Using volunteers to interpret collections

In 2006: 348 volunteers carried out 33, 152.5 hours of

work.

Areas of work:• 218 Guides undertook 3482 tours to 16, 941

visitors

• Education-assisting with workshops, evaluation, creating resources

• Marketing/evaluation-carrying out visitor surveys, tracking.

• Advisors-representing communities needs and expectations

Why Involve Volunteers?

• Can contribute a range of skills and experience

• Bring a different perspective

• Add diversity

• Have the luxury of focusing on one task

• Can carry out projects that you have always wanted completed

• Can improve the quality of activities you offer by supporting paid staff

• Part of a multi literacy approach to interpretation

Things to think about when involving volunteers

• Proactive Planning

• Effective Recruitment

• Ensuring the volunteers are seen as part of a team

• Effective Supervision

• Systems in place to deal with issues that arise.

Saturday Art Club

• Started in September 2005

• Target Audience: Families + children 3 – 11yrs

• Activity Format: Drop in session

• Average 30-40 children and 15-20 adults per weekend.

How it works

• Recruitment procedure

• Training Programme-Introduction to the Saturday Art Club-Child protection-Ice breakers-Typical SAC activity

Successes & Celebrations

“Volunteering has given me a wider understanding of

contemporary art and how visitors react to it. I find the

children have a fantastic view of the exhibits”

Saturday Art Club Volunteer

“It was very satisfying to see families come back each

week to do something they enjoyed and could develop new skills. It helped their

confidence and mine!”

Saturday Art Club Volunteer

Issues/Problems and lessons

• High turnover of volunteers

• Time it takes to get a Disclosure certificate back

Volunteering impact

94

31.6

68.4

94.7

52.6

42.1

0 20 40 60 80 100

1

Responses

%

Other

Build confidence/dev'p skills

Made Friends

Rehabilitation

Developed new skills/experience

Used Skills/Experience

Helped with Course/helped with applyingfor a course

Gained experience for future career

“a vital source of live interpretation. Providing a verbal, personal and

accessible source of interpretation on a regular basis. Someone visitors

can have a two way conversation with about the art, someone who can answer their questions about the art

and give them a way into understanding the work. Bridging the

gap between Curators / Artists and the general public”.

Alicia Watson, Education & Access

Curator Goma

Volunteer Guides

• We currently have 11 volunteer guides and 6 trainee guides.

• In 2006 the goma guides carried out 120 tours to 346 visitors from 31 different countries.

How it works

• Recruitment procedure

• Training programme

• Requirements of the guides

• Evaluation

Successes & Celebrations

“Friendly staff. Having two kids under 3 years is difficult but we were made to feel welcome here

especially by the guide”

“Wonderful guided tour. What a charming lady-so full of

information”

Visitor Comments

“I took two Korean visitors to see Graham Fagen Photos-ended up trying to explain sectarianism to

them after they asked me to explain the cause and effect of different aspects of Christianity AND the

history of the reformation, apart from the usual questions about the exhibits, the building etc!! Needless to say, I had to have a large glass of

wine afterwards!”Gallery Guide, GOMA

Issues/Problems/Lessons

• Turnover of Volunteers

• Need a Strong guide organiser

• Turnover of exhibitions

Future Issues/Plans

• Signed tours in partnership with Deaf Connections

• Establishing a learning programme at Kelvingrove

Questions!

Catherine CartmellVolunteer & Placement Co-ordinator

Glasgow MuseumsGlasgow Museums Resource Centre

200 Woodhead RdNitshill

GlasgowG53 7NN

Tel: 0141 276 9381Fax: 0141 276 9305

catherine.cartmell@cls.glasgow.gov.uk