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Being  a Volunteer at Whipsnade

Page history last edited by Ann Vipond 5 years, 1 month ago

Being a Volunteer at the Zoological Society of London, Whipsnade

 

Friendly, confident, flexible, reasonably fit, curious and committed …. sounds like a specification for a job! Well, in a way I suppose it is; a volunteer’s job description.

 

Having retired from full time work three year’s ago and wanting to become involved in “new” challenges and interests I joined U3A. An 80 year old member, who leads the Scottish dance group, happened to mention she’d had a lovely day up a Cheetah’s Rock. That’s how I found out about being a volunteer at Whipsnade zoo and followed in her dancesteps.

 

What’s required?

 

Approachability

 

One of the most important roles is to enhance the experience of the visitor by being friendly and helpful without being pushy. (I guess we all know the feeling of being approached by a shopkeeper asking if they can help and exiting that shop as quickly as possible.) The visitor may just want to know where the nearest toilets are or where to get a bite to eat but they may also ask more in depth questions about an exhibit e.g. How long does it take the Weaver bird to make its nest? (I did not know the answer but knew a man, nearby, who did!)

 

One role I enjoy is welcoming families with toddlers and asking if they would like wrist bands for their offspring on which they write their mobile number in case the toddler wanders too far. This has proved to be very popular and sets the visitors off in a positive way.

 

Flexibility

 

Each day starts with a briefing and allocation of duties for the day. Inevitably someone is unavailable and the timetable has to be rescheduled. On a very sunny day everyone really wants to be outside and on a cold, wet miserable day the reverse. Duties involve anything from manning the Activities room to either engage visitors in discussions about the items on the “Touch Table”, currently reptiles or help children make souvenir badges to holding a cheetah skull and explaining how its shape is conducive to speed and keen vision.

 

My favourite duty is manning an information spot next to the giraffes. We have a skull and some neck vertebrae to talk about to visitors. I’ve noticed a strange phenomena: when asked how many neck vertebrae a giraffe has adults suggest anything from 15 to 30 whereas children suggest 6 to 10 which is much more accurate i.e. 7 the same as a human being. A sparrow has 14!

My least favourite duty is being in the Information kiosk when no one wants any information! It’s a long hour.

 

Fitness

 

Whipsnade zoo occupies a very large site of approximately 500 acres and is thereby able to provide large spacious paddocks and have free roaming animals as well as herds of deer, antelope and several camels. A lot of brisk walking is required to get from one enclosure to another when taking over from a volunteer as we do half or one hour slots. It also has its own micro climate and being on the edge of the Chiltern Downs, overlooking the Vale of Aylesbury, is often cold and exposed to strong winds.

I do know of a pair of twins who are volunteers and they are averse to walking anywhere. I was amazed to discover they use their car to change from one enclosure to another even if it is a 3 minute walk!

 

Curiosity

 

We need to be reasonably well informed about the exhibits and layout of the zoo in order to answer questions and point people in the right direction so it helps to be interested enough to find out as much as we can.

 

Commitment

 

It’s no good volunteering and then finding excuses not to go on your volunteer day because it lets the rest of the team down, especially the poor team leader who has spent hours devising the timetable for the day and it all goes to pot when volunteers can’t make it. Numbers will be down whenever a major sporting event is being televised!

 

Overall it’s about providing good customer service, making the visitor feel welcome and valued. The success of the zoo depends upon it and as the Zoological Society plays a vital role in the conservation of rare and endangered species volunteers are contributing to their survival.

 

It’s fun and rewarding!

 

Sheelagh Webster

 

For more information on Whipsnade Zoo Click here

 

 

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