Thank you for offering your time and talent to WCPE!
Q: What service opportunities are available?
Volunteers help WCPE with its daily operations in many different ways. The station has a variety of needs ranging from volunteer announcing, answering phones during pledge drives, packing thank-you gifts, data entry in our Membership department, and receptionist duties. Ongoing, one-time, or short-term opportunities are available. Just fill out the form at the bottom of the page and click the submit button. Our Volunteer coordinator will contact you.
To find out about upcoming activities that might be in line with your interests and skills, you can e-mail your question(s) to volunteer@TheClassicalStation.org. Or, you can call the station at (919) 556-5178, and ask to speak with the Volunteer coordinator.
Volunteer Announcer Training
Qualified individuals can receive professional broadcast training in the WCPE Volunteer Announcer Training Program, held once each year. Classes are provided by the WCPE program director and his assistants and begin with announcer auditions. If you pass the audition and are accepted for training, you will be invited to attend a sequence of weekly 2-hour classes to learn proper voice techniques and operation of studio and transmitter equipment. You will learn how to work with the music playlist and program log. In return for this training, the station will request your commitment to volunteer to host air shifts on a regular or substitute basis. You need not be an expert in classical music to qualify for this training; however, you must learn the proper pronunciation of artist and composer names.
Membership Drives
WCPE holds on-air membership drives each spring and fall. Volunteers help answer phones and fill out pledge forms. This is a great opportunity for your company or civic group to serve the community; we’ll be glad to acknowledge your group over the air. We also need for people to help pack thank-you gifts for mailing and perform other miscellaneous tasks. During drives, three- to four-hour shifts are available throughout the week and on weekends.
Administrative and Telephone Support
The station sometimes needs help with short-term projects, office tasks, data entry, or small mailings that require the assistance of just one or two people. Office telephone support is needed on a regular basis, at a minimum of once per week, morning or afternoon.
Tasks Requiring Special Skills
Occasionally, volunteers will assist our staff with computers, music-library tasks, proofreading, or other tasks that may require professional skills, background, or experience. If you have skills that you would like to make available to WCPE, please indicate them on your application, and our Volunteer coordinator will keep this information on file and contact you as needed.
Q: How do I become a volunteer?
Application
The first step to is to call 919-556-5178. You will receive a reply from our Volunteer coordinator, asking if you are willing to be on a call/e-mail list for available events. If you prefer, you can ask to have the application mailed. Volunteers are asked to complete some simple paperwork regarding emergency contact information.
Begin Volunteering
You will be contacted by the Volunteer coordinator (or Program Director for volunteer announcer training) inviting you to sign up for the next available volunteer opportunity, according to the area of interest that you have indicated on your application. If you are interested in volunteering for a particular event, please call or reply to the e-mail. It is not helpful to just “show up,” as we schedule our volunteers in advance in order to provide the appropriate level of support.
Groups
You can volunteer with a group from your school, church, club, or workplace. Students can receive credit for volunteer service hours by presenting the volunteer coordinator with the appropriate signature form.
How Volunteers are Recognized
Each time that you come in as a volunteer, you will indicate your service hours in our logbook. Volunteers that achieve a minimum of 100 hours of service per year are eligible to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Volunteers can agree to be featured in the quarterly volunteer newsletter in the volunteer spotlight segment or otherwise acknowledged for exceptional contributions.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are any special qualifications needed to volunteer?
Some volunteer activities require specific background and/or experience. Volunteer announcers must complete in-house training. Most of our other volunteer activities, such as assisting with our pledge drives, require no special qualifications.
Q: Would I have to come out to the station to volunteer?
Yes, all of the work our volunteers do takes place at the station.
Q: Where is WCPE located?
Our studio complex is located in northeast Wake County, between Wake Forest and Rolesville. You can get driving directions by entering our physical address, 1928 Chalks Road, 27587, into any mapping application.
Q: Can you provide me with transportation?
Unfortunately, we are not able at this time to help in this regard.
Q: Is handicapped parking available?
Yes, right at our front door, and, there are no steps to enter the building.
Q: I don’t like to drive at night. Will this be a problem?
No. We have plenty of opportunities for daytime-only volunteer service.
Q: Will I have to come out to the station before my assignment for training or orientation?
With the exception of announcing, we’ll give you all the instructions you need on the day of your assignment. You will be asked to come in a half hour before your shift begins if you are coming in to answer phones for the first time during a pledge drive.
Q: Will I be required to make a long-term commitment to the station?
While we hope that you enjoy your time with us and will want to come back, most of our volunteer events require only short-term commitments.
Q: I work during the day. When do you need volunteers?
During pledge drives, we need volunteers for the morning, afternoon, and evening shifts on weekdays and weekends. Weekday morning and afternoon shifts are available for telephone answering during office business hours. Volunteer announcer air-shifts are generally available in the late weekday evenings and on weekends.
Q: What happens if I can’t make it when I’m scheduled to be there?
If your schedule changes or you become ill, we ask that you notify our Volunteer coordinator (or Program Director if you are a volunteer announcer) as soon as possible, so that arrangements can be made for a substitute. This courtesy is particularly important during pledge drives and for volunteer announcers.
Q: Are there any special rules or regulations that I should know about before I sign up?
Volunteers are expected to conduct themselves with courtesy and consideration toward others. Alcoholic beverages, smoking (indoors), and weapons of any sort are prohibited on station property. Many areas of the WCPE office building and the transmitter building contain sophisticated technical equipment and are restricted. In the interest of personal safety, we require that volunteers not “wander off” into areas outside of the general work area.
Q: How important is my contribution of time and talent?
WCPE was founded on the basis of volunteer support. Although we now have a small staff for day-to-day operations, volunteers are still valued members of the WCPE family. By volunteering your time and talent, you can be a part of our mission to share Great Classical Music with the world.
Q: I want to volunteer, but I don’t like sending personal information out over the Internet. Is there another way I can apply?
You can call the station and ask to speak with the Volunteer coordinator. Or, you can send an e-mail to volunteer@TheClassicalStation.org.
Q: I still have some questions. How can I get more information?
You can call the station and ask to speak with the Volunteer coordinator. Or, you can send an e-mail to volunteer@TheClassicalStation.org.
Q: I’ve submitted my application. Now what?
Our Volunteer coordinator will call you or e-mail you to acknowledge receipt of your application and let you know of any upcoming activities in line with your interests and skills.