Volunteer Opportunities At The Wildfowl And Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge

Introduction to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust

In 1946, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust was founded at Slimbridge by Sir Peter Scott - his lifelong aim was to conserve wetlands and their wildlife for future generations to enjoy. WWT aims to conserve wetlands and their biodiversity.

WWT now operates a total of 9 Visitor Centres based around the UK. With the exception of WWT Caerlaverock and WWT Welney, each Centre houses a collection of birds in addition to a wild reserve area. WWT Caerlaverock and WWT Welney comprise wild reserves, to which many thousands of geese and swans flock to over-winter. WWT is now the largest UK charity dedicated to saving wetlands and their wildlife on an international scale. In total, WWT manages over 4,000 acres (1,721 ha) of land, much of which is managed and "farmed" specifically for the wildfowl. An extensive system of hides overlooking the reserves allows visitors to watch the birds without disturbing them.

Introduction to WWT Slimbridge

Slimbridge is situated by the bank of the River Severn and has over 300 hectares of wild reserve; it is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area and a Ramsar site. The reserve area is celebrated as a refuge for the White-fronted Geese and Bewick’s Swans that travel thousands of miles to spend the winter here. Within the collection birds, hundreds of ducklings, cygnets and goslings are cared for during the early part of the summer when the breeding season is at its height. Birds too delicate to survive British winters are housed at Slimbridge in a Tropical House, where many other small birds fly around and nest in the foliage. Slimbridge is also famous for its colourful flocks of the world's 6 kinds of flamingos.

2007 saw the start of a long-term development project at Slimbridge and the first new exhibits were opened; Crane School opened in June, followed by Toad Hall in August. April 2008 saw the opening of our Canoe Safari and Welly Boot Land, a new children’s play area, opened in July. A wetland mammal exhibit, Back from the Brink, and a new Kingfisher hide were opened in 2009 and the PondZone was extended and upgraded in 2010. 2010 also saw a lot of work on the walkways through the grounds with changes to Swan Lake and a new boardwalk through the centre of the grounds to give access to the native wetland habitat that was created when a new water system was introduced. In 2011 we opened a new wader exhibit, Wader Shore and our Rain Garden. It has been an exciting time to be involved at Slimbridge and the plans have not stopped. It has been an exciting few years and the plans have not stopped, 2012 saw the development of some of our flamingo flocks, with a new large African Flamingo area resulting in the opening of the spectacular Flamingo Lagoon.

With these new attractions added to long-term favourites such as Landrover safaris, Downy Duckling Days and winter Swan feeds, a day at Slimbridge has a lot to offer and with an enthusiastic team of staff and volunteers we hope to encourage more and more visitors to come and try the Slimbridge experience. Voluntary Work with WWT Slimbridge

WWT Slimbridge owes much thanks to volunteers for supporting the day-to-day running of the operation. Their help and dedication help us to provide excellent customer care for our visitors and maintenance of the grounds and reserve areas. Without their support we would not be able to offer such an interesting and enjoyable experience as we do. Volunteers help is in just about every area of our business which means that we are able to offer a wide variety of volunteer roles in the following areas:

• 1. Visitor Services • 5. Reserve Wardening • 9. Restaurant • 2. Education • 6. Canoe Safari • 10. Facilities • 3. Grounds Wardening • 7. Marketing • 11. Talks and Walks • 4. Back from the Brink • 8. Administration • 12. Gardening • 13. Other

All volunteers must be over the age of 16. Younger volunteers can take part in our Work Experience Scheme (please ask for details).

H.Q DEPARTMENTS

The headquarters of WWT are based at Slimbridge and encompass those Departments that are responsible for activities at all of the 9 WWT Centres. These include:

• Marketing and Fundraising • Publications • Membership and Adoptions • WWT Consulting • Conservation Programmes, Habitats & Ecosystems • Species and Populations

Voluntary work is available to limited numbers only and is usually unique to a project. If you are interested in helping with an HQ department please contact the Volunteer Coordinator who will provide you with contact details for the relevant department.

Questions and Answers...

What sort of people volunteer at WWT Slimbridge?

The volunteer team at WWT Slimbridge is an extremely diverse group of people, ranging in age from 16 to 80+! They can be retired people who are willing to lend some of their expertise that they have gained in their professional lives, or people of any age who have time to spare or would like to meet new friends. We also attract committed bird-watchers who enjoy sharing their knowledge with the public or our staff. Volunteers who are keen to gain a career in conservation or education come to gain hands-on experience, leaving with references and vital additions to their CVs. We also take a number of foreign students (staying in our on-site hostel) throughout the year, particularly during the summer months. Not all volunteers have a ‘motive’ for coming to WWT Slimbridge, however - some are happy to be part of a friendly and caring environment, doing ‘their bit’ for conservation. Is it all work?

To give all our volunteers the opportunity to meet each other and to say thank you for all the support and help that you have given the centre we have two or three social events a year including a summer event and a Christmas dinner. There are also opportunities to go on trips to other Centres or places of interest. You will also be invited to attend training sessions, informative talks and relevant staff meetings.

How much time do I have to commit?

We can offer full-time and part-time volunteering opportunities. The majority of our volunteers are part-time volunteers, usually committing to one to two days a week. Part-time volunteers normally have a set day of the week that they do which helps us with planning and means that they are part of a team of staff and volunteers that are in on that day. We recommend at least a 10 week period to get into the role and gain valuable experience however we often find that commitment continues for a longer term which is always encouraged! Full-time volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum placement of 6 weeks. This gives time for training and supervision and allows the volunteer to get a true reflection of what a role in their department is all about. We have a free hostel for volunteers on-site - please indicate if you are interested in staying here during your placement on the application form. Please be aware that paces are limited and are allocated on a first come, first served basis. We appreciate that as volunteers it may not always be possible to attend one of your duty days due to holidays, appointments or illness or that the amount of time that you may be able to commit may change. We ask that all of our volunteers keep us informed of any days that they cannot attend so that we can arrange cover if necessary and we can often be flexible with days and times should individuals’ commitments change.

Will I be able to look for paid work whilst volunteering?

Here at WWT Slimbridge, we are committed to providing as much help as we can to our volunteers who are here to gain work experience. Most WWT vacancies in Research, Visitor Services, Grounds, Reserve and other managerial posts, are advertised nationally. Other vacancies may be advertised locally. Vacancies are posted on the tea-room notice board for all staff and volunteers to see and details are also posted on the WWT website. The volunteer coordinator is also available for volunteers to discuss their progress within the organisation. These discussions also provide an opportunity to discuss any specific experience that you may want to obtain for a future career.

How do I get started in conservation?

Given that vacancies are few and competition is great, here are some tips: Get qualified. For some paid positions (e.g. Research Officer) a high level of academic competence is required within the biological sciences - a degree is often a minimum qualification. However, there are many opportunities for the less academically inclined and excellent courses exist for those interested in becoming a Warden. Show commitment. This can be shown in a number of ways - many people volunteer for future employment in conservation. Get involved with voluntary work and gain the vital experience that you need to become employed! Be flexible. Be willing to try a range of tasks during your time at WWT. There are times when you may be asked if you would help in another department for a day; this is a great way of seeing what else goes on at the centre. This may provide you with more to add to your CV and you may also find that you enjoy being in area that you had not previously considered. What Now?

If you are interested in applying for a voluntary position at WWT Slimbridge, please fill in the application form and return it to: Volunteer Co-ordinator The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, GL2 7BT.

We hold volunteer review meetings with Heads of Department every 8 weeks. Once we have received your completed form, your application will be considered at the next meeting with our Heads of Department. If they have a suitable vacancy we will contact you to arrange an informal interview, either with Volunteer Coordinator or the appropriate Line Manager. Attending an interview will give you the opportunity to discuss the placement and to meet other volunteers - you will have the chance to find out what it is really like to volunteer here!

We hope that you have found this information pack interesting and informative. WWT Slimbridge is an extremely rewarding place to volunteer for, in whatever role you chose - Volunteer for WWT Slimbridge and help to save wetlands for wildlife and people! If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact Sarah or Kate on 01453 891137 or email [email protected]

Volunteering at other WWT Centres

This pack only refers to volunteering at WWT Slimbridge but volunteers play important roles at all 9 of the WWT centres although volunteer roles at each centre vary. If you would like information on volunteering at any of the other WWT centres please contact the relevant centre using the numbers and addresses below to request more information.

WWT Arundel Wetland Centre WWT Caerlaverock Wetland Centre Mill Road, Arundel, Eastpark Farm, Caerlaverock, Dumfriesshire, Sussex BN18 9PB Scotland DG1 4RS T: 01903 883355 F: 01903 884834 T: 01387 770200 F: 01387 770539 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]

WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre WWT London Wetland Centre 78 Ballydrain Road, Comber, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes, Co Down, N Ireland BT23 6EA London SW13 9WT T: 028 9187 4146 F: 028 9187 3857 T: 020 8409 4400 F: 020 8409 4401 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre WWT National Wetland Centre Wales Fish Lane, Burscough, Llwynhendy, Llanelli, Lancashire L40 0TA Carmarthenshire SA14 9SH T: 01704 895181 F: 01704 892343 T: 01554 741087 F: 01554 744101 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]

WWT Washington Wetland Centre WWT Welney Wetland Centre Pattinson, Washington, Hundred Foot Bank, Welney, Tyne and Wear NE38 8LE Nr. Wisbech, PE14 9TN T: 0191 416 5454 F: 0191 416 5801 T: 01353 860711 F: 01353 863524 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]