Voluntary Traineeships
"My traineeship in two words? Knowledge bomb!"
Our voluntary trainees tell us that it’s the knowledge, responsibilities and support they receive that makes their time with us so valuable. Most are looking for a career in conservation and in the last year over 65% have gone on into paid conservation roles.
Each year over 20 people volunteer as trainees with us, each spending time within a specific team. They learn the skills to create a Yorkshire rich in wildlife; whether it’s creating wet woodlands to reduce flooding, managing an urban nature reserve, inspiring schools about the seas or designing our next social media campaign!
Voluntary traineeships are open to anyone, although we do expect you to have some experience in the role you’re applying for. Roles are normally 6-12 months long and for 3 days per week. They are based across our sites but are normally at one of our regional offices. Along with reasonable travel expenses and a competitive training budget trainees also have access to our fantastic volunteer training programme which is open to all of our volunteers.
Current Opportunities
Nature Reserves Voluntary Traineeship - Vale of York
Our East Reserves Team working across the Vale of York and into East Yorkshire are looking for a passionate individual to join the team as a voluntary trainee to support staff to undertake practical land management tasks, support with the delivery of volunteer task days and learn reserve administrative management.
You will help with the management of some of our most beautiful nature reserves giving you a broad range of practical and administrative skills across different habitats and further protecting Yorkshire’s wildlife. From our first nature reserve Askham Bog with its mosaic of fen, woodland and meadow, to the York lowland heaths, you’ll be working with a broad range of habitats and associated fauna and flora in this varied role.
This role will involve a variety of outdoor practical conservation tasks on nature reserves as well as office-based tasks, which will give you the essential background knowledge and understanding to enhance the practical side of the role.
There is the opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills and to expand your knowledge with our varied internal volunteer training programme, along with a generous training budget for external training.
You will gain experience in:
- Practical land management e.g. grassland management, scrub removal, tree felling.
- Invasive species removal.
- Fencing and other essential maintenance work on reserves.
- Livestock checking and assisting with livestock movements.
- Assisting with the delivery of volunteer task days.
- Writing risk assessments for practical tasks.
- Learning about reserve management planning and CMSi software to create management plans.
- Knowledge about grazing agreements.
- Assisting with the planning and delivery of events.
Our voluntary traineeships all come with a personal training budget to develop your skills and knowledge further (£600 for a 12 month placement) and contributions towards travel expenses of up to £16.20 a day capped at £195 per month.
Recruitment Information
This voluntary traineeship is for 12 months, 3 days per week Monday - Friday, but can be reduced to 2 days to fit around your personal commitments if needed.
To apply please download the role description and send in a completed application to volunteering@ywt.org.uk by the closing deadline 9am, Tuesday 14th May 2024. Interviews are anticipated to take place in the week commencing 27th May 2024 in our York Office.Â