Ranger (Waterway Ranger)

Canal & River Trust; Hebden Bridge; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A national waterways organization is seeking Waterway Rangers to engage with canal users, assist in community connections, and maintain the waterways. This role provides a unique opportunity to learn about environmental management, develop practical skills, and meet other volunteers while contributing to the sustainability of the canal network in Hebden Bridge, England.

Benefits

Meet local volunteers

Learn new skills

Various volunteering opportunities

Qualifications

• Great communication skills.
• Practical skills for minor maintenance.
• Teamworking skills.

Responsibilities

• Protect and enhance habitats.
• Maintain the physical condition of the waterway.
• Engage with the community and waterway users.
• Support local wildlife.
• Report issues and assist customers.

Job description

Join the Canal & River Trust today by becoming a Waterway Ranger. This is a great opportunity to make a huge difference to the lives of our canal users.

This is a fantastic way to learn more about canals and what’s involved in keeping them alive.

Key responsibilities of a waterway ranger

• Environmental management: Rangers work to protect and enhance habitats, remove invasive species like buddleia, and help ensure the health of the ecosystem.
• Maintenance and safety: They help maintain the physical condition of the waterway and surrounding areas, which can include cutting back vegetation to keep towpaths clear and safe.
• Community engagement: Rangers often act as a point of contact for waterway users, helping to build community connections and ensuring the canals remain accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
• Skill development: Volunteers often receive training in areas like canal maintenance, conservation, and safety protocols.
• Wildlife support: Activities can involve directly supporting the local wildlife that lives along the canals.

Why we want you

As a Waterway Ranger you'll be the face, eyes and ears of the Trust. Having a regular friendly presence on the towpath means a lot for visitors and supporters and goes a long way to us caring for and sustaining our fantastic network for future generations. we need your support to be there for our customers. You'll be assisting our visitor experience at some of our most beautiful sites, as well as possibly working in our more remote and niche environments, learning more about our waterways. Your support to help maintain our network will help us achieve our goal to keep canals alive.

What you will be doing

• Talking to customers
• Reporting issues from the Towpath
• Helping Customers
• When you register as a volunteer, we will ask you about any unspent convictions which you need to declare and risk assess these as needs be.

The skills you need

• Great communication skills. This is all about talking to people.
• Practical skills – it’s also about minor maintenance to ensure that your locks are functional.
• Teamworking skills – whilst you may spend some of your time alone, fundamentally you’re part of a team.

What's in it for you

• It's a great way to meet other local volunteers, learn new skills, and hear about other volunteering opportunities if you fancy getting more involved.