Museum of London Group volunteer information
As an Event Coordinator you will be helping out with a wide range of practical aspects supporting our public events programme. This involves help setting up and packing away materials; assisting guides during walks or managing crowds during storytelling sessions etc.
You will be in constant contact with members of the public and it is important that you feel confident in dealing with people. You also need a keen interest in museum learning. The role offers an excellent opportunity for those wanting to pursue a career within museum education. It is also suitable for those with an interest in London's history.
We cannot guarantee that there will always be spaces available. To apply please send a CV with a covering letter explaining why you are interested in becoming an event coordinator to volunteering@museumoflondon.org.uk.
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The Conservation and Collection Care Department provides annual internship placements to students on a number of conservation training programmes. We would like to offer opportunities for experience for others interested in conservation and collection care work, but limitations on space and staffing do not allow this at this time.
Volunteer work at the Museum's archaeological archive is sometimes available; this offers valuable experience in collection care and handling archaeological materials. However, placements are in demand and limited. If you are interested in this, please email volunteering@museumoflondon.org.uk.
For information on training programmes in conservation and collection care, the website of the Institute of Conservation www.icon.org.uk is very useful, with lists of all the current programmes in the UK along with a general introduction to the profession.
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The Department of Early London History and Collections (c.400, 000 BC – AD 1700) takes volunteer work placements but can only accommodate one placement at a time. As a result we are frequently fully booked for many months ahead. Applicants requiring placements should apply several months in advanced of their desired slot. The Department is currently fully booked for the whole of 2008. We do not take volunteers at weekends or over the Christmas period.
Applicants should apply by sending their CV and a covering letter (specifying when they would like their placement to start) to volunteering@museumoflondon.org.uk.
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The Department of Later London History and Collections is currently not taking any additional volunteer work placements. It is likely that volunteer vacancies will become available once more in 2009, on the completion of the Museum's Capital City project.
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Vacancies are currently unavailable but we will be recruiting again soon, please keep checking for updated contact information.
Brief description of the vacancy
The Museum of London has an extensive programme for primary, secondary and SEN schools. We are looking for enthusiastic people to join a new volunteer programme to help schools on their visit, enabling them to have an enjoyable and worry free day.
Your duties would include meeting the schools and dealing with the administration, helping schools to the cloakrooms and lunchrooms, and taking them to their sessions. You would also help while the schools were exploring the galleries, and be able to talk to them about the period of time they are studying, helping them to answer questions on their worksheets.
Skills or qualifications
For this position you will need to have good communication skills, to be able to talk to children of all ages (ranging from 6 years old, to Sixth form students) confidently and enthusiastically. Ideally you would have experience working with children, and a desire to work with children to help them get the most of their Museum visit. Although training will be provided an interest in the history of London would be an advantage, as this is what you will be talking to the children about. You will also need to be able to talk to the teachers on the visit confidently as you will be their main point of contact for their time in the Museum.
Working as part of a team will also be important, as you will be working with a number of other volunteers depending on how busy the Museum is, you will also be working with the existing Front of house team, the Schools’ team and the freelancers and actors.
Although the schools have their itineraries planned out for them, sometimes these need to be amended depending on travel etc, so good organizational skills would also be an advantage – being able to work together with the other volunteers to work out the logistical arrangements for the schools visiting.
Training
Training will be provided to ensure that volunteers are fully equipped to help the teachers and children on their visit. Training will include:
- presentation skills, including a chance for volunteers to develop their own interpretation of briefings scripts
- advice on presenting to different audiences (primary/secondary)
- a chance to observe the sessions to which the groups are coming
- a brief introduction to how topics are covered in the National Curriculum
- Museum tour/information about the Museum.
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The London Archaeological Archive & Research Centre stores the archives of over 5000 excavations from London. Volunteers help us improve their storage & accessibility by packing objects, organising boxes and updating digital records.
We currently have no opportunities to volunteer on a one day a week basis.
If you are interested in a one or two week work placement please contact: volunteering@museumoflondon.org.uk. , contact Dan Nesbitt at dnesbitt@museumoflondon.org.uk or call 020 7566 9308. Placements should be booked at least 6 months in advance.
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Visitor Services at the Museum in Docklands normally takes school work experience placements through Trident. We accommodate up to two candidates on a two week programme which includes all aspects of the front of house role. This placement is best suited to pre-sixteen (year 10’s). We can also modify this placement for post-sixteen (year 12) which is normally sourced through Trident. Candidates should approach their schools in the first instance for more information.
Applications outside of the Trident scheme should be made to volunteering@museumoflondon.org.uk dutymanagersmid@museumindocklands.org.uk. We would then look for an approval letter from the candidate’s school and parents.
We do not offer volunteering opportunities outside of this.
For any other queries about volunteering please contact: volunteering@museumoflondon.org.uk.
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