Want to join the Seagull team?
The Flying Seagulls are almost 100% volunteers, and it's only the generous commitment of those involved that makes it what it is today. The volunteer programme is one of exciting opportunities, big challenges, and great rewards. From performing at UK festivals to running street shows in Gypsy communities, to visiting poorly children in hospitals, there is always something to give and to learn.
All our activities are created and carried out by the whole team, using each team's unique spread of skills.
There is the general commitment that everyone gets stuck into everything, and we all work together to make it the fullest experience possible. This means we all do the fun bits, but we also have to lend a hand with the washing up and milking the cow from time to time! We always have at least one long term member on the team so though you will be challenged in new ways and will at times work independently, you'll never be without the support you need.
Our activities are created to enthuse, enlighten and encourage, and as such have communication at their heart. You've got to have a load of energy and patience! The sessions are sensory based, not heavily reliant on language, and focus on creative conversation and exchange. If you're energetic, enthusiastic, good humoured and up for giving it your all, you'll have a great time and make a big difference.
I had the most bonkers and extraordinary time with the Seagulls! The kids were tons of fun, the work was truly magical, at times challenging and thoroughly rewarding. I have made some truly wonderful friendships with members of the team and wish to work every one of them again! My experience was everything that I had hoped for and more.
The simplicity and yet exhilaration of life on a Seagull tour is an experience I've come to rely on as a vital part of my year. These days I can't smell a wood fire without being transported immediately back to rural Romania and I find myself counting the days until the next time I can put on my top hat and start being silly again.
The flying Seagull Project is perhaps one of the few projects that exists that practices what it preaches. It has been soul food for me. The work that it does abroad is top notch. The cultural hub that its work has induced in its quest to find funding and resources is great. It has introduced me to many creative, top quality people who will be friends for life.
Our books are currently full, but keep in touch – as soon as we need some more friendly faces we'll put up a big call-out! To hear about new opportunities in the future, why not say "count me in" for our Seagulls updates?
Do I need to have performance experience?
In short, NO. We offer full training both prior to departure (when possible), and on the road. We are constantly learning and sharing skills. Interest, enthusiasm in creative activities and a good imagination are essential, but skills you can learn!
No. If you have one already it's useful for us to know, but you'll be working under the supervision of our Project Leaders (all of whom have Advanced DBS Checks).
If we subsequently invite you to become a Project Leader we will process an Advanced DBS check at that point.
Are their opportunities to volunteer in the UK?
As a relentlessly active troupe of fools, there are loads of opportunities for you to get involved in. We entertain at many of the biggest UK music festivals, including Secret Garden Party and Shambala. Though these are fundraising performances, we find plenty of time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the occasion! We also create and host some pretty exciting events of our own, from one-day music festivals, to flash mobs, and even the occasional pantomime! As a collective of creative people, there is a great opportunity to create some performances of our own, and we have started to form our own company of players with the aim of putting on productions and shows in the future.
This isn't an easy answer as it is different in each centre we visit and dependent on the time of year. In the past, we have camped in valleys, stayed in hostels, slept on the floor of a Buddhist temple, in a slum building, in a hospital, in a small farm on the border of Kosovo, in the Seagull lorry, 'Rosie', and many more weird and wonderful locations! What we can promise is that there will always be a safe place to sleep. What we cannot promise is that it'll always be as comfortable as you may be used to, or that people won't snore! Sometimes we just have to roll our sleeves up and get on with it!
The team is very spoilt and more often than not our hosts, or locals in the villages we are guests in, invite us to share food with them. If we're really lucky, it's traditional home-cooked local cuisine, which is rustic, filling and delicious. We have vegetarians in the team, and will do our best to cater for them, but sometimes it's a matter of another cheese sandwich and an extremely polite apology to our hosts for not accepting the meat!
We ask that all volunteers raise £100 for every two week period they are with us, and that they cover the cost of their flight/transport to the project site. This can range dramatically depending on how far in advance you book. The costs of both the project and your flights can be covered through your fundraising efforts.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself, why you'd like to be a Seagull and what super specialist ninja skills you have. You can also attach a CV below if you'd like.