Voluntary Traineeships

Our East Reserves Team working across the Vale of York and into East Yorkshire are looking for a passionate individual to join the team as a voluntary trainee to support staff to undertake practical land management tasks, support with the delivery of volunteer task days and learn reserve administrative management.

You will help with the management of some of our most beautiful nature reserves giving you a broad range of practical and administrative skills across different habitats and further protecting Yorkshire’s wildlife.  From our first nature reserve Askham Bog with its mosaic of fen, woodland and meadow, to the York lowland heaths, you’ll be working with a broad range of habitats and associated fauna and flora in this varied role.

This role will involve a variety of outdoor practical conservation tasks on nature reserves as well as office-based tasks, which will give you the essential background knowledge and understanding to enhance the practical side of the role.

There is the opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills and to expand your knowledge with our varied internal volunteer training programme, along with a generous training budget for external training.

You will gain experience in:

• Practical land management e.g. grassland management, scrub removal, tree felling.
• Invasive species removal.
• Fencing and other essential maintenance work on reserves.
• Livestock checking and assisting with livestock movements.
• Assisting with the delivery of volunteer task days.
• Writing risk assessments for practical tasks.
• Learning about reserve management planning and CMSi software to create management plans.
• Knowledge about grazing agreements.
• Assisting with the planning and delivery of events.

Our voluntary traineeships all come with a personal training budget to develop your skills and knowledge further (£600 for a 12 month placement) and contributions towards travel expenses of up to £16.20 a day capped at £195 per month.

Recruitment Information

This voluntary traineeship is for 12 months, 3 days per week Monday - Friday, but can be reduced to 2 days to fit around your personal commitments if needed.

To apply please download the role description and send in a completed application to volunteering@ywt.org.uk by the closing deadline 9am, Tuesday 14th May 2024. Interviews are anticipated to take place in the week commencing 27th May 2024 in our York Office. 

The West Reserves Team at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust look after a total of 25 nature reserves across the whole of West Yorkshire. These sites vary in size, have many different habitats including woodlands, grasslands and wetlands and face a whole range of challenges and opportunities. From the beautiful magnesian limestone meadows at Brockadale, to the fungi rich grasslands of Broadhead clough, to the urban oasis of Kirkstall Valley, as a West Reserves Voluntary Trainee you can expect to gain a valuable experience across a broad range of fascinating habitats and locations. You will be involved with a site that is developing into a nature reserve too, with wildflower meadow re-seeding, new hedges and tree planting.

In order to protect, create and manage these high-quality habitats for a whole range of species, we carry out a varied and important programme of both outdoor practical delivery and office-based work, which as a voluntary trainee you will get to experience firsthand.

Our volunteer trainee program is well established and as such, participants have become an invaluable addition to the Reserves team, further enhancing and protecting Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves whilst developing the skills and experience needed to take the first steps into a career in conservation.

The role will be split between practical habitat conservation work and office-based tasks and you will get a whole range of experiences including:

• Habitat management, for example: woodland thinning, scrub control, Himalayan balsam pulling, Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) control, livestock management, fence and gate repairs, pond clearance and a variety of other jobs.
• Working with the local volunteer groups to manage sites including the opportunity to lead volunteer groups in practical activities.
• Organising and carrying out survey work.
• The chance to develop management plans and contribute to funding bid proposals and submissions.
• Promoting the work we do through media articles, social media posts and talking to the general public.
• Developing and delivering nature-based events.
• Due to the physical nature of these tasks, the role does require a reasonable level of physical fitness and willingness to work outdoors all year round.

Our voluntary traineeships all come with a personal training budget to develop your skills and knowledge further (£600 for a 12 month placement) and contributions towards travel expenses of up to £16.20 a day capped at £195 per month.

Recruitment Information

This voluntary traineeship is for 12 months, 3 days per week Monday - Friday, but can be reduced to 2 days to fit around your personal commitments if needed.

To apply please download the role description and send in a completed application to volunteering@ywt.org.uk by the closing deadline 9am, Monday 29th April. Interviews are anticipated to take place on Monday 13th May at our Stirley Reserve near Huddersfield. 

Could you help us to inspire the next generation of marine wildlife heroes? If you’re passionate about marine wildlife and conservation, and enjoy engaging with people of all ages, our Voluntary Traineeship could be the opportunity you’re looking for

The Living Seas Centre (LSC) is located at South Landing, Flamborough, and is our marine education hub where we inspire and enthuse people about the wonderful marine life we find off the Yorkshire coast.

We run an extensive programme of events and educational visits to the LSC, as well as at other sites along the Yorkshire coast. We hold regular events such as Rockpool Safaris, Marine Life Past and Present events, Flamborough wildlife cruises, seaweed foraging and soap making. On one day, you could be helping to lead a school visit to the LSC, while on another you could be assisting a rockpooling session in Scarborough or fossil hunting on Filey Brigg. You will also be part of the Visitor Engagement Team meetings and will assist with the monitoring and uploading of events to Eventbrite; you will experience all aspects of planning, running and monitoring visitor engagement. There is a wide variety of challenges for you to get your teeth stuck into, and this role is perfect for anyone wanting to pursue a career in learning, wildlife conservation and/or visitor engagement.

You will be part of a busy team who are passionate about marine wildlife and conservation, as well as engaging people with nature and the environment. Throughout your traineeship, your manager will provide you with a trainee programme that is tailored to meet your needs, and their expertise and mentorship will guide you through your 6-month voluntary traineeship role, ensuring you get the most out of your experience with us.

Our voluntary traineeships all come with a personal training budget to develop your skills and knowledge further (£300 for a 6 month placement) and contributions towards travel expenses of up to £16.20 a day, capped at £195 per month.

Recruitment information

This voluntary traineeship is for 6 months, 3 days per week Monday-Friday, but can be reduced to 2 days to fit around your personal circumstances if needed. There will occasionally be a requirement to attend weekend events as part of this role.

To apply please download the role description and send in a completed application to volunteering@ywt.org.uk by the closing deadline 9am, Tuesday 30th April 2024. Interviews are anticipated to take place on Wednesday 8^th May and Thursday 9^th May 2024 at the Living Seas Centre, or alternatively on line.