Volunteers

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN VOLUNTEERING AT DUDLEY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS HOWEVER WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS.  OUR NEXT RECRUITMENT DRIVEWILL BEGIN IN EARLY OCTOBER 2009.

Volunteers play a vital role interacting with the public at Dudley Zoological Gardens promoting our message of conservation & education to all visitors.

They provide valuable support to our programme of public talks, animal handling sessions and other special events.

Volunteers are based within our Discovery Centre which houses many of the Zoo’s smaller residents including lizards, snakes, mammals (chinchillas & ferrets) reptiles & insects.

Volunteers are expected to handle these creatures in front of a public audience so if you are phobic or suffer from allergies, this probably isn’t the job for you!

As a volunteer, your daily duties would typically include :-
Assisting our Animal Care Technicians with animal welfare (feeding & cleaning)
Talking & interacting with visitors
Helping to keep the Discovery Centre clean and safe (hovering, dusting & cleaning)

In a new venture for 2009, Volunteers will be heading out into the Zoo itself to operate several interactive attractions. These will include a brand-new hands-on 'History Zone' at Dudley Castle, guided tours of the castle museum in historical costume and an Animal Encounter Point housed in a Grade II listed kiosk. In busy periods, we even hope to maintain a presence in the walk-through enclosures such as Lemur Wood and Monkey Tails

Our friendly team of enthusiasts receive full in-house training, lunch vouchers and uniform.

All volunteers require the following :-
An interest in animals, conservation or natural history
Minimum 18 years of age
Be able to commit to a minimum 1 day per week (9.30am-5.30pm)
Undergo a Criminal Records Bureau check

Please note that our Volunteers DO NOT work alongside the Keepers or with animals out in the Zoo and becoming a volunteer does not lead to paid employment.

We are also unable to provide school work experiences or work placements.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please send a current CV and covering letter detailing why you would like to join us here at Dudley Zoological Gardens to :-
David Riley, Discovery Centre, Dudley Zoological Gardens, 2 The Broadway, Dudley, DY1 4QB.
Email: david.education@dudleyzoo.org.uk