a wing and a prayer - highland & moray skills development programme

A Wing and a Prayer; The Highland and Moray Skills

Development Programme

Lorna Cruickshank, The Highland Council Katey Boal, The National Trust for Scotland

Where are we?

Who are we?Highland Museums Forum:•The Highland Council (officer support)•Independent Highland Accredited museums•The National Trust for Scotland •Highlife Highland (Archives, Inverness Museum & Art Gallery and the Highland Folk Museum)Moray Heritage Connections:•Moray Council Museums Service (Falconer Museum)•Independent Accredited museums•Non Accredited museums and heritage centres

The Challenges

• Geography - travel distance and time• Capacity and aging volunteers• Professional isolation• On-going need to maintain/raise standards• Wide range of skills levels and existing

knowledge• Timetabling/avoiding clashes• Funding…

Overcoming the Challenges

• Working together in an informal partnership• Sharing skills in the area• Using central venues • Critical mass• Prioritising needs based on numbers and

timescales• Funding – MGS thank you!

Our First Partnership with Moray – The Learning Initiative

• Wish to work together• Interest and evidenced need• MGS small grant • Low cost/no cost training central

location• Skills sharing and museum support

Training, CPD, Schools Brochure, Marketplace of Ideas!

Highland and Moray Skills Development Programme

- the Plan• Building on success and

learning from mistakes!

• Expanding content based on recognised needs

• Trying out new approaches

• Sharing local skills as well as bringing in national expertise

• More structured host visits

Workshops and conferences

Good teaching – best to learn by experienceWell presented useful and relevantGreat- engaging & pertinentLots of food for thought, but also very pragmatic

Host Visits at Knockandhu Woollen Mill Grantown Museum and the National Museum of

Scotland, Edinburgh

Why we think it worked…

• Managed with clear responsibilities for each organisation

• Learning from each other and sharing skills

• Positive formal and informal evaluation from museums

• Assisted in raising and maintaining standards

• Critical mass • Access to funding/skills for projects • Research work

A formal partnership agreement Highland and Moray Heritage project for Homecoming 2014

My heart’s in the Highlands…

2014

The FUTURE....

2014

Lorna CruickshankIndependent Museums Support OfficerEducation Culture and Sport ServiceThe Highland Council01349 868206 Lorna.Cruickshank@highland.gov.uk

Katey Boal Learning ManagerCulloden Battlefield and Visitor CentreThe National Trust for Scotland0844 493 2159 kboal@nts.org.uk

www.museumsinthehighlands.com

A Wing and a Prayer; The Highland and Moray Skills

Development Programme

Lorna Cruickshank, The Highland Council Katey Boal, The National Trust for Scotland