Volunteer Explainer - Temperate House
Volunteer Explainer - Temperate House
Volunteering Role: Volunteer Explainer - Temperate House
Department: Learning and Participation
Volunteer Supervisor: Family and Early Years Coordinator
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) is a leading plant science institute, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and major visitor attraction. Our mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the well-being of people and the future of all life on Earth.
The Learning and Participation department contributes to this mission by seeking to inspire people to protect the natural world, train the next generation of experts, and extend Kew’s reach, ensuring that our Gardens and wider work are accessible for everyone. The department values the support of volunteers within the learning programmes, including about 30 Volunteer Explainers based across the Gardens.
As a Volunteer Explainer in the Temperate House, you will be based at our Explainer Station where you will use plant specimens, scientific equipment and other interesting props to help bring the Temperate House collections and Kew’s work to life for visitors. Current themes include ‘Rare and Extinct’, ‘Seeds’ and ‘Pollination’, and this summer we will be introducing new props relating to trees to complement the summer programme.
To prepare you for the role, you will receive specialist training in public engagement and training on Kew’s vital science work and varied collections.
Please note that you will need to be available for the following dates:
- Recruitment day: Saturday 24 May
- Induction: Friday 20 June
- Training sessions: Saturday 21 June and Monday 23 June
More details
Overall purpose of the role
- To help interpret the Temperate House to visitors and bring Kew science projects to life in accessible and engaging ways.
- To interact with visitors, responding to their needs and acting as way finders.
- To engage with visitors in a polite, positive and professional manner.
- To communicate Kew’s mission and values to visitors of all ages.
Main tasks
- To welcome and orientate visitors to the Temperate House.
- To use handling objects and storytelling to engage visitors with the Temperate House collections and Kew science.
- To help visitors to link plants and fungi to their own lives.
- To help educate visitors about Kew’s work to protect plants and fungi within the context of climate change.
- To provide a high-quality visitor experience for varied audiences.
About you, you will be:
- Enthusiastic about engaging people of all ages in the stories of Kew.
- Passionate about learning and science with a curiosity about the natural world.
- A confident individual with a positive attitude and willingness to learn.
What to expect from us:
- A full induction and training programme in public engagement with on-going support.
- To be allocated clear roles and responsibilities
- To be treated fairly and with respect.
- A friendly and dedicated team.
- An opportunity to learn about the amazing collections at Kew.
- Kew volunteer uniform
- Travel expenses incurred up to a set value.
What we expect from you:
- To attend required training sessions and meetings.
- A willingness to learn about the work of Kew.
- A commitment to the hours and days you are allocated on an agreed rota.
- To be available at weekends and during school holidays.
- To commit to a minimum of 2 sessions a month.
- To wear the Kew volunteer uniform.
- To be reliable and punctual.
- To follow Kew policies, procedures and values.
This role will suit volunteers with some of the following skills and experience:
- Experience in education, science or horticulture.
- Experience of learning in cultural, heritage or outdoor environments, such as gardens, historic houses, parks or museums.
- Good communication and team working skills.
- Experience in a public-facing role and good customer service skills.
Recruitment procedure:
Please complete the electronic application form.
Kew is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
An Enhanced DBS check will be required for this role and successful volunteers will be asked to undertake this check.
Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 11 May
For further information:
We are dedicated to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Kew aims to be an inclusive space for all.
An alternative application option (video submission) is available if preferred. Please email volexplainers@kew.org for more information on how to submit an application in this alternative format.
If you have any questions regarding accessibility requirements or about anything else, please email volexplainers@kew.org with your questions or to arrange a phone call.