Volunteers
Get involved!
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.
Lunch costs
If you are placed in a venue with a café, lunch vouchers are available for any volunteer working a full day.
Staff discount
All volunteers are entitled to a staff discount at TWAM cafés 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
Could you be a Front of House Volunteer at the Shipley Art Gallery?
The Shipley Art Gallery are looking for a volunteer to join their front of house team help with supporting their busy exhibition and gallery programme in 2012.
The Shipley Art Gallery welcomes over 40,000 visitors a year and the front of house team are the first point of contact for schools and visitors. Alongside being one of the smiling faces of the gallery, this role would also involve moving collections, organising the stores, and setting up exhibitions and events.
We are looking for a friendly, positive individual with practical skills and commitment. If you're a good team player, good at problem solving and would love to get involved with an esteemed art gallery this is your chance! If you have basic technical skills (such as using tools) this would be beneficial.
The timescale of the opportunity can be discussed with individual candidates, but the Shipley is ideally looking for someone who could help one day a week.
You will be trained in health and safety, manual handling, working at heights, handling collections, and will be fully supported by the staff at the Shipley.
If you think you might be interested, we'd love to hear from you!
Could you be a Community Engagement Volunteer?
The Shipley Art Gallery are looing for 2 volunteers to assist their learning and outreach teams with communities and schools.
The Gallery are looking for friendly, flexible volunteers to tupport in bringing people into the gallery and ensuring it is a well-used community resource. This role would include researching community groups and discussing their needs, speaking to schools about possible visits, greeting and following up group visits, organising tours, and generally representing the welcoming nature of the gallery!
We are looing for volunteers who are friendly, calm, approachable, and have good organisational skills. An interest in museums and galleries would help you in this role!
This role will be based at the Shipley Art Gallery. The hours and days for the role can be discussed with volunteers individually, but 1 - 2 days a week is prefered.
Please get in touch if you feel you'd benefit from this opportunity!
Events Volunteers required at the Shipley Art Gallery!
The Shipley Art Gallery runs an exciting events programme, designed to attract and entertain a wide range of visitors during both open hours and during the evening. In 2012, the team are looknig to expand into a new series of events bassed around the decades of the 20th century.
We are looking for 2 volunteers to be immersed in the creative and practical planning of these events. You should be friendly, confident, creative, commited, and be willing to exercise your articulate communication skills!
Tasks will include programming meetings, events administration, liaising with staff across the gallery, and working with the Shipley team to set up and deliver these 5 star events.
This role will be based at the Shipley Art Gallery, and we would be looking for individuals who could commit to 1 to 2 days a week ideally.
Let us know if you'd love to get involved!
Market Research Volunteers Needed!
If you're interested in marketing, then this may be the role for you!
We require 3 volunteers to conduct some market research at 3 of our venues (the Laing Art Gallery, Discovery Museum, and the Great North Museum: Hancock), on the subject of how visitors would react to a new guidebook.
Tasks would include conducting surveys at 1 venue each over the February half term, imputting the data collected, and producing a report outlining the findings.
The volunteers would be needed the week beginning the 13th February 2012 for 5 days including Saturday 18th February 2012. The volunteers would then be required to come in for two subsequent days to input the data and produce the report. This would mean successful volunteers would have to be available for 7 days in total.
An interest in marketing and market research is preferred, as is expereince in data input in Microsoft Excel and the use fo Microsoft Word. The Communications team will produce the questionnaire and be offering training and advice in producing the report.
If you think you'd be available for the 7 days and you'd be interested in helping us, please get in touch!
Are you creative?
Are you aged between 13 - 19?
Do you have the ideas, enthusiasm or skills to make our project the best it can be?
If you answered yes to all of the above ... Come and join CultuRISE, and be a part the new World Culture Carnival. Using your enthusiasm, ideas and energy we want to create the most colourful, creative and friendly event for the summer of 2012
You will get new skills, training, access to professionals and an opportunity to show your capability, using your own knowledge and skills to help deliver the carnival.
We will create a role to suit your own interests and needs.
CultuRISE is part of NE-Generation, the North East programme funded by the Legacy Trust UK an independent charity set up to promote a sporting and cultural legacy, inspired by London 2012.
TO FIND OUT MORE & JOIN OUR TEAM, CONTACT SOPHIE:
Text: 07969 152 302
Visit our website: www.journeysofdiscovery.org.uk
Email: sophierobinson@twmuseums.org.uk
Come along on Wednesday nights where we meet at Dance City, 5pm - 7pm.
How to Apply
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.
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 or at Discovery Museum, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA
Opportunities Elsewhere in the North East
Volunteer Guides Needed for the Victoria Tunnel
The Victoria Tunnel was built in the 1830s to carry coal under the streets of Newcastle to staiths on the quayside. In 1939 it was opened as an air-raid shelter for Newcastle residents and is now open to the public for guided tours.
The Ouseburn Trust who oerate a programme of five guided tours each week within a 700 metres stretch of the Victoria Tunnel, is looking for volunteers to become tour guides.
Volunteers will undergo a comprehensive induction and training programme and will be supported by the existing team of guides. Volunteers are fully reimbursed for travel and any other incidental expenses.
Volunteers should: be passionate about heritage and the history of the North East; have experience of working with people; have excellent communication and organisational skills; be able to attend an occasional evening tour (finishing at 8.30pm) and occasionally at weekends; have the the enthusiasm and ability to work as part of a team.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please call Clive Goodwin on 0191 2616596 or email clive.goodwin@ouseburntrust.org.uk
Volunteers needed for AV Festival 2012
AV Festival 12: As Slow As Possible is a Festival in slow motion. For the first time the Festival runs for a whole month from 1 – 31 March 2012. It’s the most adventurous edition to date including over 15 major exhibitions, more than 50 film screenings and music events, weekend walks and an online radio broadcasting for 744 hours. The programme takes place at different speeds, paces and times of day across Newcastle, Gateshead, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, including an accelerated 24 Hour Launch.
There are various roles you can be involved in, under the headings of Festival Guides, Events and Exhibitions, Technical and Promotion and Market Research.
For full details and how to apply please visit : http://www.avfestival.co.uk/news/2011/12/14/call-for-volunteers by Friday 27th January 2012.