Mother Tongues seeks Participation and Learning Coordinator

Mother Tongues; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 25,000 - 38,000; Part time

Job summary

Mother Tongues seeks a Participation and Learning Coordinator based in County Dublin or surrounding counties. The role focuses on audience identification, outreach, and building relationships with communities, schools and organisations to promote multilingualism.

The position is part-time, hybrid, with a 13-month fixed-term contract from November 17, 2025, to December 2026, including unpaid periods. Successful candidate will shadow the previous coordinator for five weeks and travel to multiple

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., education, community development, cultural studies) or equivalent work experience.
• Experience in community engagement, outreach, or similar roles.
• Ability to travel independently to various community locations is essential.

Responsibilities

• Audience Identification and Outreach: research, identify and engage target groups in South Dublin and surrounding counties; develop strategies; build local partnerships.
• Community Engagement: build in-person relationships with diverse communities; organise events, workshops, and information sessions; liaise with communities.
• Data Collection and Reporting: collect data on engagement and impact; prepare regular reports and recommendations.
• Programme Administration and Support: organise volunteer roster; manage workshop bookings; check attendee lists; evaluate sessions.

Skills

Community engagement

Outreach

Communication skills

Teamwork

Travel independence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in education, community development, cultural studies

Tools

Eventbrite

Driver’s licence

Job description

Mother Tongues seeks a Participation and Learning Coordinator

Mother Tongues is a non-profit organisation based in Ireland, dedicated to empowering bilingual children through creativity and the arts. Our mission is to help these children grow up with confidence in their linguistic and cultural identities. We are committed to promoting multilingualism and fostering intercultural dialogue in Ireland.

Mother Tongues aims to define and reach out to audiences currently unaware of its services by engaging a Participation and Learning Coordinator, whose primary focus will be to target specific audiences.

The initial phase of this position will involve researching and identifying communities in South Dublin and the surrounding counties that are not yet engaging with Mother Tongues’ programmes and services. The successful candidate will be asked to identify a small number of suitable communities and to develop relationships with them. To ensure a smooth transition and handover, the successful candidate will build on the foundation laid by the former coordinator and will shadow her for the first five weeks of the role.

The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic advocate for multilingualism and cultural diversity, with excellent communication and community engagement skills.

Key Responsibility

Audience Identification and Outreach:

• Research, identify and engage with potential target groups, communities, and individuals in South Dublin and surrounding counties. This includes a mix of online research and proactive, in-person outreach to diverse groups, including International Protection Applicants.
• Develop and implement strategies to effectively connect with these audiences. This involves a blend of virtual and on-the-ground efforts, including organising and attending community events, delivering in-person workshops, and building local partnerships.
• Collaborate directly with local organisations, schools and community centres to expand the organisation’s reach and impact. The Coordinator will be expected to initiate and maintain these relationships in person.

Community Engagement:

• Build and nurture in-person relationships with diverse communities in South Dublin and surrounding counties to promote multilingualism and cultural awareness.
• Organise and actively participate in community events, workshops, and information sessions, ensuring a strong on-the-ground presence to raise awareness about Mother Tongues’ initiatives.
• Act as a liaison between Mother Tongues and the communities it serves, ensuring their voices and needs are heard and addressed through personal engagement.
• Regularly attend and support Language Explorers sessions, mainly on Saturdays, and the Mother Tongues Festival (20-21 February 2026, Tallaght – for the full two days).
  The Coordinator will be the first point of contact for parents, acting as a liaison with the community and addressing their questions about raising bilingual children.

Data Collection and Reporting:

• Collect and maintain accurate data on audience engagement, feedback and impact to evaluate the effectiveness of outreach efforts.
• Prepare regular reports and recommendations for improving outreach strategies.

Programme Administration and Support:

• Organise the volunteer roster by reviewing new applications and reaching out to individuals from our database of past volunteers.
• Manage workshop bookings by regularly checking registrations on Eventbrite and sending reminder messages to families.
• On the day of workshops, be responsible for checking the attendee list and updating it.
• Observing artists during the workshops and writing an evaluation at the end of each series, using our provided template, to monitor their adherence to the Language Explorers framework.
• Candidates must be currently based in Ireland, specifically within County Dublin or the surrounding counties.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., education, community development, cultural studies) or equivalent work experience.
• Strong commitment to the mission and values of Mother Tongues.
• Experience in community engagement, outreach, or similar roles.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• The ability to travel independently to various community locations is essential. A full, clean driver’s licence and access to a car would be an advantage, as the role involves travel to multiple sites, but this is not a requirement.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• A solid understanding of bilingualism, multiculturalism and issues related to linguistic and cultural identity is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in multiple languages is a strong asset.

Soft Skills

• Excellent Interpersonal and Communication Skills: The ability to be an energetic and proactive communicator who can build strong, trusting relationships with a diverse range of people, including children, parents, artists, and community members.
• Empathetic and Active Listening: A genuine interest in understanding and valuing the perspectives and experiences of others, particularly those from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• Cultural Sensitivity and Adaptability: The capacity to work effectively across different cultures and adjust one’s approach to be respectful and inclusive of all participants.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: The willingness to work closely with a small, passionate team to achieve shared goals and a strong social impact.
• Creativity and Problem-Solving: The ability to think flexibly and find innovative solutions to challenges.
• Patience and Enthusiasm: A positive and encouraging attitude when working with multilingual families and children on their language journey.

Organisational Culture

• Support an inclusive and cohesive working culture by embodying the organisation’s values and its commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism.
• Contribute to a respectful environment where all participants, partners and volunteers feel valued and included.
• Promote a positive culture by role-modelling organisational values of candour, cohesion, collaboration and synergy.

Terms

Position Title: Participation and Learning Coordinator

Contract Duration: This is a fixed-term, 13-month contract, from November 17th, 2025, to December 2026, with a total of 11 months of paid work. The role includes scheduled, non-working periods (unpaid) during the last week of December 2025, three weeks in July 2026, and the entire month of August 2026.

Working Hours and Contract : The position is part-time, averaging 2.5 days per week, on a freelance/self-employed basis. Given the nature of our programmes, a key requirement is availability for a minimum of 34 Saturdays throughout the 11 months. This is a fixed-term contract with the possibility of a one-year extension, dependent on funding. A probationary period will apply, ending in June 2026.

Work Location :This is a hybrid role that requires the successful candidate to be based in County Dublin or one of the surrounding counties. The Coordinator’s presence is essential for attending in-person meetings, events, and workshops throughout the region. The Coordinator will also have the option to work from the Mother Tongues office, which is located in the Rua Red Arts Centre in Tallaght.

References : The appointment is subject to the receipt of satisfactory references.

Application Deadline EXTENDED TO Wednesday, 15th of October 2025

Mother Tongues is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace.