About the role

Events Volunteers support the wide-ranging programme of events at the National Science and Media Museum, including Bradford Science Festival, Widescreen Weekend and Yorkshire Games Festival. Volunteers have the flexibility to choose events they are interested in volunteering at and have availability to support. 2025 is a big year for the museum and for the Bradford District as UK City of Culture; our flagship events will be bigger and bolder than ever. These events are usually held at the museum and occasionally at external venues. 

The next opportunity to get involved is Bradford Science Festival, 25 October – 2 November 2025. Across 9 days, expect hands-on science activities for all ages to explore. This year's theme is all about the future of technology, fashion, climate, sound, and food. Don’t worry if you don’t have a science background; just bring your enthusiasm for helping our visitors make the most of their visit. We’ll provide a full briefing to help you understand what’s on and where.

This role gives volunteers the opportunity to make a difference as part of a lively programme of high-quality public events and activities. In this role, volunteers help the event run smoothly by assisting with activities and providing friendly customer service to all visitors. It also gives them the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests, meet colleagues across the museum, and gain valuable experience supporting public events.

Please note: if you register your interest for this volunteering opportunity on the Bradford Student Union website, we will send you a simple application form to complete.

In this role you will:

• Assist staff with the smooth delivery of events and activities
• Provide excellent customer service to all visitors, including a warm welcome and promoting what’s on and where
• Support visitors waiting to take part in activities and help make sure queues are managed positively
• Help with the set up and pack down of events and activities
• Assist in visitor surveys and data-gathering

What you’ll bring to the role: 
This role is perfect for people who:

• Are friendly, approachable, and enjoy working as part of a team and chatting with people
• Have the confidence to meet people from all walks of life
• Are reliable and able to follow instructions

It would be good if you:

• Have customer service experience
• Are proactive and willing to take initiative where needed 

What you’ll get from volunteering:
We want to ensure you have a rewarding experience with us. This means:

• Being part of a lively programme of high-quality events
• Meeting new people with similar interests
• Gaining valuable experience in a working environment
• Perks such as a shop discount while volunteering 
• References on request

Key dates:

• If you are successful, you must be available for a volunteer induction and event briefing at the museum on one of the following dates: Wednesday 15 October, 18.00-19.30, Friday 17 October 15.00-16.30, or Monday 20 October, 18.00-19.30 (you would only need to attend one of these sessions).
• Before the briefing takes place, a member of our team will be in touch to ask about your availability during the event. We offer a mix of half- and full-day shifts depending on your preference. We’ll then confirm the roster soon after all the briefings have taken place.

Additional Information:

• To volunteer in this role, you must be 18 or over. 
• If successful, we’ll request a basic criminal record check for you. We’ll arrange and process this for you and will cover all the costs. Any issues raised in the check will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• We are legally required to ensure all volunteers from overseas have the right to volunteer in the UK, so please check your visa before applying. SMG is unable to act as a sponsor organisation if you do not have a visa that allows you to volunteer.
• We reimburse out-of-pocket travel expenses of up to £6.00 per day.
• This is listed as an ongoing role. You can choose to volunteer at Bradford Science Festival as a one off, or choose to stay on as an Events volunteer at support the museum's other events throughout the year. 
• Visit https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/about-us/support-museum/volunteering for more information including FAQs.