Volunteering is ideally suited to those with a love of nature and birds of prey in particular. It offers the opportunity to work closely with a variety of species from around the world as you come to understand and appreciate their characters and on occasion, have the opportunity to fly one of our resident birds during exercise sessions.

Our dedicated volunteers are indispensable, helping us with:

• aviary cleaning and general site maintenance
• feed rounds for the birds
• gardening and groundwork
• painting and light construction

If you would like to volunteer with us you’ll be joining a friendly, enthusiastic team of like-minded individuals in what can prove to be an engaging and rewarding experience - indeed, many of our volunteers stay with us for many years, and some have even gone on to join us for a career in falconry.

Ideally we’d ask of your time for a minimum of one regular day per week so that we can plan our rota effectively. If you’re aged 18 and over and you’d like to know more, please fill in the form below to tell us a bit more about yourself and then we can fix an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you!

aking care of our visitors is an important part of Suffolk Owl Sanctuary experience.

We do this using a number of methods, including signage, interactive displays, talks and guided walks. We are looking for individuals with an interest in conservation and education to join our friendly team and support our work.

DUTIES

• Assisting with visitor activities, such as crafts, meet the minibeasts etc

• Leading guided walks around the Sanctuary (Seasonal)

• Providing visitors with information about the Sanctuary from strategic positions (Seasonal)

• Developing ideas for Trails around the Sanctuary (both seasonal and educational)

• Assisting the Education team with on-site groups, off-site visits and community events.

TIMINGS

This role is flexible but volunteers are expected to complete a minimum of 1 full day a month.

SKILLS REQUIRED

• Excellent communication skills

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

• Good eye for detail

• Organised and able to prioritise tasks

• Interest in the Conservation work of the Sanctuary, including Animals, Hospital and Campaigns

• Existing art, photography, film making or IT skills can be utilised to support staff projects

• Public speaking is preferable

• Customer Service experience

HEALTH & SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

• Health and Safety training will be provided

• All volunteer roles in the Education Department are subject to DBS/ CRB checks.

• Volunteers must provide the Education Officer with the appropriate documentation when requested, prior to start date. Failure to comply with this will result in delayed start dates.

BENEFITS

• Free Admission to the Sanctuary when off duty (restrictions apply)

• Uniform to be worn at all times when volunteering

• Celebratory events

Please note that this role will not involve any direct contact with the birds, but you will be expected to learn about them to communicate this with visitors.

Here at Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, we offer all different kinds of group days, team building, lone working, or pair work.

• We take groups of a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 10.

• By letting us know of your interest well in advance, we can ensure suitable projects are set aside.

• The types of projects are anything from gardening, painting, re-construction/destruction of old enclosures/ aviaries, gravelling paths and aviaries, or moving bark (wood chip) around the center.

• During your visit, you will get the opportunity to enjoy the surroundings, see a flying display (depending on the time of year), or catch a Meerkat talk.

• During your visit, a member of staff will be on hand to look after your well-being throughout and will even take photos for your website, and ours (permissions depending).

• A rough daily itinerary:

  8:45 - Arrival

  9:00 - Prompt start

  11:30am - Flying Display

  12:00am - Lunch

  1:00pm - Volunteering

  3/4pm - end of day

• When your day is done, you will be gifted a VIP pass for those taking part as our way of saying thank you.

We are happy to provide students with work placements as part of their course. We can provide placements for students on Animal, Education, Tourism or Art/ Media courses - some of these placements may not be available year round due to the seasonal nature of our organisation.

ALL PLACEMENTS MUST BE PART OF A CURRICULUM OR A CONFIRMED REQUIREMENT FOR EXTRA CURRICULAR/FURTHER EDUCATION COURSES.

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENTS WITH NO/ MINIMAL INPUT FROM PARENTS/ CARERS/ TEACHERS (unless there are additional needs, which must be disclosed in the application process)

The types of work experience/work placements we offer are as follows:

• Year 10 work experience (14-15 year olds) - 1 week offered only, working Monday – Friday 09:00am - 16:00pm. (Discussed at interview).

• Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (age 14+) - Working Saturday or Sunday 08:30-12:30. (Duration required to be discussed at interview).

• College/ University student (age 16+ must be level 2 or above) - 1 day a week only 08:30 –17:00 (to be arranged upon approval)
  1st year students are required to have at least 6 months classroom learning experience before placement starts, providing they meet the criteria upon interview,

• Veterinary students (18+) - Can offer 1 or 2 week blocks over 5 or 7 days, or spread over a period of time, working hours 08:30-17:00.
  All requirements discussed in person due to different module requirements.

Please note working times may differ depending on the season and operational requirements of the organisation.

Applications will only be accepted from students who fulfil the criteria below. Placements will only be offered following a successful interview. This interview will not involve any practical tasks, but will assess the suitability of the students, including their initiative and confidence. We will also seek references from teachers/ course coordinators prior to confirming any placements. This is to ensure the welfare and safety of the student, our staff, volunteers, visitors, animals and birds.

CRITERIA

• Ability to follow instructions

• Able to carry out various tasks in a safe and efficient manner, including cleaning out enclosures, preparing food and helping with maintenance jobs

• Good time keeping and communication skills

• Interest in working with animals

A Typical Day at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary
(Although no two days are ever the same!)

08:30am – Arrival & Briefing:
Start your day by meeting the team for a quick briefing to find out what’s on the agenda and who you’ll be working with. 

09:00am – Morning Duties:
Dive straight into hands-on work! You might be preparing nutritious meals for our birds and mammals, assisting the falconers with weigh rounds and health checks, or helping the keepers clean and care for our mammals. Depending on your placement, you could also get involved in the Raptor Hospital, as well as cleaning aviaries, maintaining the consultation room, and supporting rehabilitation efforts.

11:30am – Break & Flying Display:
Take a well-earned break and enjoy one of the highlights of the day - our breathtaking flying display! Watch our magnificent birds in action and learn fascinating facts from our expert falconers.

12:30pm – Lunch:
Relax and refuel before the afternoon’s tasks.

13:00pm – Maintenance & Grounds Care:
In the afternoon, help and get involved in keeping the sanctuary running smoothly. This could include grounds maintenance, gardening, tidying visitor areas or lending a hand with others - every task helps make the sanctuary a safe and inviting place for both our animals and visitors.

14:30pm – Afternoon Display:
Another chance to be inspired by the power of our flying team during the afternoon show.

15:30pm – Feed Round:
An opportunity to assist with preparing and distributing food to our animals - a rewarding and essential part of sanctuary life.

16:30pm – End-of-Day Tasks:
Help the team prepare for tomorrow by restocking food from the freezer, cleaning the feed kitchen, and tidying up.

17:00pm – Home Time:
A fulfilling day complete - time to head home knowing you’ve made a real difference to the lives of our birds and animals!