Visitor Experience Volunteer
We’re looking for friendly volunteers to join our team, supporting visitors to have a brilliant experience at the Museum.
The Museum of Power reopened to the public in 2024 after a £1.9 million redevelopment. The new exhibitions and working machines tell the story of Southend’s water supply and how steam, electricity, petroleum and renewable energy have shaped modern life. We’re looking for volunteers who enjoy working with the public and who are comfortable talking to families and adults of all ages and backgrounds. This is a great opportunity to learn customer service skills and experience behind the scenes at a museum.
What’s involved?
In this role you will:
- Welcome family and adult visitors, treating everyone with dignity and respect
- Be the first point of contact at the welcome desk and on the phone
- Share your passion for the Museum, helping visitors have an amazing time
- Handle cash and card transactions in the Museum shop
- Help maintain our spaces, displays and family-friendly resources, ensuring the Museum is clean and tidy
- Have the opportunity to learn more about the displays and exhibitions and progress to giving guided tours
- Support the Museum with admin tasks or audience research
Why get involved?
- Receive a full induction and training relevant to the role, including communicating with the public, health and safety and an introduction to the displays and exhibitions
- Gain skills and experience of customer service and working as a team
- Meet new people with similar interests
- Access to other volunteering projects and opportunities at the Museum
We are looking for someone who is:
- Friendly, approachable and helpful
- Enthusiastic about the Museum and its collections
- Reliable and trustworthy and able to provide one reference
- Confident talking to people of all ages and backgrounds
- Willing to learn about the displays and exhibitions (you might not know anything about the history of power, but you are keen to find out more)
What is the time commitment?
We are looking for volunteers who are available on Wednedsays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. You might be available in the morning or afternoon, or choose to volunteer for a whole day (9:00am – 4:30pm)
Ideally you will be available either once a week or once a fortnight.
You will have a named contact from the Museum team and there will be a duty manager on the day to support you, this is Debbie Thomas, the Museum Manager or James Gulleford, the Assistant Museum Manager.
How do I find out more?
For an informal chat about the role, please complete our short application form to tell us a bit about yourself.
If you have any questions or would like to apply in a different format, please contact us at: volunteers@museumofpower.org.uk