All Inclusive: Championing Accessible Museums
All Inclusive on Wednesday 26 April is the Museums Association’s annual one day conference exploring how museums can become truly inclusive spaces and representational platforms, and champion equality at every level.
Disabled people are under-represented in the museum workforce, on boards and in our audiences, and the lives, contributions and perspectives of disabled people are still under-represented in our collections and exhibitions.
This event elevates the perspectives of D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people as part of this event.
Through provocations, case studies and panel discussions, this event is for anyone who is working towards diversity and inclusion at a museum or relevant organisation.
Exceeding Visitor Expectations
The Exceeding Visitor Expectations course, delivered by Tourism South East, has been designed specifically for visitor attractions. It combines the expertise of VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme and the experience of the renowned Welcome to Excellence training programmes to help staff and volunteers avoid the pitfalls of customer service. This short online course is suitable for staff and volunteers engaging with visitors.
Exceeding Visitor Expectations will help participants to:
- identify what your attraction and the area where you work has to offer
- understand who your visitors are and what they need and expect
- meet, manage and, whenever possible, exceed visitor expectations
- welcome visitors from all sections of the community and provide an accessible service
- communicate successfully with visitors
- use product/ destination knowledge to provide information and advice in an inspiring way
- deal effectively with challenging situations
- act as an ambassador for your attraction and local area
Tourism South East will deliver the session via Zoom using a range of exercises and interactive features, including Breakout Rooms and Polls. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and actively participate in discussion. If you have any concerns about accessibility or usability for these features please contact wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk
Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
This event will be auto-captioned through Zoom. If you would benefit from any other form of access support, including live captioning, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the WMMD team as early as possible stating the support you require.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email the day before the event please contact us.
Exceeding Visitor Expectations
Monday 13 March, 10am-12noon
Online
If you can’t see the booking button below this event is fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk
Family Friendly Audit – apply now
West Midlands Museum Development is offering eight museums the opportunity to receive a Kids in Museums Family Friendly Audit. The audit is a simple and practical tool to make your museum more welcoming to children and families.
The audit is based on the Manifesto, one of Kids in Museums’ most powerful and longstanding initiatives. The Kids in Museums Manifesto is entirely based on feedback from families, children and young people about their experiences of visiting museums.
The Family Friendly Museum Audit will evaluate a visit to your museum against the six points of the Manifesto to understand the effectiveness of your welcome for children and families. An experienced Kids in Museums consultant will review everything from the café and ticket desk to your interpretation alongside any spaces or displays aimed at children and families.
Following their visit, the consultant will produce an illustrated report highlighting existing areas of good practice and including a simple cost-effective action plan for areas for improvement. As well as offering a practical guide to making your museum more family friendly, the report will serve as a powerful advocacy tool for including children and families across your organisation.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 3 April
Priority will be given to non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
Stimulating Memories
A course aimed at heritage staff/ volunteers or carers/ activity coordinators on best practice in collecting, sharing and recording people’s memories.
Run by Julia Letts. www.lettstalk.net Julia is an oral historian and accredited trainer for the Oral History Society. She has also worked as a trainer with the Association of Dementia Studies and runs intergenerational projects every term in a local Worcestershire care home.
This course is for heritage professionals/ volunteers, activity coordinators, care professionals or carers who want to learn more about:
- How to run activities that involve stimulating people’s memories and past experiences
- The best ways to gather people’s life stories
- How to engage people and get them to reminisce and share stories
- Oral history and how to record people’s memories legally and ethically
- The online platforms ‘Know your Place Worcester’ and ‘Life Stories Herefordshire and Worcestershire’, both of which have been developed to stimulate and collect memories.
You do not require any previous experience to join this course, but places are limited, and we would expect people to commit to the session and be prepared to join in. The course would particularly suit people who want to develop their professional practice, learn new skills or share their existing experience in this field.
The course will be held online via zoom and participants are expected to have cameras on and engage in the practical sessions.
To book please email julia@lettstalk.net
0930 Introductions
0945 Who? Working with different communities including older people, children and people living with dementia.
10.00 Why? The therapeutic importance of stimulating memories. Differences between reminiscence, oral history and life story gathering. Examples and case studies including the ‘Life Stories Herefordshire and Worcestershire’ platform.
1015 Practical: discussion in groups about challenges. Feedback and solutions.
1045 Break
1100 Getting started. Formal and informal memory collection. Different ways of engaging people. Example – making use of the platform ‘Know your Place Worcester’
1130 Practical: using objects as a prompt. Practice story gathering in pairs in break out rooms. Evaluation of practical.
1215 Using collected memories. Examples of effective ways of sharing what you’ve collected.
1245 Review and questions.
Who should sign up to this course?
This course will be aimed at heritage professionals/ volunteers, activity coordinators, care professionals or carers who want to learn more about:
- How to run activities that involve stimulating people’s memories and past experiences
- The best ways to gather people’s life stories
- How to engage people and get them to reminisce and share stories
- Oral history and how to record people’s memories legally and ethically
- The online platforms ‘Know your Place Worcester’ and ‘Life Stories Herefordshire and Worcestershire’, both of which have been developed to stimulate and collect memories.
You do not require any previous experience to join this course, but places are limited, and we would expect people to commit to the session and be prepared to join in. The course would particularly suit people who want to develop their professional practice, learn new skills or share their existing experience in this field.
The course will be held online via zoom and we would expect participants to have cameras on and engage in the practical sessions.
The course will run from 0930 to 1245, with a break in the middle.
Grant Support for Significant Challenges – WMMD Strategic Intervention Fund
West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) has launched a new grant scheme, the Strategic Intervention Fund (SIF), to support you to find strategic solutions and a sustainable way forward in difficult times.
This may mean:
- seeking external expertise
- exploring new ways of working or new opportunities
- reviewing practices that are no longer fit for purpose
- exploring alternative business or governance models
- advice on the best way for your organisation to respond to an emerging challenge
You can apply for up to £2,500* to help you deal with significant challenges.
For further information please download and read the guidance
Download and complete the application form
The grant fund will be considered on a rolling basis, with monthly panels scheduled, to enable museums to make requests when need arises
Museums will receive a decision within a maximum of six weeks from the point of application
The SIF will support Accredited museums or those formally Working Towards Accreditation in the West Midlands.
National Portfolio Organisations and National museums are not eligible to apply.
*Grants of up to £5,000 may be considered in exceptional circumstances. You’re encouraged to contact the WMMD team at wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk to discuss this prior to application.
Coffee and Chatter
Grab your morning cuppa…
Join WMMD and guest speaker Fiona Woolley from AIM to learn more about AIM’s grants and how to apply.
It’s also the perfect opportunity to share what’s happening at your museum, exchange ideas with colleagues across the region and hear about the latest sector guidance and news.
10.30am-11.30am
Zoom details:
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09
Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046
Coffee and Chatter will be auto-captioned.
Collections Advisor Opportunity
The West Midlands Museum Development programme (WMMD) is seeking a freelance individual, agency or team to develop and lead WMMD’s collections programme in 2023/24, including collections training workshops and the provision of high-quality collections advice for museums in the region.
This is a fantastic opportunity to make change and support museum professionals across the West Midlands.
The Collections Advisor fee is a maximum of £16,000 over at least 40 days throughout the year, including VAT and any expenses.
To find out more about the role and the experience, skills and knowledge we’re looking for, please download the tender brief.
Please email your tender to wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk by 5pm, Friday 24 February.
Applicants will be contacted to arrange an online interview to be held during the week of Monday 6 March.
Any queries or things you would like to discuss beforehand? WMMD is more than happy to discuss the programme with you beforehand and answer any queries you may have.
Please contact Olivia Basterfield to arrange a friendly, informal phone call.
New Funding Rounds Announced
Arts Council England (ACE) has announced details of the next round of programmes that make up the Cultural Investment Fund.
The programmes are:
- Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND)
- Targeted at non-national Accredited museums to undertake vital infrastructure and urgent maintenance backlogs which are beyond the scope of day-to-day maintenance budgets
- Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF)
- To enable library services across England to invest in a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology so they are better placed to respond to the changing ways people are using them
- Cultural Development Fund (CDF)
- Investing in transformative place-based creative and cultural initiatives
New rounds of MEND and LIF will open in early 2023 with £22.6 million available through this round of MEND, and £10.5 million through LIF (funding amounts may be subject to DCMS business planning).
Further applications for MEND will take place in early 2024, alongside another round of CDF.
Key dates for MEND round three
Guidance published: Monday 6 February
Webinar: Monday 27 February
Expressions of Interest open: 9am, Monday 6 March to midday, Friday 21 April
Full application forms open: 9am, Tuesday 30 May to midday, Friday 18 August
You can find out more about the three programmes here on the ACE website.
Deaccessioning and Disposal
Museum Development East Midlands and West Midlands Museum Development are running three Midlands-wide workshops with Collections Trust.
This scenario-based discussion session will explore deaccessioning and disposals, examining a variety of disposals issues and themes including collections management and documentation, legal and ethical considerations.
By the end of this session attendees will:
- Understand the legal, ethical and collections management considerations involved in disposals
- Know where to find further guidance about disposals
- Feel more confident when dealing with and discussing disposals with colleagues
Once you book a place you will have an opportunity to submit a scenario for the workshop. Selected scenarios will be anonymised.
This session will complement the Collections Review event on Thursday 9 February.
Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
If you would benefit from live captioning or any other form of access support, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the WMMD team as early as possible stating the support you require.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email the day before the event please contact us.
If you can’t see the booking button the event if fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk
Deaccessioning and Disposal
Wednesday 15 February, 2pm-4pm
Online
Collections Review
Museum Development East Midlands and West Midlands Museum Development are running three Midlands-wide workshops with Collections Trust.
This session will explore the Spectrum secondary procedure Collections review and how collections reviews can be used as part of good collections management practice.
By the end of the session you’ll understand and be able to apply the Spectrum Collections review procedure.
We’ll discuss how a collections reviews can help you to understand the significance of your collections, identify opportunities to develop under-used collections and understand what your users find interesting. This information is a valuable first step to inform forward planning, your collections development policy, and help shape future rationalisation projects.
Attendees will learn:
- How to understand and apply the Spectrum Collections review procedure
Before the session attendees should look at:
- The Spectrum Collections review procedure
- Their organisation’s Collections Development Policy. What does it say about collections review?
Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.
If you would benefit from live captioning or any other form of access support, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the WMMD team as early as possible stating the support you require.
All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link to the training prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email the day before the event please contact us.
If you can’t see the booking button the event if fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk
Collections Review
Thursday 9 February, 10am-12noon
Online
