Community and Learning Volunteers - Whipsnade, United Kingdom - The Zoological Society

The Zoological Society

Verified Company

Whipsnade, United Kingdom

5 days ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Position Details:

Are you interested in people from all sorts of backgrounds? Do you love nature and animals? We have a fantastic opportunity to volunteer with our vibrant Community and Learning team at Whipsnade Zoo In this role you will be making a really important contribution to our diverse Education and Community program.

Your role as a volunteer could vary from day to day, such as assisting school groups, participating in community volunteering, or helping with our practical, hands-on Zoo Academy course.

By supporting visitors from all backgrounds, you will directly contribute to the zoo's mission of creating a world where wildlife thrives

We're looking for positive, friendly, and supportive Community and Learning Volunteers who can engage with our diverse audience. This is a brilliant opportunity to share your love of the natural world with a wide variety of people and help endorse our belief that nature is for everyone

Overview of the Role:

Purpose of the role:

This role will champion, promote and support educational, accessible and inclusive activity at Whipsnade Zoo through:

Supporting Educational workshops
Supporting Community programming
Supporting with Courses (These could be animals, horticulture or wellbeing)

Commitment of role:

This is a project-based role - the volunteer will be present to support a particular event or a particular project.

Events and projects happen throughout the week and across the year.

Volunteers are not expected to support on all projects and can choose which ones they want to get involved with.

This volunteer role is flexible and can work around individual availability.

You don't need to volunteer on the same day each week and can do as much or as little as you wish.

There are three elements to this role (as outlined above) and volunteers can choose to volunteer in one, two or all three.

Main tasks volunteer will be asked to undertake:

Volunteers can support in any or all of these areas and the choice of where you provide support will be up to you.

Supporting Educational workshops by:

Assisting the Learning team to deliver a wide range of innovative learning programmes to school groups during Monday-Friday UK term time.
Assisting the Learning Team to host events, such as teachers workshops, to promote the learning provision to school audiences.

Supporting the Community Engagement Programme and Accessible Activities with the delivery of inclusive engagement on-site, including but not limited to:

Delivering and/or supporting
Welcoming visitors and engaging in activities to support Relaxed Opening
Delivering British at events or activities
Delivering and/or supporting

Audio Described Tours

Supporting with practical courses

Paid for Practical courses run on Saturdays and Sundays and in school holidays throughout the year. Alternative provision courses run ad-hoc throughout the year.

It is preferable that volunteers can commit to a certain amount of days if volunteering with a practical course:

For Junior Zoo Academy both days of the course are preferred
For Zoo Academy, at least 2 days in a run of 5 are preferred
Zoo Explorers is a oneday course
Alternative provision it is preferred you attend the whole 6 week course.(course only runs 1 day per week for 6 weeks)

Anticipated qualities, skills and experience that the volunteer will bring:
Essential

Ability to work in a team and work collaboratively.
Interest in and basic awareness of accessibility initiatives
Good communication skills
Reliability
Commitment to accessibility and inclusion
Comfortable to be outside in all weathers.
Ability to demonstrate ZSL's values inspiring, innovative, impactful, collaborative, ethical.
Enthusiasm for working with a diverse audience including young people and those with additional needs

Desirable - but not essential

Knowledge and confidence in Makaton or BSL

NB Volunteers must be aged over 16+ years

Skills and experience volunteer will gain:

An opportunity to be involved in an international conservation charity.
Training and an opportunity to learn new skills, gaining a valuable insight into this area of work.
Contributing to a critically important area of visitor engagement for ZSL.
A chance to volunteer in a beautiful natural environment, alongside our amazing animals.

Relevant training may include: