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Volunteering search
On these pages we show volunteering opportunities with a wide range of waterway groups. You can simply browse the listed opportunities or filter your search using the fields below.
If you would like to list a volunteering opportunity here please email volunteer@britishwaterways.co.uk
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British Waterways - GIS support, Strategic Waterway Plan Development
This is a great time to get involved with British Waterways as we take the leap from the public to the third sector, helping secure a better future for the nations 2,200 miles of inland waterways. Your work will help shape our development at this vital stage as we move towards launching as the Canals & Rivers Trust later this year.
Through this role you will provide GIS support to produce the Strategic Waterway Plans for the 12 local waterway partnership areas across the country.
Waterway Partnerships consist of a variety of local stakeholder group representatives and have been set up across each of our regions to help guide local management teams in long term planning.
Using your GIS expertise you will help paint a clear picture of the waterways as they stand at present. This will include interrogation of existing data (such as visitor numbers, boat movements, areas of deprivation, etc) to establish a clear baseline from which to move forward. As a result the partners will use this information as a key tool from which to develop a Strategic Waterways Plan.
On a day to day basis you will be involved in providing GIS expertise and advice on project work, creating and managing corporate GIS data sets, provide technical advice and support to non GIS experts, liaising with third parties regarding data exchange. As such sound existing GIS knowledge is required and understanding of Adobe CS is desirable.
Through the role you will work within our Urban Design team based in Leeds. Of course, as this is a voluntary role you are free to leave whenever you like, however, we believe a minimum commitment of 10 weeks will enable both you and us to gain the most benefit and for the task to be completed successfully.
Opportunities Available:
Recording and monitoring
What's in it for you: You will be volunteering for the largest navigation authority in the country, helping to conserve the nations waterway heritage. We are currently on the move to becoming one of the countries newest charities and this is a very exciting time to get involved in the work that we do.
This opportunity will allow you to develop personally and make the most of existing skills and learn new ones.
Training and support will be provided as appropriate to the tasks being undertaken, although an existing GIS understanding is expected.
Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed.
This role could provide experience to those seeking to further a career in GIS
You will become part of a growing team of volunteers working to enhance the Waterways.
Key Skills Required: As this role is based on GIS expertise you should be able to:
1.Provide GIS expertise and advice on project work
2.Create and manage corporate GIS data sets
3.Provide technical advice and support to non GIS experts
4.Liaise with third parties regarding data exchange
5.Knowledge of Adobe CS to desirable.
You will need to possess or be studying towards a geographic information systems qualification e.g. MSc GIS, or have equivalent / proven previous experience of working with geographic information systems.
Knowledge and experience of ESRI ArcGIS and ArcSDE
Training Offered: This role provides the opportunity to put existing skills to good use, therefore we are not looking to train someone in GIS. On the job support and tuition will be available as required, any training needs will be discussed with you prior to the role commencing.
Nearest waterway: Aire & Calder Navigation and Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Email: rachel.ingham@britishwaterways.co.uk
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British Waterways - Office Support Volunteer
The Waterways of Wales are having a great year, fancy lending a hand? The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal turns 200 this year and British Waterways is becoming a Charitable Trust (Canal and River Trust)
All this adds up to something really worth celebrating, to do this we are looking for someone with a passion for Canals and great organisational ability to help at our Govilon Office.
The team at Govilon is working on a real variety of initiatives and help is required in everything from planning and booking meetings through to helping with compiling funding bids.
During this year the team will attend the Royal Welsh Show, co-ordinate the bicentenary celebrations of the Mon & Brec and launch a new partnership board to help CRT.
If you would like to be involved with this exciting phase for Welsh Canals this is the role for you.
Opportunities Available:
Interpretation and promotion, customer service
What's in it for you: This is an excellent opportunity to either put existing skills to good use or for a student/recent graduate to gain valuable experience in the work environment.
For those looking to enter a career in administration this role will offer a great all round experience as you will be immersed in the management of our unique waterway environment.
This role will be central to the team and you will be a key member in it. There may also be the opportunity over time to investigate other aspects of our work across the Welsh Waterways
As a volunteer you will be able to gain references. Reasonable out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed.
Key Skills Required: We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic and an excellent communicator, you will be required to communicate effectively both to fellow team members and our external customers both face to face, via email and letter and over the ‘phone.
Good computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office, including Excel and Outlook are important.
You should be friendly, reliable and trustworthy with the ability to show initiative.
Training Offered: Induction and relvant internal training for the role
Nearest waterway: Wouth Wales
Email: Andrew.Stumpf@Britishwaterways.co.uk
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British Waterways - Regular Canal Clean up Crew
This opportunity would see you working regularly with the Volunteer leader and other volunteers completing tasks such as towpath tidying, painting, wildflower planting or whatever is necessary that particular week to ensure the local canal area is kept accessible to all.
Opportunities Available:
Practical, recording and monitoring
What's in it for you: This is an opportunity to learn new skills, get out in the fresh air, and meet new people - but its also valuable experience for your CV. You don't need to commit to attending every time -get in touch to find out when the next volunteer day is taking place.
Key Skills Required: Conservation/ecology/leadership experience or qualifications an advantage, though not essential.
Training Offered: Health and safety and basic equipment training on practical work days, plus wildlife Identification, Surveying, leadership and project management accreditations as appropriate
Nearest waterway: Leeds - Liverpool
Email: hazel.mayow@thewaterwaystrust.co.uk
Website: www.waterwaysactionsquad.com
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British Waterways - Volunteer Auditor placement opportunity
A unique work experience post has arisen for someone within our small internal audit team. This is a prime opportunity to understand the workings of an internal audit department. You will be exposed to various parts of the business and gain experience in performing checks and understanding some of the financial procedures. Full support will be offered so that you are able to perform your tasks successfully.
We are currently offering three month placements to provide experience of internal auditing, which involves planning and testing financial transactions and preparation of documentation summarising the test results.
Opportunities Available:
Recording and monitoring
What's in it for you: The Auditor assignment has the objective of delivering benefit to BW by:
*helping check and measure the accuracy of our financial procedures
*identifying improvements in efficiency and effectiveness.
The period within Internal Audit should allow the volunteer to obtain:
*knowledge of audit and financial procedures
*information and computer skills
*best practice from working in a professional team
*knowledge of typical structures in a large organisation.
For those with previous experience of auditing the assignment offers a renewal of work practice, keeping skills up to date and different methods of working.
Key Skills Required: As well as a good education, preferably a graduate, you will need computer skills, an enquiring mind and an ability to analyse data and communicate with colleagues. The audit department requires very high accuracy levels from its auditors and tidy work.
Training Offered: Any necessary training as required to carry out the role, plus ongoing mentoring support from Task Manager & team members.
Nearest waterway: Various
Email: cassie.weaver@britishwaterways.co.uk
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British Waterways - Volunteer Bridge Inspector
British Waterways has approximately 970 public road bridges that form part of Britains transport infrastructure. Used by thousands of vehicles every day, the bridges vary in size and form; from brick/masonry arches and short span flat deck bridges our bridges were constructed up to 200 years ago.
British Waterways carries regular, statutory principal inspections on these bridges, ensuring that future maintenance is identified and risks to the public are controlled.
We are looking for a helping hand to get involved with our inspections. This role would allow existing or retired engineers the chance to put their skills to good use and maintain up to date knowledge of current bridge inspection practise.
The task you would be involved in includes reviewing a bridges history, inspecting the bridge on site, reporting on the condition and updating records.
The bridges are inspected to a programme and may be located anywhere on a waterway in England, Wales or Scotland.
Opportunities Available:
Practical, recording and monitoring
What's in it for you: A chance to be involved in a professional team, ensuring nationally important structures are cared for as the waterways progress to charitable status.
This is the chance to have a positive impact on your local waterway; We will provide all the necessary training, clothing, equipment and reasonable out of pocket expenses.
Key Skills Required: Ideally Chartered Civil engineer with experience in bridge inspections.
Training Offered: All necessary training as appropriate and depending upon how long you volunteer with us.
Nearest waterway: Role available nationally
Email: cassie.weaver@britishwaterways.co.uk
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British Waterways - Volunteer Retail & Catering Assistant, Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre
The Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre sits on the banks of the historic Huddersfield Narrow Canal, attracting around 35,000 visitors to the canal and Pennines each year. Volunteers helped restored the canal through here and help keep it alive now. As a volunteer Retail & Catering Assistant you will be a part of the team helping to serve customers and handling their enquiries at this small but busy visitor attraction.
Opportunities Available:
Customer service
What's in it for you: As a Volunteer Retail & Catering Assistant you will be part of small but busy team. Through this role you will gain a great deal of satisfaction from being able to make a difference for waterway users, whether they are a local community group enjoying a trip out or a family enjoying their first canal holiday, your help and interaction will leave them with a positive impression of your local canal and British Waterways as a whole.
You will receive reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses and appropriate training.
Key Skills Required: You will need excellent interpersonal skills for dealing with customers face to face and good organisational skills as you will be required to switch between caf�© and retail roles depending upon demand. You should pay attention to detail and be trustworthy and reliable.
Training Offered: Training will be offered as apporpriate in customer services, safety and food hygiene.
Nearest waterway: Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Email: info@standedge.co.uk
Website: www.standedge.co.uk
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British Waterways - Volunteer Visitor Guide, Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre
The Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre sits on the banks of the historic Huddersfield Narrow Canal, attracting around 35,000 visitors to the canal and Pennines each year. Volunteers helped restored the canal through here and help keep it alive now.
You will be the face of the Visitor Centre, playing a key role in the enjoyment of the visitor experience and ensuring visitors leave with a greater understanding and affinity to the waterways.
You will be on hand to talk to visitors, increasing their understanding of the exhibits, enlightening them to the work that British Waterways carries out and informing them about the boat trips on offer. You will also be able to inform visitors of other nearby waterway attractions they may also like to visit whilst in the area, alongside answering a range of general enquiries.
Opportunities Available:
Interpretation and promotion, customer service
What's in it for you: You will get the chance to work with a wide range of people, both BW staff and our customers. Enjoy the satisfaction of being able to make a difference to waterway visitors, whether they are an individual, a family enjoying their first canal holiday or a local school or community group, your help and interaction will leave them with a positive impression of your local canal and British Waterways as a whole.
All relevant training for the role will be included as part of the induction or ongoing personal development process. You will receive reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of carrying out this role.
Key Skills Required: You will need:
Enthusiasm for your local waterways.
A basic understanding of the canal and local area.
Excellent interpersonal skills for dealing with visitors face to face.
You must be trustworthy and reliable.
Training Offered: Training will be offered as appropriate to the role and the individual and may includein dealing with people, working with children and all appropriate safety training.
Nearest waterway: Huddersfield Narrow Canal
Email: info@standedge.co.uk
Website: www.standedge.co.uk
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British Waterways - Volunteering Development Assistant (North)
Waterways volunteering has a rich history but not within British Waterways. This is changing.
The new Volunteering Team is developing a wide array of volunteering opportunities with teams across the organisation and there is a growing number of volunteers within BW. We want to ensure that we celebrate these roles and promote new opportunities as they come up. As BW moves from the public sector to the charitable/Civil Society sector, its a dynamic and exciting time to be at the forefront of our development.
Get in contact if you are able to (and interested in):
*Promoting BW Volunteering across the North of England through social media, principally Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin
*Maintaining the BW Volunteer database, training records etc. *Visiting sites/offices to meet volunteers, take photos, create short films, carry out interviews, on site evaluation etc. and collate info (site visits)
*Planning and manage volunteer displays across area, putting into volunteer centres, volunteering fairs etc and promotion internally at northern BW offices. (site visits)
*Attending appropriate events to promote volunteering with BW (site visits)
To apply please send a short cover letter detailing your motivations, skills and any relevant experience to cassie.weaver@britishwaterways.co.uk.
Opportunities Available:
Interpretation and promotion, practical, recording and monitoring
What's in it for you: The opportunity to use existing marketing skills and/or develop news ones to help shape volunteering in what will be the newest charity in the country in April 2012.
You will work within the national volunteering team with links to our national marketing team. Proactive marketing of volunteering is limited, so you will be able to help change this.
Reasonable out of pocket expenses will be paid and any appropriate training as required to carry out the task.
Key Skills Required: We are looking for someone who is IT literate (using the main Windows applications), has good communication skills, the ability to work within a team but with a good degree of self motivation.
You should have your own transport or a willingness/ability to make site visits around the country.
Training Offered: A full induction will give a clear understanding of BW.
All relevant safety training will be given and other opportunities will be assessed and provided as appropriate.
Nearest waterway: Various across the north
Email: cassie.weaver@britishwaterways.co.uk
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British Waterways - Waterway Administrator Volunteer Business Support Team
This role you will work with the busy Administration team at Northwich, British Waterways Office. Supporting all parts of the organisation the overall purpose of the role is to deliver administrative services to colleagues.
You will
Deliver great customer service through excellent communication skills with customers face-to-face, via email/letter and telephone.
You will use technical systems and agreed processes including a finance computer package
Undertake tasks including data entry into spreadsheets & SAP database, word processing, stock control, sorting & distributing PPE/Workwear, scanning documents, sorting & franking post, filing.
Greeting visitors at Reception and helping them to sign in. Issuing security passes. Taking & recording payments (e.g. for licence/mooring fees).
Opportunities Available:
Customer service
What's in it for you: This is an excellent opportunity to gain reception, customer service experience and develop useful administrative skills.
Key Skills Required: A good basic knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel & MS Outlook. Cheerful, customer friendly disposition, articulate.
Excellent written English grammar.
Training Offered: IT training if required
Customer service training
Nearest waterway: North Wales and Borders
Email: Lesley.beard@britishwaterways.co.uk
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British Waterways - Waterway Ranger, North West (various locations)
At British Waterways, we are extremely proud of our 2,200-mile waterway network, and we want to make sure that as many people as possible can enjoy it. As a result we take customer service and safety seriously, and are looking for individuals to join us as the local eyes, ears and mouths on our waterways.
As a Waterway Ranger you will regularly walk or cycle lengths of your local waterway to offer a unique and direct service to all customers using the towpaths and waterway in order to enhance the customer experience. You will carry out tasks such as talking to visitors; leading guided walks; ensuring our information is up to date and reporting problems.
You will also be involved in assisting customers with mooring and licensing enquiries, offering general information in order to promote the waterways as a leisure destination, assisting at key events and with education projects. In addition you may also wish to assist the local team with minor towpath repairs, painting and general small scale maintenance duties along the canal.
Locations for this role include; Sefton, Blackburn & Burnley, Bingley, Newlay & Forge and River to Spring Garden Lock on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and the Lancaster Canal.
To apply please send a short cover letter detailing your motivation for this role and any relevant skills and experience to cassie.weaver@britishwaterways.co.uk. Closing date Monday 28th February
Opportunities Available:
Customer service
What's in it for you: This is the chance to have a positive impact on your local waterway; helping it look its best; and helping other local people to value and appreciate it. We will provide all the necessary training, clothing, equipment and reasonable out of pocket expenses.
Key Skills Required: Enthusiasm and willingness to help others are essential qualities for this role. You will need the desire and drive to make a positive impact in your local community and must be happy working outdoors, both with the public and on your own.
A common sense approach and awareness of health and safety issues are desirable.
The ability to ride a bicycle is beneficial although not essential.
Training Offered: Any training as appropriate to carry out the task.
Nearest waterway: Various across North West
Email: cassie.weaver@britishwaterways.co.uk
