Volunteer with Museums
Volunteering plays an important role in the Museums of the University of St Andrews and brings a number of benefits to the individuals who participate.
We offer five strands of volunteering with a variety of opportunities to suit your needs and interests. Opportunities will change over time; check back in future if there is nothing that currently interests you.
Our Museums Volunteer Policy (PDF) offers more information about volunteering with us.
How to apply
Look through the volunteer roles below. Once you have found something that interests you, complete an I'm interested form (Word) and return to museumlearning@st-andrews.ac.uk. You may be invited to an informal interview to check that this is the right role for you. You do not need to apply for the five-minute opportunities.
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Five-minute volunteering offers quick tasks you can do to support the museums. No signing up is necessary.
This type of volunteering is useful for those unable to dedicate much time, who cannot commit or are looking for something to do right now.Talk about us on social media
Why not share an experience you've had at the museum on social media to let others know what we do?
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This type of volunteering allows you to do something without leaving the house.
It is useful for those who are limited in time, who cannot give a fixed amount of time at set hours or who may find it difficult to travel.
Social Media Contributor
This role involves volunteering at home to take control of a particular theme for the museums’ social media channels and prepare relevant content to fit the theme.
What’s involved?
This role could include:- researching and creating content for a variety of social media platforms
- selecting relevant images
- a time commitment of 1 to 2 hours per month.
Why get involved?
By getting involved in this role you will- get training in writing for the web and social media guidelines for platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
- develop your skills in identifying content which links to specific themes/dates and in writing creatively
- get to see behind the scenes at the museum
- have a good time
- meet like-minded people with an interest in history, culture, the arts and science
- receive travel expenses to and from your placement.
Ideal skills
- knowledge of a variety of social media platforms
- research skills
- able to create engaging social media content
- creativity
Ideal interests
- university history and traditions
- social media
- digital engagement
Museums Blog Content Contributor
The Museums Blog Content Contributor can volunteer from home to research and write articles for the museums blog on topics linked to the University’s history and traditions, student life or the museums’ collections.
What’s involved?
This role could include:- creating content for the museums blog; researching content, writing engaging text and selecting interesting images
- a time commitment of 1 to 2 hours per month
Why get involved?
By getting involved in this role you will- receive training in writing high standard web content for different audiences
- develop your skills in researching and writing content for upload to the blog
- get to see behind the scenes at the museum
- have a good time
- meet like-minded people with an interest in history, culture, the arts and science
- receive travel expenses to and from your placement.
Ideal skills
- research skills
- ability to write in an engaging and creative manner
Ideal interests
- University of St Andrews history, traditions and student life
- social media
- digital engagement
Learning Resource Creator (Costume and Textiles)
Learning Resource Creators use their skills to help to make some of the fantastic costumes, crafts and models that are used with school groups and in family workshops. They can work at home or in a group at the museum.
What’s involved?
This role could include:- helping to create resources that are family and child friendly
- working with the Learning and Access Curator to identify needs and design solutions
- a time commitment of 2 to 6 hours per month.
Why get involved?
By getting involved in this role you will:- receive training in creating engaging resources, including costumes and play rugs
- be provided with all the materials you require
- see your creations benefit young learners
- get to see behind the scenes at the museum
- have a good time
- meet like-minded people with an interest in history, culture, the arts and science
- receive travel expenses to and from your placement.
Ideal skills
- sowing/needlework
- creativity
- problem solving skills and design ideas
Ideal interests
- young people
- sewing/needlework
- design
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Project volunteers fulfil specific projects that support staff, are time-limited and have concrete, tangible outcomes. They are likely to involve role-specific training and may involve a more intense period of participation than other opportunities.
We do not currently have any project opportunities available.
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Dedicated volunteers focus largely on one or two tasks which they fulfil regularly.
They are are ideal for people looking to give something back or who enjoy volunteering in a social setting.Learning and Access Volunteer
Being a Learning and Access Volunteer means coming into the museum on a regular basis to help with events. You will support the Learning and Access Curator in delivering events and, as you gain confidence and experience, may deliver parts of an event yourself.
What’s involved?
This role could include:- welcoming members of the public to a variety of events, from musical performances to family workshops and adult talks.
- preparing venues and resources for an event
- assisting staff members in the delivery of workshops, including craft activities and games
- as you develop, you may be able to deliver part of a workshop on your own with support from a member of staff
- a time commitment of 1 to 4 hours per month.
Why get involved?
By getting involved in this role you will:- receive training in working with the public, learning strategies and a variety of craft activities
- develop your skills in public engagement
- get to see behind the scenes at the museum
- have a good time
- meet like-minded people with an interest in history, culture, the arts and science
- receive travel expenses to and from your placement.
Ideal skills
- interpersonal and communication skills
- skills in one of the following: art and crafts, public speaking, public engagement, acting, creative writing, public science experiments
- ability to work with children.
Ideal interests
- working with the public
- teaching or community work
- science communication
- arts and culture.
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Skills-builder volunteers participate in a placement that takes place over the course of an academic year. Each participant gets a mentor who supports their project and works with you towards self-development. Particularly useful for those who want to gain experience or build their CV.
The closing date for the opportunities below is Monday 19 October 2020.
Marketing volunteer
This is a Skills-builder role, in which you will be trained, mentored and fully supported as you support marketing to student audiences.
What’s involved?
This role involves:- Personalised training and mentoring based on the skills and experience you wish to develop
- Planning, designing and evaluating audience understanding and student comms
- Experimenting with innovative storytelling techniques
- Around two hours a week but flexible
Why get involved?
By getting involved in this role you will:- Get training and experience in marketing approaches and survey and consultation design
- Develop your graduate attributes in diversity awareness, effective team contribution, creativity, confidence and adaptability, recognition of opportunities, self-awareness and reflection, organisation, networking, commercial and business awareness, and digital literacy.
- Influence how the Museums develop and move forward
- Get to see behind the scenes at the museum
- Meet regularly with a mentor who will guide you in the development of the skills and experiences you want
- Have a good time
- Meet like-minded people with an interest in history, culture, the arts and science
- Receive travel expenses to and from your placement if you live outside St Andrews.
Ideal skills
- Good eye for detail
- Creative
Ideal interests
- Audiences and people
- Marketing and market research
Evaluation and consultation volunteer
This is a Skills-builder role, in which you will be trained, mentored and fully supported as you develop and carry out evaluation and consultation that will help the Museums know how best to provide world-class experiences that meet the needs of their audiences.
What’s involved?
This role involves:- Personalised training and mentoring based on the skills and experience you wish to develop
- Planning and designing consultation and evaluation exercises
- Interacting with the public
- Analysing data and making recommendations
- Around two hours a week but flexible
Why get involved?
By getting involved in this role you will:- Get training and experience in survey and consultation design, project management, data handling and interpretation, and presentation skills
- Develop your graduate attributes in diversity awareness, interpersonal skills, research skills and problem solving, self-awareness and reflection, commercial and business interests, digital literacy and oral and written communication
- Influence how the Museums develop and move forward
- Get to see behind the scenes at the museum
- Meet regularly with a mentor who will guide you in the development of the skills and experiences you want
- Have a good time
- Meet like-minded people with an interest in history, culture, the arts and science
- Receive travel expenses to and from your placement if you live outside St Andrews.
Ideal skills
- Friendly and approachable
- Good eye for detail
- Methodical and creative
Ideal interests
- Audiences and people
- Marketing and market research
Retail Development Volunteer
This is a Skills-builder role, in which you will be trained, mentored and fully supported as you research, plan and develop an area of the Wardlaw Museum's retail offer aimed at the student market.
What’s involved?
This role involves:- Personalised training and mentoring based on the skills and experience you wish to develop
- Learning about the retail environment and bringing a product to market
- Developing an idea of the museum shop market and how this can fit within a wider retail perspective
- Developing a better understanding of digital offering and online retail
- Researching the products that would sell well in a museum shop
- Around two hours per week, but flexible.
Why get involved?
By getting involved in this role you will:- Receive training in market research and visual merchandising
- Research the products that would work best in the Museum shop, based on market research and offers in similar retail environments
- Set up a display of items you have selected for the shop, ordering, sourcing, pricing, and further merchandising the items
- Develop your graduate attributes in social responsibility, effective team contribution, inter-personal skills, creativity, organisation, commercial and business awareness, numeracy and networking
- Get to see behind the scenes at the museum
- Meet regularly with a mentor who will guide you in the development of the skills and experiences you want
- Have a good time
- Meet like-minded people with an interest in history, culture, the arts and science
- Receive travel expenses to and from your placement.
Ideal skills
- A basic understanding of retail
- Good team working skills
- Numeracy
- Creativity
Ideal interests
- Retail
- Entrepreneurship
- Marketing and market research