Are you looking for an opportunity to get more involved in the work of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums? Do you think that you can use your skills and interests to make a difference in the work that we do?
Learn new skills, meet new people and become part of the organisation through volunteer positions at our venues.
Full time, part time, short term options
Opportunities Across the North East
What's in it for you?
There are lots of reasons why you may want to volunteer with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. These are just some of them:
Strengthen your CV
Develop your skills and your CV with some volunteering. Many of our volunteers have found that through their time with us, they have learnt skills and grown confidence that has helped them to gain employment. Although none of our placements have turned directly into paid employment, a number of our volunteers have gone on to gain employment with us at a later date.
Make new friends
Meet like-minded people through a volunteer placement with us.
Transport costs
We will cover all transport costs both to and from your volunteer placement and any trips that you need to make as part of the job. This can either be the cost of public transport or car mileage.
Staff discount
All volunteers are entitled to a staff discount at TWAM cafes and shops.
We are sorry but we do not cover the cost of childcare.
What do our volunteers do?
Our volunteers are currently involved in a range of activities, including:
- Being the welcoming face of our venues: by working on the information desks to meet and greet visitors.
- Volunteering in the stores and helping to catalogue our extensive collections.
- Volunteering with the learning teams to help facilitate exhibitions and explain exhibits to visitors.
- Bringing our rail heritage alive by helping with the day to day running of Stephenson Railway Museum.
- Stewarding or assisting with the organisation of special events.
Full time, part time, short term options
Volunteering with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums is very flexible and we appreciate the time that volunteers give to us: whether long or short term. Volunteers can offer anything from a day a month right through to full time support. We also offer some student placements for set periods of time.
Current Opportunities
Date Added: May 2013
Role: Migration Gallery Tour Guide
‘Destination Tyneside’ will be a new permanent gallery in Discovery Museum, opening on the 13th July 2013. The gallery will explore the history of migration in the North East with a particular focus on the 1800s.
We are looking to recruit a group of volunteers to lead short tours in the gallery. There will be two gallery tours per month, on the first and third Wednesday of the month for the first 12 months.
Tours can be lead by a single volunteer or in pairs. The tours will be held from 2nd to the 14th July 2013 to July 2014. You will be able to give availability for at least the next few months, and you won't be expected to do every tour! You will need to be free on Wednesdays, and there may be the opportunity for Saturday events in the gallery from time to time.
Full training with be provided by Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums staff. This will include information on leading tours and the gallery objects. We are hoping that we could start training volunteers towards the end of June.
Hopefully you'll be friendly, confident when talking to new people, and keen to learn more about migation in the north east!
If you'd like more information about this role, please just get in touch.
Date Added: April 2013
Role: Discovery Dads Activities Host
We are on the lookout for a few volunteers to join our current Activities Hosts for Discovery Dads - a group of dads, family men and their children, who visit the Discovery Museum on the second Saturday of the month from 11.00am – 12.30pm.
Volunteers would need to be at the venue in advance of their arrival to set up and will also need to tidy up the space afterwards, so be on site from 10.30am – 1.00pm.
Tasks include assisting checking that the Science Maze activity area has been booked with the Front of House staff, check the space is set up with tables/chairs, collect the Discovery Dads box, collect box with craft activity if available, welcoming group members, making sure the group has everything they need and liaise with Discovery Museum staff if anything is required.
Hopefully you'll be friendly, confident, and happy to chat to dads and young children! You'll be introduced to the group by learning staff at Discovery Museum.
This role is subject to an enhanced CRB check.
Date Added: February 2013
Role: Late Shows Event Steward
The North East's fantastic Museums at Night event is set to return on 17 and 18 May 2013 when popular venues in NewcastleGateshead will open their doors to culture seekers on this after-hours event.
Venues involved in the evening are asked to programme an event or activity that would be different to their normal offering and over the years we’ve seen everything from interactive art, workshops and demonstrations, exhibition previews, live music and DJs and artist talks.
We are putting a call out for individuals to volunteer as Event Stewards during these evenings in May. Duties will include meeting and greeting, handing out glowsticks and programmes to the public, providing information on venues and bus stops to visitors, and to be the face of your venue! You may also be asked to assist with learning activites.
We are asking the volunteers to stay from 7pm - 11pm, but some people may need to leave earlier if dependant on public transport.
Volunteers should be friendly, approachable, and confident, though this could be a role to help you increase your confidence in talking to new people!
If you’d be interested in being a part of this ’Museums at Night’ phenomenon, please email us at: thelateshowsvolunteers@twmuseums.org.ukwith your expression of interest and we will get back to you.
You can find out more about the late Shows 2013 at: http://www.thelateshows.org.uk/ .
Date Added: June 2012
Role Title: Visitor Research Volunteer
The Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums communications team is responsible for the marketing, PR and visitor research in all 12 of our venues.
The team require a group of volunteers to support them in carrying out visitor research in all venues.Hours are flexible and we'd require as little as between half a day and 3 days volunteering in each of the following months - May, August, November, and February. We require volunteers to do both weekdays and weekends.
This role would be best if you were IT literate as the survey results will be entered into a computer.Volunteers should be friendly, approachable, and confident in talking to people and gathering surveys. Basic training will be provided and this could be a good opportunity if you want to gain confidence or learn some research skills.
We are always interested in people to get involved with this role, so whatever the time of year, please get in touch!
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for any of the above roles please contact the Volunteer Team stating which role(s) you are interested in Volunteering@twmuseums.org.uk Discovery Museum, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA.
If your volunteer role requires you to work directly with children, young people or vulnerable adults, we will need you to apply for a Criminal Records Bureau Standard Disclosure Certificate. Details on how to do this will be provided.
Opportunities Elsewhere in the North East
Please note that the opportunities below are not co-ordinated by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. If you are interested, please use the contact details provided with each opportunity.
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Date Added: March 2013
Role Title : Finance Volunteer for the Friends of the Shipley
The Friends is a well established charitable trust which supports Gateshead’s Shipley Art Gallery through advocacy, and by making financial contributions to buy new exhibits, and contribute to costs of exhibitions and displays. The main activity is the organisation of an annual programme of talks and related events for members of the Friends and the public.
The work of the Friends is carried out by an elected management committee, which meets monthly between February and November each year.
The Friends now seek to appoint a Finance Assistant to help with the management of the finances of the Friends . The assistant to be responsible to the Honorary Treasurer of the Friends, and like the Hon Treasurer is a voluntary appointment .
The duties include:
Collecting and banking money received at Friends evenings (last Thursday in each month February to November)
Receiving and banking money paid to the Friends from various sources
Maintaining records of income and expenditure
Receipting and banking subscriptions made by members.
Assisting with the preparation of the Annual Financial Report
Assisting with the administration of Gift Aid.
Who should apply?
The post would suit a person wishing to gain experience in the museum and galleries sector, helping with other volunteers to support this well-known gallery, part of Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums. The requirements of the post are experience of accounting procedures, and attendance at the monthly committee meetings held in the gallery. Willingness to assist at the Friends evening events on the 4thThursday each month (February to November) would be welcomed.
If you think you’d be interested in doing this role, please get in touch with John Thompson at jma_thompson@hotmail.comor call 0191 2842797 .
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Volunteers needed for Lindisfarne Gospels Celebrations!
Volunteers are being sought to work with their local museum on Lindisfarne Gospels related activities to help celebrate the exhibition of the Lindisfarne Gospels in Durham this summer. On 1 July, this precious manuscript will go on show in a must-see exhibition in Durham University’s Palace Green Library. The exhibition will also be the focus of a celebration of the region’s rich cultural heritage and museums across the region will be staging Lindisfarne Gospels inspired events and activities throughout 2013 and would welcome the help and support of their local communities.
This is a great opportunity for people to really see what their local museum does and become a part of this huge regional celebration. The Lindisfarne Gospels are such a significant part of North East history, and museums across the region would welcome volunteers to make their planned activities and events extra special.
All that is required of volunteers is enthusiasm, as full training will be given about the history of the Lindisfarne Gospels, as well as communication skills and more. Travelling expenses will also be covered for this training.
If you’d like to join your local museum and become an integral part of the Lindisfarne Gospels celebration in 2013 please email 4schools@dur.ac.uk for the attention of Kirsty McCarrison (Project Officer) as soon as possible. Please include some basic information about yourself such as location and if you would like to, any information about your background and interests which you think may be relevant.
Details will then be forwarded to your closest participating museum and successful applicants contacted soon.