Family Art Activity Volunteer

ROLE DESCRIPTION:

Charleston is a thriving historic house museum in the Sussex countryside between Lewes and Eastbourne. It was the former home of artists Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell and the country retreat of the Bloomsbury group. The house and gardens are open to the public between March and November each year. In addition, Charleston also runs an extensive public programme of workshops and events including two major literature festivals. Charleston has a shop and café which are also open in line with the House Museum. There is also a big £9.3million building project taking place at Charleston which will see much needed new facilities here.

Charleston is open to the public from March until October each year. Entry to the house is by guided tour only on a Wednesday – Saturday, led by a Charleston Guide. On Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays, rooms in the House are stewarded. These days are family-friendly, allowing visitors to travel through at their own pace. To support and promote the engagement of families on Sundays, we are seeking to expand the visitor experience on selected Sundays throughout the season. Simple free art activities will be available for all visitors in the Pottery (a workshop space in our café area) or, in fine weather, in the Garden.

We are seeking a number of Family Art Activity Volunteers to join us in delivering a straightforward art activity programme. We hope to schedule two volunteers per session. The objective of this role is to support the work of the Trust by:

  • Ensuring that Charleston creates the best possible experience for all visitors;
  • Delivery of art resources and guidance to enable visitors, especially children, to partake in a range of creative activities on site at Charleston;
  • Providing a vital point of contact between the Trust and providing the public with access to information on the museum and collections.

TASKS AND ACTIVITIES

A broad outline of the tasks and activities to be undertaken are:

  • To assist with the set-up and clearing up of the Pottery or activity space before and after the session
  • To encourage the participation of visitors in a range of planned artistic activities in order to enhance their understanding of Charleston and Bloomsbury
  • To assist with supporting visitors’ creative efforts where appropriate by providing suitable guidance
  • To support visitors in their broader knowledge of Charleston and awareness of our activities

This is not an exhaustive list, and you may at times be asked by the Visitor and Volunteer Manager or Assistant Visitor Manager to help with other tasks.

COMMITMENT
We expect volunteers to commit around 4.5 hours per Sunday and that they are able to volunteer on several designated days across the season. This includes time for set-up and clear-up. You will receive a mid-afternoon break, where you will be provided with tea, coffee and cake.

Times: 12.00 – 4.30pm, 1st Sunday of every month, March – October

PERSON SPECIFICATION/SKILLS REQUIRED

  • Enjoy working with the public and have a personable manner;
  • To be confident in working with children of different ages and abilities;
  • To enjoy creative activities and be able to impart enthusiasm and knowledge;
  • Strong communication and team working skills;
  • Be flexible, be able to respond positively in unexpected situations;
  • To be presentable and trustworthy;

This role would suit someone interested in the arts, in Charleston and the Bloomsbury group or someone who is looking for practical experience in the museum sector.

TRAINING AND BENEFITS

We offer an induction to Charleston, including a health and safety induction.

We will provide any other additional training we require you to complete. You will be provided with your Volunteer Role description, a Volunteer Agreement and a Volunteer Handbook.

The Trust is committed to providing all volunteers with as many opportunities to add to their knowledge of Charleston and Bloomsbury as possible, as well as keeping up to date with latest developments, changes to the house and new research.

DISCRETIONARY BENEFITS

Please be aware that all benefits for volunteers are at the discretion of the Trust and may change at any time.

Volunteer House Stewards can expect to receive the following:

  • Free entry to the house during the open season (on presentation of your Charleston Volunteer card, booking advised)
  • 25% discount in the Charleston Shop and Charleston Café (on presentation of your volunteer card, when the shop and café are open.)
  • Free copies of Canvas available on site
  • Tea, coffee and cake on the days you volunteer
  • Invitations to several social events at Charleston and outings for volunteers each year

You will be given your Charleston Volunteer card after 12 volunteering hours. It will be valid for that year and must be presented to receive your free entry to the house and discounts.

EXPENSES

Charleston will reimburse Volunteer House Stewards for their travel expenses up to the value of £6.00 per day. We encourage you to use the cheapest form of transport available to you, but realise that due to Charleston’s location this may not always be possible.

Travel expenses will be repaid to you at the end of the next calendar month by BACS payment. To claim your travel expenses, the Volunteer timesheet and expenses claim form must be completed and receipts/travel tickets for the journeys claimed for attached. No payments for expenses will be made without a completed claim form, and receipts/travel tickets must be attached.

REFERENCES AND VETTING

We require two references. Please supply details with your application.

This role willnot require a Disclosure and Barring Service check as all children and young people will be accompanied by a parent/carer.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND APPLICATION

If you would like further information about the role, please contact Charleston’s Visitor and Volunteer Manager, Leah Romaniello on or telephone 01323 811626.

To apply, please send a CV and brief covering letter detailing your interest in the role and any relevant experience to .

Please contact the Visitor Manager on or call 01323 811 626 if you have any queries regarding this role. For general queries relating to volunteering at Charleston see our website