My Itinerary ({: itinerary.length :})
Support Us
Volunteer
We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us deliver experiences that will delight our visitors, young and old, and develop our ideas and audiences for the future. You’ll meet fascinating people, be part of some unique events and play an important role in helping The Story Museum come true – as well as gain some different skills and experience.
Join our Story!
This is what you'll get as a volunteer:
- A community of story lovers
- A chance to use your talents
- The opportunity to learn new skills
- Help us make a difference
- Be part of our story, discover your own and have fun!
Want to know more? Here are brief descriptions of our current volunteer roles:
- Visitor welcome and galleries volunteers
Support our Story Guides in meeting and greeting visitors
Help visitors interact with the exhibits in the Whispering Wood, Treasure Chamber and Enchanted Library
Provide information about our 1001 Stories Collection and the artifacts on display - Early Years volunteers
Assist in the running of Small Worlds, our early years space, including helping visitors around the space and talking to the children and their adults about the stories and activities in each story zone
Prepare craft resources to use in the sessions and run the crafts and messy play area - Learning and participation volunteers
Support the running of clubs and courses, including assisting with setting up and clearing down, as well as interacting with participants - Public event volunteers
Provide on-the-day support for large-scale public events
Roles vary depending on the requirements of the event but can include stewarding, volunteering at information stands and running art and craft sessions - Administration and research volunteers
These roles are ad hoc but could include a variety of tasks such as marketing assistance or exhibitions and collections assistance and research - Blue Sky Book Club volunteers
Lead book clubs in primary schools
Talk about the chosen story, the characters and themes and do an activity such as puzzles, riddles, craft or role play
Find out more by downloading the Blue Sky Book Club information pack
Volunteering at the Story Museum is fun as all the volunteers are friendly and work as a team.
How to apply
Young volunteer application (under 18)
Volunteer application (over 18)
The Story Museum is committed to increasing the diversity of our creative programme, workforce and audiences to ensure the quality and impact of our work. As part of this commitment, we particularly welcome applications for employment and volunteering from individuals currently under-represented in our organisation and the wider sector. This includes people from the Global Majority specifically the African diaspora; South, East, and South East Asian diaspora; the Middle East and North Africa; people with disabilities including neurodivergence; people from the LGBTQIA+ community; and those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. When applying for a role we ask you to confirm if you identify with one of these communities. Our recruitment process is designed to offer fair access to employment at the museum and uses all permissible measures outlined in the Equalities Act 2010 to increase the diversity of our workforce.
Volunteering in lieu of work experience placements
We're always keen to hear from enthusiastic young people interested in getting involved with The Story Museum's work however due to the extremely high demand for work experience places we only offer placements through our strategic partnerships with selected schools. Some schools will allow you to complete a week’s intensive volunteering in lieu of completing a week during one of the predetermined work experience weeks. Please speak to your work experience coordinator to confirm that this is acceptable to them and then contact [email protected] providing details of your available weeks. We will try to accommodate your request, but unfortunately be cannot guarantee the availability of any placements.
Current volunteers log in here to access MyVolunteerPage
Books play a big part in my life, so to be able to volunteer with a lot of like-minded people is a treat!
There’s always something new and exciting to see, and amazing stories to discover.
Volunteer FAQs
Who manages volunteers at The Story Museum?
Ellie Godfrey is our Volunteer Coordinator.
Contact Ellie by email to [email protected]
Why volunteer at The Story Museum?
People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the benefits of volunteering at The Story Museum:
- Support the Museum and make a difference to the lives of others
- Feel valued and part of a team
- Gain confidence and self-esteem
- Gain skills, knowledge and experience
- Use and develop existing skills, knowledge and experience
- Enhance your CV
- Meet new people and make new friends
- Have fun!
How can I apply to become a volunteer?
Complete the application form on this page (see above) to create a ‘MyVolunteerPage’ account.
Once I’ve applied, how long is it until I can start volunteering?
Once you’ve signed up, our Volunteer Coordinator will be in touch to arrange for you to come and see the Museum and have an induction. During that visit you'll see the Galleries, talk about what roles are required in each space and see if it’s a good fit!
If your role requires a DBS check this will happen after the visit to the Museum. Most roles don't require a DBS check unless you're in regular contact with the same group of children – we'll advise you if you need one.
How much time do I need to volunteer?
We ask for a minimum of three months and we encourage people to volunteer twice a month or as often as they're able in order to stay active in the community.
What skills and experience do I need?
You don’t need to have any specific skills or experience but we’re looking for people who:
- Love communicating with people and making connections
- Love stories of all kinds
- Have an interest in museums and arts venues
- Have a desire to learn and the willingness to get stuck in
- Enjoy working as part of a team
- Enjoy the unexpected.
Can I get a qualification or an award?
We have a number of volunteers who volunteer at The Story Museum as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award, or Arts Award. We also provide references for volunteers, and award certificates (if desired) for completing 20 shifts over the year.
What training opportunities are there?
We train volunteers in certain roles in customer service, data protection and safeguarding. We aim to upskill all our volunteers in storytelling, and run training on this a few times a year.
Can I claim travel expenses?
Yes, up to £6 per day. If you volunteer for the Blue Sky Book Club scheme, all your travel expenses are covered.
Do I have to be a certain age to volunteer?
You must be over 13 to volunteer. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have permission from a guardian.
What about online volunteering?
We sometimes have opportunities for online volunteering with different departments. These are ad hoc so if you're interested, please indicate on your application form.
What happens if I change my mind?
You’re under no obligation to continue volunteering for us if you change your mind. However, we would ask that you speak to the Volunteer Coordinator first to see if you want to try a different role.
How are we making volunteering safe?
We carry out full risk assessments to ensure that we protect our staff, volunteers and visitors.
If you'd like to find out more, please contact Ellie Godfrey at [email protected] who'll be happy to help.