Welcome Volunteer

Swanwick Lakes Study Centre & Reserve

Times/days we'd like you to be available: 

Whether you can help on a weekly basis or occasionally, your support is welcomed. When starting new to post, it is better to have a frequent run of volunteering dates to settle into the role. We would like Welcome Volunteers to volunteer in teams of two, to ensure people don’t feel under pressure to undertake lone working. We’re particularly interested in starting Welcome Volunteers during the second half of the week currently and we hope to start covering some of the weekend going into spring and summer 2024

Hours: 9:30am–1pm (AM) and/or 12:30pm–4pm (PM) but open to negotiation.

HIWWT Volunteer Line Manager:

Swanwick Lakes Wilder Schools and Communities Officer.

Purpose of role:

• To promote and enhance visitors’ enjoyment and understanding of wildlife, Swanwick Lakes and the work of the Wildlife Trust.
• To help to maintain the area around the Centre and the car park, particularly the wildlife garden and to use the wildlife garden as a tool to engage with visitors.

Tasks involved in this role:

• Welcoming and talking to members of the public about HIWWT, Swanwick Lakes and wildlife/sustainability.
• Be a ‘visible presence’ on site and provide a friendly, approachable point of contact for visitors. Provide information to visitors and ensure that their behaviour is compatible with the aims of managing a nature reserve.
• Help visitors with their identification and knowledge of wildlife and help them get the best out of their visit to the nature reserve, including having living specimens to share for example pond creatures.
• Encourage people to leave comments in a visitor’s book and record people’s thoughts on signage and interpretation etc. ahead of future work on the interpretation at Swanwick.
• Taking donations, potentially handling small amounts of money and keeping records of sales of small items.
• Encourage visitors to take part in current Trust or Swanwick Lakes trails or events (such as monthly Wildlife Tots sessions, or one-off events such as half term pond dipping – posters will be in hut and/or Ed Centre).
• Help maintain the wildlife garden, & the surrounding area in a safe, clean and tidy condition by clearing up rubbish as appropriate and making sure leaflets are available. Potentially keep an eye on the Centre lobby and toilets (especially if staff out on reserve).
• Undertake other appropriate assistance in relation to the role of Welcome Volunteer as may be reasonably requested by the Swanwick Lakes staff team.
• Work in compliance with the Trust’s Health and Safety Policy, GDPR policy and Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy at all times, taking appropriate action and reporting back on potential hazards, accidents and other issues such as evacuation and emergency procedures.
• Please note this role is subject to a basic DBS check due to the likelihood of frequently engaging with regular visitors.

May include opportunities to..

• Unlock and lock the Centre
• Promote and encourage visitors to support the Trust through membership, donations, attending events and volunteering.
• Undertake minor wardening and practical site management tasks, for example cutting back overhanging branches or dealing with minor path obstructions and problems.

Skills and abilities needed:

Essential:

• Trustworthy, reliable and responsible.
• Happy to talk to members of public.
• Ability to remain motivated and enjoy watching wildlife. on “quiet” days with fewer visitors.
• Willingness to be identifiable as a volunteer by wearing Trust uniform (provided).

Desirable:

• Experience of working with members of the public.
• Knowledge of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve.
• Ability to enthuse visitors.
• Have an interest in local wildlife, particularly watching it and learning about it.
• Have an interest in wildlife conservation and. sustainability.
• Happy to handle small amounts of money.

Special considerations:

• This volunteer role will require a DBS check.
• This volunteer role may have the opportunity for first aid training. 

What's in it for you..!

• Meet new people.
• Learn new skills.
• Improve your wildlife knowledge.
• Gain experience in being involved with the Wildlife Trust.
• Have an influence and input into your local wildlife reserve.
• Possible opportunities for taking part in training courses relevant to the role.
   

Apply now!