Volunteer vacancies at NWT

Our Inclusive Employers Statement
We value respect, integrity, trust and responsibility. We want our people to be as diverse as nature itself and so we particularly encourage applications from those currently under-represented within our sector, including people from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities. We welcome people of all backgrounds and levels of experience with nature, and continually strive to improve our culture and practices. We are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. Please let us know if you require any adjustment processes to make our recruitment process more accessible.
If you are interested in any of our volunteering opportunities, please download a Volunteer Application Form and email or post to Alan Marchbank , Volunteer Coordinator, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Bewick House, 22 Thorpe Road, Norwich NR1 1RY.

If you would like to discuss any of our volunteer vacancies or require electronic (Word) or paper copies of the application form, please email or telephone Alan on 01603 625540.

Visitor Centre volunteer - Weeting Heath

We are looking for a volunteer to help us on Sundays in the Visitor Centre at our wonderful Weeting Heath reserve. You will be greeting visitors and giving them directions around the reserve amongst other tasks. Please see the role description below for further details of what the role entails.

Read what our volunteers say about their volunteering experience

Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator Alan Marchbank at [email protected] for an electronic version of the application form.

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Nature Reserve Guide - Holme Dunes

Are you a keen birder and would you like to share your knowledge and enthusiasm with others? Then this role is for you! We need volunteers to assist visitors in identifying birds and wildlife from the hides and on the reserve, and provide information to visitors about the reserve and Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

You will need competent bird identification skills, e.g. you must be able to distinguish spotted redshank from redshank, black-tailed godwit from bar-tailed godwit, female pintail from female mallard etc. You should also have good communication skills and a friendly, outgoing nature, and be confident in dealing with visitors of all ages.

To apply for this opportunity please download a form, complete it and send it to the address shown, or contact [email protected] for an electronic copy of the form.

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Volunteer Beach Warden – Holme Dunes

We are looking for volunteer beach wardens to help protect, monitor and educate about the vulnerable beach nesting birds that nest here on Holme Dunes and it’s neighbouring beaches during their spring/summer breeding season (April-September). Beach nesting birds like Ringed Plover, Little Tern and Oystercatcher are vulnerable to disturbance by people and dogs during their nesting season and so it will be your job to educate people from all walks of life about these species and how and why we want to protect them. This role will involve patrolling the beach, talking to members of the public, recording behaviour and nesting activity and any reactions to disturbance.
 
This role would suit someone with a passion for wildlife and conservation, particularly benefitting those that wish to enter the conservation sector. The role will require you to be able to communicate with people from all walks of life in a friendly and diplomatic manner, you will need a willingness to learn and everything else will be provided through training and ongoing support. This role does not necessarily require you to have background knowledge of the birds and their behaviours as training will be provided.
 
If you are interested in this role, please download and complete an application form, or email [email protected]
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Volunteer Assistant Warden (6 month placement) - Holme Dunes

We are looking for a volunteer Assistant Warden to assist the Warden with the management of NWT Holme Dunes for the benefit of wildlife and visitors. This is a 6 month seasonal role from April to September, with accommodation provided in a mobile home if required. As this is an intensive 5 day a week role it would particularly suit someone looking to pursue a career in conservation. The role will give the successful applicant a good understanding of practical habitat management, and a great deal of experience in the conservation sector.

Roles include practical reserve management to include habitat management, maintenance of visitor facilities, livestock checking of konick ponies, collecting and maintaining biological/environmental data as directed by the warden, particularly monitoring of birds, butterflies, natterjack toads and flora, and routine patrolling of the reserve to minimise disturbance to breeding birds, wader roosts and damage to fragile habitats, assist with species protection works on the reserve.

The successful candidate must be prepared to work outside in all weather conditions, and may be required to work unsocial hours e.g. early mornings, evenings and some weekends. Please see the role description below for all the relevant information about the role.

If you are interested in this role please download the application form from this page, or contact [email protected] for an electronic version of the form.

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Holme Dunes Cafe volunteer

We are looking for volunteers to help out in the busy cafe in the Visitor Centre at our beautiful Holme Dunes reserve. This role involves helping with serving customers, clearing tables and helping with the washing up to keep the cafe running smoothly. It would particularly suit someone looking for a career in the hospitality sector and wanting to add to their CV. More details are given in the role description below.

To apply, please download an application form from the top of this page, or email [email protected] for a Word version of the form.
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Cley Marshes Engagement volunteer

We are looking for volunteers to assist the Cley Engagement team during family events. This role involves actively leading simple ‘hands on’ activities in our Education Centre during school holidays, and engaging with visitors at Cley to enhance their overall experience and enjoyment.

This role would particularly suit someone with good communication skills, a friendly, enthusiastic and welcoming personality, confidence to approach members of the public and to work with children of all ages, and the ability to communicate effectively. You should also be able to lead small group events (training will be given) and have knowledge of and enthusiasm for wildlife and conservation.

To apply, please download an application form from the top of this page, or email [email protected] for a Word version of the form.
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Cley Marshes Reserve Guide

We are looking for volunteers to act as Reserve Guides at our flagship Cley Marshes reserve on Saturdays. The main purpose of this role is to assist visitors in identifying birds and wildlife from the hides and on the reserve and provide information to visitors about the reserve and Norfolk Wildlife Trust.  

This role would particularly suit someone with competent bird identification skills (e.g. you must be able to distinguish spotted redshank from redshank, black-tailed godwit from bar-tailed godwit, female pintail from female mallard etc.), good communication skills, and a friendly, outgoing personality. You should also be confident in dealing with visitors of all ages, and have knowledge of and enthusiasm for wildlife and conservation.

To apply, please download an application form from the top of this page, or email [email protected] for a Word version of the form.
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Cley Volunteer Community Promotion Officer

We are looking for volunteers to work with Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) to grow the Trust’s community promotion by distributing NWT leaflets, posters, and publications throughout your local community, including schools, community groups, shops, pubs, cafes, and other businesses. An important part of this role is to build strong relationships with communities and businesses in your local area in order to raise community awareness of NWT and Cley’s event programme.

This role is flexible to suit you – you can give as much or as little time as you are able, and be responsible for as large an area as you feel is achievable. To apply, please download an application form from the top of this page, or email [email protected] for a Word version of the form.
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Visitor Centres volunteers

Required at: Ranworth broad, Hickling Broad, Holme Dunes and Weeting Heath

There are several opportunities for volunteers to help in our busy seasonal visitor centres, working at some fabulous locations. You will be the welcoming face of Norfolk Wildlife Trust, sharing your enthusiasm, handling money and promoting our work. The centres are open seven days a week, so there are a variety of flexible roles to fit into the rotas, including regular commitments or more occasional cover, with a particular need for weekends and school holidays. If you are interested get in touch let us know how much time you have available and we’ll look to fit you in.

Read what our volunteers say about their volunteering experience
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Independent Events Team Volunteer

We are building a team of enthusiastic volunteers with excellent communication skills to represent the Trust at a variety of events throughout Norfolk. You will be supporting NWT and raising awareness of our work by providing friendly face to face contact and distributing information and events leaflets.
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Woodland Walk Leader

If you go down to the woods today... Norfolk Wildlife Trust is looking for people to become volunteer Woodland Walk Leaders, to help show people the delights of woodland wildlife across our woodland nature reserves.

The main aim of this role is to raise interest in and awareness of Norfolk’s wildlife by showing members of the public around some of NWT’s wonderful woodland reserves, such as Foxley Wood and Wayland Wood.

If you are able to identify common wildlife, for example birds and butterflies (training can be provided), good communication skills and are friendly, outgoing and confident in dealing with people of all ages then this could be the role for you! Please see the role description for more information.
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Wild Walk Leader

Norfolk Wildlife Trust have many wonderful reserves that are underexplored by the general public. We are looking for volunteers to help us raise interest in and awareness of Norfolk’s wildlife by showing members of the public around some of NWT’s wonderful reserves, such as Upton Broad, Foxley Wood and Sparham Pools, amongst many others.

If you live close to one of our reserves this could be a great opportunity for you to get to know it better and share it with others. You can lead your walks whenever suits you, and the number of walks you do each year is also up to you. Please see the role description for more information.
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Volunteer Collection Box Coordinator

We are looking for highly organised volunteers to work to help us raise much needed funds to support our work. You would help us distribute new boxes throughout your local community, including shops, pubs, cafes, and other businesses, identify new places to put boxes and coordinate the collection boxes in your area. Please see the role description for more information about this role.
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Wild Volunteer – Pigneys Wood (near North Walsham)

This activity is now being led by the North East Norfolk Conservation Group. You can find more information about this group, and contact information, on the ‘Other ways to volunteer’ page.

Wild Volunteer – Thorpe Marshes

We are looking for volunteers to help the wildlife of NWT's Thorpe Marshes through assisting with habitat management, to increase our knowledge of wildlife on the reserve through assisting with wildlife surveys, and to help visitors enjoy this site by helping with keeping pathways open and improving access. This activity is part of the Broads Landscape Partnership project Water, Mills and Marshes, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Please email Alan Marchbank at [email protected] for the latest information about this group and / or to be added to the mailing list about the work parties.

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Livestock Checkers

We  are looking for reliable volunteers to become part of our team of livestock checkers.  Opportunities are mainly in the Breckland area, but there are some across Norfolk, let us know where you live and we can check if there are NWT livestock near you. Experience is not necessary as full training will be given.

Read what our volunteers say about their volunteering experience

Local Members Groups

Join a Members Group near you to raise awareness of the Trust & support its work at a local level. Click here to visit the Local Groups page.


Practical Conservation

If you would like to do some practical “hands on” conservation work, and there are no suitable vacancies for you here at the moment, you might consider joining one of the many volunteer groups who work on NWT reserves all over Norfolk. Click here for more about work parties you could join.

WildWalks -  Recording wildlife locally

If you are interested in recording the wildlife in your local area, this provides important information for conservation organisations. The Wildlife Trusts and British Trust for Ornithology have developed the WildWalks website for you to record sightings of wildlife on walks in your local area.