Not Receiving our Newsletters?
Have you signed up to our newsletter and not received it?
There are a couple of possibilities:
- If you have signed up in the last few months, we have found a technical gremlin that has meant anyone signing up to our mailing list thought that they had been successful but their email wasn’t added to the list. The gremlin has been banished so please sign up again at the bottom of any of our website pages. You’ll then start to receive our emails, although do check they aren’t going to the junk box.
- If you haven’t been using opening our emails for a while, the system will stop sending them, so please sign up again at the bottom of any of our website pages. You’ll then start to receive our emails, although do check they aren’t going to the junk box.
Do encourage your colleagues and trustees to sign up too so they hear all the latest news and opportunities from WMMD and our sector.
Celebrating Volunteers Week
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 2021 and use the hashtag #volunteersweek on social media.
To mark the occasion West Midlands Museum Development (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.
Events
WMMD Recorded Events: Volunteer Management Essentials
In Spring 2021 Roots HR CIC delivered a series of short bite-size presentations outlining essential knowledge for anyone managing volunteers. The sessions reflected ‘normal’ conditions, alongside additional considerations we may need to make during the current pandemic.
Click on this link to request recordings of the following presentations:
- Managing Volunteers
- Recruiting Volunteers
- Retaining Volunteers
Heritage Volunteering Conference 2021 ‘Recognise, Reconnect, Reimagine’, 6 and 7 July, online
The annual conference of the Heritage Volunteering Group (HVG) is back! In 2021 HVG will bring together leaders and practitioners from across the sector, providing a national platform for connectivity and sharing new ideas. The conference will explore the changes and challenges of the pandemic for volunteer managers and look ahead to the future of heritage volunteering. To purchase tickets for the conference, click here.
Resources
- Enabling safe and effective volunteering during coronavirus (COVID-19) This GOV.UK guidance aims to help organisations and groups understand how to safely and effectively involve volunteers during the pandemic
- AIM Success Guides Successfully Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers
- GEM has collated a suite of useful volunteering resources, including toolkits for recruitment and measuring impact, examples of volunteer handbooks, interesting reads and local networks.
- Heritage Volunteer Organisers Scotland (HVOS) Volunteer Organisers Toolkit
- Museums Worcestershire Volunteer Recruitment Toolkit
- National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) Helpful guidance for managing and developing volunteering at your organisations
- NCVO Resources and research that will help you unlock the power of volunteering. They have compiled a list of resources relating to volunteering and the pandemic.
- Volunteer Now contains a range of resources relating to volunteer management
Networks
- Heritage Volunteering Group (HVG)
HVG’s mission is to help you unlock the power of volunteering through collaboration and sharing best practice. The HVG website includes examples of case studies, research, links and resources. HVG is running informal catch ups, ask the expert sessions and masterclasses. Events are open to all members. Recordings of previous sessions are available to view on the HVG Youtube Channel. To sign up for updates please visit the HVG Better Impact page and log your details.
Contact or follow HVG on Twitter @HeritageVols, join Heritage Volunteering Group on Facebook, or contact heritagevolunteeringgroup@gmail.com. - Heritage Volunteering Group West Midlands
The regional networking group covering Shropshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Black Country, Birmingham and Telford and Wrekin. The group is for anyone who works with volunteers in the heritage sector in the West Midlands. It meets quarterly to problem solve together, share best practice and learn from each other. To keep in the loop with all future meetings please email Becky Benson.
Volunteering and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- HVG has compiled a list of online equality, diversity and inclusion resources for volunteering and volunteer management. If you have any resources that you would like to add to the list please contact Michelle Davies.
HVG’s Youtube Channel, Diversity and Inclusion playlist includes recordings of HVG’s recent EDI Masterclass events. - Mark Your Mark in Volunteering campaign aims to increase the number and diversity of heritage volunteers in Scotland. They’ve compiled a range of resources to help you create inclusive volunteering programmes. Make Your Mark – Heritage Volunteering for All
- Seven Principles to Ensure an Inclusive Recovery The principles have been developed by We Shall Not Be Removed in partnership with Ramps on the Moon, Attitude is Everything, Paraorchestra, and What Next? to create a new guide for the arts and entertainment sectors to support disability inclusion. Their Seven Inclusive Principles for Arts & Cultural Organisations working safely through Covid-19 is designed to complement the suite of guidance documents already issued by UK Governments and sector support organisations. Find out more.
- Inclusion and Diversity in Volunteering Research Report Dr Helen Timbrell has undertaken a comparative study of the experiences of People of Colour (POC) and White volunteers in four organisations: English Heritage, Citizens Advice, Macmillan and Team London. The research explores the experiences of volunteers through one to one interviews. The report titled “What the bloody hell are you doing here” shares a range of findings in relation to organisational cultures, behaviours and practices and makes recommendations for how to improve practice to ensure the volunteer experience is genuinely inclusive. Follow the link here for an insight into this important research.
- Volunteer Scotland Top tips for Inclusive Volunteering
- Volunteering for Everyone A guide for organisations who want to include and recruit volunteers who have a learning disabilities, developed by Volunteering England and Mencap.
If you have resources or examples of inclusive practice which heritage organisations could learn from please share these with us at wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk and we will share these widely throughout our network including our EDI Resources section on our website.
‘Open to All 2021’ Accessibility Audit programme
Would you like bespoke, professional training and recommendations to support you to make your venue more accessible?
West Midlands Museum Development (WMMD) is providing four museums in 2021 with the opportunity to receive professional advice to improve access for visitors at their venue. WMMD have appointed Direct Access to deliver this programme.
Each venue will receive an accessibility audit and report identifying a comprehensive list of tailored, prioritised recommendations based on current standards and legislation, an Easy Read Welcome Guide providing essential pre-visit information for their venue, expert training and advice.
The 2021 ‘Open to All’ programme has been developed in response to recommendations identified by an independent evaluation of the WMMD ‘Open to All’ programme 2015-2020,and wider sector research, including Museum and Heritage Access Survey 2020 – VocalEyes.
Since 2004 Direct Access and its team of NRAC certified Access Consultants has provided access consultancy for thousands of buildings and services across multiple sectors. Millions of people daily use a service or premises audited by Direct Access. Direct Access’ clients range from small community museums such as Nantwich Museum to large sites including Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Scotland, Bodelwyddan Castle in Wales or UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the City of Bath and its Roman Baths.
Participation in the Accessibility Audit programme directly supports Arts Council England’s Accreditation Standard 2018, Users and their experiences, 7. Be accessible to the public.
Priority will be given to non-NPO and non-National museums that are Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation based in the West Midlands. Places are limited and as such this is a competitive application process. Museums that have previously received an accessibility audit through WMMD will be considered.
Closing date for applications: 5pm, Monday 14 June.
Audience Champions – Open for applications
Audience Champions will equip museums to develop a data-driven approach to audience development by gaining in-house skills in data collection and data analysis using Audience Finder. Working in partnership with The Audience Agency this programme aims to support museums recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic focusing on short and medium term planning in rebuilding, increasing, or diversifying audiences.
This is a two year programme commencing in June 2021.
Year one will be split into four phases and delivered through a series of eight short, online workshop sessions (90-120 minutes) where you will:
- Gain a baseline understanding of your current and potential audiences
- Use data sources and segmentation models such as Audience Spectrum and Mosaic to identify and understand the behaviour of potential audiences
- Explore the implications of the pandemic on your audience development plan through using research findings
- Be signposted to best practice for data collection, including Covid secure practice
- Collect your own data, up to 380 visitor surveys*, over 12 months
- Receive an Audience Finder group report, presenting key findings
- Receive support to analyse your results and apply Audience Finder data in an Audience Development Plan
There will be structured tasks in between these sessions followed by ongoing West Midlands Museum Development and Audience Agency support.
*A sample size of 380 visitor surveys ensures you achieve robust data. The programme will support museums of all sizes in collecting visitor surveys that is appropriate to your capacity.
All workshop sessions will be delivered via Zoom and will require participants to have access to the internet and a laptop or tablet to take part.
Year two will be about embedding your research and an audience focus within the organisation and will require museums to participate fully in Audience Finder and to share your learning.
This programme aims to support Requirement 8: Understand and develop your audiences, of the Accreditation Standard, November 2018.
Priority will be given to non NPO museums who are Accredited or Working Towards Accreditation in the West Midlands region.
Museums must commit to attending all training sessions and collecting audience data over a two year period when enrolling on the programme.
To get involved please complete an application form and return to wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk no later than 5pm, Monday 7 June.
Coffee and Chatter
Join the WMMD team at 10.30am for a half hour of Coffee and Chatter on alternate Thursdays.
It’s your chance to share what’s happening at your museum, learn what your colleagues across the sector are doing in their heritage organisations and hear about the latest sector guidance and news.
Grab your morning cuppa, exchange ideas and catch up with some friendly faces.
Zoom details:
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09
Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046
Coffee and Chatter
Join the WMMD team at 10.30am for a half hour of Coffee and Chatter on alternate Thursdays.
It’s your chance to share what’s happening at your museum, learn what your colleagues across the sector are doing in their heritage organisations and hear about the latest sector guidance and news.
Grab your morning cuppa, exchange ideas and catch up with some friendly faces.
Zoom details:
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09
Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046
Coffee and Chatter
Join the WMMD team at 10.30am for a half hour of Coffee and Chatter on alternate Thursdays.
It’s your chance to share what’s happening at your museum, learn what your colleagues across the sector are doing in their heritage organisations and hear about the latest sector guidance and news.
Grab your morning cuppa, exchange ideas and catch up with some friendly faces.
Zoom details:
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09
Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046
Coffee and Chatter
Join the WMMD team at 10.30am for a half hour of Coffee and Chatter.
It’s your chance to share what’s happening at your museum, learn what your colleagues across the sector are doing in their heritage organisations and hear about the latest sector guidance and news.
With museums due to reopen Coffee and Chatter will change to a fortnightly event after this session.
Joining details:
West Midlands Museum Development is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Coffee and Chatter
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09
Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046
New to Zoom? Check out our Quick Reference Guide to get started.
Coffee and Chatter
Join the WMMD team most Thursdays at 10.30am for a half hour of Coffee and Chatter.
It’s your chance to share what’s happening at your museum, learn what your colleagues across the sector are doing in their heritage organisations and hear about the latest sector guidance and news.
Joining details:
West Midlands Museum Development is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Coffee and Chatter
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99254865285?pwd=R2xiUlUzOFdWMGJFQXpyL0E4cHpNQT09
Meeting ID: 992 5486 5285
Password: 579046
New to Zoom? Check out our Quick Reference Guide to get started.
An Introduction to Rights Management
10.30am-12.30pm, Online
Managing intellectual property rights is an important aspect of collections management and is becoming increasingly relevant as museums work to get more of their collections online. Join Sarah Brown from the Collections Trust for this bitesize session, where we will review the Spectrum 5.0 Rights Management procedure, which can help your museum manage and document rights identified in your collection.
There will be opportunities to ask questions during the session as well as share ideas with other attendees.
By the end of the session, delegates will:
- Understand how the Spectrum Rights Management procedure can be used as a framework for managing information related to rights in your collection.
- Know where to find more information and guidance.
This session supports the Accreditation Standard, in particular section 5.1 A Documentation Policy and Plan and 5.2 to follow the Primary Spectrum Documentation Procedures.
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.
The webinar will be live captioned.
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 one hour before the event please contact us.
If the booking button isn’t visible the event is fully booked. If you would like to join the waiting list please email wmmd@ironbridge.org.uk.
An Introduction to Rights Management
Wednesday 19 May, 10.30am-12.30pm
Online
