What types of volunteer opportunities does MTSW offer?
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We have a range of ways you can get involved. Volunteers support participants with our school programmes (weekdays) and events (weekends), sharing their passion for the environment and guiding them through the activities for the day. For our marine programmes, we are looking for experienced water people to snorkel with participants. For our freshwater programmes, this is supporting a group of participants to carry out stream water quality monitoring. If getting in the water is not your thing, no worries we have plenty of land support roles that require volunteers as well!
How do I sign up to become a volunteer with MTSW?
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You can start by signing up for our email volunteer newsletter below. This will ensure you stay up to date with everything happening in our volunteer space. From there you will be prompted to complete our full registration form and a police vet for working with children. Then you'll be ready to join us!
What time commitment is required as a MTSW volunteer?
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We have no set time commitment required. We understand people have busy lives, so volunteering with us is on a casual basis. We have opportunities to volunteer on both weekday programmes and weekend events. Our programmes and events are usually 8.30am to 4pm, or can be attended as half days finishing/starting at 12pm.
What type of training does MTSW provide?
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In the lead-up to our marine and freshwater seasons, we run information and training sessions which are a great way to learn more about volunteering with MTSW. They are also a great opportunity to upskill and gain confidence for working with and guiding participants. We also have some online training resources. Our marine training includes familiarisation with our gear and snorkel day setups, and includes time in the water practicing fish ID and rescue skills. Our freshwater training includes familiarisation with our gear and field activities we run with students to teach them about water quality.
Do MTSW volunteers get any ongoing volunteer support?
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MTSW highly values our volunteers. We have linked up with local businesses to develop a volunteer rewards programme. This gives volunteers access to discounts at local businesses as a way for saying thank you for supporting our programmes and mission. This can be accessed by volunteers who volunteer at least three times within a 6 month period. At the end of each season we also organise thank you events to celebrate the efforts given by our volunteers.
Do I need to have an environmental qualification to become a volunteer with MTSW?
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No – we welcome volunteers without formal qualifications as well and from lots of different backgrounds. Having a passion for the environment and for working with people is key for volunteering with our hands-on programmes. Snorkel experience and water confidence is essential to be a snorkel volunteer, however we always have plenty of on-shore roles, and other ways to help out. Volunteering with us is also a great way to learn more about your local environment.