Sunart Centre News - February 2022 update

Changes are coming to the Sunart Centre and there is no certainty as to the direction they will take. Our supervisor Sarah Macdonald has decided that she would prefer to concentrate on her roles as HLH Youth Development Officer and Centre Administrator for West Highland College plus other interests and Centre Manager Eoghan Carmichael is nearing retirement, meaning that there are staff vacancies that urgently need to be addressed.

High Life Highland have appointed Ewan Thorburn to take on Eoghan’s role as Community Centre Co-Ordinator (Manager) for the Sunart Centre and we extend a big welcome to him. However, Ewan already manages the Leven Centre in Kinlochleven and the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre in Glen Nevis and will be primarily based in Fort William. High Life Highland (HLH) are therefore keen to develop a team of locally based Supervisors to manage the day to day running of the Sunart Centre and all that involves.

High Life Highland have a strong presence based in the Sunart Centre and our HLH partners are: Helen Tait (Ardnamurchan Library), Alan Gray (Active Schools Co-Ordinator), Sarah Macdonald (Youth Development Officer) and Eilidh-Ann Phillips (Countryside Rangers). We also work closely with West Highland College and of course Ardnamurchan High School and all our local primaries. The responsibility of Sunart Centre staff is to enable and manage access to the facilities for all these partners and the wider community.

By the time this issue of De tha Dol? appears HLH will be advertising a full time (35 hours/week) Centre Supervisor post for the Sunart Centre, plus relief staff (as & when required). Please see elsewhere in this issue (JOB OPPORTUNITIES) for more information on this.

Due to staffing restrictions, at the time of writing the Sunart Centre will be operating on restricted hours.

Our gym will be open to members at the following times: Mondays 5pm – 9pm, Tuesdays 4pm – 9pm and Wednesdays 5pm – 9pm.

On Thursday evenings the Centre will be dedicated to our Senior Youth Club for AHS pupils who stay on after school. Free buses will be provided at 8pm to take them home to Acharacle, Ardgour and Lochaline. We regret that we do not yet have the capability to restart our Junior Youth Club for primary pupils. If you think that this is a situation that needs to be addressed please get in touch.

On Fridays and over the weekend we regret that the Sunart Centre may not be open unless there are pre-booked events running. There is currently no gym access on Fridays or over the weekend. Please note that this situation is flexible and we aim to be open as much as possible. For updates please see our website

JOB OPPORTUNITIES at the Sunart Centre

High Life Highland are advertising for a full time (35 hours/week) Centre Supervisor for the Sunart Centre. Duties will include managing the bookings database of the centre, cash handling, developing and promoting activities in the centre and managing community access including Youth Clubs, sports clubs, gym membership, community group meetings and the possibility of film club and arts events starting up again. The successful applicant will also be expected to report to and liaise with the Arainn Shuaineirt Management Committee (ASMC) on community access to the centre and various ongoing partnership projects. This is a very inviting, varied and challenging position and DtD readers are encouraged to pass this information on to anyone who they think may be interested or suitable.

Please note that there has been some discussion on whether this post would be more suitable for one full time (35 hour/week) post or two part time (17.5 hour/week) posts. Applicants interested only in a part time position are encouraged to consider applying as High Life Highland would be willing to consider all possibilities if there is notable interest in the alternative option.

Anyone interested in this position is encouraged to contact Ewan Thorburn or Eoghan Carmichael (details below) and to look out for the full job advertisement, description and application details online through High Life Highland or the Sunart Centre websites and Facebook.

 

Eoghan Carmichael on 01687 470267 or 01397 709228 or by email eoghan.carmichael@highlifehighland.comSunart Centre News - February 2022 update