Safeguarding Training

Safeguarding is the range of measures we have in place to protect people within our organisation, or those we come into contact with, from abuse and maltreatment of any kind.

This course includes:

• Legal duties of organisations
• How to actively prevent harm
• How to identify and respond effectively to people experiencing harm

By the end of the session, delegates will:

• Understand the principle safeguarding duties to staff, volunteers, children and adults at risk of harm and others in contact with your organisation within current law and policy in England
• Understand different types of harm and how to spot signs of abuse
• Know how to effectively manage concerns and allegations
• Be able to implement safer working practices for your organisation which embed safeguarding practices

NCVO will deliver the session via Zoom using a range of exercises and interactive features, including Breakout Rooms and Polls. The session will also include activities on Menti and Jamboards. Activities and tools will be demonstrated within the session. Participants are encouraged to join the event via a laptop or desktop computer if possible. If you have any concerns about accessibility or usability for these features please contact wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk

Who should attend?

This course is aimed at staff or volunteers in charities with responsibility for safeguarding. This may include leaders such as chief executives and directors, volunteer managers and those taking on designated safeguarding lead roles.

If you can’t see the booking button the event is fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.co.uk

Safeguarding Training
Thursday 23 November, 10am-3pm
Online

West Midlands Museum Development Conference 2023

West Midlands Museum Development is delighted to announce details of its fifth annual conference in October.

Purpose, Practice, Pizzazz

The conference forms part of Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT)’s Museum Development programme, funded by Arts Council England. It will be an opportunity for museums to consider their purpose in today’s challenging world. Workshops will reflect on and explore best practice from both within and outside of the heritage sector. You can also expect an added sprinkling of energy and pizzazz.

Our inspiring speakers will cover a wide range of topics including volunteering; young trustees; diversity, equity and inclusion; collections; environmental sustainability; museums for wellbeing and Arts Council’s Let’s Create strategy.

Workshops will include Co-production with Children and Young People; Explore Urban Nature through Museums; Museum Data Service; Working with Artists.

Join us in person for full access to our programme of speakers and workshops during the day and an optional evening networking event. Or join us online to watch the plenaries streamed live and access the Museum Data Service workshop.

The conference is free and includes lunch and refreshments for in person delegates. With plenty of opportunities to network and meet with sector partners including Arts Council England, this is a key date for your diary.

Travel Bursary

A limited number of travel bursaries are available for conference delegates. Applications close 5pm, Wednesday 27 September

Delegates can apply for up to £75 towards travel costs payable after the conference. Recipients of the bursary must complete the evaluation survey about their conference experiences. The bursary is only open to delegates from non-NPO museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation. Only one bursary per organisation.

Apply for a bursary

More information

Over the coming weeks we’ll introduce to our Conference host, Nigel Rothband, and tell you more about our inspiring plenaries, workshops and evening networking event on our Conference page.

To book, please select the conference option which suits you best: Conference and evening networking (finishing at 7pm), Conference (finishing around 5pm) or online (plenaries and Museum Data Service workshop only)

Bookings will close 12noon, Wednesday 11 October

Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DQ

Registration from 9.15am

You should receive an automatic email confirmation on booking. If you don’t receive it (and it’s not in your spam folder) please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk and we will confirm if we have received your booking within two working days.

Using Handling Collections with Schools

Explore the principles and benefits of using museum artefacts to engage schools visiting your museum site or collection. The session will include practical advice as well as discussion on innovative ways of engaging pupils with your objects and how to encourage questioning and enquiry through hands on, discovery-based learning.

Delegates will be asked to bring an object or image of an object they are considering using with schools (either for a formal learning or object handling session) for general discussion.

The event will be facilitated by Mary Sibson, Creative Learning Officer for Creative Learning Services.

The event will also include time to explore The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum and a tour of the current Dippy the Diplodocus exhibition with The Herbert Learning Team.

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 is being delivered in partnership with Museum Development East Midlands. Museums based in East Midlands can book their place here 

Dietary Requirements

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please let us know any allergies or dietary requirements on the booking form when you book your place.

Accessibility

Find more information about accessibility at The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum please click here. 

If you would benefit from any adjustment or support for accessibility, please answer ‘yes’ to the access requirements question on the booking form and email the WMMD team as early as possible with the adjustment you require.

Using Handling Collections with Schools
Tuesday 10 October, 11am-3pm
The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry CV1 5QP

If you can’t see the booking button this event is fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk

Museum Energy Management: Preparing for the winter

As we head towards an unpredictable winter, now is the best time to find ways to reduce your energy bills and save money.

This two hour workshop with energy management specialists Pilio will explore low and no cost interventions to help save energy in preparation for winter. We’ll cover energy management; energy monitoring; boiler settings; internal temperatures; fabric and draughts; lighting; night use minimisation and the use of environmental sensors.

Places are limited, no more than two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to non-NPO and non-National museums in the West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation. This event is being delivered in partnership with Museum Development East Midlands. Museums based in East Midlands can book their place here 

This online event will be auto-captioned by Zoom. 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 prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email by the day before the event please contact us.

If you can’t see the booking button the event is fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.co.uk

Museum Energy Management: Preparing for the Winter
Friday 15 September, 10am-12noon
Online

From Couch to Accreditation: get ready for your application

This practical workshop will provide an overview of the 2018 Museum Accreditation Standard and is ideal to help you get ready for your Accreditation application, whether you’re preparing your return, your first application or seeking to refresh your knowledge of the Scheme.

You’ll gain an overview of the 2018 standard, the online application system and accompanying guidance documents. The workshop is also peppered with practical exercises that will help you plan.

The workshop will be delivered in two parts (morning and afternoon session) with sufficient breaks to allow you to step away from your computer screens.

About Jennie Crawford

Jennie is the Midlands Accreditation Advisor for 23/24. She has extensive knowledge of the museum Accreditation standard having worked as an Accreditation Adviser with ACE (2011-15) and MDNW (2018-22).

Maximum two delegates per organisation. This is for all museums in the East and West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation.

Museums in the East Midlands can book their place here.

The webinar 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 prior to the event. The email will be sent to the email address used for booking. If you have not received an email by the day before the event please contact us.

From Couch to Accreditation: get ready for your application
Friday 22 September, 10am-12noon and 1.30pm-3.30pm
Online

If you can’t see the booking button, this event is fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk

Coffee and Chatter

Grab your morning cuppa…

Join the WMMD team to share what’s happening at your museum, learn what your colleagues across the sector are doing, ask the WMMD team for advice 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.

POSTPONED Coffee and Chatter: National Lottery Project Grants

With updated guidance due later in the autumn we’re postponing this Coffee and Chatter until Thursday 30 November

Grab your morning cuppa…

Join the WMMD team and our guest speakers Zelina Garland-Rowan and Stuart Tulloch from Arts Council England (ACE). Zelina and Stuart will give an introduction to National Lottery Project Grants, ACE’s open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects. The fund supports thousands of individual artists, community and cultural organisations of all sizes, regardless of Accredited status, awarding grants of £1,000 up to £100,000. We’ll discuss eligibility, how a grant can support your museum, and how to get further advice with an application.

Coffee and Chatter is 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.

An Introduction to Greener Collections Care

This in person event is aimed at staff and volunteers whose role includes collections moves for exhibitions, displays, collection management and storage. It will consider how you can introduce greener approaches to your practice including the use of sustainable materials for packing, recycling, creating and monitoring stable environments in stores and showcases and the benefits of LED lighting

The workshop will be led by Jane Thompson Webb, an accredited conservator and Conservation Team Leader at Birmingham Museums Trust. This will be followed with a tour of the newly re-organised Ceramics and Fine Art Stores at Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum and the opportunity to view the de-installing of their current exhibition.

The store tours will finish at 1.30pm allowing time for networking and lunch (not included) in the museum café if desired. The museum is open until 4pm so you could visit the main gallery for Water, water everywhere, which explores the history of swimming in the building.

Places are limited, 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.

Dietary requirements

Refreshments will be provided. Please let us know any allergies or dietary requirements on the booking form.

Accessibility 

The event will be held in the Craft Studio at Leamington Spa Museum and Art Gallery. You can view their Accessibility Guides here.

If you would benefit from 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.

If you can’t see the booking button the course is fully booked. If you would like to join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk

An Introduction to Greener Collections Care
Tuesday 12 September, 10am-1.30pm
Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade CV32 4AA

Introduction to Subject Specialist Networks 

Could your museum benefit from expert advice on a particular area of your collection?

Have you ever wondered what a Subject Specialist Network is?

This workshop will introduce Subject Specialist Networks (SSNs) and how could they help you with your collection.

SSNs share professional advice, support and expertise within their specific specialist areas with anyone working with collections. There are now over 50 SSNs covering a huge range of subject fields, from British Portraiture to Human Remains. Some even offer grants to support your work.

Discover more about the different networks and how you might tap into the huge amount of SSN expertise available to benefit your collections. You may even be inspired to join a network yourself.

The event will include case studies with guest speakers, Aysha Afridi, Senior Manager, Arts Council England and Justine Reilly, Chair of SSN Consortium, Director at Sporting Heritage and The Neurodiverse Museum and other SSN representatives.

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.

If you can’t see the booking button this event is fully booked. To join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk

Introduction to Subject Specialist Networks
Thursday 7 September, 10am-12.30pm
Online

Brave Conversations: For Museum Managers

Do you find that what you say is sometimes misinterpreted by others, or people don’t do what you’ve asked them to?
Maybe you shy away from giving difficult feedback or having conversations that might provoke a negative response?
Perhaps you sometimes wonder why you bothered having the conversation in the first place?

This full day, in person interactive workshop is designed to help managers to develop their communication skills to feel more confident at handling difficult conversations effectively to achieve positive outcomes.

At the end of the workshop you will be able to:

• Use a variety of approaches to help you deliver difficult messages to people with a focus on a win-win outcome
• Recognise how to prevent difficult conversations from escalating
• Explain the skills and behaviours required to manage emotional conversations
• Demonstrate increased self-awareness and use this knowledge to build positive working relationships

This workshop is delivered by ted Learning in partnership with Museum Development East Midlands and West Midlands Museum Development.

Maximum two delegates per organisation. Priority will be given to delegates from non-NPO and non-National museums in the East and West Midlands which are Accredited or officially Working Towards Accreditation. Museums based in East Midlands can book their place here 

Dietary requirements

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please let us know any allergies or dietary requirements on the booking form when you book your place.

Accessibility 

The workshop will be held in the Grand Jury Room at the National Justice Museum. You can download their access statement here and details of their corporate hire access can be found on pages 19-20. 

If you would benefit from 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.

Brave Conversations: For Museum Managers
Tuesday 18 July, 10am-4pm
National Justice Museum, Nottingham NG1 1HN

If you can’t see the booking button this event is fully booked, to join the waiting list please email wwmd@ironbridge.org.uk