Visitor Experience Volunteer

Grizedale Forest is a busy hub offering a variety of unique experiences and activities for visitors. Since the late 1960's Grizedale Forest has been a pioneer of opening up forests as places for visitors to experience, leading the way in recreation and leisure in England's public forests. The unique selling points of the forest are the range of adventurous activities available and the landmark sculpture programme that was founded in 1977 and continues to this day to commission and present the best of art in the environment.

Grizedale’s vision: "to provide a consistently high quality visitor experience for the public to enjoy healthy outdoor pursuits in attractive, sustainable and safe environment".

Visitor Experience Volunteers will support us in providing our visitors with an excellent experience of Grizedale because they love their local forest.

In this key role you will provide a warm welcome and build positive rapport with visitors, as well as providing information to help them to make their visit a memorable one. By passing on your knowledge and sharing your enthusiasm for the forest you will contribute to visitors leaving Grizedale with a greener heart.

Key Objective

To ensure that an exceptional, consistent experience is delivered to all Grizedale Forest’s visitors. Visitor Experience is about friendly faces onsite throughout peoples’ visit - from their arrival to departure.

This will be done by providing a remarkable service to visitors in a welcoming environment, and by providing information that encourages a positive relationship between volunteers, staff and our visitors. Visitor Experience Volunteers will inspire our visitors so that they become enthusiastic about the Forest and become ambassadors for Grizedale.

What’s in it for you?

1. Meet and work with a fun and diverse team who love forests, art, adventure and

wildlife

2. Make friends

3. Gain knowledge and expertise in the area of visitor experience, customer services,

arts, forestry and more

4. Receive training and the opportunity to learn new skills through training

5. Free refreshments in a dedicated volunteer common room

6. After 35 volunteering hours get a free annual Grizedale Forest parking pass, which

will be renewed annually subject to hours completed and internal reviews

7. Continuing education opportunities such as guided walks, meet artists, field trips and

events

8. A Forestry Commission Volunteer uniform

9. Annual recognition events

10. Long service awards

Key Work Areas:

1. Meet and greet visitors on arrival

2. Provide information about the site including directions, facilities and history and deal

with any arising queries

3. Help visitors plan their visit by telling them about activities and events

4. Events support – from planning to delivery

5. Social media

6. Promote the Discovery Pass – a great way to support the forest and get great

benefits including free parking and shop discounts

7. Promote the important work The Forestry Commission does and in particular how

Grizedale improves valuable woodland assets in ways that are good for people,

nature and the economy

8. Get to know the on-site partners enabling you to encourage visitors to sample the

café, GoApe, shop, Grizedale Mountain Bikes.

9. Provide Guided Walks in areas / topics that interest you

10.Be aware of the needs for all visitors, including family visitors and disabled visitors

11.Feedback and Evaluation about the site as a whole

12.Farewell and encourage visitors to return

Skills and attributes needed:

1. Enjoy meeting new people

2. Have an interest in arts, adventure and wildlife

3. Helpful nature and enjoy being part of a team

4. Have a positive attitude, be a good communicator and most importantly have a big friendly smile!

5. Enjoy variety

6. Knowledge of the forest and local area is useful but this can be learnt

Commit as much or as little time as you wish. It is helpful if you can commit to a regular slot but this could be weekly, monthly etc. The Centre is open 7 days so we would welcome volunteers who can help at weekends as well as mid-week.

Each volunteer opportunity is different - with its own unique set of responsibilities and therefore requiring its own unique mix of relevant training, skills and experience.

Any necessary training will be provided by our friendly staff.

Once we have reviewed your application from, we may invite you for an interview and a background check.

Please note: Volunteer placement is a selective process and not all applicants are accepted. The Forestry Commission reserves the right to place volunteers in an area best suited to the applicant’s skills and the needs of Grizedale Forest