The Manchester Museum and Imperial War Museum North both had well-established volunteer programmes. However, like many museums, they were concerned about the limited diversity of their volunteer teams. Working together, the two museums aimed to establish a model that would engage a wider range of people in volunteering.

Project officers made contact with local organisations working with groups such as long-term unemployed people, young offenders and asylum seekers. They held networking days and taster sessions so that people who were interested in volunteering could find out more about the opportunities available. One-to-one meetings with prospective volunteers helped identify their interests and the skills they had to offer.

Participants attended a 10-week training programme before they took up their various volunteer roles. This included an introduction to the work of the museums, object handling sessions and trips to other museums.

Once in their roles, the volunteers participated in accredited Learn Direct courses in English, IT and other subjects. In this way the project aimed to not only diversify the museums’ volunteer workforce, but also equip participants with transferable skills that would enhance their employment prospects. It also hoped to demonstrate an approach that could be adopted by other museums throughout the country.

In three years over 180 people from a variety of backgrounds in Greater Manchester benefitted from the project. The museums benefitted from the enthusiasm and skills of the volunteers, for example access to collections was increased through their object handling sessions with the public. Perhaps most importantly, In Touch enabled the museums to develop closer and more sustainable relationships with their local communities.

Our In Touch Volunteer Programme publication is available as an ebook.