Marine Awareness Assistants (Full-time volunteering role)

Position Details

• This is a 6 month volunteer placement with Devon Wildlife Trust
• Based at Wembury Marine Centre (WMC) in South Devon
• There are three posts available
• Posts are a 4 day week commitment
• Reasonable travel expenses will be covered, but please note that no accommodation is available

What the Task Involves

Marine Awareness Assistants will be mainly beach and rocky shore based and involved in raising awareness of the marine environment through education and interpretation.

Full training will be given and tasks will involve organising and leading public events – including rockpool and snorkel safaris, beach cleans and guided walks - plus organising and leading environmental education activities with school groups on the rocky shore and in the classroom.

Other tasks will include staffing the visitor centre, maintaining a cold water aquarium, community engagement, developing new interpretation materials and promoting WMC via social media and our website. There will also be opportunity to gain skills and experience in managing volunteers.

Skills and Abilities

We are looking for aptitude and potential and envisage this would be an excellent opportunity for recent graduates wanting to enter the job market or for more experienced people looking for a change in direction.

Essential Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills – the ability to engage and enthuse with school groups and members of the public
• Enthusiasm for the placement and for interpreting the marine environment
• Good organisational skills
• Good written and spoken communication skills
• Able to acquire new skills quickly
• Self-motivated and a team player, able to work effectively within a small team structure and using own initiative
• Happy to work outside and in all weathers - the work will regularly involve walking on slippery seaweed covered rocks

Advantageous Skills:

• A marine background and knowledge of rocky shores
• Experience of working with people and children
• Experience of environmental education
• Experience of maintaining aquaria
• Driving licence and own transport (please state in application)

All posts are subject to an interview, DBS check and two references.

The role involves 4 days per week and will include unsociable hours as WMC is open 7 days a week, including weekends and on bank holidays. 

Contact Details and How to Apply

For more information email: info@wemburymarinecentre.org
For an informal chat please call Cat Andrews or Coral Smith on 01752 862538.

To apply, please send a CV and covering letter to Cat Andrews, Marine Awareness Officer, Wembury Marine Centre, Church Road, Wembury, PL9 0HP or email info@wemburymarinecentre.org 

Closing date: 5pm, Sunday 3^rd February 2019
Interviews: Monday 11^th February 2019 at WMC
Start date: Week commencing Monday 18^th March 2019.
Finish date: End of September 2019.