Education

Crafts Volunteers at the Environmental Education Center (Bristol): If you like kids and crafts, this is a great opportunity for you! During special events and school vacation weeks, we offer simple, nature-themed crafts for kids at the Environmental Education Center and need volunteers to supervise. Perfect for someone who is looking for an occasional or one-time volunteer opportunity. Next upcoming event: craft tables every day February 20-24, 10AM-2 PM. Please submit a volunteer application to be considered for this opportunity!

Gift Shop and Reception

Environmental Education Gift Shop/Front Desk: The Environmental Education Center in Bristol is a place of wonder and exploration. The gift shop is filled with toys and books, geodes and minerals, science kits, field guides, and a treasury of bird feeders and seed. The only thing missing is YOU! Audubon needs helpful, friendly people with great customer service skills to welcome visitors to the center, take admissions, answer questions, and ring up sales in the gift shop. Volunteers will also help with stocking and cleaning shelves, labeling merchandise, answering the phone and other tasks. Good people skills are essential and experience with retail and cash registers is helpful. Training is provided. A regular weekly commitment of one or more days or half days is required. Times available are Wednesday through Saturday from 9-5 pm and Sundays from 12-5 PM. Come join the fun! To apply, please submit avolunteer application to July Lewis. A resume is also helpful.

Morning Receptionists are needed at Audubon's Headquarters in Smithfield! This is a fun way to meet people and learn basic natural history in a relaxed, friendly office environment as you assist visitors, answer questions from the public and direct callers. You will also be trained to ring up sales in the gift shop and take program registrations. Other projects are available to work on in between calls, based on your skills and interests. A regular commitment of at least one morning a week (Tuesday-Friday now available) is required and some phone experience is preferred. Must be comfortable with computers. Must also have excellent customer service skills and a friendly, helpful telephone manner. Training will be provided. To apply, please submit avolunteer application to July Lewis. A resume is also helpful.

Fundraising and Development 

Advancement Volunteer/Intern: Are you a skilled, energetic person who would like to support Audubon in advancement and fundraising? Audubon is seeking a volunteer or intern to assist the Director of Advancement in donor relations and other projects. Applicants must have some college or work experience in fundraising, communications or event planning. Excellent communication skills, both in writing and on the phone, are required. Tasks will include the following:

• Research and profile appropriate donor bases, including individuals, trusts and statutory sources.
• Research grant sources from foundations and corporations.
• Assist in planning and managing events.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of our website.
• General administrative tasks.

Schedule and hours are flexible and may be arranged during regular business hours Monday through Friday. To apply for this volunteer position, please send a resume and volunteer application to July Lewis.

Policy & Special Projects

Community Organizer Needed to Help Get Kids Walking to School!  Remember when everyone walked to school? Now more and more, parents drive their kids to school because of safety concerns. The extra driving causes pollution and the children miss out on healthy exercise at a time when childhood obesity rates are soaring. How can we get kids walking again? One way is a Walking School Bus--and we need your help to make it happen!  We are seeking a volunteer to assist in organizing a walking school bus pilot program at the Dutemple School in Cranston. The volunteer will work with Senior Director of Policy, Eugenia Marks, and will handle paperwork, street assessments, phone calls, emails, and generally help to organize. Commitment will be about 4 hours a week during normal business hours (M-F, 9-5), with the exact days and times flexible. Excellent communication skills are required, and experience organizing projects or working with schools is a plus. To apply for this volunteer position, please send a cover email, volunteer application, and resume to July Lewis. 

Sort, Recycle, Organize: Like to organize? Help sort through old files and papers, pack up books from our library and find homes for miscellaneous stuff from the Policy Department. 2 hours/week January through March.

Natural History Collection Curator: Are you a good organizer and are fascinated by natural history? Help Audubon manage and maintain our collection of biological and mineral specimens! Identification skills would be especially helpful. Requires approximately 3-4 hours per month. A regular schedule is preferred, either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. To apply for this volunteer position, please send a volunteer application, cover letter/email and resume to July Lewis.  

Hold The Line Shoreline Stewardship: Carelessly discarded fishing line can entangle, injure and kill wildlife. Help Audubon protect animals by building, installing &/or monitoring fishing line recycling boxes. HELP IS ALSO NEEDED on an occasional basis at Powder Mill Ledges in Smithfield to clean and ship the collected line. To apply for this volunteer position, please contact July Lewis.  

Refuge Volunteers