Family Interpreter

Do you love the natural world and want to share it with others? Could your family help other families discover their local nature reserve and recommend the best bits? We have secured National Lottery Heritage funding for a programme of events, activities and site improvements to make RSPB Old Moor even better for our wildlife and visitors. A major aim of the project is to engage with families and capitalise on Old Moor's ability to introduce young people and families to how amazing wildlife is. Could you help us to do this? As we focus on reaching out to families, we are looking for people: • Who are cheerful and friendly • Who can start a conversation with anyone, and engage with children especially • who are itching to share their enthusiasm for wildlife and show off their local reserve • to interpret the reserve to families and first-time visitors who may be new to wildlife and bird watching • to share stories of the reserve's wildlife and heritage with children and their families. • Who can help families make the most of their visits to Old Moor and give them nature “wow!” moments. Could you spark the imagination with tales of the Bittern's return to the valley or the epic journey of our eels? Are you bubbling with enthusiasm and have the sense of fun to engage with young children? Obviously Covid-19 is affecting the delivery of our National Lottery Heritage project, but we are keen to recruit volunteers so that when restrictions lift, we are ready to go. We are advertising a similar role, our Wildlife Guides, for engaging with adult visitors rather than families.

Enthusiasm, imagination and desire to have fun! An interest in and enthusiasm for conservation/ wildlife and passion for sharing that with others. The confidence and ability to engage with and inspire the general public of all ages and levels of wildlife knowledge in a friendly and professional manner. A can-do attitude. Excellent communication skills. Happy to volunteer outside and able to be out and about on our reserve all day. Willingness to undertake the training to enable you to complete the family interpreter role for RSPB Old Moor. Some of this training is online, but we will give you the support you need.

Minimum:

Flexible- role focused on families so will be based at weekends and school holidays.

Duration:

Ongoing

Period:

All year round

Use your creativity and imagination to help develop/ deliver fun and interactive ways of telling families and children the stories of wildlife and history of Old Moor and the Dearne Valley. Share in the excitement and fun of discovering wildlife such as dragonfly larvae, birds or finding fantastic fungi. The opportunity to meet all sorts of people, through interacting with our visitors of all ages and experience levels and be a valued part of a friendly, supportive team, receive quarterly newsletters about the RSPB in the Dearne Valley and be invited to volunteer events. Keeping fit, active and healthy through a varied role out and about on the reserve. The training and regular line management support to help you excel in your family interpreter role, including the facts behind the stories of our wildlife and history which would interest families, as well as vital things like safeguarding our visitors and ensuring you get the most from volunteering with us. Gain a greater understanding of the RSPB, it's vision and ways of working, and our management of sites in the Dearne Valley. Be part of that team and represent the RSPB to visitors, with your RSPB uniform and name badge. We can provide reference of your volunteering with us, if appropriate

Contact

Elizabeth Harding, Old Moor
Tel: 01226 273830
Email: Elizabeth.harding@rspb.org.uk

Notes

There is a similar role, “Wildlife Guide”, being advertised. The Wildlife Guide role is very similar but focused more on adults rather than children and youth. The family interpreter engagement might be presented more as a story and wildlife guide more fact based. Background information, training and uniform will be provided for you. Travel expenses to and from your volunteering can be reimbursed (up to 25 mile radius each way). The RSPB is the country's largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. By volunteering your time and talents you can help us increase our impact and help us protect nature. Like nature, our survival depends on diversity. Nature has no borders and neither do we. We believe that nature is everybody's right and being an equal, diverse organisation is the right thing to do to find solutions to our common challenges. We recognise the value of difference and want all volunteers to feel welcome, included and able to be themselves. We want to better reflect the communities in which we work so particularly welcome more volunteer applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and people under 25. We have a good representation from people with disabilities amongst our volunteers and are open to discussion of any adjustments you may need or want to volunteer.