In  touch  volunteer  Programme  at  Imperial  War  Museum  North  and  Manchester  Museum    The  In  Touch  volunteer  and  training  programme  was  one  of  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  museum  sector.    In  2007  The  Manchester  Museum  and  IWM  North  formed  a  partnership  to  launch  the  programme,  supported  by  the  Heritage  Lottery  Fund  for  3  years.  The  Manchester  Museum  and  Imperial  War  Museum  North  both  had  a  long  and  well  established  tradition  of  working  with  volunteers.    Both  museums  are  committed  to  lifelong  learning,  community  engagement  and  working  with  local  people  in  innovative  ways.    The  main  aim  of  the  programme  is  to  promote  lifelong  learning,  improve  basic  skill  levels/vocational  attainments,  open  doors  to  heritage  sites  and  improve  quality  of  life  in  localities  where  social  and  economic  deprivation  is  highest.  Most  importantly  it  seeks  to  develop  self-­‐esteem,  interpersonal  skills  and  confidence  combined  with  literacy  skills  and  core  skills  to  improve  quality  of  life  and  employability.      The  core  of  In  Touch  was  a  10  week  Cultural  Heritage  Course  with  embedded  literacy  skills,  training  in  a  variety  of  museum  roles  and  a  relevant,  informal  and  enjoyable  learning  experience.  On  completion  of  the  programme  individuals  are  able  to  play  an  active  volunteer  role  in  the  delivery  of  both  museums’  visitor  provision.          Working  alongside  partners  including  Salford  College,  Jobcentre  Plus,  Refugee  Action,  Connexions,  Mental  Health  agencies  and  local  community  groups  the  project  has  supported  over  180  individuals  from  a  variety  of  backgrounds  in  Greater  Manchester.      A  number  of  volunteers  have  gone  on  to  secure  sustained  employment,  many  have  engaged  with  further  learning  and  a  strong  volunteer  workforce  has  been  created  at  both  museums.    

• 79%  took  the  literacy  qualification,  95%  of  whom  passed    • 41%  of  volunteers  have  taken  part  in  further  learning  on  completion  of  the  training  

programme  • 18%  of  In  Touch  volunteers  have  moved  on  to  employment  

 Not  surprisingly  the  In  Touch  Programme  has  won  many  awards.    In  2008  it  won  a  Nationwide  Community  and  Heritage  Award  and  in  2009  it  won  an  Adult  Learners  Week  Award  for  its  commitment  to  providing  lifelong  learning  to  volunteers.    But  more  significantly  is  has  succeeded  in  its  ambition  to  be  a  model  of  practice  that  can  be  rolled  out  within  other  organisations.    Victoria  Baths  Trust,  a  Heritage  Visitor  Attraction,  has  secured  funding  for  a  volunteer  project  called  Moving  On,  modelled  on  the  In  Touch  programme.    Further  information  Danielle  Garcia,  Volunteer  Programme  Manager,  Imperial  War  Museum  North,    dgarcia@iwm.org.uk    http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/community/volunteer/          Kate  Glynn,  Volunteer  Assistant  ,  Manchester  Museum,  kate.glynn@manchester.ac.uk  or    tel:  0161  306  1773    A  downloadable  PDF  ‘in  touch  Volunteer  Programme’  is  available  here  http://north.iwm.org.uk/server/show/nav.00c00l