The history of the Paralympic Movement is alive with personal stories of courage and determination, humble beginnings and also the power of community. Without the continued support of volunteers, the Paralympic Movement and Games would not have evolved into the global event it is today.
Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann the founding father of the Paralympic Games is known to have said:
If I ever did one good thing in my medical career it was to introduce sport into the treatment and rehabilitation of disabled people.
What will your one good thing be?
As it was then, so it is today. Our dedicated volunteers are an integral park of our work. Put simply we cannot do what we do without them!
There are a range of ways in which you can donate your time from engaging visitors with our displays, supporting our learning and engagement programme, researching for the website through to working on our collections. There really is something for everyone!
In exchange for your time you will not only learn more about Paralympic Heritage but you will be joining a community passionate about uncovering and sharing stories about the history of the Paralympic movement. You will have the opportunity to use your existing skills and develop new ones and access to a range of training and volunteer events.
As a Heritage Centre volunteer you will support with the weekly maintenance of the Heritage Centre ensuring monitoring checks are completed, cupboards are maintained, general tidying and providing a space that is welcoming for our visitors.
In the role of Learning and Engagement volunteer you will work closely with the Events and Learning team to deliver our learning programme. This is a great opportunity to share local Paralympic Heritage with groups/schools and young people instilling in them a sense of pride in this very local story.
We are seeking disabled and neurodivergent volunteers to train as Oral Historians.
This is an amazing opportunity to be part of a collaborative pilot project in partnership with Coventry University, supported by the Midlands National Lottery Heritage Fund. You will receive professional training and with guidance and support, carry out 3 to 5 oral history interviews with Paralympic athletes. It is crucial to us that we tell the history of the Paralympics through the words of those with lived experience and feel strongly that Paralympians should be interviewed by people with lived experience of disability. In doing so you will make a contribution to the development of good practice and a toolkit that will be shared widely across the heritage sector. You will receive expenses and any support costs required to carry out this role successfully.
Please download the full Oral History Volunteer role description here. You can also listen to some of our oral history interviews. For more information or if you need this in a different format please contact: [email protected]
The National Paralympic Heritage Trust are delighted to offer accessible work placement opportunities for young people aged 16-25. A work placement with the Trust offers a flexible approach, we will work closely with the school/college/educational setting to understand the needs of the student and how a work placement can be supported. Find out more here
As a volunteer I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a variety of tasks and feel proud be part of something that is so enriching for the community and beyond. The work the NPHT do to preserve these stories and raise awareness is truly inspiring.
Supporting our Heritage Trust today is knowledge for tomorrow.
To find out more about volunteering with us or for an application pack please contact us at: [email protected]