Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles
This article reports outcomes from a 15-month (2018-19) study led by UCL on behalf of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance in partnership with three London museums of differing sizes with natural or local history collections. The study aimed to address mental health inequalities by diversifyin...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Leicester
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Museum & Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.le.ac.uk/ojs1/index.php/mas/article/view/3786 |
| _version_ | 1797826084791648256 |
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| author | Linda J Thomson Esme Elsden Helen J Chatterjee |
| author_facet | Linda J Thomson Esme Elsden Helen J Chatterjee |
| author_sort | Linda J Thomson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article reports outcomes from a 15-month (2018-19) study led by UCL on behalf of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance in partnership with three London museums of differing sizes with natural or local history collections. The study aimed to address mental health inequalities by diversifying volunteer populations through reforming recruitment procedures to overcome perceived barriers, and enriching training programmes to improve wellbeing. A mixed methods approach was used to assess wellbeing and mechanisms by which key benefits were derived, such as social interaction and forming connections. The article considers how increasing the diversity of volunteer training in museums can improve wellbeing, widen access and promote social inclusion. Policy and practice implications are discussed in relation to embedding wellbeing training strategies into heritage organizations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T11:03:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77c736fa78bc4401a9c461c442bfb5ab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-8360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T11:03:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | University of Leicester |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Museum & Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-77c736fa78bc4401a9c461c442bfb5ab2023-05-16T15:19:45ZengUniversity of LeicesterMuseum & Society1479-83602023-05-01211123010.29311/mas.v21i1.37863486Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing RolesLinda J Thomson0Esme Elsden1Helen J Chatterjee2University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College LondonThis article reports outcomes from a 15-month (2018-19) study led by UCL on behalf of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance in partnership with three London museums of differing sizes with natural or local history collections. The study aimed to address mental health inequalities by diversifying volunteer populations through reforming recruitment procedures to overcome perceived barriers, and enriching training programmes to improve wellbeing. A mixed methods approach was used to assess wellbeing and mechanisms by which key benefits were derived, such as social interaction and forming connections. The article considers how increasing the diversity of volunteer training in museums can improve wellbeing, widen access and promote social inclusion. Policy and practice implications are discussed in relation to embedding wellbeing training strategies into heritage organizations.https://journals.le.ac.uk/ojs1/index.php/mas/article/view/3786diversityhealth inequalitiessocial inclusionvolunteeringwellbeing |
| spellingShingle | Linda J Thomson Esme Elsden Helen J Chatterjee Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles Museum & Society diversity health inequalities social inclusion volunteering wellbeing |
| title | Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles |
| title_full | Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles |
| title_fullStr | Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles |
| title_short | Volunteering for Wellbeing: Improving Access and Social Inclusion by Increasing the Diversity of Museum Volunteer Training for Public-facing Roles |
| title_sort | volunteering for wellbeing improving access and social inclusion by increasing the diversity of museum volunteer training for public facing roles |
| topic | diversity health inequalities social inclusion volunteering wellbeing |
| url | https://journals.le.ac.uk/ojs1/index.php/mas/article/view/3786 |
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