Volunteering for All at Birmingham Museums Trust
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2019-06-17

There is a great deal of research around volunteering motivations but much less around why people don’t volunteer and in 2015 Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) undertook a research project to understand why people might choose not to volunteer in museums, particularly in BMT. Birmingham is a diverse city, 42% classify themselves as BAME, 18% describe themselves as having a disability, approximately half the population are under 30 and Birmingham is estimated to be home to 60,000 LGBT+ citizens. Our particular research motivation was to understand why people from BAME backgrounds might choose not to volunteer in museums. The results were heart breaking, if not surprising. There were misconceptions around museum volunteering, roles available and the kind of people who give their time. It is our responsibility to change perceptions of our programme by highlighting our charitable status, showcasing our opportunities, showing it’s not just for experts and by giving something back.

Rebecca Fletcher (Birmingham Museums)

TAG Deva 2018
Session: Archaeology for Change