LOWER MANHATTAN — The 9/11 memorial is looking for a few good volunteers.
The volunteers will help guide the millions of people from all over the world who are expected to visit the memorial starting Sept. 12, the day it opens to the public for the first time.
In addition to directing tour groups and assisting those with special needs, the volunteers will also help visitors find specific 9/11 victims among the nearly 3,000 names inscribed on bronze panels ringing the waterfalls in the Twin Towers footprints.
"The 9/11 memorial will seek volunteers with compassion, patience, integrity, reliability and excellent communication skills to support the Visitor Services staff," the National September 11 Memorial & Museum stated on a page dedicated to volunteers on its website.
"Volunteers will play a vital role in providing a meaningful experience to the expected millions of visitors from around the globe who will travel to one of the world’s foremost historical sites."
Volunteers must be 18 years old and commit to work 12 hours per month, likely translating to three four-hour shifts. The memorial is particularly in need of volunteers who speak another language in addition to English.
Because of the sensitivity of the World Trade Center site, all prospective volunteers will undergo a background check and screening process. The first step is to fill out an online form that asks prospective volunteers to describe how they see their role, including whether they would share their political opinions with visitors.
The memorial will begin training volunteers on a rolling basis as the applications come in.
