GEM One Day Conference updated 10/12/08
30
October 2008
Volunteers in Heritage Learning
British Museum, London
Some of the presentations are
available to view or download - see below.
This conference explored the wide range of ways that heritage organisations
are working with volunteers of all ages and from all backgrounds on learning
programmes. The day was a mix of speakers, case studies and workshops with
time for reflection, discussion and planning … and it was planned to be
challenging.
The day focussed on how the heritage sector is:
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expanding its traditional volunteer base and engaging a wider range of volunteers;
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supporting people to acquire new employment and life skills;
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encouraging, through volunteering,, new voices and views to be recognised in heritage interpretation;
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effectively managing staff and volunteers, and offering a range of CPD opportunities;
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addressing the growing expectations for the sector to offer more volunteering opportunities.
Delegates left:
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knowing more about the practical issues involved in recruiting and managing volunteers in learning and education programmes and services;
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with new ideas and approaches to engaging and retaining volunteers;
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understanding better which partners you should be working with;
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where resources are available so you can develop volunteers for learning programmes
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with suggestions for more accurately measuring the impact of volunteering on the volunteers and on your organisation;
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recognising the importance of diversity and inclusion;
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with a better understanding of how advocacy can support your programmes;
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clearer about the importance of CPD for volunteers and heritage staff in making a successful volunteer programme.
It was intended for?
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Managers, curators, archivists, librarians, MDOs, community officers, project officers, learning officers, access officers etc from all sections of the heritage, archive, arts, museum and library sectors who work (or wish to work) with volunteers on their education and learning programmes.
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Community, public sector and voluntary sector workers involved in (or planning) heritage projects that use volunteers.
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Those involved in policy development relating to volunteering in the cultural sector in local authorities, the MLA Partnership, government bodies, the voluntary sector and funding organisations.
PROGRAMME of SPEAKERS
and links to presentation materials where available
Launch of the Marsh Trust Volunteering for Museum Learning
Award
Susan Raikes, Head of Learning Programmes, The British
Museum.
Presentation slides (pdf 1064KB)
The importance of Volunteering for Learning
Tracey Mealing has, for the past three years, been working
for Sue Ryder Care as their Head of Volunteering. Sue Ryder Care is a
leading Healthcare charity providing Specialist Palliative Care and Neurological
Care. Tracey is responsible for the strategy, policy and process for the
recruitment, training, development, management and motivation of just under
6,000 volunteers. Prior to this she has spent some twenty years in the voluntary
sector working for Scope and the British Red Cross, largely within the area of
Retail Management and Training and Development.
Presentation slides (pdf 816KB)
Volunteering & Learning at the National Trust
Debbie Jackson, from the National Trust for Scotland,
looked at lessons learnt from a wide range of projects involving volunteers
at National Trust sites.
Workshops
The workshops were an opportunity for participants to discuss in more detail
aspects of volunteering in the sector. Each workshop ran twice (morning and
afternoon) and lasted 45 minutes.
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Running an education service with volunteers Susan Eddisford, Tiverton Museum
Presentation slides (pdf 147KB)
Evaluation form (pdf 27KB)
Summary of visits in 2008 (pdf 32KB)
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English Heritage working with volunteers on education projects Kate Davies
Presentation slides (pdf 304KB)
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Building your volunteer base Robert Hulse, Brunel Museum
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Balancing the needs of volunteers with the needs of the museum Laura Brown, The American Museum in Britain
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Funding Volunteers in Learning Projects - Heritage Lottery Fund
Presentation slides (pdf 1049KB)
In Touch Volunteer Programme – A Partnership Programme
Speakers: Adele Finley, Volunteer Programme Co-ordinator
and In Touch Project Manager at The Manchester Museum & Danielle
Garcia, Volunteer Programme Manager, Imperial War Museum North.
Adele and Danielle will focussed on the In Touch volunteer programme which equips
people with up-to-date qualifications, skills and work experience that supports
employability.
Presentation slides (pdf 356KB)
The Culture Track
Lucy Cooke, Volunteer Co-ordinator at Tyne & Wear Museums,
looked at the range of programmes on offer across TWM which bring volunteers
in to support learning programmes. She also looked at the North East of
England’s cultural volunteer programme, The Culture Track.
Download programme pdf (83KB)