Visitor Experience Volunteer

In a nut shell, we are looking for volunteers who can provide a great visitor experience here on the reserve and who love nature as much as we do to join our team!! We'd like you to help improve our face to face engagement with visitors, making their experience as informative and enjoyable as possible. The role offers a range of tasks. Subject to your ability, skill and experience (and of course, willingness and available time): 1. Greet people at the visitor centre - as part of the RSPB's GREAT Welcome, we'd like you to welcome and inform visitors, while keeping the centre presentable and tidy. We are looking for individuals who can start conversations easily with people, establish a rapport and talk about the reserve and wildlife in the area. We're also keen for you to share your local knowledge with visitors. As required, be able to respond or collect information about visitor enquiries or event bookings and record visitor numbers. 2. Help to run or lead events - we'd like you to get involved in telling the stories of this reserve by engaging visitors and showing them some of the great wildlife and habitats found here. We'd like you to share your enthusiasm for nature and get people more involved, either through supporting the charity or raising awareness of challenges in the environment. 3. Maintaining and building visitor infrastructure (when opportunities arise) - Do you like building or repairing garden furniture and tidying outdoor spaces? Are you keen to look at challenges and come up with new ideas on how to achieve results? Mersehead has some great wild habitats but trails and various facilities do need to be kept in good condition. Whether this is edging paths or varnishing wooden structures, we'd like you to help us look after these. These projects can be rewarding and great for team members to meet and socialise on tasks too.

We're looking for people who have a warm, approachable and friendly personality and who are confident in making conversations with new people. An understanding of cleanliness, tidiness and good presentation is important. Good communication skills, etiquette and understanding of good customer service. Responsibility in handling small sums of money and operating a cash till (training will be given). Additional practical or creative skills are not essential but would be beneficial for taking on extra tasks (e.g. joinery, ground works, creative writing, decorating and artistic abilities). You don't need to be an expert but you should be enthusiastic about wildlife and its conservation and show a willingness to learn new skills.

Minimum:

2 days per month

Duration:

Ongoing

Period:

All year round

An opportunity to work as part of a small, friendly team and pass on your enthusiasm about nature to our visitors. You will meet and inspire new people and gain new skills. You will be directly helping to spread the message of the vital nature conservation work that the RSPB does here at Mersehead and across UK, as well as sharing your own experience of the local area. This role will help you gain a great experience in talking to people and develop your interpersonal skills, as well as helping to improve your social interaction with a wider audience. It will also help to improve your confidence and take on new responsibilities, enabling you to feel a sense of achievement, ownership and responsibility inclusively, as part of the team.

Contact

Calum Murray, Mersehead
Tel: 01387 780579
Email: Calum.Murray@rspb.org.uk

Notes

Appropriate training, background information and RSPB clothing will be provided, as necessary. Volunteers will have opportunity to develop in the role and take on small projects to improve skills and experience. Out-of-pocket travel expenses can be reimbursed (up to a 25-mile radius from the reserve). The RSPB is the UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds and wildlife, helping to create a better world for all of us. We belong to Birdlife International, the global partnership of bird conservation organizations. Your time and skills could make a real difference to the work of the RSPB and it would be great if you could join us. Before you begin, we'd like to set up a short informal interview at a time to suit you.