Volunteer Role Description: Pitt Rivers Museum Tour Guide

Volunteer Role Description: Pitt Rivers Museum Education Guide

About Guided Trails

A trained team of volunteers leads guided trails for primary school groups at the Pitt Rivers Museum. These guided trails highlight key objects relating to a variety of topics in an interesting and interactive way. The trails last 75 minutes and are delivered using questioning techniques and some object handling. They take place between 10.00am and 2.30pm on weekdays during Oxfordshire term times.

·  Volunteers are trained to deliver guided trails focussing on certain topics, such as Ancient Egypt, the Aztecs, and Native Americans.

·  Trails last approximately 75 minutes, including time for the group to complete a self-guided trail around the Museum.

·  Generally, three volunteers are scheduled to deliver trails to one class.

·  The maximum class size is 35. Each class is divided into three and each volunteer takes a maximum of 12 pupils on each tour.

·  Trails are aimed at primary school children from reception class (age 4-5) to Year 6 (age 10-11).

·  Bookings for particular trails are organised as and when teachers need them.

·  Volunteers will need to arrive early to ensure that they are ready to start on time. Volunteers may store their belongings in a locker.

·  The team is coordinated by the Pitt Rivers Primary Education Officer.

Commitment

Volunteers are recruited and trained for this role periodically. Once they have joined the team, they can expect to deliver trails according to school bookings. On average, this works out about once every week – although the rota is flexible.

About Pitt Rivers Museum Education Guides

·  Enthusiasm for the collections and ability to pass this on to children is more important than expertise.

·  You will appreciate the need to present sensitive issues surrounding the Museum’s history and collections in a neutral and considered way.

·  You will enjoy and be confident in presenting to and managing groups of children in a busy museum setting. We will support you as you get started.

·  This role does require moving through the Museum, which has numerous stairs and many narrow spaces, so you will need to be physically fit and able.

Training

Prior to joining the team, volunteers shadow existing volunteers delivering an Ancient Egypt trail to a school group. Education staff then explain the trail, class management issues and relevant objects in detail. Volunteers are then asked to prepare and deliver the trail to both a member of staff and an established volunteer before being signed off to deliver the tour to school groups. Volunteers are then supported to build up the knowledge necessary to deliver other guided trails. Volunteer Guides continue to be assessed beyond their initial training and have regular briefing meetings with the Primary Education Officer on the first Monday morning of every month. Volunteers must be able to attend at least 50% of these meetings.

Why you might enjoy this role

The opportunity to:

·  join a friendly, enthusiastic, and supportive team of volunteers

·  develop and improve presentation and communication skills

·  interact with school groups and inspire pupils and teachers

·  share your passion for history, anthropology, or the Museums’ collections

·  contribute to the Museum’s public education and accessibility remit

·  improve your knowledge of the collections