The Museum is a registered charity and an Accredited Museum run entirely by volunteers.
The range of tasks in running the museum is very varied.
We are always looking out for new people with a variety of skills.
Why be a museum volunteer?
Museum volunteers are motivated by a wide range of factors. Here are some of the common ones but it is not an exclusive list!
- An interest in local history
- Meeting new people
- Putting something back into the community
- Enjoy being part of a team
- Keeping active in retirement
- Gaining experience
- Building confidence
- Learning new skills
- Gaining new perspectives on the museum & its work
The museum is going through a period of change, all volunteers will have the opportunity input into the changes being made. All volunteers are part of a team passionate about the Museum and the history and heritage of Ashford.
What roles need filling?
Listed are vacancies for volunteer positions which we are currently seeking to fill.
Please remember that all positions are unpaid – do not apply if you are looking for a salary.
Tap on a role to display a brief description
Steward
Volunteer Museum Stewards are needed to welcome visitors to the museum, ensure they get the most from their visit by answering or taking details of any questions. If you are interested in local history and/or like talking to people this could be for you.
Skills required: friendly and welcoming and happy to talk to visitors about the museum and its exhibits.
Time commitment: Stewards normally work in pairs either once or twice per month. Volunteering sessions run from 10:45am to 2:00pm, Tuesday to Saturday, betewen April and October.
Volunteers select the sessions they want to fill. Our volunteer co-ordinator will contact volunteers to ask if they are available for any unfilled sessions but there is never any compulsion.
Some cleaning is required.
Collections Care
The role: A reliable person to join our friendly behind the scenes team assisting with numbering, packing and storing items donated to the Museum.
Skills required: The desire to work as part of a team. A keen sense of history would be an advantage for researching into some of the more interesting stories. IT skills would be preferable but not essential.
Training will be given as appropriate.
Assistant Oral History Coordinator
Are you an organised person with an eye for detail who’d like to help bring this project to fruition?,
Duties: Assisting with the management of the project. Liaising with potential contributors, enabling volunteers to undertake their duties by organising oral history interviews, together with promoting the project.
Skills needed: good communication skills, be that via email, letter or phone. Organisation and a passion for history and community projects.
Rewards: A chance to use your skills and to gain some new ones. The opportunity to meet and work with new people. The knowledge that you will be helping to create a unique archive for future generations.
Equipment needed: use of a computer, phone and internet.
A combination of both remote and in-person working within Ashford town centre.
Time commitment: 5-6 per month, flexible to fit with your preferences and as required.
Oral history interviewers
Do you like meeting new people? Listening to their perspectives and discovering new aspects of the area’s history?
Skills required: a friendly outgoing nature, a genuine interest in people and their experiences, a willingness to work with others to ensure that contributors have a rewarding experience, to work within the guidelines set and to undertake the training provided.
These will be face-to-face interviews which are most likely to take place within Ashford town centre.
Equipment needed: access to a phone.
Time commitment: 2-3 hours per month, as required.
Transcript typist
Can you audio type? Yes! We desperately need your skills.
Each oral history needs to be transcribed for use by researchers and especially so that we can provide access to the collection by those with hearing difficulties.
Skills required: ability to audio type
Equipment required: access to a computer and ideally internet access.
This is a role which is ideal for remote working, with audio recordings supplied via the Internet and transcripts returned via email.
Please complete the details below and tap ‘Submit’ to express an interest in helping: