Volunteer Role Profiles
Volunteer Shop Manager
Ideally suited to someone with retail experience, the Shop Manager is responsible for ordering
stock at the start of and during each season. He/She has to stock take and price all goods, using
the computerised till. The Shop Manager checks all shop invoices, decides the layout of the shop,
and liaises with the Reception volunteers over the day to day running of the shop.
This role would suit people who are:
 Experienced retailers or buyers
 Able to work well independently and as part of a team
 Happy to operate a computerised till
 Meticulous to detail
Reception Volunteer
As the first point of contact for visitors, the Reception Volunteer welcomes them to the Museum
and assists them as required. The role includes staffing the Reception desk, selling admission and
Falcon tickets, offering Audio Guides, introducing the Museum and its collection, selling items from
the shop and cafe, and assisting with or referring enquiries about the Museum and local area.
Training will be given, especially in the use of the till and drinks machine, and generally about the
Museum. Reception volunteers are expected to arrive before opening time in order to open up the
museum and to switch on/ set up anything required if doing a morning duty and to close everything
down and lock up if working the afternoon shift.
Reception Volunteers usually work in pairs on either morning or afternoon shifts during the open
season, from Easter to the end of October. They are invited to an annual Training Session, before
the Museum is open, to familiarise themselves with any changes made during the winter.
This role would suit people who are:
 Approachable and helpful
 Confident to deal with the general public
 Able to work well independently and as part of a team
 Happy to operate a computerised till
 Looking for retail/ visitor services experience
Fund Raising Volunteer
The Museum receives no government subsidy and raises all its own income from visitor
admissions, shop sales, events and from grant making bodies. Fund raising volunteers work
closely with the Committee to raise funds for specific projects. Much of this work can be done from
home – materials will be provided.
This role would suit people who are:
 Organised
 Willing to research grant making bodies and their criteria
 Attentive to detail
 Computer Literate
 Have fund raising experience, or who are looking for that experience and are willing to learn
Documentation Team Volunteer
The Documentation Team works with the Curator to record the Museum’s collection (that includes
photographs, written documents and objects) and to conserve the collection. Documentation
Volunteers enter data about the collection onto our specialist database and in our paper register
(full training will be given), help identify objects, answer queries from visitors, photograph the
objects, scan photographs, store objects correctly, and log environmental data. The team meets
on Wednesdays throughout the year, but it is possible to work on other days, or occasionally from
home, if preferred
This role would suit people who are:
 Able to pay attention to detail
 Able to enter data accurately onto a database
 Manually dexterous and computer literate
 Willing to do small amounts of research work
 Knowledgeable, or willing to learn, about conservation work and the Museum’s collection
 Approachable and helpful
IT Volunteer
The IT Volunteers work as part of the Documentation Team. They are responsible for maintaining
and setting up the Museum's computers and systems, including the till and phones. The Museum
uses open source software and some of that software has been adapted, or written, to the
Museum's specifications. The IT Volunteers are involved in specific projects throughout the winter
months and are then available to assist when required during the open season. Some of the work
can be done from home, if desired.
This role would suit people who are:
 Computer literate
 Problem solvers
 Interested in hardware installation or in adapting software
Display Team Volunteer
The Display Team works closely with the Maintenance Party, the Documentation Team and the
Curator. The Display Team Volunteers are responsible for researching, writing and creating the
displays throughout the Museum. The updating of displays takes place during the winter months.
The Museum also hosts temporary exhibitions to cover subjects in more detail than we normally
have space for. Recent, or planned exhibitions include: the Philippa Miller paintings, 'The Broads
at War', 'The 1912 Floods', 'Broadland's Olympians', 'Cantley's Centenary', and 'The Lost Railways
of the Broads.' We are also keen to work with associated local groups and individuals on the
planning and creation of temporary exhibitions.
This role would suit people who are:
 Interested in Broads history
 Knowledgeable, or willing to learn about aspects of Broads history
 Good communicators
 Confident writers and designers
 Able to pay attention to detail
 Good model makers
Falcon Volunteer
Our steam powered launch, Falcon, dates from 1894. She was originally owned by the Lacon
Brewery and then worked in several roles before being restored to full working order by Museum
volunteers. Falcon offers our visitors a unique river trip and our crew act as guides to the area, the
wildlife and to the boat. She operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when the
Museum is open, as well as on our special events days.
Falcon volunteers are taken from the Museum's maintenance team. They are fully trained as
helmsmen/women to act as the boat's skipper, or as engineers as the boat required a 2 person
crew to operate.
Maintenance Party Volunteer
The maintenance party operates as a team and meets on Wednesdays throughout the year. It is
responsible for the maintenance of the Museum buildings, boats and other artefacts. The role is
varied and would suit volunteers with a wide range of interests. Where appropriate, training can be
given as required to suit the needs.
This role would suit people (male/female) who are:
 Happy to work as part of a team
 Willing to do a variety of maintenance tasks
 Retired tradespeople, boat builders and yard workers
 Keen DIY-ers
 Unskilled, but willing to help
 Willing to talk to the general public
 Looking for maintenance experience
Education Volunteer
The Museum aims to enable all of its visitors to learn about the history and development of the
Broads. We use different types of interpretation to facilitate different styles of learning, including
inter actives and audio guides. We are especially keen to welcome families and school groups and
our children's activities include quizzes and puzzles, a Museum Trail, knot tying, dressing up,
explorer's tools including tape measures, binoculars, magnifiers and magnets, and a play boat.
We also hold regular events and family activity days throughout the summer season.
The Education volunteers work closely with our Education Officer and Curator to keep the loan
boxes stocked, help with family activity days, develop teacher's packs and children's activities, and
lead school groups. Education Volunteers may have to complete an enhanced CRB check.
This role would suit people who are:
 Good communicators
 Knowledgeable, or willing to learn about the Museum's collection and history of the Broads
 Confident to deliver education sessions to children or young people
 Knowledgeable, or willing to learn about the National Curriculum and learning styles
 Approachable and helpful
 Experienced in working with school age children or with older people, or wishing to gain
experience in working with school age children or with older people
Falcon Team Co-ordinator
The Museum's Falcon volunteers work as engineers or helmsmen. The crew rota ensures that
Falcon is able to steam when advertised and offer boat trips to our visitors. The Falcon coordinator ensures that the rota is filled and is the first point of contact for the volunteer crew. Works
closely with the Works Director.
This role would suit people who are:
 Good communicators
 Experienced in working with volunteers and as part of a team
 Organised
 Is an established member of the Falcon Team and has an understanding of the operation of
historic working machinery.
Outreach Volunteer
Our Outreach Volunteers are involved in representing the Museum at outside events and
exhibitions, giving talks to local groups and in taking oral histories. Full training will be given. We
also hope to offer reminiscence sessions for older people in the future. Outreach Volunteers may
have to complete an enhanced CRB check.
This role would suit people who are:
 Good communicators
 Confident to deal with the general public
 Willing to address audiences from a variety of backgrounds and ages
 Knowledgeable, or willing to learn about the Museum's collection and history of the Broads
 Approachable and helpful
Volunteer Co-ordinator
The Museum has over 60 volunteers who work in a variety of roles, and give a varying amount of
their time weekly or monthly. The Volunteer Co-ordinator will work with the Works Director, Curator
and Committee to plan the workforce needs of the Museum, write and update volunteer roles as
appropriate, promote the Museum, advertise and recruit volunteers, organise the Reception rota,
support volunteers, organise meetings/ social events/ outings and be the first point of contact for
volunteers.
This role would suit people who are:
 Good communicators, both to individuals and to groups
 Experienced in working with volunteers and as part of a team
 Have HR or management experience
 Organised
Able to give at least one full day to the Museum each week
Committee Members and Trustees
The Museum of the Broads is an independent museum, a limited company and a charitable trust.
It is managed by a Committee that comprises the Trustees and other Officers of the Museum.
Each Committee member has a responsibility for an area of the Museum and/or team of
volunteers. For more information about becoming a Trustee, or an Officer, please talk to the
Curator or Chair of the Trustees.
Roles undertaken by the officers include Publicity, Events, Friends, Marketing material, Finances,
Collection management and Maintenance.