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 in Museums 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
We currently have the following volunteering opportunities available:
Culture Shock Broadcasting Assistant (Various Events)
Culture Shock is a digital stroytelling project which engages people from across the North East to create digital stories that are inspired by the museum collections of the North East Regional Museums Hub. We are looking to recruit a team of volunteers to support the final phase of the project which will involve a major broadcasting programme where stories will be shown in public places across the region.
The role will include supporting staff at events by helping with set up, collecting feedback from members of the public and engaging members of the public in the Culture Shock stories.
This role is available at a number of events across the summer.
Community Fundraising Assistant
We are looking to recruit a team of volunteers to help raise funds on behalf of Tyne & Wear Museums Development Trust, our registered charity supporting the work of Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums. The role involves supporting fundraising initiatives and will include talking to museum visitors or people in the street about our charity, encouraging donations in collecting tins and acting as stewards at fundraising events.
This will not be a regular role and volunteers may be called upon at short notice. Full training will be provided by our Development Co-ordinator.
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 us stating which role(s) you are interested in.
Volunteers Co-ordinator
Discovery Museum
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums
Blandford Square
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4JA
Museum Volunteering Opportunities in the North East
The following opportunites are available at museums and galleries across the North East. Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums are not responsible for any of the opportunities listed. To express an interest in these opportunities please contact the relevant person listed.
The Bowes Railway, Springwell
The Bowes Railway is the oldest operational preserved standard gauge rope hauled railway in the world. The railway is a registered charity and urgently needs people who are enthusiastic and also have the following skills:
Mechanical Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Metal working; Welding; Joinery; Painting
The skills are needed in order to maintain and restore the loco’s, stock, track and equipment at the railway and museum.
The site is open to visitors Monday to Friday 09.00 -16.00 and operating days (normally weekends).
All volunteers will be supervised initially by the site manager, who is employed by the railway, and tasks will be assigned on the basis of not only volunteers’ interests but also their ability. Where necessary training will be provided.
Do you have commercial skills?
Volunteers are also required to help with other aspects of the running of the site, particularly on operating days, such as:
Guided tours; Exhibitions and workshop display; Shop; Refreshments; Ticket sales; Education; Publicity; Museum organisation and development
For further information please see the railway’s website www.bowesrailway.co.uk If you are interested in volunteering please email steve.france@sunderland.gov.uk giving your contact details and areas of interest.