183 Research support volunteer roles

About The Role

The hides on our reserve present an opportunity to engage visitors with our wetlands, helping them to learn more about the WWT’s important conservation work and about the amazing biodiversity and abundance of species at our Caerlaverock site. Through sharing your enthusiasm and expertise, you will make connections, inspire visitors, and help people of all birdwatching abilities to enjoy the wildlife on our reserve. Helping someone identify a bird species that they haven’t seen before or are struggling to identify can really kickstart their connection with nature and create a lasting positive experience.

Our Guide in the Hide Volunteers provide a warm and friendly welcome to the hide, point out species of interest and assist with identification, educate about WWT’s conservation work, and make sure our visitors have a positive experience looking at wildlife. You will also help to record any wildlife sightings whilst out on the reserve. This is a great opportunity to meet a variety of people, learn about wildlife conservation and become a part of a friendly and supportive team. 

Volunteers are an essential part of the WWT team, and we wouldn’t be able to maintain our internationally important wetland sites without their help. You will receive a very warm welcome, full induction & training, and be provided with any necessary equipment, uniforms, and anything else needed to thrive in your role.

Main Tasks

• Giving a warm welcome to all visitors coming into the hides
• Talking to visitors about what they can see from the hide windows
• Recording sightings data into a logbook
• Helping with wildlife species identification
• Assisting visitors to use the optical equipment and identification guidebooks
• Informing visitors of which events, talks, and activities at the site may be of interest
• Updating the sightings board and letting the welcome desk know about any exciting sightings
• Maintaining the hides – tidying chairs, cleaning surfaces, sweeping, collecting litter, organising learning materials & equipment

About You 

No previous experience is required for this role as full training will be provided, and a willingness to learn new skills is more important. However, this role would suit you if:

• You feel confident in talking to and engaging with members of the public, and can adapt your communication style to suit your audience
• You love birding and want to share your enthusiasm with others
• You have a strong basic knowledge of UK bird species - additional training & support for species identification can be provided
• You are friendly and approachable with a positive attitude
• You have an interest in and enthusiasm for the work of WWT
• You enjoy working as part of a team of staff and volunteers
• You are physically fit to patrol the reserve in all weather

Overview

Position Title: Advisory Board member

Company: Well Adapt

Location: Online (with occasional optional in-person meetings)

Duration: 1 year initial term from Monday 19 October. Term to be extended if both parties agree.

Board Meetings: The first Advisory Board meeting is pencilled in to take place on Wednesday 28 October at 5pm.

Application Deadline: Monday 5 October, 23:59

Pay: Voluntary

About Well Adapt

Well Adapt is a disabled led social enterprise that aims to transform the health system so that it better serves disabled and chronically ill people. 

Disabled and chronically ill people face disproportionate inequalities in healthcare with many of us feeling completely disillusioned with and abandoned by the system that is supposed to support us. The inequality gets worse for those of us with intersecting marginalisations such as race, gender, class, and sexuality.

Well Adapt works with policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities to build health and social care systems co-produced by disabled and chronically ill people and grounded in disability justice.

We are in the process of changing our governance structure from Company Limited by Shares to Community Interest Company.

We are forming our first ever advisory board to help us chart our course forward so that we can make a greater impact on healthcare policy. 

Role details

The Advisory Board as a collective will be responsible for:

• Attending online board meetings every three months (there may be optional in person meetings)

• Helping guide the strategic direction of the organisation

• Setting and maintaining vision, mission, and values

• Maintaining financial oversight of the organisation

• Championing our work and helping build relationships that strengthen our work

Essential criteria

We’re looking for a passionate and principled person who has:

• Lived experience of disability
• Professional experience within the NHS
• A passion for improving healthcare for marginalised groups

Application Process

1st stage: Initial Application (Deadline Monday 5 October, 11:59pm).

Please send a CV and covering letter or voice note by email that covers the following:

• Why you think disability advocacy is important (we want to know what you think, not what a generative AI thinks here)

• Why you would like to be a founding member of Well Adapt’s Advisory Board

• Any experience or skills not present on your CV (please don’t repeat information that is already on your CV)

You will find the email address to ask questions to on the Well Adapt webpage that opens when you click "redirect to recruiter".

We will assess your initial application as follows:

• We will score candidates based on the essential criteria to choose 3-5 candidates to invite to the next stage.

• If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be notified on Wednesday 7 October.

2nd Stage: Interview on Monday 12 between 3 and 5pm or Tuesday 13 October between 2 and 4.30pm. 

If you are successful at the 2nd stage, you will be notified by Wednesday 14 October.

Start date of role: Wednesday 21st October 2026

The first advisory board meeting is pencilled in for Wednesday 28 October 2026, 5pm, online.

Accessibility

As an organisation run for and by disabled people, we are committed to meeting the accessibility needs of applicants and employees. Please let us know if there’s anything you need to be able to engage with the recruitment process to the best of your ability by emailing us.

You will find the email address to ask questions to on the Well Adapt webpage that opens when you click "redirect to recruiter".