Supporter Communications Volunteer

Do you enjoy writing letters? Maybe you have or had a penpal when you were younger, or love staying in touch with distant friends and relatives via email?

The RSPB’s Supporter Communications team is looking for a volunteer who can help us respond to emails from our wonderful supporters. We receive a number of responses each time The RSPB Magazine reaches members. But as a small team we don’t always have the time to write back and give as full a reply as our supporters deserve.

Our supporters are crucial to us as a charity. And they’re amazing. We want to make them feel welcome, and part of a community.

Imagine, for example, someone might send us a photo of a bird in their garden. They’re really proud of the pic and just want to share it with someone who might be interested. They’d love to hear back – even if we write a couple of short paragraphs thanking them, talking about the photo, maybe a little about the bird too. Maybe something about the wildlife we’ve been hearing or seeing. We might not know the supporter. They might be very busy but wanted to drop us a quick email. Or, our response might be the only time they hear from another person all day. Either way, our reply makes them feel appreciated and more likely to support the RSPB in the future.

We are passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion at the RSPB. So our ideal volunteer for this role would be excited about responding to people from all walks of life. You don’t need to be a nature expert, but it would help if you’re as enthusiastic about wildlife as the people who write in to us. This role is likely to take up around four hours a week. We will identify the emails for you to reply to. While you’re settling in to the role, we’ll guide you in matching the tone we’re looking for.

If you are a warm, chatty communicator, this is the perfect role for you!

The skills you need

• This role will require some key general skills, but please note that we will offer full training and induction into this particular area of the business. You may need some experience in the area depending on what it is.
• IT skills, creating documents, managing spreadsheets.
• Excellent communication skills for engaging with different audiences, internal and external to the RSPB.
• Organisational skills.

What's in it for you

• You will be supporting the RSPB in a big way, so if that is your motivation, you'll find satisfaction in making a genuine contribution to nature conservation.
• You will learn all about how the RSPB works and gain experience working for an environmental charity.
• We like to think we're a friendly and welcoming team, so you'll have the opportunity to make new friends too.

Disclaimer

Suitable for under 18's. The RSPB will reimburse you for out of pocket expenses travel expenses, we will provide the equipment, training and any uniform needed for you to complete the role We’re now the largest nature conservation charity in the country, consistently delivering successful conservation, forging powerful new partnerships with other organisations and inspiring others to stand up and give nature the home it deserves. We rely on the support and generosity of our volunteers to make a difference Our work stretches far beyond the UK. Wherever wildlife is in threat, we'll work with partners across the globe to help save it and give it a home.