Volunteering at Market Arcade Heritage Centre

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Volunteering is an activity that involves spending time, unpaid, which benefits the community we live in and our service users. We offer a range of volunteering opportunities across the council - from our care homes to countryside conservation. You can choose to do as little as a few hours a week and fit these around your existing commitments.

In return for your time, you will benefit from valuable experiences and learning new skills, and additionally a sense of pride and satisfaction of giving something back to the community. 

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Newport City Council recognises and values the contribution made by volunteers and is committed to involving them, where appropriate, to compliment the delivery of its services.

 

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Arcade Ambassadors / Friends. We need people who like meeting and talking to people to be our “meeters & greeters” in Arcade’s Heritage Centre. Not only telling visitors about the story of the arcade but hearing and recording their stories. Discussing stories, items, paintings, photographs they may have connected with the area and the people who lived, worked, and shopped here. Another important role will be that of Facilitators to work with visitors on open days, events, and exhibitions.

 

Story Gatherers. What we know about the arcade and the people associated with it is fascinating, but there is so much more to discover, and we need volunteers who can help gather it all together by talking to people, reading books and archives, searching the internet,

 

Storytellers and Story Writers

This will involve spreading the story of the project and the story of the Arcade itself as tour guides and supporters or Guest Speakers in the Arcade or as part of our outreach programme to groups and societies in the wider community.

We also want to tell the story of Newport’s oldest arcade and those involved with it to the wider world, and this will mean uploading printed accounts, photographs, and film to the internet.

You may be Oral History interviewers, recording the stories of those shoppers, workers or more general memories of Market Arcade and recording them for future generations.

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Going away or feeling unwell?

This isn't paid work so you can take time 'off' to go on holiday whenever you want, but please do let us know and give us as much notice as possible so that we can make other arrangements.

 If you're not feeling well then obviously that can’t be helped and is different. However, please let us know as soon as you can but don't worry if you can’t come in. Just email market.arcade@newport.gov.uk and let us know.

 

How much of my time do you expect?

There’s no minimum time, although some roles, require regular involvements – for example, one shift a week. If there are special events, or you need to be working alongside another volunteer this may mean less than a couple of hours might not be so practical.

Then again you might prefer to volunteer more hours, but on an ad hoc basis for special events, open days or exhibitions.

 

Will there be training?

Yes, although how much depends on the role. Apart from the basics, there will be more specialist training for certain roles as Storytellers, Story Gatherers and more. Of course, every volunteer will receive a thorough induction to their role. You will want to feel confident in what you’re being asked to do.

 

 

Give it a go!

Once you have completed your training, you will have some time to try out the role, shadow alongside existing volunteers or staff and see how you feel about it all. Once this period is over, we will have a chat with you to make sure you're happy with everything or about any questions or worries you might have.

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