Volunteer Field Assistant – Community Interviews & Media Capture

We are looking for a Volunteer Field Assistant who is passionate about community storytelling and documentary-style media.

This role will support our interview sessions by helping to capture footage, assist with equipment, and help identify individuals willing to share their stories. The role may also involve filming secondary camera angles, capturing supporting footage, or conducting brief interviews with participants when multiple conversations are taking place.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone interested in filmmaking, journalism, community media, or social impact storytelling.

Key Responsibilities

Supporting Community Interviews

• Assist with filming interviews with members of the public
• Capture secondary camera angles or supporting footage
• Help ensure audio and camera equipment are working properly
• Support the interviewer during conversations when needed

Community Engagement

• Approach potential participants respectfully and explain the project
• Help identify individuals who may wish to share their story
• Conduct brief interviews or conversations when appropriate

Equipment Support

• Assist with setting up and managing filming equipment
• Help monitor cameras, microphones, and recording during interviews
• Capture additional footage of the environment and surroundings

Storytelling Support

• Help identify meaningful stories within the community
• Support documentation of interviews and participant details
• Provide feedback on footage captured during field sessions

Additional Filming Opportunities

Where appropriate, the role may include:

• Capturing alternative camera angles
• Recording short additional interviews while another interview is taking place
• Capturing drone footage were permitted and safe NOT essential but desirable

Skills & Experience (Helpful but Not Required)

We welcome volunteers from different backgrounds. Experience in the following areas is helpful:

• Basic camera operation (DSLR, mirrorless, or smartphone filming)
• Using microphones or audio recording equipment
• Understanding of interview framing and filming techniques
• Interest in documentary filmmaking or storytelling

Additional useful skills include:

• Drone operation (with appropriate UK licensing)
• Journalism or interview experience
• Video editing knowledge
• Experience working in community or outreach environments

Personal Qualities

We are looking for someone who is:

• Respectful and compassionate
• Comfortable speaking with people from different backgrounds
• Calm and professional in public environments
• Reliable and committed to the mission of the project
• Interested in supporting honest and meaningful conversations

Because we sometimes engage with individuals who have experienced hardship or vulnerability, empathy and sensitivity are very important.

What You Will Gain

By joining this project, you will gain:

• Practical experience in community-based documentary media
• Opportunities to build a filming or storytelling portfolio
• Experience working on a social impact initiative
• The chance to be part of a project that helps amplify unheard voices
• Opportunities to apply for paid roles as the C.I.C grows

Why This Work Matters

Every person has a story.

Many people in our communities carry experiences that are rarely listened to or understood. By documenting and sharing these conversations respectfully, we hope to create greater awareness, empathy, and understanding.

This project is about truth, honesty, and giving people the dignity of being heard.