The Value of Volunteers

A few days away at Museum Development Officers’ and Association of Independent Museums conferences reinforced the huge value that volunteers have for our sector, particularly for independent museums.

They are the lifeblood of our organisations with many museums stating that they could simply not operate without volunteers. In Leicestershire & Rutland, of course, the majority of our museums are those particularly special ones run only by volunteers with no paid staff whatsoever.

Volunteers bring so much – they bring time, expertise and willingness, they are keen, eager and dedicated, they are open, welcoming and pleased to help. It is a regular pleasure to meet with, and speak with the dedicated volunteer workforce across the counties.

Problem is, we need more. We always need more. And sometimes in our sector we are not too good at recruiting them. The times are indeed changing and often people don’t volunteer for volunteering’s sake (although some do), but have a specific purpose in mind. They may want to meet people, make friends, learn new skills, gain experience for their CV or some other purpose. All of these are perfectly valid reasons for volunteering, and we should welcome people with such motivations with open arms. They can expand the capacity of our organisations and help us deliver more for our communities.

We must take account of the best practice in terms of volunteering and look at the experiences of others to learn how to better recruit more volunteers for our museums. We must remember the importance of developing volunteer policies and role descriptions for volunteers. People want to know exactly what they are going to do and what they will get in return. We must consider other issues, particularly relating to money. No volunteer should be out of pocket. If someone volunteers for 5 hours per week at your museum, that is worth £62.50 on the average British wage, so giving them a couple of quid for their bus fare seems perfectly reasonable, really.

We must also remember to recognise our volunteers – and where a museum is run entirely by volunteers, perhaps that is everyone’s responsibility. Just making sure everyone gets a card on their birthday and a slice of cake and a nice cup of tea every so often can go a long way. Offering people references and recommendations where appropriate is essential to recruiting volunteers after CV enhancement. The occasional party with a glass of wine or three on offer also helps.

There is so much help out there to guide us in the right direction in terms of recruiting and managing volunteers – we don’t have to fumble around in the dark. Engage with your local volunteer centre, talk to them, listen to them. Explain what amazing things the volunteers in our sector achieve.

Research in the East Midlands shows that, compared to other sectors like sport and social care, realtively few people volunteer in museums. The same research also shows that those museum volunteers are, however, some of the most dedicated, giving more time, more regularly – and that is truly something to be proud of.

Let’s raise a glass to our sector, our achievements, and, most of all, our volunteers.

Cheers!

Children’s Group to be Launched at Ashby Museum

An exciting new initiative for local children is being launched at Ashby Museum on Saturday 28th March.  In order to get their new “Junior Friends of Ashby de la Zouch Museum” off to a flying start, the Museum is inviting parents and children to take part in a number of fun activities between 10.30 am and 2 pm.

Whilst the children take part in  craft and young archaeologist events, mums and dads can pick up an application form and receive a Members’ Pack for their youngsters which includes details of the first competition. One pound buys a year’s membership for a child which entitles them to free entry to the museum for a year.  Members will be able to take part in competitions and attend specially organised events such as Look behind the scenes at the Museum and A Walk on the Dark Side of Ashby.

Membership is open to Primary School aged children in school years 2 to 6.  All children wishing to take part in the event must be accompanied by an adult.  Soft drinks and biscuits will be on offer to the children and tea or coffee for adults.