Becoming a PTMSC Volunteer
Volunteers and docents provide invaluable support in operating the PTMSC. Almost everyone who has the willingness and time can find a task that will contribute to the programs and well-being of the Marine Science Center.
Volunteer roles are ever-evolving and include: serving as exhibit guides (“docents”) in the Marine and Natural History Exhibits, maintaining aquaria and feeding animals; assisting with and leading beach walks and education programs; participating in “Citizen Science” research and monitoring programs, helping with outreach at festivals, the Farmers Market and other events, and in general vitalizing community links. Other volunteers serve on the Board or Board committees, organize and help carry out our annual “Tides of March” Fundraising auction, help set up lectures, videotape presentations, and use other special skills that they bring to the job.
The PTMSC offers a variety of training and enrichment programs to prepare volunteers for their duties.
How to Volunteer
Volunteering at the PTMSC is easy. Just give us a call or send us an email message. If you are interested in becoming a PTMSC volunteer simply contact Volunteer Coordinator Jean Walat by phone at (360) 385-5582 ext. 112 or email jwalat@ptmsc.org. You can also download the Volunteer Brochure and Application, fill it out, and mail it in.
Once a prospective volunteer fills out the volunteer application, he or she meets individually with the Volunteer Coordinator to determine together what volunteer role(s) is a good initial fit both for the volunteer and for the Marine Science Center. At that meeting, the volunteer will have the opportunity to discuss what she or he hopes to gain by volunteering, discuss special interests and skills, learn the basics about being a volunteer here and get more information about various volunteer opportunities. .
Volunteer Updates and Communication
The Volunteer Coordinator sends out a weekly Volunteer Update each Monday that lists upcoming volunteer opportunities, events, meeting dates and other items of interest. This is the primary method of communicating with volunteers. Because of the number of active volunteers, we greatly rely on the initiative of volunteers to respond to these general email requests and to speak up if they are interested in participating in some task.
Volunteer Training
The PTMSC provides a variety of training and continuing education programs to meet the interests of volunteers and the diverse needs of the Center. Following are some volunteer training programs. Contact us for specific dates, times and information.
Marine Exhibit Docent Training
The PTMSC offers a spring training for new and returning docents, usually consisting of five evening classes. Participants learn about the role of the docent and how to interact with the public. The course is different each year, but includes guided explorations of the Marine Exhibit, presentations on different groups of animals and algae and issues affecting the Puget Sound. Classes are taught by staff and guest lecturers. Those who take the class are asked to commit to a two or three hour docent shift on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Each volunteer receives aguide specific to the operations and specimens in the Marine Exhibit. Marine Exhibit Docents are encouraged but not required to participate in monthly meetings of the "Marine Biology Study Group.
Natural History Exhibit (NHE) training
Training specific to Natural History Exhibit takes place during periodic Exhibit Greeter and Interpreter Trainings. Participants learn about the role of the docent in the Natural History Exhibit and how to interact with the public. Trainings are designed to build upon one another to give volunteers an understanding of natural history, geology and other areas specific to the topics covered in the Natural History Exhibit. Each volunteer receives a guide specific to the operations and each of the topics in the NHE. NHE volunteers are encouraged ( but not required) to participate in twice a month meeting of the Geology Study Group and/or monthly meetings of the Botany Study Group.
Mentor On-The-Floor
Training to help you get your "sea legs" you will be paired with an experienced volunteer until you feel comfortable as a docent. This is where a great deal of learning to be an effective docent happens. While working in the exhibits, you have extended opportunities to study the exhibits, animals, background materials and field guides, and to observe and discuss docenting techniques with staff and experienced volunteers. There is always a staff person assigned to each building each day that the exhibits are open, so the docent is never responsible for building operations or working alone. You may also be assigned a specific mentor, if you choose, who will check in with you about your progress.
Specialized training:
Home Crew: Training to help maintain the Marine Exhibit and feed animals is provided on the job. There is also a written guide that is made available to new volunteers. A good way to learn whether this job is for you is to get on the list of substitute home crew. If you like this work, you can join as a regular home crew volunteer.
Citizen Science projects—
PTMSC sponsors or participates in a number of research and monitoring projects that use volunteer help. Each of these projects requires specific training, from a few minutes instruction to months of ongoing training. Please ask for more details if you are interested in helping with a research project.
Additional and Informal Training We support volunteers continuing their education in as many ways as possible. Staff and other volunteers are always here to learn with you.
Lecture series-
Attending any of the PTMSC-sponsored lectures throughout the year builds the volunteer’s knowledge base about Puget Sound and important issues and components of the marine environment.
Study Groups--
PTMSC sponsors three study ongoing study groups that are primarily led by volunteers, on the topics of Marine Biology, Geology and Botany. The Botany Study group has a dual identity as the local chapter of the WA Native Plant Society. These groups each meet once or twice per month, with the topics covered decided upon by the volunteer leaders and the participants. They also bring in special speakers and arrange field trips and hikes of interest to the participants and open to all. These groups meet formally from Fall through June, then may break or meet informally over the summer. Call for the latest schedule of meeting dates. Youth volunteer dissects sea gull boluses to as part of a research study on how much plastic gulls eat.
Volunteer Brown Bag Lunches and Field Trips—
The Volunteer Program organizes field trips, low tide walks and occasional brown bag lunches with speakers or discussion of a specific topic open to all volunteers. Examples are a boat trip to Friday Harbor Oceanography Lab, behind the scenes tour of the Seattle aquarium, low tide walks at Salt Creek, Indian Island, or North Beach, and programs on tunicates, sea birds, or assembling our gray whale skeleton. Suggestions for field trips and programs for volunteers are welcome. 
Recording Volunteer Hours
All volunteers, whether serving as a Baord member, docent, auction helper or citizen scientist, are asked to record their hours volunteering for the Marine Science Center. Recording volunteer hours is important because it helps us determine how much time is going into various tasks, helps show community support and matches for grants, and allows us to recognize volunteers who have reached milestones in their volunteer career with us. Volunteers are covered by liability insurance, but only if they log their hours. Additionally, some volunteers need to know how many total hours they’ve contributed for school or work purposes. Recording hours also helps the Volunteer Coordinator track changes in volunteering patterns and participation in various projects seasonally and from year to year. 
Volunteers may record their own hours at any computer at the Center, or they can ask any member of the staff to forward their hours to the Volunteer Coordinator for data entry. Volunteers may request the latest tally of their contributed hours at any time.