Volunteer at Zyp
Open Roles
Our Open Roles are primarily suited towards people who want to actively volunteer in a non-profit, a business, or in an art-based environment.
You can be a student wanting to gain a better understanding of future career opportunities, a working parent who wants to give back to your community, or a retiree who wants to keep active. You can also be a group of friends or family that want to do something together but aren't find the right roles
We will sit down with you to create the roles that best suit your time and needs. Your roles get reassessed every 3 months.
Fixed-Term Roles
Volunteering min 1-2 days a week (ideally weekdays), volunteers assist staff in curatorial, exhibitions, communications, IT, analytics, marketing, and learning teams. These roles often require specific skills and experience and are useful for students and graduates developing a career within non-profits, cultural attractions, businesses, and education - to name a few. There is no program or set timetable for these volunteer placements; they are advertised when the gallery seeks additional support. When a volunteering opportunity arises, it will be posted below. Alternatively you can sign up to our mailing list – see ‘Join Zyp’ section below.
Vacancies
Volunteer Assistant to the Executive Director
Role: Support the ED in the back-end development of Zyp Art Gallery.
Skills Required: Ability to have work delegated to them. Ability to clarify instructions (ask questions). Attention to detail. Ability to work independently. Someone who can take initiative.
Time Commitment: 5 hours, Ideally, once or twice a week (same day each week preferred). Between 10 am – 4 pm (Flexible/short shifts available).
What you will do:
You will be handed supplementary work on projects that the ED is currently working on that involves various departments such as Marketing, Financial, Operations, Human Resources, and IT.
What will be worked on will be something that is discussed prior to starting your volunteer term, so that this opportunity best helps you grow your skillset.
Why this position is for you:
You like variety and not having each day be the same.
You like challenging work that pushes your cognitive, problem solving, and creative skills.
You’re not sure what parts of an organization interest you and want an opportunity to try multiple hats. This position offers that variety.
You don’t know where your interests lie and need a place you can figure that out. The variety this role provides will allow you to see what sings out to you.
You plan to work in an organization with the goal to be in upper management. The work of an Executive Director involves running the organization. The skills you gain as an assistant will help build your resume.
What skills will you gain:
Because you will be dipping your toes into all aspects of an organization, you will gain a basic understanding of the 5 main departments within an organization: Marketing, Finance, Operations, Human Resources, and IT.
You will learn to work effectively and with minimum supervision.
You will gain experience working in an office setting, thereby providing you the experience to apply to office jobs with higher wages, fixed hours, and benefits, as compared to retail.
Time management and attention to detail is a key desire within all organization. You will build this skill set in a mentored environment.
Curatorial Volunteer
Role: Help support us as we develop our exhibitions.
Skills Required: Ability to do research effectively, interest in visual storytelling, attention to detail and ability to work independently, and organize your time.
Desired Skills,but not Mandatory: Experience volunteering with galleries or museums. Working towards or completed a degree in Museum Studies, Curatorial Work, Classics, and other Arts-based backgrounds.
Time Commitment: 2-4 hours. Ideally, one day a week (same day each week preferred). Between 11 am – 4 pm.
What you will do (with Curatorial Support):
Liaise with the artist(s) to plan their exhibition
Work with artists in creating their labels and exhibition statement
Plan the exhibition layout
Install the Exhibition
Exhibition take-down
Why this position is for you:
You enjoy going to museums and/or art galleries and seeing the latest exhibitions.
You love storytelling and want to learn how to create stories through visual exhibitions.
You want to work in the competitive industry of museums and art galleries and you need to build up your resume/CV.
What skills you will gain:
Meeting deadlines, attention management, focused research, communication - verbally and written.
Ideally, you will help develop an exhibition from start to finish. Some of the skills you will gain through the whole process includes: communicating with different age and community groups, artwork install, labelling, and exhibition layout.
You will be mentored by your supervisor in a safe environment where you can learn and make mistakes with no judgment.
School Program Volunteer
Role: Develop the Zyp Art Gallery School Programs.
Skills Required: Taking or completed an Education degree, have knowledge and experience working with Alberta’s K-12 curriculum and program of study, or have experience developing school or camp programs.
Time Commitment: 2-4 hours. Ideally, one-two days a week (same day each week preferred). Between 11 am – 4 pm.
What you will do:
Build a Covid safe (in-school and online) curriculum-based school program that links directly to a future exhibition at Zyp Art Gallery. We are not looking for you to create programs based solely on art. Rather we want more engaging programs that focus on the core classes through the lens of our exhibition.
Why this position is for you:
You’re working towards your Education degree and want more and/or different experiences in school program development.
You have completed your Education degree and are looking to build your resume.
You are interested in utilizing new teaching methodologies to develop educational programs for students.
You have experience running school programs and/or day camps and want to learn how to develop school programs.
What skills you will gain:
You will build programs different from those learned within the classroom.
You can test out the knowledge learned in school in a real-world setting.
The ability to be flexible and creative in developing your programs.
The ability to use the latest methodologies and determine how they best work for different ages and curriculum topics.
Social Media Volunteer
Role: Manage our social media by creating and uploading posts.
Skills Required: Experience with Facebook and Instagram. Knowledge and use of Instagram apps. Ability to work independently.
Time Commitment: 2-4 hours. Ideally, one-two days a week (same day each week preferred). Between 11 am – 4 pm.
What you will do:
Understand our social media strategy, make any changes with staff.
Based on our strategy build a posting schedule for Instagram and Facebook.
Based on our strategy create posts, IG stories etc.
Analysis of Facebook and Instagram data.
Provide a report at the end of 3 months.
Why this position is for you:
You know social media and/or digital marketing is where you want to work in and now you want to build your resume.
You have an interest in marketing but want to test it out.
You like social media and want to learn about its applications in the business world.
What skills you will gain:
You'll learn how to implement a social media strategy and its importance.
You’ll learn how to communicate and market to a targeted audience through social media.
You’ll learn about the various applications and apps that go with developing a targeted social media campaign.
Volunteer Coordinator
Role: Help develop our volunteer team.
Skills Required: Have experience developing a community, experience coordinating and managing people, ability to recruit and develop recruitment drives and induction processes.
Desired Skills, but not Required: HR experience or working towards an HR profession.
Time Commitment: Ideally, once - two days a week (same day each week preferred). Between 11 am – 4 pm.
Why is this position for you:
You enjoy working in close contact with people and want to guide, inspire, and empower others.
You enjoy diversity in your roles.
What skills you gain:
You will develop competencies in staff induction and HR processes.
Leadership and management skills.
Increase interpersonal skills and communication.
Engagement Volunteer
Role: Help develop our funding, sponsorship, and donations.
Skills Required: Creative, someone who enjoys building relationship, enjoys sales, intrinsically motivated, comfortable or a desire to learn public speaking, basic computer skills - Microsoft suite.
Time Commitment: Ideally, once - two days a week (same day each week preferred). Between 11 am – 4 pm.
Why is this position for you:
You want to work in sales and wish to develop your experience in a different type of sales.
You enjoy strategic planning and motivated by achieving goals.
Creating relationship is something you thrive in.
What skills you gain:
Develop your project management and strategic planning skills.
Develop and/or further develop your sales skills.
Develop interpersonal skills.
Join Zyp.
To join Zyp Art Gallery’s mailing list for fixed-term volunteer roles please fill out the form below. By joining this mailing list, you will receive an email when we advertise new volunteer opportunities. You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking on the unsubscribe button at the bottom of your emails. To learn more please see our Privacy Policy.
If you have any questions about volunteering please use this online form. We respond to messages on Thursday 1130-1400, (except on holidays).
Volunteer FAQs
Can’t find your question answered here? Please use the above online form ‘Join Zyp’.
What is an open volunteer role?
At Zyp we believe in symbiotic relationships. Therefore, our open volunteer roles are developed with you - it offers the flexibility to cater to your desired volunteer goals and your time commitments. All we ask when you do commit to volunteering, that you complete the project you choose in the time frame you decided. No project will ever go beyond a 3-4 month period. However, the open volunteership will continue as long as you wish. We will simply meet up and discuss your next steps.
How often are fixed- term roles available?
There is no specific timetable for fixed volunteering roles. They are advertised on a need basis. Open volunteer roles are always open.
What is my required volunteer time commitment?
Each role will have different time commitments - generally, for the fixed-term volunteer roles, you are asked to commit 1-2 days, ideally around 4-5 hours. The open volunteer roles do offer greater flexibility. All volunteer roles will have a 3-4 month end date.
I love what Zyp Art Gallery stands for, but I don’t know anything about art or non-profits - can I still volunteer?
Yes! Believing in our Why will always be the most important thing to us. Anything else can be trained and accommodated for.
What would I get out of volunteering?
Volunteers are critical in their support to non-profits. Not only do you get to meet new people, develop skills, gain new experiences. But specifically with Zyp Art Gallery, you get to learn more about art and how a non-profit organisation runs.
Can volunteers claim travel expenses?
Yes, we will reimburse out-of-pocket travel expenses up to a daily limit of $10. We ask volunteers to provide a receipt or bus ticket with stamped day and time.
As a volunteer, what are my benefits?
Upon becoming a volunteer you can take advantage of a 20% discount in our shop (exhibition specific), and free entry to all our events. You also get free access to our membership for as long as you are a volunteer. Our benefits increase as our gallery grows, your Welcome Pack will have up-to-date volunteer thank you benefits.
How long are fixed-term volunteer roles
Usually 3-4 months. We ask for a commitment of min 1-2 days a week. However, there is flexibility in the specific work hours, in total we do ask for up to 4 hours each week. Many of our volunteer roles can be worked on independently and/or virtually. Though, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meet-ups are expected. Again these are flexible depending on the role.
I don’t see any roles that fit my interests.
You can add your name to our mailing list go to the ‘Join Zyp’ section above. Or apply as an open volunteer.
Does volunteering lead to a job at Zyp Art Gallery?
Volunteering itself may lead to a job, as it helps build your resume or CV. However, our volunteer roles are not created to transition you to a paid position with us. If the volunteer wishes to transfer into a paid position, the volunteer will be required to apply for any paid openings and go through the standard application process.
Is there an age restriction to volunteer?
If you are under the age of 18, we ask for a signed letter of consent from your parent or guardian. It must state that they are aware of Zyp Art Gallery and that they are aware of the duties expected of you.
I am registered disabled and/or have additional support needs - can I volunteer?
Yes! we have registered disabled staff and always look forward to supporting all communities. We aim to ensure we make all opportunities as accessible as possible, and through discussions with you, we will make reasonable adjustments necessary to allow you to volunteer with us.
As a volunteer, how would I be supported?
For open volunteer roles: At the start of your application process you will fill out a form that tells us exactly what you are interested in offering us as a volunteer, what things you do not want to do, and how you think you can support us. From that information and conversations with you, we will determine if there is a role for you. If at this time there is not, we will touch base again in 3-4 months. However, If we do find a fit, we will develop a role-specific to both our needs. We well both decide the role’s outcomes and time commitments. Once the role has been accepted, you will receive a Welcome Pack. After your first week of volunteering, there is a review meeting where we both can share feedback. After your first week’s meeting, there will be bi-weekly feedback sessions with your supervisor.
For fixed-term volunteer roles: Once you have been accepted for the volunteer role, we will sit down and determine your availability. Once the role has been accepted you will receive a Welcome Pack and have access to a supervisor. After the first 2 weeks, there is a review meeting where we both provide feedback. After this session and both parties are happy with the role, there will be weekly touch-base meetings.