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Volunteers’ Week 2022

Next week marks the beginning of Volunteers’ Week 2022.

Volunteers’ Week is a chance to say thank you for the fantastic contribution volunteer make.  Follow this link for ideas on how to celebrate Volunteers’ Week in 2022 and use the hashtag #VolunteersWeek on social media.

‘Volunteering is for you’ film and resources

Use the ‘Volunteering is for you’ film and toolkit guidance to celebrate and thank your volunteers via social media.

Request a copy of the toolkit and films on the Resources For All page of our website.

Resources

To celebrate Volunteers’ Week WMMD has compiled a list of useful events, resources, reports and networks for anyone who may be responsible for managing volunteers, in either a paid or voluntary capacity.

Networks

Volunteering and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

 

Volunteers Recruitment Campaign Launched

WMMD is excited to announce the launch of a new Volunteers Recruitment Campaign. Watch the campaign film ‘Volunteering is for you‘

We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of the volunteers and staff who have contributed their time, experience, photos, videos and interviews to the campaign development.

About the campaign

The Volunteers Recruitment Campaign will support you to showcase and promote the wide range of volunteering opportunities in your museum and the wider region and aims to encourage more people to volunteer in West Midlands museums. The campaign film signposts viewers to opportunities on the WMMD Volunteers Portal.

How can your museum get involved?

The toolkit includes:

Additional Support

If you’re not feeling confident on social media and would like some expert help, or want to try something new online using the Volunteers Recruitment Social Media Toolkit, WMMD is also offering a small number of 1:1 sessions with toolkit creators Social For Good. Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis to Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation museums in the West Midlands. Contact michelle.davies@ironbridge.org.uk for more information.

Applications for WMMD Inclusive Museums programme open

Improve equity and inclusion in your museum

West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) are working with NoBarriers to provide a small cohort of museums with the opportunity to receive professional training, mentoring and peer support to actively improve equity and inclusion across their organisations.

The programme will run between May 2022 and February 2023.

As a result of taking part in the programme, participants will:

About NoBarriers
NoBarriers deliver tailored approaches to increasing inclusive and equitable practice in the cultural sector, including training, advice, strategic planning, service review and community engagement.

Isilda Almeida, founder of NoBarriers, works as an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant in the culture sector and brings with her over 20 years’ experience of the UK heritage sector. Isilda will be supported by Maurice Davies, who brings nearly 40 years of experience in UK museums and galleries as a policymaker, leader and curator. He has championed equity and inclusion since the 1990s when he was editor of Museums Journal. He has advised organisations such as the Greater London Authority, the National Museum Directors Council and the National Trust on aspects of heritage and race. Most recently he has helped Museum Detox with an organisational review and, with Isilda, delivered training on museums, equity and inclusion.

Between them, Isilda and Maurice bring knowledge, professional and lived-experience, current approaches to Equity and Inclusion, contextualised by historical and political events that have shaped how museums got to where they are.

Priority will be given to non-NPO and non-National museums who are Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation and based in the West Midlands.

To discuss your application or find out more about the programme please contact michelle.davies@ironbridge.org.uk

Submit your application by 1pm, Thursday 5 May 2022

Download the WMMD Inclusive Museums Application Pack

Museum of Carpet gains Accreditation

The Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster is the first museum to become Accredited in the West Midlands since the Accreditation scheme was paused in March 2020.

“We have been Working Towards Accreditation for many years and are delighted to have finally achieved our goal,” says Sue Hetherington, Museum Manager, “The process of gathering all the required material together has been rigorous, but very rewarding. It has allowed us to review, monitor and improve our procedures and aspirations. Meeting Emma [Relationship Manager for Accreditation] virtually rather than in person was very helpful and gave us the opportunity to talk through our application in greater detail.”

“Like many heritage venues we have suffered during the coronavirus lockdowns that have caused enormous loss of income, reduction in volunteers and low visitor confidence. As we gradually get back on our feet it is wonderful to be recognised in this way. The volunteers, staff and trustees have worked extremely hard to ensure the success of our application. This year, the Museum of Carpet celebrates its 10th birthday, and becoming an Accredited Museum is the perfect gift.”

Congratulations to the Museum of Carpet on their achievement!

1:1 Accreditation Surgeries

As the Accreditation Scheme continues its phased reopening, West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) is offering a series of bookable, one-to-one Accreditation online surgeries.

These hour-long surgeries are the ideal opportunity to seek tailored advice from Olivia Basterfield, WMMD’s Accreditation lead, including:

Slots are available on Thursday 7 April, Thursday 5 May and Thursday 16 June.

Book your surgery here.

Open to All: Accessibility Audit programme 2022

Museum Development East Midlands (MDEM) and West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) are providing a small cohort of eight museums with the opportunity to receive professional advice and support to improve access for visitors to their venue and website. MDEM and WMMD have appointed Direct Access and Vocal Eyes to deliver this programme.

Accessibility Audits

Each venue will receive a site visit from Direct Access resulting in an accessibility audit and report identifying a comprehensive list of tailored, prioritised recommendations based on current standards and legislation, delivered alongside expert training and advice.

Improving Website Access Information

Participating organisations will development the skills and knowledge to review and improve essential website access information in line with current best practice through training, peer support and mentoring delivered by Vocal Eyes. Participants will be able to use the findings of their accessibility audit to inform the content of their online access information.

Participation in the Open to All: Accessibility Audit programme directly supports Arts Council England’s Accreditation Standard, Users and their experiences, 7. Be accessible to the public.

Download the application form and programme information [Word]

Deadline for applications: 9am, Monday 28 March

Priority for places on the 2022 programme will be given to non-NPO and non-National museums who are Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation and based in the East Midlands or West Midlands.

Carbon Literacy Dates Confirmed

We’re delighted to confirm the dates for our 2022/23 programme of Carbon Literacy for Museums training.

West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) and Museum Development East Midlands (MDEM) are partnering to deliver several rounds of training, using the Carbon Literacy for Museums Toolkit developed by Museum Development and the Carbon Literacy Trust as part of the national Roots and Branches project.

Over the next twelve months, we’ll deliver:

The course is made up of four modules:

Each course is the same and you only need to take part in one cohort.

The dates:

We’ll let you know when each cohort is open for booking.

*West Midlands places will be prioritised to Trustees who are part of our West Midlands Trustees Network. To express interest and learn more, please complete our online expression of interest form.

**We’re grateful for support from Mike Nevell, Industrial Heritage Support Officer for England, for kindly offering his knowledge and enthusiasm to the Industrial Heritage cohort.

Finance workshops for Accreditation and Trustees

West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) is hosting two complementary workshops on Wednesday 30 March. The workshops will look at finance for museums; one aimed at Accreditation and the second for trustees. Trustees are welcome to book either or both sessions.

Accreditation and Financial Sustainability

Olivia Basterfield will lead the morning session, focusing on the Accreditation requirement 2.2. Financial sustainability.

This session is designed to support all museums preparing an Accreditation application or return. Whether you’re an independent museum or based within a university or local authority, we’ll explore which documents to submit to Arts Council England and what your assessor will be looking for.

Find out more about the Accreditation and Financial Sustainability workshop.

Financial Responsibility for Trustees

The afternoon session will be led by Jane Tweedie (BSc, FCA, DChA) Senior Manager at WR Partners. This session is specifically for trustees of independent charitable museums and will be useful for both new and existing trustees.

Jane will discuss the six main duties of a trustee and how they relate to finance. This session will support your organisation with Accreditation requirements 1. Have appropriate governance and management and 2.2. Financial sustainability.

Find out more about the Financial Responsibility for Trustees workshop.

Collections Management for Trustees

Three events for Trustees with Collections Trust

Collections Trust, East Midlands Museum Development (MDEM) and West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) are partnering to bring a series of three workshops for museum trustees, focusing on collections management.

We recommend you attend all three sessions, however each event works as a stand alone session should you be unable to attend all of them.

Places are limited, no more than two trustees per organisation. Priority will be given to Trustees who are part of the new West Midlands Trustee Network. To join please complete the Expression of Interest.

Planning for Success: Collections Development for Trustees

Wednesday 27 April, 2pm-4pm
Online

The first session will focus on Collections Development Policy, exploring its role in the museum, how to develop one, and its value to the museum in a practical sense. We will consider themes relevant to the policy such as organisation responsibilities and evaluating the current state of collections.

Collections Trust will provide a brief overview of Spectrum to provide context. We will examine the Accreditation Collections Development Policy template and discuss scenarios and issues related to the different sections.

There will be an optional half hour trustee networking session at the end of this event.

Find out more about Planning for Success

I’d like to book a place on Planning for Success 

Entering the Museum: Object Entry, Acquisition and Accessioning for Trustees

Wednesday 18 May, 2pm-4pm
Online

The second session will explore the management and documentation involved with the acquisition and accessioning of objects, using the Spectrum 5.0 procedures as a framework.

How do you manage objects coming into your organisation? Do you have problems with unsolicited donations and what can you do with the stuff you don’t want? What is important in acquisition-related decision-making?

Find out more about Entering the Museum

I’d like to book Entering the Museum

Museum Collections for Trustees: An Overview of Loans

Wednesday 8 June, 2pm-4pm
Online

The final session will explore the management and documentation involved when borrowing and lending objects, using the Spectrum 5.0 procedures as a framework:

Find out more about Museum Collections for Trustees

I’d like to book Museum Collections for Trustees

The sessions will be live captioned through StageText and MyClearText.

All participants will receive an email containing a Zoom link prior to each 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.

MD England Volunteer Management Development Training (session 2)

West Midlands Museum Development is pleased to announce that the Volunteer Management Development training events delivered in late 2021/ early 2022 are being repeated due to high demand for places.

This national online Museum Development series of three webinars will help to develop knowledge and skills in volunteer management, volunteer recruitment and volunteer strategy development.

Please note: By completing the booking form you are signing up to attend all three events.

Sessions (all 9.30am-1pm):

Thursday 3 March – Volunteer Recruitment
Thursday 17 March – Volunteer Management and Retention
Thursday 24 March – Volunteer Strategy Development

What will participants gain?

As a result of attending this webinar series, participants will become equipped or underpin skills and knowledge. including and not limited to:

All training will be delivered using a webinar format via Zoom; training will be co-facilitated by two trainers in order to bring their combined experience and to also increase the level of engagement from participants through greater variety in voice and presentation style.

Who should attend?

This session is aimed at all Accredited museums and those working towards Accreditation in the North West, North East, SHARE Museums East, South East, West Midlands and Yorkshire. These webinars are most suitable to groups and organisations that are:

Book your place here.

If you are based in another region, we kindly ask you to book through your local Museum Development provider which you can find the details for here.

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 are unable to attend any of the sessions please let us know in advance by emailing wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk 

If the event becomes oversubscribed we will prioritise bookings from organisations who can send a representative to all three sessions. 

Session leaders:

This webinar series is being hosted by volunteering consultants and specialists Laura Hamilton and Carol Carbine, who both bring more than 40 years of volunteer management experience in the VCSE sector.

Laura has a strong understanding of volunteer management within small and medium-sized organisations and of working with staff to build volunteer management confidence and capacity in these contexts; and runs a successful consultancy (Laura Hamilton Consulting), with a specialist focus on volunteer engagement and management and training and mentoring for volunteer managers.

Carol specialises in training/ facilitation and problem-solving/ conflict resolution, working within the overseas aid, animal welfare, disability and heritage sectors; and is a qualified NLP Practitioner. Carol offers bespoke training and facilitation through her own consultancy (Carol Carbine Consulting).

If the booking button isn’t visible this series of events is fully booked. Please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk if you want to join the waiting list.