The aim of the organization is to offer disadvantaged community groups the experience of a canal trip on a traditional narrowboat. They run and maintain "Tarporley" - a historic Northwich narrowboat, converted to carry 12 passengers. The organization mainly does day or evening trips but also offers longer ones, as passengers and crew can sleep aboard. Volunteers help run the boat, assisting with crewing, supporting passengers, working locks, mooring, steering, and maintaining the boat.
As part of the community research initiative, the organization would like to recruit student volunteers to explore how they can turn canals into third spaces to foster a community for all members of society suffering from distress and hardship (e.g., mental illness, long-term illness, poverty, homelessness, etc.).
This project will consist of research that may be both quantitative and qualitative, including stakeholder mapping and engagement, interviews with stakeholders from other interest groups, conducting and analysing surveys, and raising public awareness of the organization.
The volunteer duties depend on the preference of the student and will entail bespoke and individual duties depending on the nature of the volunteering activity.
Potential projects may include:
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Conducting interviews with stakeholder from other charity organisations to identify barriers and facilitators of interest groups to make use of charity boat rides
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Designing and conducting a survey about the public attitudes and awareness of the Camden Narrowboat association
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Disseminate stories about the positive impact of boat rides on people’s wellbeing
Stakeholders from other community organisation, charities and interest groups
As an additional training opportunity, engaged volunteers can learn how to ride a narrowboat on the channel.
Time commitment
Volunteers can work remotely for data collection and analysis but also be in-person. Students are also welcome to join charity boat rides on the canal.