Are you interested in connecting your French language and translation skills with a community project for protecting the environment? As a student co-creator and engagement partner, you will work with Ariane Demeure-Ahearne, Assistant Professor in French Studies and Lou Sarabadzic, a writer based in Leamington Spa, on a project that aims at engaging a range of audiences in our communities in creative and positive conversations about reducing soil artificialisation and protecting wildlife. The stimulus for all our activities will be the poetic manifesto ‘Seul le Sol’ that Lou published in a French children’s book in 2024. The text was commissioned by AVES France, an association promoting the protection of biodiversity.You will work with us to produce a translation into English of the poetic manifesto and will discuss your translation choices with us. Once our collaborative translation of the manifesto has been produced, we will seek your views and ideas to draft a plan for public engagement activities, with a view to engaging different stakeholders, including environment activists, community and cultural actors. The translated manifesto will be a prompt for creative writing workshops and interactive events as we want to generate positive and creative conversations about reducing soil artificialisation and encourage people to create their own poetic manifesto. You will collaborate with us to design creative and accessible materials to promote the project and explore the resonance of the topic across the world.
Please note due to the nature of the we are only accepting applications from current Warwick University Students.
The work can be carried out flexibly, apart from set meetings.
Week 1: 16-20 February:3h (including initial meeting)
Weeks 2-3: 23 February-6 March: 6h
Week 4: 9-13 March: 4h (including a 2h meeting)
Week 5: 16-20 March:4h (including 2 meetings)
Week 6: 23-27 March: 3h
Week 7: 31 March- 3 April: break
Weeks 8-9: 7-10 & 13-17 April: 8h
Week 10: 20-24 April: 2h (meeting)
Duties and responsibilities
1. Translate the poetic manifesto Seul le Sol from French to English
2. Justify and discuss translation choices with other team members
3. Participate in team meetings, including active participation in ideas generation
4. Co-create a written plan for different public engagement activities
5. Liaise with a wide range of partners, including environment activists and cultural actors to organise and support the promotion of the project
6. Co-create and test potential new public engagement resources
Skills and experience
E= essential D= Desirable
Advanced French proficiency (equivalent to A-level + one year at degree level OR C1 level of the CEFR – if you have not been studying French at degree level, you can check your level by taking the Lingolia test for free) - E
Interest in raising awareness about the importance of reducing soil artificialisation and promoting biodiversity (note: applicants do not need to know about the topic of soil artificialisation already) - E
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex ideas in accessible language - E
Excellent time-management skills - E
Excellent team working skills (where possible, include examples of how and where you have showcased teamwork skills within your answering cover letter) - E
A creative approach to testing and developing ideas in a diverse team - E
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to draw conclusions and recommendations from information available - E
Good IT skills - E
Interest in creative writing, especially constrained writing - D
Familiarity with issues raised by translation of literary texts from French to English - D
We value diverse experiences and recognise that skills can be gained in many ways—through work, volunteering, education, or personal experiences. We understand that few candidates will meet every listed criterion or have experience in a similar. If you're excited about this opportunity, and believe your skills and experiences align, we encourage you to apply. Your unique perspective may be just what we need!
How to apply:
Please submit a CV including academic profile and relevant professional or voluntary experience.
Please also send a covering letter describing your motivations for this, what interests you about the subject of soil artificialisation and the protection of wildlife and what skills you hope to develop in this project. Please describe your experience of translating texts, if you have any, and / or your experience of creative writing. Finally, please provide an example of how you have shared something you are passionate about with others. How do you think this experience could help you in this ? The experience does not have to be work or university-related.
Application deadline: Midnight Sunday 25th January
Location
The primary location of work is the University of Warwick campus, in the FAB building. Some visits to Coventry and Leamington may be required, for which travel expenses will be paid.