Volunteer training bank
The Museum of London’s Volunteer Management Project is working to support museums across London with volunteer involvement. The project provides a programme of free training for volunteers and the training materials developed are available to download here for museums who want to run their own in-house training.
The document below provides guidance on how to use the Volunteer Training Bank. The Train the Trainer guide aims to help museum staff, or volunteers who are managing other volunteers, to use the Volunteer Training Bank even if they have no previous experience of delivering formal training.
Introduction to Museums
This course is suitable for volunteers who are new to the museum sector and want to find out more about how museums 'work'. It covers what a museum is, the museum Code of Ethics, different types of museum and how they are founded, museum language, and the role of volunteers in museums.
Customer care
This course is suitable for any volunteers who have to work with the general public in person or by phone. It will help them explore the needs of a variety of museum customers, and how these impact on their work. There will also be a chance to look at ways of dealing with difficult situations.
Disability awareness
This course tackles some of the assumptions people have about people with disabilities. It covers disability etiquette and language, the Disability Discrimination Act and what it meant by 'Reasonable Adjustments', and will look at some of the things volunteers can do to make their museums more accessible.
Object handling
This course is a very basic introduction to how to handle objects safely. It is suitable for any volunteers who have to work directly with objects as part of their role. This session does not cover moving large objects.
Object handling handouts:
Working safely with children
This course is suitable for all volunteers who work with children. It explores some of the legal issues around child protection, and look at ways of identifying and reducing risks.
How to create, develop and present tours for the public
This course will help volunteers with planning, creating and delivering engaging and exciting tours and talks for visitors to your museum. Throughout the highly experiential workshop they will learn and practice tools and techniques, associated with Storytelling and Storymaking, by preparing a short talk. Time will be allocated to feedback and discussion, ensuring all delegates finds ways to apply the process to their volunteering roles.
