Academic programme coordinator volunteer roles

Do you have a passion for African and Diaspora history and a vision for empowering communities through knowledge? Tell My Truth and Shame the Devil C.I.C. is seeking a dynamic Book Club Coordinator (African & Diaspora History Lead) to join our founding volunteer team. This role is central to curating, facilitating, and promoting a transformative learning space that nurtures understanding, critical thinking, and cultural pride for survivors, young people, and community members.

As Book Club Coordinator, you will design, manage, and facilitate a structured book club programme focused on African and Diaspora history, literature, and thought leadership. You will work closely with the Membership Director and Community Engagement Manager to ensure the club fosters critical reflection, inclusive discussion, and actionable learning. This role combines operational coordination, educational facilitation, and community engagement, offering a unique opportunity to impact knowledge sharing and collective empowerment.

Experience Qualification and Requirements

Essential / Highly Valued Experience

• Strong knowledge of African and Diaspora history, literature, political thought, and cultural movements
• Experience in facilitation, teaching, programme coordination, or group learning environments
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and group leadership skills
• Ability to engage diverse participants in respectful, inclusive, and meaningful dialogue
• Confidence holding complex conversations around history, power, identity, and resistance
• Ability to motivate participation and sustain group energy over time
• Strong organisational skills, including session planning and follow-up
• Ability to document discussions and translate insights into learning outcomes
• Experience working in community, grassroots, or culturally rooted spaces
• Commitment to collective learning, cultural integrity, and community-centred education
• Reliability, consistency, and a collaborative approach to programme delivery

Desirable / Can Be Developed

• Competence with digital tools for scheduling, virtual engagement, and content sharing (e.g. video platforms, shared documents, community spaces)

Qualifications

• Formal qualifications in history, education, cultural studies, or related fields are welcome but not required; equivalent professional or lived experience is equally valued

Main Responsibilities/ Key Duties

• Curate reading lists and learning materials: Develop thoughtful, accessible reading lists focused on African and Diaspora history, literature, political thought, and cultural movements. Select texts that reflect diverse geographies, time periods, and perspectives, balancing academic depth with community accessibility.
• Plan and facilitate book club sessions: Organise, schedule, and lead regular book club sessions in both online and in-person formats. Design session structures that support preparation, discussion flow, and inclusive participation. Create a welcoming environment that encourages shared learning rather than hierarchical instruction.
• Lead critical discussion and reflection: Facilitate informed, respectful, and challenging conversations that encourage participants to analyse texts critically, reflect on historical and contemporary relevance, and apply learning to personal, collective, or organisational contexts.
• Participant engagement and learning tracking: Monitor attendance, participation levels, and learning outcomes to assess engagement and identify opportunities for improvement. Adapt facilitation approaches based on participant feedback and group dynamics.
• Coordinate guest contributors: Identify, invite, and coordinate guest speakers, authors, historians, or subject matter experts whose lived experience or expertise enhances discussion and deepens understanding of selected themes.
• Digital collaboration and engagement: Work with digital teams to support virtual sessions, share reading materials, discussion prompts, and supplementary content. Encourage ongoing dialogue through online platforms between sessions.
• Documentation and programme development: Capture key discussion points, insights, and participant feedback. Contribute to reflective summaries and recommendations that inform future reading selections and programme development.
• Link to wider CIC initiatives: Align book club themes with broader CIC educational goals, membership programming, and community initiatives. Support the integration of learning into collective practice, leadership development, and cultural programming.

What This Role Offers You:

• Leadership experience in designing and facilitating an educational programme with social impact.
• Personal growth through engagement with communities, critical reflection, and cultural education.
• Opportunity to shape a flagship learning initiative within a pioneering, values-led CIC.
• The satisfaction of empowering participants to connect with their history, identity, and collective culture.

What This Role Is Not For:

• Individuals seeking purely administrative tasks or content curation without engagement.
• Those unwilling to guide discussions that challenge assumptions and promote accountability.
• People expecting rigid, pre-defined responsibilities—this role requires creativity, facilitation skills, and adaptive problem-solving.

If you are ready to lead learning, inspire critical engagement, and strengthen community knowledge of African and Diaspora history, we want to hear from you. Apply now and become a key driver of transformative cultural education.

A Final Word

Learning is about people, not just books.

If you know that:

• Trust is built through thoughtful facilitation, care, and intellectual honesty
• Respectful handling of stories, histories, and lived experiences is a safeguarding responsibility
• Listening deeply and honouring diverse voices keeps learning communities strong

 …then you understand the heart of leading a book club rooted in African and Diaspora history.