Volunteering

2021 Lockdown

As Guernsey has returned to lockdown we are currently unable to take on any new volunteers so the Volunteer Application Form has been temporarily removed.

Why Volunteer with GBRC?

The dedication of volunteers underpins our work and provides so much of our knowledge of Guernsey’s wildlife. Volunteers bring a vital range of skills, enthusiasm, expertise and experience to organisations like our non-profit which have limited resources. 

Our volunteers carry out a range of essential work from office administration to leading a project. One of our volunteers, Julie, is the coordinator for the 2020 Barn Owl Survey.

Documents & Forms

Volunteer Application Form

Please email the Records Centre Manager on gsybiorecords@gmail.com to request a volunteer application form.

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day. 

  • Learn, improve and enhance industry-relevant and general office skills
  • Gain practical experience of a real-world working environment
  • Chances for networking with ecological professionals and others with similar interests
  • Discover the other environmental organisations in the Channel Islands, and how they are linked
  • Contribute to a database of over a million wildlife records
  • Help to build up a picture of how wildlife is changing in our region
  • Be part of a small and friendly team of staff and other volunteers
Charlie, Secretary of Zoology Section, undertaking a hedgehog survey 2019

Office Based Opportunities

Data entry: With 1000s of records coming in each year we always need help with entering information into our database – it isn’t always a straightforward job and is a good introduction to the work of a records centre. An interest in wildlife is helpful and full training in using our database will be given.

Electronic data processing: Large volumes of data come into the office via spreadsheets. Our aim is to process these and get them into our systems as quickly as possible. Following our protocols, we need volunteers to validate, verify and process this data before it can be loaded onto our database. A familiarity with spreadsheets and databases would be useful.

GIS: Using ArcGIS Pro with a Distmaps interface to map the location of habitats, sites and species, as well as updating tabular information. The software is also used to create maps which provide information to environmental consultants, wildlife recording groups and members of the public. Previous experience of GIS is an advantage.

Administrative tasks: Examples are cataloguing our collection of images, updating the library catalogue, general filing and help with mailings. Database and spreadsheet skills are useful.

F.A.Q.

Questions frequently asked by potential volunteers

We recommend volunteers attend for a minimum of half a day per week. Some tasks will need more time input than this. There is no upper limit, but we encourage potential volunteers to be realistic about the time they have available.

Yes! Any volunteer will be provided with the appropriate support to enable them to perform the task at hand. If staff are not available, you may be encouraged to engage with other experienced volunteers to assist you.

Due to operational reasons, most of our voluntary tasks do need to take place in our office at Raymond Falla House. Therefore, working at home is not an option for new volunteers, except in exceptional circumstances.

Our office-based opportunities are usually only available Tuesday-Friday, between 10:00am and 5:00pm, when staff are available to supervise those present and enable volunteers to gain entry to the building. 

We welcome new volunteers and if you want to come and try out volunteering, please contact us for details. 

Alternatively, you can help out at a one-off event. This gives you a taster at volunteering without having to worry about long term commitments. 

We are guided by policy, and hence encourage as wide a range of people as possible to volunteer at GBRC. Some tasks require certain skills or experience that may limit who we can take on as a volunteer. 

We have opportunities for office based volunteering for a range of tasks including data entry, administration, data logging and analysis and more. 

We also do field work and surveying and have dolphin observation shore and boat based trips. Plus, we have events in collaboration with the Biodiversity Partnership, Nature Guernsey, La Société and other groups.