Volunteers play an essential role at the CCHC. Listed below are some of the volunteer opportunities currently available. If you have a special interest or skill that does not fall into one of the categories listed, please let us know and we will to do our best to fit your skills with the CCHC’s needs.
Volunteers are needed in the following areas:
Clerical
Education
Grounds Keeping
Museum Shop
Visitors Services
Student volunteers are those who do not necessarily have an academic advisor but complete a Volunteer Application and carry out at least 40 hours of work in 10 weeks.
For more information about volunteering with the CCHC, please contact our Volunteer Office at 610-692-4800, X232. If you’re ready to volunteer with the CCHC, please complete and return the Application Form to [email protected]
Do you love to bring history to life and want to work to share the remarkable story of Chester County and its people? We may have the perfect job for you. The Chester County History Center seeks energetic and positive visionaries who will help bring the CCHC to new heights. The CCHC is an equal opportunity employer.
Job Title: Program Associate
Reports to: Director of Education
Location: 225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380
Pay Range: $17.00 per hour
Start date: Fall 2024
Time Commitment: The Program Associate is an hourly position, with work hours on an as-needed basis, and the schedule will feature evenings and weekends. Hours may vary by season.
Benefits: This is an hourly position with no standard benefits.
POSITION SUMMARY
Serving as a hub for cultural enrichment, experiential learning, and stewardship of collections, manuscripts, photographs, and other invaluable archival materials, Chester County History Center (CCHC) preserves and shares Chester County’s diverse, noteworthy, and captivating stories with a wide range of audiences.
The History Center has a robust education department focusing on programming for all ages. The Program Associate will serve primarily as a guide for CCHC’s popular evening and weekend walking tours, but may also have the opportunity to assist with school and family programing on an as-needed basis. The Program Associate will be responsible for ensuring that visitors have a wonderful experience by providing excellent customer service and superb organizational preparedness.
CCHC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we are committed to diversity and equal opportunity in our recruitment and hiring. Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply for this position.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Create a positive learning environment for guests of all ages and backgrounds by being hospitable, approachable, and professional in appearance and demeanor.
Safely and conscientiously lead groups of 15-20 visitors on outdoor walking tours of up to three hours’ duration, over uneven and rough terrain, in all kinds of weather.
Scripts and visual aids will be provided at training. Program Associates are expected to familiarize themselves with the script and all relevant materials, and provide guests with accurate, interesting, and pertinent information in a timely and engaging manner. These tours are strictly historical in nature, not paranormal or sensationalist, and tour guides must refrain from including any speculation or information not supported by archival material.
Willingness to wear period attire preferred. Outfits must be approved by the Director of Education.
The Program Associate is expected to work as part of a team, including (but not limited to) the Director of Education and the Education Coordinator.
Serve as an ambassador of the Chester County History Center, encouraging visitation and membership.
Adhere to all museum protocols, procedures, rules, and policies.
Related duties and responsibilities as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS
Strong interest in Pennsylvania and American history required. College coursework in American history preferred.
Excellent time management is required. Tours must begin and end on time.
Ability to work a flexible schedule that includes evenings and weekends.
Ability to create and deliver programs to diverse audiences. Comfort with public speaking is a must.
Reliable attendance and punctuality is expected and required, as is reliable transportation.
Must be able to adapt quickly and seamlessly to a fast-paced environment. Exceptional customer service skills are essential to this position.
Work can be physically demanding. Ability to walk up to 2 miles, in all weather, over uneven terrain is expected.
A criminal background check and child abuse clearance is a requirement for employment.
To apply for this position, please email your resume and cover letter to Jennifer Green, Director of Education, at [email protected]. Deadline for application is September 6, 2024. No phone calls please.
Internships at CCHC, usually unpaid, may be sought in the areas of education, library, or museum. They are temporary positions and are supervised by full-time professional staff, whose availability to supervise may influence the number of opportunities. Interns may interact with staff in other departments, volunteers, consultants, and the public. CCHC is willing to work with students to arrange course credit for their work, should it be available.
Preferred applicants are graduate or upper-level undergraduates in history, library science, archives management, museum studies, education, anthropology, or a related field with an interest in working with museum collections, special libraries, or archives.
To be defined as an internship at CCHC:
Internship applications should include:
Internships are currently unpaid.
Tasks to be completed:
Internships encompass basic collections management tasks: data entry into catalog database; original object cataloging; digital photography or scanning; primary research; object handling and re-housing. The goal is to make collections records more publicly accessible digitally and to physically improve basic object care.
Skills required:
Attention to detail and flexibility are important. The ability to work with a variety of people is also essential. Clear communication skills, both written and verbal, will be useful in the work of cataloging as well as ensuring that the intern and staff person(s) understand expectations.
Skills developed/products produced:
The concrete results for the intern and CCHC will be finding aids or scope notes, catalog records, properly housed historical materials, and photographic documentation. Professional cataloging standards, processing collections and learning to understand how researchers might use these primary materials for analysis are a part of the learning experience.
Timing:
Internships may be scheduled Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Internships are currently unpaid.
Tasks to be completed:
Library interns will do both library and archival work. Interns will assist with collection maintenance, shelving, and cataloging. Interns may also work with processing new accessions. Interns may assist with digitization initiatives if an in-house project is in progress during the internship period. Interns interested in manuscripts may process a small collection and write a finding aid to that collection. Specific tasks for each intern will be determined with the intern’s specific interests in mind. Tasks will vary as a result of the library projects available during each intern’s tenure.
Skills required:
Attention to detail is a must! Careful handling of historical documents, strong organizational skills, and an ability to interact with staff and volunteers are essential.
Skills developed/products produced:
The intern will learn how a special library functions, gain or enhance practical skills in archival organization, learn to manage manuscripts, and may produce a collection guide that will be added to the CCHC website.
Timing:
Interns will be scheduled during the CCHC working hours, Tuesday through Friday 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. After an introductory training period, interns may be able to add Saturday hours to their schedule.
The CCHC partners with the West Chester University History Department to offer an Education Internship (Fall Semester) and a National History Day Internship (Spring Semester). Please contact the WCU History Department for further information about the internships and how to apply.
225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 | 610-692-4800
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