Volunteer Handbook A practical guide your volunteer experience at the Holburne Museum.
Contents Page 3 Introduction 4 Life in the galleries
5 Donations 6 Our Collection 7 Contemporary Art in the Museum 8—13 Practicalities of a Shift 14-15 Gallery Standards 18—23 FAQ’s 24—39 Volunteer Policy & Procedures 40—41 Map of the Building & Evacuation Procedure 42 Contact us
Introduction Start a Pathway to Professional Creativity. Make connections, meet interesting people and learn something new. Get involved and gain a wealth of experience.
Welcome to the Holburne Museum Volunteer Programme The Holburne Museum relies on volunteers for a wide range of tasks, from stewarding galleries and welcoming visitors to assisting in the shop to stewarding for our event programme. We believe enjoyment of the arts changes people's lives. Our aim is to encourage this enjoyment by:
Caring for, understanding, enhancing, displaying and interpreting our collection, our building and our unrivalled site
Reaching as wide a public as possible by providing a welcoming, intimate experience of the arts for people of all ages and abilities.
Staging exhibitions, events and educational activities of outstanding quality and
imagination
Being confident, adventurous and innovative
The roles undertaken by volunteers here at the Museum are considered some of the most important across the organisation and we ask that all our volunteers are committed to ensuring the best Service Standards for all of our visitors. The role a volunteer undertakes allows us to offer the highest quality of visitor experience whilst involving the local community in our work. Without the support of volunteers the Museum would not be able to deliver the range of events, exhibitions, education workshops and care for our
collection that we produce. Whether you are able to offer a few hours a month or a day or two a week it is your time and energy that makes the Holburne Museum one of the most exciting, Innovative and engaging museums in the country
Joshua Lewis Michael Visitor Services & Volunteer Programme Coordinator
“The Holburne Museum isn’t just a collection of objects in a building; it’s also a community of people”.
Life in the Galleries Stewarding galleries can be a very busy job with much to do. The role of a gallery steward is split into two very important areas. Firstly a gallery steward needs to keep an eye on the security and protection of our collection and exhibitions. They need to balance this with a friendly, warm and welcoming approach to all visitors who enter the gallery. During your induction you will be shown where the best place to be situated is. These spots in the galleries have been identified as the best position not only to welcome visitors but also best keep an eye on the protection and wellbeing of the collection. We ask that you remain standing the galleries whilst we have visitors. Your presence not only means that they are aware that someone is overseeing the collection but also gives them the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about what is on display. The galleries are temperature controlled to protect our collection. Therefore temperature can differ from space to space. We ask that you always wear layers so that you will be comfortable in which ever space you are assigned too.
When talking about Donations We ask visitors to give a suggested donation of £5 to the Holburne museum, to enable us to carry on producing wonderful exhibitions and maintain our huge and top class collection. When talking to visitors about admissions please state:
‘We recommend a donation of £5 to the museum to see our wonderful collection’ Of course if anyone is unhappy about giving a donation towards to see the collection they have no obligation to do so.
However if people are made aware of the fact that: ‘We are a museum that does not receive any automatic government funding. We apply for sponsorships, funding and grants for each project or exhibition we put on.’
‘Each special exhibition costs us upwards from £65,000 to put on. This pays for the cost of loans, insurance, staff time, cosmetic work to the galley space, couriers, art handlers, framers etc.’
‘Your £5 donation can go towards things such as conservation of a collection, maintenance of this historic and beautiful building, and even the very simple things like heating the building and keeping the lights switched on’ The aim I would like all of us to get to is that we start talking very frankly about the importance of supporting institutions such as the Holburne Museum. This can even be a conversation about the amount of support you (the volunteers) give to the Museum. Thank you.
Our Collection
We offer a nationally significant collection of Renaissance bronzes, maiolica, silver, sculpture, furniture and porcelain including paintings and works by Brueghel, Zoffany, Gainsborough, Stubbs, Turner and Lawrence. Its individual works of international significance include Susini’s bronze Crouching Venus of c.1600 which has French royal provenance having been acquired by Louis XIV in 1663; one of the finest small collections of maiolica in the country; early British silver of exceptional quality; a seventeenthcentury English Japanned Cabinet.
Get to know More about our collection in our Holburne Catalogue, Available in our Gift Shop for £5
Photos: Left; Segment of Arthur Atherly—Sir Thomas Lawrence / Top Right; Segment from The Grand Detour—Djordje Ozbolt (Dec 2016) / Bottom Right; Diana and Endymion Marble Sculpture –
Contemporary Art The Collection is always the inspiration for our commercial exhibitions series and Contemporary Art programme. We pride ourselves on continually pushing boundaries, pioneering new work and being a master of re-invention. The Holburne’s excellent reputation is clearly demonstrated in our nationally acclaimed exhibitions – and through the high quality of the exhibitions we have toured. Our progressive approach is also reflected in how we employ the collection in our work focusing on mental health, dementia and the homeless, underlining our leading role in museum education. Our new Contemporary Art programme enables us to demonstrate our collection’s relevance for todays and future audience and research new areas of the collection. It offers lively and refreshing installations and interventions within our collection galleries, creating ways for new audiences and community groups to engage with art and understand its social significance.
Your managers for the day (Visitor Services Assistants):
There will always be at least one Duty Manager in the building during opening hours. We also work with a freelance Duty Manager for some of our events. If you have any issues with the building, visitors or volunteering problems, please contact one of them. Your VSA can be contacted by using the radio provided on each floor during your shift, or at the Information Desk. Rota
The Rota will be issued on a monthly basis and posted directly to you. You can opt out of receiving it via the post and look at the Rota online at our Volunteer Blog www.holburnevolunteers.com (This is password protected and you will gain access to the password on induction)
If you find you are unable to cover one of your shifts please contact The Visitor Service Manager or Front Desk at least 48hours before. We do ask that if you have to cancel a shift, that you nominate an alternative shift in its place Briefings A briefing regarding your shift will be given by the VSA 15 minutes prior to the museum opening time at the Information / Ticket desk. (9.45 Monday – Saturday and 10.45am on Sunday) Please arrive in plenty of time: Those who start their shift in the afternoon will also receive a briefing, you should arrive at 1.15pm Monday – Saturday and 1.45pm on a Sunday in the ‘Neck’ which is the area just outside the Café. Breaks Breaks times will be issued to you during your shift to ensure sufficient cover throughout the museum at all times. If you find you need to leave your designated post at any other time please make sure you inform someone to ensure full cover at all times. Your break is 20 minutes. If you are with us all day you will also be issued a lunch break of 1 hour.
Dress Code The Museum would prefer that you wear clean smart/casual clothing during your shift. If you are volunteering at an evening event we do insist that you wear smart dark clothing. Badges will be provided at the briefing and should be returned to the Information / ticket desk once your shift has finished
Car park and Travel Expenses If Volunteers are unable to get to the Museum via public transport or on foot they are able to use the Museums pay and display car park. When you arrive please ask for a car park pass from your VSA at the front desk to display in the window of your vehicle during your shift. The Holburne Museum can pay travel expenses of Volunteers who live outside of the BANES area and also Volunteers who are currently claiming benefits. The Museum will fund public transport expenses up to the value of ÂŁ10 per journey and additionally 41p per mile for those Volunteers travelling by car.
“...the volunteer scheme has introduced me to some lovely people, and I'm very grateful that I have had the opportunity to get to know them as they are from different walks of life and to think that I might not have known them had it not be for the Holburne volunteer scheme makes me realise how special it is.� Sara-Louise Firminger (Volunteer 2016)
Photo from Impressionism: Capturing Life (February 2016) Roper Gallery
Informing You
As part of the Holburne Volunteer Community, you will be supplied with information about upcoming events, lectures, and volunteer evenings, as well as general news about the museum, its collection and exhibitions. This information is delivered in a number of ways; for those of you with internet access our monthly newsletter as well as the current volunteer rota are available on the out Holburne Volunteer Website. The website contains all the information you will need regarding your shifts, as well as all information related to volunteering at the Holburne. www.holburnevolunteers.com As a museum we encourage the use of the Holburne Volunteer website so as to reduce our carbon footprint. However we do understand that some volunteers do not have internet access. In this case, please inform a Duty Manager or the Volunteer Coordinator and we will ensure that a paper copy is given to you.
Training Lectures Alongside our newsletter and Volunteer website we also provide regular lectures specifically for volunteers. These lectures are designed to keep volunteers updated in regards to our constantly changing temporary exhibitions as well as lectures on the permanent collection and themes related the museum itself, from information evenings on funding to lectures concerning 18th century Bath. These lectures are run by members of the Holburne Staff team and the Director as well as visiting artists, academics and practitioners. You can get up to date with all our training lectures at www.holburnevolunteers.com
Problems in the galleries If a visitor approaches you with a complaint, please do not feel you have to handle it by yourself Be polite and listen to the grievance, and if necessary, ask a Duty Manager or the Head of Department to speak with the visitor. You can find more information on how to deal with difficult situations at www.holburnevolunteers.com as well as a training video.
Security Remain vigilant and alert at all times; whilst we wish visitors to enjoy the Museum and its contents we all have a responsibility to our collection If anything gives you cause for concern, always ask for assistance; never put yourself or a member of the public at risk. You can listen to more information on this at www.holburnevolunteers.com The Holburne Museum also works with a security company called Safe and Sound. A member of the security team arrives at 2pm each and will be present during the afternoon shift and the Museum lock down. Volunteer Discounts To say thank you to our Volunteers for all their hard work, we provide the Volunteer Discount Card which entitles you to a 10% discount in the museum shop and 20% in the Garden cafĂŠ. Your discount card will be issued to you by the Volunteer Coordinator once you have started Volunteering. Change for Tills Whilst in the Temporary Exhibition space, Shop or on the Information/ ticket Desk, it is likely that at some point the cashbox and tills will need more change; please contact your VSA as soon as possible who will replenish it
Gallery Steward Standards at the Holburne Museum
To be visible To acknowledge all visitors on entry with eye contact in a friendly and welcoming way To inform visitors of what is on display in the gallery you are stationed To ask open questions to establish needs Try to be standing when visitors are in the gallery to ensure they recognise that you are there to help (if you need to sit please do so just inside the entry point as to greet visitors so that they are aware that you are there to help) To promote the exhibitions by asking if they have seen it or perhaps purchased a ticket Point out the large print labels in the gallery spaces and encourage people to use them as they are walking around To be vigilant at all times to ensure the safety of the collection and our exhibitions. Always arrive on time to ensure that the galleries are stewarded when the public arrive. Always contact a VSA should you need help or need to move away from your post – never leave a space unattended unless previously agreed with your VSA
Front Desk Standards at the Holburne Museum
To be visible To acknowledge all visitors on entry with eye contact in a friendly and welcoming way To offer all visitors tickets for current exhibitions and a map To ask open questions to establish needs To be able to answer questions by having an adequate level of the understanding of the Museum its Collection and Exhibitions/ Events To promote all museum events To make children welcome and inform families of activities including the trail, activities in the SACKLAR centre and family Exhibition tickets. To keep front desk clean and tidy and free of clutter at all times.
Shop Standards at the Holburne Museum
To be visible To acknowledge all visitors on entry with eye contact in a friendly and welcoming way If they make obvious buying signs, to ask if customers need help To ask open questions to establish needs To be able to answer questions by having an adequate level of product knowledge e.g. why we have the products we have, the history. To increase the value of purchase by making suggestions
French Candelabra (One of pair) Can be found in: Davidson Ballroom Gallery
“...art and visual culture have always played a key role in society and museums such as the Holburne, run on the donations of the public, continue to place the importance of art centre stage.� Martha Benedict Volunteer 2016
Frequently Aske
ed Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the opening times for the Holburne? A. 10.00 – 17.00 Monday - Saturday 11.00 – 17.00 Sundays and Bank Holidays Q. Are we open on Bank Holidays? A. Yes we open every day of the year except 24, 25, 26 December and New Year’s Day. Q. Do you have a map/ floor plan of the museum? A. Yes, they are available at the Information Desk. Q. How much is the car park? And when is it open? A. Up to 2 hours £ 3.50 2-3 hours £ 5.00 3-4 hours £ 7.00 4-6 hours £ 8.50 6-8 hours £10.50 8-10 hours £12.50 It is free for disabled visitors with a blue badge in their car. It is open between 8am and 6pm every day. It will be open later on evenings with an event. Q. Where do we pay for the car park? A. There is a pay and display machine in the corner of the car park as you enter. You must display a ticket as Bath and North East Somerset Council will patrol the car park regularly. The ticket machine does not give change. Q. Are there buses that run past the Museum? A. Yes, there are a number of different services which run from Great Pulteney Street and Bathwick Hill. We keep a map of bus routes at the Information Desk.
Q. When does the Café open? A. The café maintains the same hours as The Holburne, though service stops at 16.30. Q. Who runs the café? A. A company called Benugo run the café; they also work with many other museums such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Ashmolean in Oxford. They serve a selection of salads, sandwiches and breakfasts as well as teas, coffees and cakes - all of which are delicious! To contact them please call 01225 388572. Q. Is there a cloakroom? A. Yes, though it is not ticketed and items are left at the owner’s risk. Q. Where are the toilets? A. The disabled toilets are under the arch opposite the Information Desk. All other toilets are in the basement (which is accessible by the lift.) Baby changing facilities are available in both male and female toilets. Q. What is disabled access like? A. We are fully accessible. The car park has disabled spaces and is free to blue badge holders. The front doors have ramped access and open automatically. The lift stops on every floor and is even accessible in the event of a fire. Q. What events are held at the museum? And how can I book a ticket? A. The museum hosts a variety of events from lectures to music though out the year, full listings can be found in our ‘what’s on’ guide and on the museum website: www.holburne.org Tickets can be purchased at the Information Desk. Q. Can I hire the museum space for an event or book a group tour? A. The museum and café are available for hire for various events. All venue hire and tour enquires to Spencer Hancock s.hancock@holburne.org
Q. What activities are available for children? A. Children between the ages of 7 and 12 are offered the children’s activity trail. We have clipboards and pencils behind the desk. Once they have completed the trail then they can come back to the Information Desk for a small prize. We also have activity packs for families to hire for £3 at the Information desk The Sacklar centre on the 2nd floor also has many free family activities that relate directly to our temporary exhibitions. The learning team also run a programme of events. Details can be found in the What’s On or online at www.holburne.org Q. Who was the architect for the new extension? A. Eric Parry. Q. What is the material on the extension? A. Highly glazed ceramic and glass Q. Is there a general leaflet for the exhibition? A. Yes, there is a short description of the exhibition available at the Information Desk which forms part of the Museum floor plan. There is also a really helpful interactive on the 1st floor which gives a full history of the site and surrounds Q. What is the colour of paint in the ballroom? A. It is a Dulux mix from a swatch of silk that the curatorial team were given. The code is 50GG33/071. A list of some colours used in the Museum have been produced on take away stickers which people can collect at the Information desk Q. Can we call people a taxi? A. Yes of course, from the Information Desk. V cars are on 01225 46 46 46. You will need a name and a destination.
Q. Where is the Tourist Information office in Bath? A. It is located next to Bath Abbey. There are some tourist maps available at the Information Desk free of charge. Q. Where is the nearest cash point? A. There is a free cash point in McColls on Bathwick Street; turn right out of the Holburne, walk to traffic lights and cross left across the street, walk straight and it is on the left.
Volunteer Policy
The following pages are the policies you agree to if you have signe
y & Procedures
ed your Volunteer Policy form on induction to the Programme.
Photos: Left; Sir William Holburne’s Passport Found in: Posnett Collection Gallery Right; from Linda Brothwell’s The Missing (2016)
Introduction The Holburne Museum depends heavily on the goodwill of its visitors, clients and local community; volunteers are an essential element in creating and maintaining this goodwill. We value and appreciate the full worth of all volunteers and this Policy is designed to demonstrate our commitment to volunteering and individual volunteers. The Policy aims to help ensure fairness and consistency across projects and departments ensuring all volunteers are treated consistently, equally and fairly. We believe that volunteering offers benefits to both the Museum and the Volunteer. For the volunteer, the benefits include: For young people, a way into the workplace For older people, opportunities to keep active and maintain social contacts Opportunities for all ages to learn new skills and meet new people Participation in much of the Holburne’s innovative and exciting work and the satisfaction of helping to deliver our aims Volunteering helps us to: Change lives through the experience of art by helping us achieve our aims for the Museum Use a significant additional resource to deliver services and add value to existing programmes Develop the skills of future employees within the arts sector use the variety of skills, experience and knowledge that volunteers bring
As a volunteer you can expect that: You will be made to feel welcome by the organisation You will be respected and not discriminated against You will be appreciated and recognised for your contribution to the Holburne Museum You will be provided with a detailed description of your role, what is expected from you and who is responsible to support you Your personal details will remain confidential You will have equality of opportunity You will be given regular opportunities to review what you do with the Volunteer Coordinator You will work in a safe environment You will not be used to replace the work of paid staff You will receive induction and on-going training and support You will have the choice to leave or change the placement You will be assigned a job that is worthwhile using existing skills or developing new ones You will be kept informed about what is going on within the organisation if it affects your role You will be asked for your views on volunteering and your experiences as a Volunteer The Holburne Museum expects volunteers to:
Represent the Holburne Museum in a professional manner Respect others and work in a team with all staff and Volunteers Offer all our visitors a warm and courteous welcome Provide prompt, informative and helpful responses to all enquiries Ensure that the Museum is a safe and secure environment; report anything suspicious to a member of staff Abide by all rules, regulations, policies and standards set down by the Holburne Museum
Agree to a level of commitment and uphold this level; be reliable in attendance Develop skills needed in a volunteering role Maintain confidentiality: you will be trusted with confidential information if it is relevant to the role; any misuse of confidential information will result in you being asked to leave Adhere to the values and beliefs of the Museum and not make any derogatory remarks about other local or national organisations in public spaces or social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Inform the Volunteers’ Manager when they are unable to volunteer; if they encounter any problems; if they wish to change their hours or to leave the placement
It is understood that Volunteers:
Must not be placed in positions that have been lost through restructures, voluntary redundancies or relocation of existing staff; Must not take up additional work during industrial disputes or shortages of paid Museum staff; Will not be placed in positions which are detrimental to the career path of paid Museum staff; Will not be used in relation to law enforcement or the supervision of paid Museum staff; Will not be given any expectation that volunteering will lead to paid Museum employment; May apply for any vacant positions when advertised externally or internally.
The Volunteer role is a gift relationship, binding only in honour, trust and mutual understanding. Volunteers are not members of staff and it is not intended that they should be. No enforceable obligation, contractual or otherwise, will be imposed on Volunteers; likewise the Museum cannot be compelled to provide regular work, any payment or other benefit for any activity undertaken. The Holburne Museum reserves the right to withdraw an offer of volunteering if any of the above criteria are not fulfilled.
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure that it is still appropriate to the needs of the Holburne Museum and its Volunteers. Volunteers are asked to contribute to this review. Between the annual reviews, everyone who is involved, staff and Volunteers, is expected to monitor its use.
Volunteer Roles
The Holburne Museum is a registered charity and all Volunteer roles are carried out under the supervision and support of the museum staff. Roles Volunteers undertake: Gallery Stewards (Permanent Collection/Exhibitions) Information/Ticket Desk Assistants Shops Assistants Education Assistants Front of House Assistants for Events and Private Views Curatorial/Documentation Assistants Gardening Librarian Conservation Cleaning/Display Case Cleaning Administration and Database Management
Role Profiles Volunteers are entitled to a clear explanation of the responsibilities and tasks they will be undertaking during a project or activity; they will not be expected to commit to an activity until they are clear about their obligations. All core Volunteer roles have a Role Profile with an associated ‘skills’ list. The Role Profiles state whether a DBS check is required. All Volunteers start as Gallery Stewards to ensure that they gain a good level of knowledge of the Museum’s collection and activities unless they have applied for a specific advertised role within the Volunteer programme. Policies and Procedures Application Procedure Prospective Volunteers must complete Information and Availability forms before attending an Induction session which may involve an interview to assess suitability for a particular placement or project: for example, if the role involves young people or vulnerable adults, or handling objects. The induction sessions are generally run as group sessions. Disclose and Barring Service (DBS) checks are required for all Volunteers working within the Education Department. Some Volunteers may be able to start once the check has been sent to the Bureau, others may not. This is dependent on both the internal and external organisations’ requirements. Volunteer Role Profiles indicate if a DBS check is required.
All Volunteers are required to sign the Volunteer Policy Agreement Form which informs the Museum of any criminal convictions. In signing this form, Volunteers agree to adhere to the Holburne’s Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults Policy (a copy of which can be obtained from the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations or from the Learning Department). A criminal conviction will not automatically exclude an individual from becoming a Volunteer; however, a number of convictions may do so. This decision is taken by the members of staff responsible for Human Resources and the recruitment of Volunteers for that specific activity. If you wish to make a declaration regarding any criminal convictions please speak to the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations or the Volunteer Coordinator. Equal Opportunities and Diversity The Holburne Museum’s Equal Opportunities Policy will be adhered to at all times during interactions with Volunteers and service users. This policy can be viewed in the Volunteer Information File at the Information/Ticket Desk or obtained from the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations in the Haskell Office on the ground floor or from the Education Administrator. The Equality Act 2010 sets the guidelines of the Holburne Museum’s own policy. The Museum is committed to developing a diverse volunteer body and to making volunteering as accessible and responsive as possible to the different needs of our Volunteers, including those with disabilities. The Volunteer Office will discuss any needs that prospective or existing volunteers may have in order to identify the best volunteering opportunities available and to support their full and safe involvement. Where possible, the Museum will make reasonable adjustments to volunteering roles which allow a Volunteer to achieve the same outcome by means suitable to them, or we
may be able to suggest other volunteering opportunities. Furthermore, to make the existing policy of Equal Opportunities more explicit in relation to an individual’s environment, the Holburne operates the following Safe Space Policy: Every volunteer has the right to enjoy a safe and comfortable environment free from harassment of any kind or on any grounds Anyone on the Holburne Museum premises or representing the Museum through activities is subject to this policy. An Equal Opportunities form will be issued to you at your Induction to be completed and returned to the Volunteer Coordinator. Young People as Volunteers The Holburne Museum regrets that young people under the age of 14 cannot volunteer with us. Volunteers under the age of 16, for legal reasons, cannot assume full responsibilities of a Volunteer (reception desk, shop assistant and exhibition ticket desk), therefore will be referred to as a Junior Volunteer. At 16 years old, a young person can become an official volunteer and will need to complete the full paperwork and application as other Volunteers do. Conflict of Interests To the best of the Holburne Museums’ abilities, a suitable project or role will be found for every Volunteer. If it becomes apparent that a Volunteer is unsuitable for any role then they will be invited to speak with the Volunteer Coordinator and the Head of Visitor and Commerical Operations where the issues can be discussed and resolved to an extent that is of benefit to the Museum and the Individual.
Code of Conduct Whilst working the in Museum or at a Museum event, never campaign for a personal cause (political, religious, etc). Ensure that you do not wear any campaigning badges, stickers or T-shirts, or other such items which may cause offence. Outside the Museum, you must not be seen to be representing the Museum if speaking personally about matters of public concern. Ask the Head of Visitor and Commerical Operations if you have been approached to make a statement.
Induction and Training All Volunteers will receive an induction. This will include: Introduction to the Museum’s Volunteer Programme Role Profile Health and Safety Fire Evacuation Procedure Copies of relevant policies and Volunteer Handbook First Aid List of all staff Tour of the Museum and introduction to relevant staff Volunteers’ tea room Holburne staff will ensure Volunteers receive adequate training for the specific tasks they have been asked to perform. Volunteers are expected to attend training and information programmes for their specific activities.
Expenses
The Holburne Museum can pay travel expenses of Volunteers who live outside of the BANES area and also Volunteers who are currently claiming benefits. The Museum will fund public transport expenses up to the value of £10 per journey and additionally 41p per mile for those Volunteers travelling by car.
Monitoring, Supervision, Support and Recognition The Museum is committed to ensuring that all volunteering experiences are meaningful, enjoyable, rewarding and safe and to provide on-going support for its Volunteers. It is the role of the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations/Education Administrator to monitor the welfare of Volunteers, either face to face or via regular emails. If any issues arise, Volunteers should contact their supervisor. All Volunteers’ first point of call will be the Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Joshua Lewis Michael j.michael@holburne.org The second point of call for Volunteers will be the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations s.hancock@holburne.org If volunteering with another department, please contact your supervisor as listed below: Education/Learning - Jane Shearn j.shearn@holburne.org Fundraising – Ollie Merchant o.merchant@holburne.org Enviromental Control and Monitoring – Amina Wright a.wright@holburne.org Collections Care – Catrin Jones c.jones@holburne.org or Joshua Michael j.michael@holburne.org Garderners’ Lodge Art Group – Louise Campoin l.campoin@holburne.org Exhibitions – Nina Harrison Leins n.harrison.leins@holburne.org Facilities and Gardening – Steve Kendall s.kendall@holburne.org When contacting your supervisor, please make the Volunteer Co-ordinator aware of contact by including them into any emails sent. Annual evaluation questionnaires are given to the Volunteers to complete and return to the relevant supervisor which are used to compile reports with conclusions and recommendations for the future.
All staff responsible for Volunteer management or supervision are encouraged to ensure appropriate acknowledgement on a regular basis; from a simple ‘thank you’ after every attendance, to planned social events for Volunteers. Health and Safety The Holburne Museum is committed to providing safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and practices for all Volunteers and to providing the information, training and supervision needed to fulfil this commitment. Volunteers are asked to attend any support, training or supervision sessions necessary in order to meet health and safety requirements. The Museum has a Health and Safety Policy which can be found in the Volunteer Information file at the information/ticket desk. Volunteers are also advised on the following issues when they begin their first shift: Risk Assessments Trip Lists Equipment Child Protection Insurance Care of collections eg ‘only touch anything if specifically requested to do so’ Security It is the responsibility of each Volunteer to act in a safe manner and not to put themselves or others at risk. Child Welfare and Safety Policy The Holburne Museum wants children to enjoy both their involvement with us and their experience of the arts. They are entitled to feel safe with you and may look up to you as a role model. The Holburne Museum expects the behaviour of everyone who works with us to be above reproach in this respect. While primarily intended to safeguard
children and similarly vulnerable people, our Child Welfare Policy is also meant to protect anyone from any false allegation of improper conduct in that regard. Please remember that vulnerable adults should also receive the same level of respect and protection. Please always consider the following Code of Behaviour:
As far as possible, avoid situations that leave you alone with children or vulnerable adults; if necessary, move to a location where you can be seen by colleagues or other adults If comforting or reassuring a child or vulnerable adult, avoid physical contact or getting too close to them Be open and friendly, but avoid being over-familiar in word or action Do not accompany children or vulnerable adults into the toilet; if only 2 adults are available, one should take a group of children to the toilet during unaccompanied workshops Do not take photographs unless instructed to by a member of the Museum staff Do not exchange any contact details with a child or vulnerable adult Only qualified members of the Museum staff should administer first aid Do not use actions or language that may cause a child or vulnerable adult to lose self-esteem or confidence Treat the child’s welfare as paramount if you have to rely on your own judgement, but be aware of how your actions may be interpreted by others Do not make sexually suggestive comments or show images of a sexual or violent nature to a child or vulnerable adult, even in fun
Report any abuse that you witness or is disclosed to you or any allegations made against you to the Head of Education or a VSA If you discover a lost child or an adult who has lost a child, please take them to the front desk where the staff there will deal with the situation Data Proctection Policy Volunteers can chose to be covered under the Data Protection Act 1998, along with paid staff by completing a form obtained from the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations. Insurance All Volunteers are covered by the appropriate Employer’s Liability Insurance and Public Liability Insurance, copies of the Liability Insurance Certificate are located at the information/ticket desk, the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations’ desk in the Haskell Office on the ground floor and in the Volunteers’ rest area. These policies protect Volunteers in the event that a claim is made against them for damage to people or property that is not a Volunteer or member of staff. They also offer protection to any Volunteer who accidentally causes harm to either another Volunteer or member of staff or another third party, who then sues for damages. Additionally, they cover the Volunteer if they are injured whilst participating in their volunteering activity. The Holburne Museum will indemnify Volunteers and hold them free from liability for civil liability to any person as the result of personal injury loss or damage arising from the execution or purported execution of tasks assigned to them on any Museum premises. This indemnity will not apply where a volunteer acts negligently, recklessly or in such a way that their actions were wholly incompatible with their duties.
Smoking Smoking is not permitted in the Holburne Museum nor directly outside the premises. If you do smoke, please ask the Volunteer Coordinator to direct you to an appropriate place to smoke.
Grievance/ Complaints Procedure Whilst it is hoped that Volunteers will be happy working in their placements, problems can arise. A complaint may be made against a Volunteer, staff member or a member of the general public. The museum will take every reasonable step to resolve any matters swiftly and as amicably as possible. All complaints will be considered carefully and investigated fully following the Holburne Museum Volunteer Grievance Policy: Grievance against the Holburne Museum: Informal Discussion - A grievance arising from work or service conditions should, in the first instance, be discussed between the Volunteer concerned and the Volunteer Coordinator and/ or the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations, or another supervisor if the grievance involes said member of staff; they will give an oral reply as soon as possible and, in any event, within three days Formal Procedure: Step 1 - If the Volunteer is not satisfied with this reply, he/she should put the complaint in writing; the Volunteer Coordinator will provide a written reply within seven days Formal Procedure: Step 2 - If the problem is still not resolved, the Volunteer may put the grievance to the Director in writing who will review the case and respond within fourteen days
Grievance against a Volunteer: Informal Warning: Step 1 - Any complaint against a Volunteer by either a member of the public or Holburne Museum staff, verbal or written, that is received by the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations and Volunteer Coordinator will be submitted in writing to the Volunteer within seven days of receipt Informal Warning: Step 2 - The Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations and Volunteer Coordinator will arrange a meeting with the Volunteer to discuss the complaint; if necessary a verbal warning will be given to the Volunteer regarding their conduct Formal Procedure: Step 1 - Should a further complaint be received, the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations will write to the Volunteer outlining the complaints against them, actions taken to date, and the Museum’s grievance procedure; regretfully the Volunteer will be removed from the Volunteer Coordinator’s database Formal Procedure: Step 2 - If the Volunteer feels they have been unfairly treated, they may put their grievance in writing to the Director who will review the case and respond within fourteen days A copy of this policy is available as a separate document from the Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations and/or The Learning Administrator. It will also be issued to you on your Induction and needs to be completed and returned to the Volunteer Coordinator Please ensure that after your induction at The Holburne Museum you read through the Volunteer Policy and sign the Volunteer Policy Form as well as the Equal Opportunities Form, which will be handed to you at your induction. These must be completed to ensure that you can carry out your first shift here at the Holburne Museum.
Contact Us Spencer Hancock Head of Visitor and Commercial Operations T: 01225 388560 E: s.hancock@holburne.org Joshua Lewis Michael Volunteer Coordinator / Duty Manager T: 01225 388563 E: j.michael@holburne.org Milly Greenall, Charlotte Mullen, Lisa Darby Visitor Service Assistants T: 01225 388569 E: volunteers@holburne.org Jane Shearn Learning Administrator T: 01225 388568 E: v.wells@holburne.org Mari-Liis Konts Shop Manager T: 01225 388548 E: m.konts@holburne.org
To amend or cancel shifts please email: volunteers@holburne.org