South West Museum Development Programme Sustainable Volunteering Service

In this presentation… What the service provides - overview Why this service What are the needs and issues What the service provides - details Discussion, next steps, contact details

What does the new service provide? Information & Resources Expertise Specialist Support & Advice Ideas and Inspiration PLUS – enhanced support in years 2 and 3: – Project funding for museum clusters

to enable volunteer involvement to flourish at every level of every museum in the South West

Why this service? Research into support for volunteering in , carried out by an independent consultant. You participated and told us what you needed. This service responds directly to the needs expressed:

What are the needs? Specialist expertise Support delivered through existing local networks Alongside brokerage, to test new approaches – Links with national volunteering bodies – Links with practice in other regions – Linking museums together – Linking museums to funding

What are the issues? Diversifying our volunteers Succession planning worries Improving volunteer management skills Improving governance

Information and resources

Expertise Officers: Are trained to ILM level 3 or above in volunteer management Have experience of - running museum development projects - brokering partnerships - delivering training via the Museum Skills programme - working closely with museums of all sizes

Expertise Service activity and campaigns directed by a Steering Group with representation from… The National Trust SWMDP Board The Arts Council Bridge – RIO Major Partner Museums

Specialist support and advice… Accessible to every museum that is Accredited or working towards Accreditation… - At your County Network Group - Via your Museum Development Officer - By - By phone - Through our blog, resources, case studies

Ideas and inspiration

Participation in the Museum Volunteering Forum involves: Contributing to themed seminar days Testing new ideas Sharing learning with peers Training and travel bursaries to access good practice beyond the South West

Helping to shape our campaigning agenda

Enhanced support In Years 2 and 3 Building on pilot project models Cluster/partnership projects funded from new funding sources Open to museums in areas where local authorities contribute financially to museum development Linked to needs – diversification – and testing new approaches

Pilot project model – an example No. 1 the Royal Crescent Micro-consultancy support from RIO Brokered SWMDP’s Sustainable Volunteering Service Led to partnerships with 3 universities for student involvement

Project funding Joint bids will be made on behalf of clusters of museums or county networks…. To increase partnerships, so that museums involve volunteers of all ages and backgrounds in new ways To increase skills and capability so that good practice in volunteer management flourishes

Discussion – possible future themes Confirmed - Partnerships with Higher Education: the Share Academy Project, February , M Shed, Bristol Exploring the ‘IF’ Volunteer for Wellbeing Project from NW England, May/June 2016

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