Volunteer working at David Livingstone Birthplace

Retail Volunteer

Overview

Following a four-year refurbishment, David Livingstone Birthplace opened our brand-new museum exhibition, shop, and café in July 2021. This is an exciting time to join us as we welcome visitors into the new museum for the 2022 season.

We are looking for volunteers to help in our shop in the role of Retail Volunteer. This is a vital role in supporting the museum and the retail volunteer team will be interacting with the public as the face of the David Livingstone Birthplace. Full training will be provided, and volunteers will be able to claim reimbursement for travel.

The successful candidate will be friendly, welcoming, diplomatic and have a passion for the stories and histories relating to Livingstone, his collaborators, and his context.

Full training will be provided, and volunteers will be able to claim reimbursement for travel.

Location

David Livingstone Birthplace, 165 Station Road, Blantyre, G72 9BY.

Supervisor

Visitor Experience Team.

Key Tasks

  • To sell and promote retail products in the David Livingstone Birthplace Shop.
  • To merchandise products.
  • Talking to visitors.
  • Collecting feedback from visitors.
  • To manage and monitor cash transactions.
  • To help with the management of stock and ordering.
  • To clean high touch points.
  • Answering any queries on the shop phone.
  • General cleaning duties such as emptying bins, cleaning surfaces, brushing/mopping shop floor at the end of the day.

Skills

  • Good oral communication skills and the ability to engage with a wide range of people.
  • The ability to provide a welcoming retail environment, maintaining a well-ordered range of products that are displayed in an attractive and appealing manner.
  • Confidence and a positive attitude.
  • An empathic and respectful approach when working with others.
  • A diplomatic approach to dealing with difficult issues and ability to take on feedback.
  • Collaborative approach with the ability to work with team members, including staff, volunteers, partners, and community members.
  • Willingness to participate in core training, for example: Customer Service and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training.
  • A commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) issues and commitment to personal development and learning when engaging these issues.
  • Previous experience in a retail environment would be advantageous, but not essential.

Time and Level of Commitment

There is a time commitment of minimum 4 hours a week (am or pm) ongoing. Volunteers will be able to choose the day and shift time.

The Benefits of Volunteering

  • The chance to meet new people and join our community of dedicated volunteers.
  • Gaining experience to use on your CV.
  • The opportunity to put existing skills into practice and building new skills.
  • Reimbursement for travel expenses.
  • Full training in customer service, till operation, handling cash and merchandising.
  • Contributing to the day-to-day operations of the David Livingstone Birthplace.
  • Volunteering references.

We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, and welcome applications from those facing barriers to employment, people living with a disability and with additional support needs, people from a BAME background, refugees. and those who identify as LGBTQI+. Previous convictions are not necessarily a barrier to volunteering.

The volunteer recruitment process will involve having an informal chat with the Volunteer and completing a formal induction into the voluntary role.

To register interest and for further information please contact: volunteer@dltrust.uk.

Please state in your email why you would like to volunteer at DLB and any relevant experience or interests.

Also see Volunteers section.


We are very grateful to our key funders the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government for their support in helping us deliver the Birthplace Project.

National Lottery Heritage Fund
Scottish Government
Historic Environment Scotland
Note: Please note that David Livingstone Birthplace (and the David Livingstone Trust) is no longer part of National Trust Scotland (NTS). NTS members will therefore no longer receive discounted/free entry to the Birthplace Museum.

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