MDUK VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME: recruit, retain and rethink volunteers in your museum

About this project

Museum Development UK are thrilled to be working in collaboration with volunteer sector specialists 10GM to offer an intensive Volunteer Development Programme for up to 20 museums from across participating areas in the UK.

This project has arisen due to the dual challenges of a longer-term shifting volunteering workforce in the heritage sector, and the particular strains of the last 2 years due to the pandemic. A clear need has emerged to support organisations to review their operating models to ensure volunteering is sustainable and responsive to the museums needs and the communities they serve.

Aim

To support participating museums to review their volunteering strategy and explore new ways to embed sustainable volunteer development practice tailored to individual organisational needs.

Outcomes

Participating museums will:

• have reviewed their operating model and business/ forward plan through the lens of volunteer resourcing
• understand the volunteer skills needed to deliver their operating model
• have a plan to develop their volunteer workforce through appropriate recruitment, training and resources to meet defined organisational needs
• have developed appropriate volunteer policies and procedures
• have identified volunteer management roles and responsibilities within the workforce
• have embedded inclusive practice into volunteer development
• have an organisation specific action plan for volunteer development

 

Scope

We are looking to recruit at least 3 museums from the south east of England to take part in this national training programme which will consist of:

• Group sessions: thematic and supportive session with peers; to share and discuss issues concerning volunteer involvement and management, and to support progression through the programme
• Coaching: each participant will access to tailored coaching sessions with an expert in volunteer development from across the volunteering sector.
• Training: a programme of three online training workshops on specific topics around: developing volunteering practice, including plans, policies, and procedures; developing a volunteering strategy; inclusive recruitment of volunteers

Key programme dates

The programme will run from September 2022 to March 2023, with an expected time-commitment of 2-3 days per month and the following days are core elements of the programme that we expect all participants to attend:

Wednesday 7 September 2022, 10:00 - 12:00
Thursday 15 September 2022, 09:30 - 13:00
Thursday 20 October 2022, 09:30 - 13:00
Thursday 17 November 2022, 09:30 - 13:00
Tuesday 6 December 2022, 10:30 - 12:30
Tuesday 11 April 2023, 10:00 - 13:00

Additional work will be required to apply learning between sessions.

NOTE: Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the need for an element of flexibility to support all participating museums equally there may at times be the need to reschedule some dates. Adequate notice will be given in this eventuality and we are committed to supporting all participants as fully as possible.

Who is eligible:

To be eligible to apply to this programme you need to be from a non-NPO Accredited museum or currently working towards Accreditation. We are particularly looking for museums who are:

• Committed to reviewing their volunteering strategy
• Open to learning and exploring changes to involving volunteers
• Keen to learn more about and embed inclusive practice into their work on involving volunteers
• Able to dedicate time and staff/volunteer resources to ensure they can benefit from the programme fully
• Be based in a participating geographical area (see below)

How to apply

Complete this Expression of Interest by 29 July (5pm). We’ll confirm which applicants have been selected by 11 August.