships and develop agency within a safe and welcoming community.

The Role
Both roles involve being alongside children rather than directing them, supporting a child-led environment where curiosity, creativity, play, agency and relationships can flourish.

The Lead Facilitator will hold the overall flow of sessions, prepare the environment, communicate with families, plan resources, and help hold the culture and vision of the group.

The Support Facilitator will work alongside the Lead Facilitator to support children's exploration, relationships and wellbeing. This may include co-regulation, helping children enter play, navigate challenges, access resources, and feel safe and connected within the group, while respecting and protecting each child's agency.

You will:

• Create a calm, welcoming environment

• Prepare and maintain open-ended resources

• Support children's interests, relationships and wellbeing

• Model curiosity, kindness and respect

• Support co-regulation and conflict navigation

• Work collaboratively with families and the Waymakers team
  

Session Rhythm
Tinker Lab will use Waymakers' consent-based circle practice at the beginning and end of each session. Training and support in this approach will be provided.

Children will be invited, never required, to participate.

The circles will provide an opportunity to explore the Waymakers habit phrase:
"What do I and others need?"

We're Looking For Someone Who:

• Values child-led learning and autonomy

• Is reflective, calm and emotionally aware

• Is comfortable in a flexible, emergent environment

• Understands and respects neurodiversity

• Can hold boundaries gently and consistently

• Is willing to put values into practice. Child-led and neurodiversity-affirming approaches can be messy, challenging and sometimes disarming. This work requires reflection, unlearning and letting go of assumptions about children, learning and the role of adults in learning.

Experience in playwork, early years, SEND support, youth work, arts practice, forest school, alternative education or home education communities is welcome. Formal teaching qualifications are not required.

Training & SafeguardingSuccessful applicants will need:

• An enhanced DBS check

• Safeguarding training

DBS checks and safeguarding training can be arranged and funded by Waymakers where needed.
Support and induction will be provided. Kristy, Waymakers Co-Director, will work alongside the team throughout the first half term as the group establishes its culture and rhythms.

Training will also be provided in Waymakers approaches, including consent-based circle practice and neurodiversity-affirming practice.

Hours & Pay

• Mondays during term time

• Session: 10am–1pm

• Additional paid 30 minutes setup time

Lead Facilitator: £25 per hour
Support Facilitator: £15 per hour

To Apply
Please send:

• A short introduction

• Why this approach interests you

• Relevant experience (formal or informal)

• A brief reflection on what child-led learning means to you
  

Please email directors@waymakerscambridge.co.uk with the subject line: Tinker Lab Facilitator Application.

We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of alternative education pathways.

Informal Expressions of Interest: Stay-and-Play
As we've continued shaping Tinker Lab, we've found ourselves gravitating back towards its original vision as a facilitated, child-led space where children attend independently.

However, we know some families are interested in a stay-and-play offer. This is separate from the facilitator recruitment process, but if that's something you'd value, we'd love to hear from you.

Informal expressions of interest will help us understand demand and explore whether a stay-and-play version of Tinker Lab could run alongside the facilitated drop-off sessions.
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Please email directors@waymakerscambridge.co.uk with the subject line: Tinker Lab Stay-and-Play Expression of Interest.