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Are you enthusiastic in sharing your passion for ecology? Can you bring conservation to life, engaging mixed ability groups in playing an active role in encouraging nature and wildlife in an urban area? The Talbot Village Trust has an exciting opportunity for a new post of Conservation Volunteer Co-ordinator to deliver community volunteering schemes in our woodland in Wallisdown.

Following successful volunteering schemes over the last two winters, we’re keen to develop our conservation volunteer scheme, inviting local residents, university students and ad hoc corporate groups to experience practical conservation firsthand, and learn more about the ecology of this space. Led by our woodland management plan and ecology surveys, the work will help measurably enrich the biodiversity of the woodland, sharing conservation techniques and improving understanding of the ecology with our volunteers and the wider public.

This post is held within a small and developing team within the charity, aiming to build closer relationships between our local community, the land we steward and the wildlife living here. The role will be supported by other members of our staff team and our deeply committed trustees.

The successful candidate will work with volunteers of all ages, including supervised secondary school groups, and will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS Check. To ensure our scheme is accessible, this role will offer volunteering sessions at weekends, as well as during the week.

Key responsibilities:

• Designing and supervising volunteer conservation sessions
• Design and deliver a programme of engaging and well managed woodland maintenance volunteering tasks, based on a programme averaging 3 sessions each week, that will bring about meaningful biodiversity changes
• Contribute to establishing and undertake measurements to monitor the impact of the changes that are made, including by conducting wildlife surveys, setting up the recording on national databases where appropriate. These will supplement the professional surveying already in place.
• Ensuring all activities are fully risk assessed, taking into account the needs and abilities of each volunteer, and the daily and changing conditions
• Establish and support cohesive groups of volunteers, bringing together people of different backgrounds to form welcoming social groups, increasing the number and range of people volunteering with us
• Engage in national best practice in supporting conservation volunteers
• Supporting our engagement with local communities
• Promote our volunteering opportunities, re-engaging last year’s volunteers and recruiting new members, particularly among groups from diverse backgrounds
• Create and deliver citizen science activities, inviting volunteers and woodland visitors to add to their and our understanding of the ecology here
• Connect volunteers with useful opportunities for networking, training and development (signposting is provided)
• Attend or run events at weekends as well as during office hours, ensuring a consistent programme of activities is available

General

• Undertake administration for the project including, but not limited to: maintaining accurate event records, work programmes, risk assessments, evaluation spread sheets, financial reports and outcome reports.
• Prepare reports on the volunteering activities for our team and trustees
• Contribute to events or other activities as part of TVT’s wider engagement
• Contribute to internal and external communications and campaigns by working closely with other team members, ensuring all communications are timely, constructive and engaging
• Undertake any other duties in support of the charity’s activities as may be reasonably required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential:

• Experience of developing and leading outdoor conservation volunteering sessions or similar, including producing and maintaining thorough risk assessments
• Knowledge of woodland ecology and appropriate approaches to increase biodiversity
• Experience of woodland conservation techniques including tool care and safety
• Experience of working with mixed groups, including families, corporate teams and people with additional needs
• Strong relationship building and relationship management skills
• Self-organised, proactive & positive approach to work
• Working knowledge of data privacy requirements when working with volunteers
• Confident in maintaining accurate records and producing reports on biodiversity and impact using Word and Excel competently.
• Natural team worker with excellent communication skills (written, using Outlook & in person) including producing progress reports
• Experience of working in small teams taking accountability for your area of work
• Strong commitment to the mission, vision and values of the Talbot Village Trust
• Ability to work flexibly and consistently, including running volunteering events at weekends

Desirable:

• Knowledge of conservation groups and projects local to Bournemouth and Poole
• Experience of supervising people of any age with autism or anxiety
• Current First Aid certificate suitable for managing volunteers carrying out practical conservation tasks
• Experience in leading citizen science projects, helping the public play a stronger role in noticing and encouraging wildlife
• Experience in working with secondary school age students
• Experience using Canva or similar to create engaging promotional or reporting materials, adhering to brand guidelines

ABOUT US

The Talbot Village Trust is a charity with a vision for communities in south-east Dorset to live well. We exist to support people to transform their own lives for the better. We do this by providing grants to charities and other local impact organisations delivering much needed services in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Purbeck and east Dorset. We also manage an estate combining the historic Talbot Village, residential and commercial lettings, woodland, and an urban heath. We have distributed over £10 million in funds through 650 awards across south-east Dorset over the past decade.

How to apply

Please apply with a covering letter outlining why you are suitable for this role along with your CV including names of two referees (none of whom will be contacted without your consent and only if you are offered a position).

Emailing us is the only way to apply.

As a small team, we are not able to provide individual feedback at the initial stage of the application process. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

This is a part time role, working 16 hours per week, for sessions running on regular weekdays.

Deadline for applications is 9am Monday 30th June 2025. However, we will review CVs as received and reserve the right to hold interviews for shortlisted candidates on an ongoing basis.

Interviews will be held in person on 8th and 9th July, with a view to the successful applicant starting during the week commencing 8th September, if available.

Should you be interviewed for one of our vacancies (preferably face to face), you will always receive considered feedback from us once a decision has been reached.

We warmly welcome applicants from all parts of our diverse community, particularly those from under-represented groups. The post holder will be required to undertake DBS check.

Thank you for showing an interest in the opportunity.