Career opportunities in nature conservation: HLF Heritage Training Bursary Placements

Are you intent on a fast-track into a career in UK nature conservation but have limited or no experience?

We are looking for enthusiastic, committed individuals willing to work as part of a team with other like-minded people, sometimes under time pressures, but always with a smile. We are seeking those who are keen to achieve a vocational qualification that will help them gain employment. This project offers the potential for you to become part of a network of employed environmental professionals.

 

What is LEMUR

The LEMUR Project offers a combination of on-the-job professional experience and formal training linked to a variety of work areas including species identification, wildlife habitat survey, habitat management, heritage interpretation and those all important generic work skills such as project management and computer skills.

The scheme offers 9 month funded bursary placements that are supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Each trainee receives a training bursary and childcare allowances are available. The next and final group of 12 placements will begin on 14th April 2008.

Herefordshire Nature Trust, Sheffield Wildlife Trust and Ambios Ltd have all successfully helped trainees secure their first paid post in nature conservation. The learning and experience on offer has either a marine, urban or rural theme, hence the projects title ‘LEMUR’.

 

 

What is the Heritage Lottery Fund Bursary Scheme?

At its meeting in December 2005, the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a total of £7m to fund 10 Training Bursaries Schemes.

The aims of the training bursary scheme are to: improve the quality of skills available to the heritage sector by providing new entrants or existing staff with work-based training opportunities develop innovative, exemplar training schemes which promote diversity in the workforce enable heritage organisations to work in partnership with other agencies; and disseminate good practice.

» Click here for more information about Heritage Lottery Fund Bursary Scheme.

Who are the Heritage Lottery Fund?

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) was set up by Parliament in 1994 to give grants to a wide range of projects involving the local, regional and national heritage of the United Kingdom. They distribute a share of the money raised by the National Lottery for Good Causes.

» Click here for more information about HLF.

Bursary Allowances

During training you will receive a training allowance equivalent to £182.60 per week (LEMUR trainees will have a standard placement week of 37 hours and an entitlement of 10 days annual leave which includes bank holidays). The payments are not subject to PAYE and are a contribution towards subsistence. You will be expected to find the cost of travelling to your placement and to Hub days and training days from this allowance. At the end of your 36-week placement you will then receive an additional ‘completers’ payment (equivalent to £730.44) subject to agreed achievements during the course of your training placement.

You will be ‘not in employment’ when you begin the Lemur training programme. You do not have to be registered unemployed (but its fine if you are) but you cannot be in employment whilst on this training initiative. While on the training programme you are not entitled to unemployment benefit. Individuals may be entitled to Housing and other benefits but this is judged on a case-by-case basis by the benefits agencies concerned. While the length of time in training is 36 weeks there is some flexibility for applicants who might need a more part-time arrangement. There is a childcare allowance available to each bursary holder.

» Click here for more information about childcare allowance.

Contact us

For general queries about the LEMUR project please use the Online Enquiries Form.

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