Volunteering with Leeds Museums and Galleries is a way to use your existing skills, develop new ones, improve your knowledge, increase your employability, meet new people and have fun!
We have been awarded the Leeds Compact Kitemark by Voluntary Action Leeds (VAL), demonstrating that we offer a good quality volunteer programme which is approved according to the standards set out in the Leeds Compact. We are very proud of this and continue to improve our volunteer offer in keeping with this quality standard.
The application process
All available volunteer roles are advertised on this section of our website as well as on Twitter and our facebook page (follow the links on the right). We actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. We may select individuals from applications and invite them for interview to determine whether they would be suitable for the role they have applied for. Our decision on the suitability of a prospective volunteer is absolute and final.
All individuals will be required to undergo reference checks before they are formally accepted as a volunteer and depending on the volunteer role, may require a CRB check.
Individuals from outside of the European Economic Area must ensure that they have a visa which permits them to volunteer in the UK for Leeds Museum and Galleries before applying to be a volunteer.
How to apply for current projects
If you would like to get involved with any of our current projects, please download and complete a copy of our volunteer application form from the link below and return it to volunteer@leeds.gov.uk or send it by post to the volunteer coordinator, Leeds Museum Discovery Centre, Carlisle Road, Leeds, LS10 1LB.
Unfortunately we cannot respond to speculative applications for roles other than those listed below.
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
Retail operations volunteer
We have an opportunity for a volunteer to assist in the commercial store at Leeds Museum Discovery Centre. Please see the downloads below for further details.
Allotment project volunteer
We have an opportunity for a volunteer to assist with an audience engagement project aiming to foster engagement with a new temporary exhibition at Leeds Art Gallery. Please see the downloads below for further details.
Tour Guide volunteers at Kirkstall Abbey
We have an opportunity for ten volunteers to lead guided tours of the Abbey grounds to visitors at weekends. Please see the downloads below for further details.
Learning Volunteers
We have an opportunity for four volunteers to assist the Learning and Access Officer at Leeds City Museum with family learning activities during school holidays. Please see the downloads below for full details.
Carol Singers
We have an opportunity for a choir or group to sing Christmas Carols at our Family Event on 14th and 15th December 2013 at Lotherton Hall. Please see the downloads below for full details.
Community garden volunteer
Based at Leeds Industrial Museum, Armley Mills, we have an exciting opportunity for volunteers interested in assisting with the reinstatement of the colour garden and developing an edible planting area. Please see the downloads below for full details.
Placements are advertised frequently so please bookmark this page and remember to keep checking in. They are also advertised on twitter and facebook.
What do volunteers do?
Our volunteers carry out and assist with a wide variety of tasks. Previous and current volunteers have assisted with the documentation and research of our collections, helped identify and label collections, carried out cleaning and remedial conservation of objects, assisted in the preparation and delivery of our Education and Outreach Programme, carried out basic data entry as well as front of house, meet and greet roles and reception work.
Who can volunteer?
Anyone can volunteer with Leeds Museums and Galleries. It doesn't matter what your skills, experience or background are or how much time you have to give. All that we ask is that you are enthusiastic about the work and aims of the Museums and Galleries service, willing to learn, committed, reliable and willing to abide by Leeds City Council's health and safety and equal opportunities policies.
If you are currently undertaking a further/higher education course in a relevant field, you may wish to consider our internship programme.
Our role and commitment
Volunteers allow us to increase the range and quality of the services we offer and without them many projects we currently run would not be possible. Volunteering is designed to be mutually beneficial to both volunteers and Leeds Museums and Galleries. Our aim is to provide a rewarding, enriching and learning experience for all those taking part by supporting you to build on your existing skills and/or qualifications and providing you with appropriate further training and practical experience. We will try to tailor your programme of tasks to your interests and skills. (Due to the nature of the work we may have to limit some tasks to volunteers who have specialist skills, qualifications and experience).
Where can you volunteer?
Volunteer roles could become available at any of our nine sites.
