Volunteer Guidelines

Introduction
Volunteers play an important role within the University of Aberdeen’s museums, supporting a wide range of activities, bringing significant expertise and gaining valuable experience. A museum volunteer is defined as someone who, without financial compensation, or expectation of it, performs duties for the University’s museums. Volunteers are appointed to assist and enhance the work of paid employees, not as a substitute for them.

While there are many different volunteer roles, this policy outlines how all volunteers will be recruited, supported and managed when working with any of the University’s museums.

Recruitment
Applications to become a volunteer are welcomed from people with a variety of backgrounds, but priority is given to students of the University, particularly those expressing a vocational interest in museums. The minimum age for volunteers is 14. Parental consent is required for the appointment of all volunteers under 17. There is no upper age limit, but volunteers should not continue beyond a point which is detrimental to their health and safety or where they cannot carry out their tasks effectively.

As people volunteer for a variety of reasons, museum will endeavour to match people to roles according to their skills, talents, interests and desires as well as the needs of the museums. The roles will be in one or more of the following five areas of the University museums: Conservation; Documentation; Education; Exhibitions; and Invigilation plus Events. Enquiries by applicants will be held for one year and will be reviewed within this period should a suitable opportunity become available.

Volunteers will be appointed by an interview panel comprising the Volunteer Co-ordinator and the member of museum staff who will be responsible for their supervision. Selection for interview will be based on the Volunteer Enquiry Form and the applicant's CV. Professional, technical or other qualifications may be necessary for some volunteer placements. Selected applicants will be asked to provide the names and contact details of two referees. The University of Aberdeen is committed to equal opportunities as detailed in the Equal Opportunities Policy Statement.

Volunteers will be directly accountable to a named member of staff and will be asked to discuss and agree a role description prior to the start of their placement, including agreeing when and how much time is to be committed. On appointment, volunteers will sign a written Volunteer Agreement. The placement will expire at the end of the agreed period unless renewed by both parties. Volunteers should give at least one week’s notice of resignation, while the agreement may be cancelled if the Head of Museums is satisfied that the conduct of the appointee has been inappropriate or that there is no longer an operational role for the volunteer.

Induction and support
All new volunteers will receive an induction pack containing information on the organisational structure and collections of the University museums, as well as personal-development resources. Volunteers will undergo training as required by museum staff, including a short object-handling training session at the start of their placement. The volunteer and their supervisor will hold a review meeting approximately one month after appointment, after which a review meeting will take place every six months to assess training and development needs.

Volunteers are expected to maintain the confidentiality of privileged information to which they may have access while working with the museums. Personal details of volunteers will be held on a secure computer database, accessible only to authorised staff. Information will not be divulged to third parties without the individual’s consent. Records of hours worked may be published by the museum, but will not be attributable to individual volunteers.

Volunteers may work in restricted museum areas, such as stores, but will be under the supervision of a member of museum staff at all times and will follow the instructions of museum staff. Volunteers do not have responsibility for collections or museum activities and may not make arrangements with third parties on behalf of the museums.

Out-of-pocket expenses incurred by volunteers will only be reimbursed when agreed in advance with museum staff and with appropriate receipts being presented.

Volunteers should discuss any health conditions with their supervisor if it may affect their ability to carry out their assigned tasks. Volunteers are required to follow the University’s Health and Safety Policy and share responsibility for Health and Safety. Any personal protective equipment required to carry out agreed tasks will be provided by the museums. The use of vehicles by volunteers must follow the relevant University procedures for permission and insurance. The University has employer’s liability and public liability insurance.

Museum staff supervisors will act as first point of contact should a volunteer wish to raise any concerns. In the unlikely event that a volunteer has cause for grievance with their supervisor, they should report their concerns to the supervisor’s line manager, Volunteer Co-ordinator or Head of Museums.

Volunteers at any level of study in the University of Aberdeen are eligible to enrol at the start of each academic year on the AUSA careers service Students Taking Active Roles (STAR) award scheme, at bronze level.

Established volunteers may be appointed as Honorary Curatorial Assistants if they demonstrate a substantial and continuing commitment. This status brings with it additional benefits, including access to University library, sports and IT facilities. Applications for Honorary status follow the University’s normal procedures for the appointment of Honorary members of staff.

The University of Aberdeen is committed to equal opportunities as detailed in the Equal Opportunities Policy Statement.

Application form
To volunteer for work within Historic Collections download the application form and return it to the Volunteer Co-ordinator:

Volunteer Co-ordinator
University of Aberdeen Museums
Kings Museum
17 High Street
Old Aberdeen
AB24 3EE