Volunteers are an integral part of a small and mid-sized cultural institutions workforce and can be found across departments. In this webinar we will provide an overview of collections volunteers – how to create a volunteer program or align an existing program with best practices. The presentation will highlight:
• The framework every volunteer program should have
• How to recruit, retain and recognize volunteers
• Basics of volunteer management, and why supervising volunteers is different than supervising staff
• Principles of diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion in volunteer programs
• Special considerations unique to collections, conservation, registration, archives and library volunteers, including issues of risk management, liability and confidentiality
• How to avoid (or cope with) a bad volunteer situation
• Helpful, accessible, and affordable resources for museums with limited staff and budgets
Presenter
Jenny Woods, Past President of the American Association for Museum Volunteers
Jenny Woods has worked with volunteers in museums big and small, rural and urban, nationally and internationally over the past 20 years. She is currently the Past President of the American Association for Museum Volunteers, a national organization providing resources for anyone working with volunteers in museums. Jenny has maintained credentials as a Certified Volunteer Administrator since 2015. She regularly presents about volunteer topics at regional and national museum conferences. She particularly enjoys helping people incorporate principles of diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion into their volunteer program.
