Spring 2011 Interns
Steven Strohl
, WIU Graduate History Major
Volunteer Job Descriptions
Summer Day Camp Week One: Program Instructor
Length of Commitment: 1 week. The training days will be the 9th and 10th for 1 hour. During camp days 13-16 for 4 hours.
Dates Needed: June 9, 10 & 13-16, 2011
Age Requirements: 13 and older
Duties: The duties of the day camp instructor will consist of helping set up at the beginning of camp, clean up after the campers have left. Also, they will be responisble for helping with the execution of the activities of the camp, coming up with new activites, and ensuring that each camper is learning and enjoying their time at the day camp.
Desired Qualifications: The program instructor needs to have the ability to work with young children (ages 5-10) in an understanding and patient manor. Recommended but not necessary, a background in education and teaching.
Training provided: Yes, the training for the day camps will be two days prior to start of camp. There will also be a closing meeting on the last day of camp to dicuss the best parts of the camp and what can be done better in the future.
Number of Volunteers Needed: The day camp will need 2-3 volunteers.
Summer Day Camp Week Two: Program Instructor
Length of Commitment: 1 week. The training days will be the 9th and 10th for 1 hour. During camp days 13-16 for 4 hours.
Dates Needed: June 23, 24 & 27-30
Age Requirements: 13 and older
Duties: The duties of the day camp instructor will consist of helping set up at the beginning of camp, clean up after the campers have left. Also, they will be responisble for helping with the execution of the activities of the camp, coming up with new activites, and ensuring that each camper is learning and enjoying their time at the day camp.
Desired Qualifications: The program instructor needs to have the ability to work with young children (ages 5-10) in an understanding and patient manor. Recommended but not necessary, a background in education and teaching.
Training provided: Yes, the training for the day camps will be two days prior to start of camp. There will also be a closing meeting on the last day of camp to dicuss the best parts of the camp and what can be done better in the future.
Number of Volunteers Needed: The day camp will need 2-3 volunteers.
Exhibition Install/Uninstall
Length of Commitment: 1-2 weeks prior to opening of exhibit; 1 week after closing of exhibit.
Dates Needed: Uninstall of Huntin’, Fishin’, Braggin’ – March 28-April 1; Install of Rural Women’s Organizations Apr 11-22; Uninstall of Rural Women’s Organizations Aug 1-6; Install of The Image: Recording a collective and personal history (family history) Aug 8-19; Uninstall of The Image: Recording a collective and personal history (family history) Nov 28-Dec 3
Age Requirements: 15 and older
Duties: The duties of exhibit install/uninstall varies based on the exhibit. Moving of heavy cases, artificats, construction and cleaning will be apart of each install and uninstall. The curator will give clear instructions prior to the start of each work session and tailor tasks to volunteers ability.
Desired Qualifications: The volunteers need to be able to lift and push heavy objects without injury, follow instructions given by the curator, and be able to carefully handle museum collection items.
Number of Volunteers Needed: This will be variey with each exhibit, if you are interested in helping please check with the curator to find out how many are needed.
Notes: The time commitment does not have to be for the full 1 or 2 weeks; however, if you are not able to come on a consistant bases please notify the curator.
Exhibit Research
Length of Commitment: The length of commitment would vary based on that amount of research that would be done.
Dates Needed: The dates will vary based on the exhibit dates. If you are interested in doing research on any of this years upcoming exhibits contact curator.
Age Requirements: 18 and older
Duties: The duties of exhibit research will consist of doing responsible and informed reasearch no a topic that either you or the curator will suggest. If needs to be done in a timely manor, edited prior to being given to the curator, and have sources availiable.
Desired Qualifications: The volunteer needs be able to have the time to devote to research and writing, be able to edit his/her own work, and work within time constrants.
Training provided: The museum will not provide training.
It would be a good idea if the volunteer has some background in writing.
Number of Volunteers Needed: This will vary on the
amount of research that the curator is interested in having done
for the exhibit.
Exhibit Docent
Length of Commitment: Each time slot will be 1-3 hours in length. The exhibit docent signs up for a time slot on days that are available for them.
Dates Needed: Docents will be needed for the length of each exhibit.
Age Requirements: 16 and older
Duties: The docent will be responsible for informing the vistors about the guestbook, donations, and upcoming events. They will also need to have a working knowledge of the current exhibit and be able to answer to the best of there knowledge questions that vistors might ask.
Desired Qualifications: Ability to speak to vistors or groups that come to view the exhibit.
Training provided: Training will be provided prior to the opening ceremony of each exhibit. These will be called exhibit walk throughs. The curator will give interested docents a docent guide and take them through the exhibit pointing out interesting facts or historical moments that can be used by the docent.
Publicity – Distribute Media
Length of Commitment: Varied.
Dates Needed: Varied.
Age Requirements: 16 or older.
Duties: These volunteers will be called upon when the museum has an event that needs to be annouced to the public. They will be responsible for distrubiting the media throughout the commmunity and on social media sites.
Desired Qualifications: There are no specific qualifications for this but it would be benifieical if they volunteer had transportation to be able to distribute the media.
Number of Volunteers Needed: As many that are interested.
Publicity – Develop Media
Length of Commitment: Varied.
Dates Needed: Varied.
Age Requirements: 16 and older
Duties: Developing press releases, facebook events, making flyers, radio interviews, etc.
Desired Qualifications: Volunteers interested in developing media for the museum need to be able to develop relavent content for the website, write affective press releases, and be familiar with social media.
Help with Events: Make / Serve Refreshments
Length of Commitment: On-going
Dates needed: Based on dates of museum events
Age Requirements: Any age that is capable of cooking
baked goods to serve to museum vistors.
Duites: Making or buying baked and refreshments to bring into the museum for speical events.
Desired Qualifications: Ability to bring refreshments
to the museum on the day of the event.
Number of Volunteers needed: based on the size of
the event.
Retirement Home Outreach: Program Instructor
Length of Commitment: Varies. Each program is 3 hours of time commitment. Time includes planning and training becoming familier with material in addition to giving presentation.
Dates Needed: Varies.
Location of Volunteer Work: McDonough Country retirement communities
Age Requirements: 18 and older.
Duties: The program instructor will conduct a specific program or oversee other programs being held at the retirement homes by Western Illinois Museum.
Desired Qualifications: This person needs to be outgoing and talkative, be able to speak in front of large audiences, be able to work with others on projects, and be sensitive to audience they are working with. Also, have reliable transportation to and from the program site.
Training provided: There will be training provided with each specific program for the first time that an instructor conducts the program. Most programs will have a lesson plan or detailed information that the instructor can refer to during.
Number of Volunteers needed: 1-2 volunteer per program.
School Outreach
Job Title: Program Instructor/Mentor
Length of Commitment: Volunteers will be needed as we create and plan events. For each event there will be a short training or meeting prior to event.
Dates Needed: Varies. We are hoping to start these programs by March.
Location of Volunteer Work: Western Illinois Museum or local school.
Age Requirements: 20 and older
Duties: Help students learn about their local history, as well as, execute the programs goals, and help mentor the children.
Desired Qualifications: Volunteers must have a basic
knowledge of local history, willing to teach, confident in front of
crowds, and able to positively mentor 10-18 year olds.
Number of Volunteers Needed: 2-4
School Group Guide
Length of Commitment: Volunteers will be need to be well informed of the exhibit. They will also need to help make the exhibit relatiable to students and what they are learning about.
Dates Needed: Varied based on school group interest.
Age Requirements: 20 and older
Duties: Help students learn about their local history,
as well as, execute the programs goals, and help mentor the children.
Desired Qualifications: Volunteers must have a basic knowledge of local history, willing to teach, confident in front of crowds, and able to positively mentor school aged children.
Training provided: Yes
Number of Volunteers Needed: 2-4
Develop Activities for Outreach Programs
Length of Commitment: Varies.
Dates Needed: Varies.
Age Requirements: Any age.
Duties: Volunteers interested would work with the museum education and program coordinator. They would help create new activites for the museum outreach programs.
Desired Qualifications: No specific qualifications; however, some background in education would be helpful.
Training provided: No
Editors
Length of Commitment: Varies.
Dates Needed: Varies.
Location of Volunteer Work: At home or a Western Illinois Museum
Age Requirements: 18 and older
Duties: Volunteers would be responsible for editing press releases, newsletters, and wall text.
Desired Qualifications: Ability to edit and properly
correct and spelling and gramatical errors.