Visitor Experience Volunteer - SS Great Britain, Bristol

Visitor Experience Volunteer

Purpose of the role:

To welcome and engage our visitors at Brunel’s SS Great Britain Trust, an award-winning museum and historic ship. We are Bristol’s most popular visitor attraction. Our Visitor Experience volunteers really bring the site to life, sharing stories of passengers and crew who travelled on board the ship, leading object-handling sessions in the Being Brunel Museum, encouraging visitors to dress up in Flash, Bang Wallop and more.

Main activities:

• Warmly greeting visitors to Brunel’s SS Great Britain. 
• Engaging with visitors across the site; in the Dry Dock, Dockyard Museum, on board the ship and in the Being Brunel Museum. 
• Connecting visitors to the history of the ship and the Dry Dock.   
• Supporting each visitor to get the most from their visit .
• Encouraging visitors to immerse themselves in life on board the SS Great Britain; you could be sharing stories about passengers and crew who travelled on the ship; or prompting visitors to try out the bunk beds in steerage; or even steer the ship or operate the Lifting Frame. 
• Encourage visitors to try out some of the incredible interactives in the Being Brunel Museum and to explore Brunel’s life, achievements, and qualities. 
• Explaining our advanced engineering which helps conserve the ship for the future.

Additional activities which you can deliver with additional training: 

• Develop and deliver your own ‘Discovery’ Talk for visitors; pick from a range of inspiring topics. 
• Become a tour guide on the SS Great Britain. Share your passion for the ship with school and adult groups. 
• Support with informal learning workshops for families during half-terms and holidays or evening events.

Shift Times (Summer): 

Monday: CLOSED (Except Bank Holidays and School Holidays). 

Tuesday-Sunday: Winter: 9:45-13:00 / 11:45-15:00 

                                      Summer: 9:45-13:00 / 12:45-16:00

What the SS Great Britain can offer: 

• A fun and engaging role, where you get the chance to volunteer in a world-class visitor attraction and award-winning museum in the heart of Bristol’s Harbourside. 
• Regular update events, additional training sessions on offer and the opportunity to develop skills and experience. 
• The chance to explore the fascinating history of the ship, her passengers and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. 
• Behind the scenes access to the collections, ship and opening of the new museum. 
• The opportunity to meet new people and to be part of the vibrant SS Great Britain team. 
• Supervision, regular updates, exclusive access to talks and additional training. 
• Development of skills, such as teamwork, customer service, communication, problem solving, confidence and professionalism. 
• A reference when you have been volunteering with us regularly for six months. 
• Café and shop discount* 

 We are looking for people who: 

• Are enthusiastic, friendly and have good communication skills. 
• Are curious, want to find out more, and share this knowledge with our visitors. 
• Can volunteer for a morning or afternoon session each week – this does not have to be the same shift each week. 
• Are willing to undertake training related to the role. 
• Are enthusiastic about engaging with our visitors, of all ages and backgrounds. 
• No prior experience or knowledge is necessary . 

You will be supervised by our Visitor Experience Volunteer Supervisor who will help you get the most out of your volunteering experience. Volunteers are an important part of the organisation and play a vital role in enhancing the work of the Trust. We are committed to providing volunteering opportunities of a high standard. 

Ready to take the next step? 

Please see our website for available shifts Volunteering - SS Great Britain

If you would like to join our crew or have any questions please get in touch by emailing volunteering@ssgreatbritain.org or telephoning 0117 462 3167 (Tues-Fri). We would love to hear from you!

You will be invited to a recruitment event where you’ll have the chance to learn more about the volunteer roles, meet the team, discuss the role further and ensure that it is right for you.