Subtitles & Transcription Volunteer

National Galleries of Scotland
VO104421

We are looking for volunteers to work remotely to help make our online talks more accessible.

As part of the National Galleries of Scotland’s Adult Learning programme, we host a wide range of talks and lectures exploring the national collection and temporary exhibitions. These usually take place at lunchtime in the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre at the National in Edinburgh and are also live streamed to reach audiences across Scotland and beyond.

To extend this reach further, we upload selected talks to our website so they can continue to be viewed after the event. This also allows us to link them to our wider online collection and to exhibitions, enhancing engagement and deepening knowledge of art.

Your role as a volunteer will be to help us provide accurate subtitles and transcriptions for these online talks. You’ll receive an automatically generated text version of each talk and a clear template to guide your editing. Your task will be to check, correct, and submit a readable, accurate transcript or subtitle file.

No special equipment is required—just a working computer. The work can be done entirely remotely and we will prioritise applicants who cannot normally volunteer with us(e.g. due to health conditions, living away from Edinburgh, etc.). By contributing your time, you’ll be helping to make Scotland’s national collection accessible to more people. Please note we will accept applications for this opportunity until 31/11/2025 unless enough applications are received at an earlier date.

What you’ll be doing:

Editing and proofreading automatically generated transcripts for accuracy and readability.
Adding correct punctuation, grammar, and formatting.
Ensuring subtitles reflect spoken content faithfully and inclusively.
Checking subtitle timing using a simple online tool (training provided).
Submitting completed work to the Digital Learning team for upload.

Commitment & Timing:

Flexible, remote volunteering opportunity.
Each talk typically takes 2–3 hours to complete.
We anticipate 1–2 talks per month, depending on volunteer availability.
All work can be completed at your own pace within agreed deadlines.

What you’ll gain from the role:

Experience in transcription, subtitling, and digital accessibility.
A practical contribution to making Scotland&rsquo;s national art collection more inclusive.
Insight into the work of the National Galleries of Scotland and its Adult Learning team.
Opportunities to build editing, digital, and listening skills.
Flexible volunteering experience that can fit around your lifestyle.

Support you’ll receive:

Full induction and online training materials.
Clear templates and style guidance for all transcription tasks.
Ongoing support and feedback from the Digital Learning team.
Regular check-ins via email or online meetings if needed.
Recognition and references after a sustained period of volunteering.

Experience required

• Basic computer skills.
• Good written English and attention to detail.
• Methodical and accurate approach to reviewing text.
• Interest in art, culture, or heritage.
• Sensitivity to accessibility and inclusion.

Travel details

This is a remote role, so no regular travel is required.

Travel expenses

If volunteers are invited to attend optional training or in-person events, reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed in line with the National Galleries of Scotland Volunteer Policy.

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