Volunteer with Goldfinch

Why are we taking on volunteers?

If you know the High St, independent businesses, retail, or bookselling, you’ll have a sense that keeping Goldfinch alive is a tough gig in the current economic climate. For us, this is a passion project (or mid-life-crisis perhaps), and we think that Goldfinch is a huge community asset, offering a safe space and a doorway to the arts, literature, community and culture for everyone, and we are convinced that this is critically important in our little town in a time of growing uncertainty and the ever increasing squeeze on provisions for the arts in communities and schools.

So, to keep the lights on, as they say, we rely on the hard work and dedication firstly of the family members both on the shop floor and behind the scenes who work for the love of it, and then on the few paid staff who go above and beyond for the love of all things Goldfinch, and finally, most importantly, on the loyalty, passion and friendship offered by our customers - all those who buy books, coffee, or attend our events.

Since we opened the shop in 2022, we have had many offers of volunteer support but have previously not had the structure and organisation to take on such support, but this is changing. We would love for you to join our team as we create specific and focused volunteering roles for particular needs.

What is a volunteer?

As a volunteer, you will essentially be an employee of Goldfinch, working under terms and conditions and protected by all the legal and safety provisions afforded to any other employee. As such, volunteers will undergo a certain minimum level of training aligned with the particular role. This will likely include a range of things including working the tills, the cafe equipment, the bookselling tools, safety at work, etc. Some roles may be specifically aimed at elements such as the audio visual equipment, or helping run events for example. Others may be concerned with development of systems, tools or processes. Some will be regular hours and some will be ad-hoc as required. All roles will be as flexible as we can make them and tailored to what you are able to offer.

What kind of people are we looking for?

• All kinds. We believe that the more diverse a workforce in age and background, the greater the benefit to the business.

• People with a bit of spare time who would like to see how the business runs, and to contribute to its success in whatever element is most interesting for them; people who measure success in the same way we do, in terms of the number of people’s lives we manage to enrich through our business, not in terms of profits.

• Passion for books, community, and the arts. What moves you? Literature? Music? Comedy? Art? Theatre? Gaming? Help us to reach the widest possible range of people with our open door to creative endeavours and creative thinking of all varieties.

What do we offer in return?

• A commitment to support you to make the best of the role you are fulfilling at Goldfinch, including providing appropriate training, guidance and mentorship.

• A defined job role and job description that provides clarity on the specific expectations and opportunities of the role. We are not taking on ‘general’ volunteers, we are looking to fill particular needs, so the job descriptions will be specific and clear, and you can then be confident to refer to your experience at Goldfinch on your CV and when looking for opportunities in the future.

• Staff discount of 10% off everything, always, whilst undertaking your role.