Volunteer

Gardeners Needed!

Love the Museum and our wonderful gardens? Come learn and get your hands dirty by joining our Bloomers and Britches Heritage Gardeners. Apply here now! 

Responsibilities:
1. Performs gardening tasks as directed by Head Gardener and staff
2. Follows the Volunteer Rights and Responsibilities 
3. Reports to staff upon arrival and departure from site 
4. Tracks hours of volunteering on forms provided
5. Works in a safe manner
6. Identifies hazards and reports incidents or injuries to the appropriate staff person 
7. Adhere to the Respect in the Workplace Policy and all other relevant policies and procedures.
8. Meet the customer service standards set out by the City

Volunteer Requirements:
1. Clear Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening
2. Attend Orientation training and complete refresher training as required
3. Complete Accessibility training
4. Complete Health & Safety training 
5. Attend other training deemed necessary by the City
6. Ability to lift, move soil, and dig in the gardens without injury to self.

Willing to volunteer 2 to 3 hours per week on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday from April to October. 

Make a difference at the Pickering Museum Village. Whether you have a special talent or skill you'd like to contribute, or you're just looking for a way to get involved in your community - we have the opportunities for you. Training is provided - and we make it fun!

If you are 12 years of age and older, you can volunteer as an individual, group or make it a family occasion and bring along the whole crew. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Apply online or apply in person. All volunteers must be willing to undergo a Criminal Reference Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening.

Contact us for more information.

Volunteer Opportunities Include

Backwoods Players

Backwoods Players is an award-winning theatre company with a membership of over 150 people of all ages, specializing in period productions. Theatrical styles range from improvisation and comedy to the high drama of "A Spirit Walk".  Most productions are staged onsite at the Pickering Museum Village, either outdoors, or in 19th century buildings.

Backwoods Players is an open company offering a wide variety of opportunities for creative people who want to act, or help with productions. Apply to become a member, and receive audition and crew calls.

Watch here for audition notices for this year's Backwoods Players plays!  To check out the line-up for the year go to the museum's event page.

Bloomers & Britches Heritage Gardeners

The Bloomers & Britches is made up of a hardy band of gardeners who work in the gardens of the museum village Tuesday mornings, from May until September. As well as hands-on gardening, the club researches, plans, and plants the heritage gardens. There are 2 full group sessions, one in May, "Turn-over", and one in September, "Turn-under" when the members gather together to open and close the gardening season.

Bloomers and Britches welcomes new members.

Nimble Thimbles Costume Committee

If you enjoyed dressing dolls as a child, imagine the fun you'll have costuming real people, in styles ranging from the era of Jane Austen to WWI. We rely on the talents of those creative individuals who can wield scissors, a needle and thread, and perhaps even a (modern) sewing machine!

This committee meets every Tuesday morning through the winter to work on mending, costume construction, and collection inventory. Periodically, sewing "bees" are held to work on projects for a whole day.

Costumed Interpreters

Love history, enjoy sharing it? We exist to tell Pickering's stories, and we need you to do it! From life in a log house, to interpreting the goods in the 1910 General Store, our costumed interpreters share the museum's artifacts and the stories behind them. As with all volunteer opportunities at the museum village, we will give you the training to successfully interpret and demonstrate heritage skills. And what's more, you get to dress up!

Pickering Museum Village Foundation

The purpose of this arm's length fundraising board is to support large conservation and building restoration projects at the museum village.  Since 1996, the foundation has partnered with businesses, community groups and volunteers on heritage projects large and small at the museum village and have funded and supported a number of City initiatives. Please visit the foundation website for more information, or to provide financial support for this organization's objectives.

Pickering Museum Village Advisory Committee

This committee is appointed by the Mayor and Council of the City of Pickering at the beginning of a term of Council. The advisory committee serves for the duration of the Council term. Committee members may be re-appointed by Council for successive terms. The committee works to support the vision, mission, goals and objectives of the museum village, and to act as a liaison between the community, City staff, and Council. Members must be Pickering residents.

To apply for an appointment, look for postings in the local paper, or contact the Clerk's Office at the City of Pickering.

Stepping in Tyme Dance Society

This heritage dance society is dedicated to the accurate interpretation of 19th century social dance in Pickering Township. Dancers, as well as musicians, enjoy social camaraderie while learning and practicing a variety of heritage dances, both onsite and during occasional outings to various Toronto dance clubs, workshops and special events.  In addition to dance research and development, expert guest instructors are invited to teach periodically throughout the year.

Stepping in Tyme meets every other Tuesday evening, all year round. Dance styles performed include English Country Dance, Contra Dance, Quadrilles, Old-fashioned couples Ballroom Waltzes and Polkas, Galops, etc. These dances are fun and relatively easy to learn, whether you've never danced in your life or dance is your passion.

New dancers and musicians are always welcome!

Vintage Victuals

Do you like to cook or bake? Our food ways group, Vintage Victuals (pronounced "vittles"), are responsible for all of the food programming that takes place in the village. These volunteers handle everything food-related at the museum village: baking the cookies, cakes, puddings and other samples offered at Christmas in the Village; heritage cooking and baking demonstrations at events and onsite programs; presenting public workshops; snack bar food service; making preserves for our Gift Shop.  In short, they are our "chief cooks and bottle-washers". Some opportunities are in costume and require interpretation skills for which we will fully train you if you're interested.

Woodwrights' Guild

Do old woodworking tools and techniques spark an interest? If so, step back into the 19th century when most things were made of wood; your home, furniture, your vehicle, toys, and even the tools you used around the farm!  The Woodwrights' Guild focuses on woodworking in and around the village, including demonstrating the daily activities in a 19th century wheelwright shop, the general repair and restoration of wooden artifacts, carpentry such as the repair and restoration of existing buildings, and the construction of new, period-compatible structures and furnishings. If you have a hankering for the smell of fresh-cut wood, come and join in the fun!  Group meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Don't see what you can offer?  There are many ways.  We need your computer skills, or interest in history that may not include wearing a costume or interpreting machinery, gardens, or dance! We are currently seeking volunteers willing to help out in the following areas:

  • data entry (solid computer skills required)
  • research on social history, local politics, rural life, local personalities, artifacts in the Pickering Museum Village collection, gardening practices (research skills with primary and secondary sources required)
  • hands-on help delivering children's programs such as Kids in the Village Heritage Games & Crafts days (must be available in the summer, youth preferred)
  • make us an offer - we're always open to creative thinking!