1. Family volunteering at Osterley Fenella Hunt Learning & Interpretation Officer Osterley Park & House (London & SE)
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Editor's Notes
Intro
Getting started - We didn’t have a plan at the beginning! It was more a case of opportunities emerging from what we were currently doing… - LHS – what we had already (factors contributing to us to developing a Family Volunteering offer) - developed family interpretation in the House as part of Step Change project - began to run Family Tours of the House (short, interactive, delivered by volunteers) - sizeable family learning programme - growing focus through events, learning on the outdoors - RHS – how this helped get us started with Family Volunteering - families were involved as consultants – helping us to trial interpretation - we began to invite families to become family tour guides - began to develop relationships with families - more interest from families in estate/green stuff There was potential to develop a more coherent offer for families re. volunteering
Aims - Why did we pursue family volunteering? - diversify volunteer profile - enhancing visitor experience by developing offer for families - encouraging ownership of the property – particularly in the local area - all the above link to the external objectives for the property outlines in the PBP 2011 - 14
Plan for 2010 - A plan emerged! With help from the Family Volunteering Innovation Fund. Two pronged approach coz House and wider Estate are very different: - House: - Family Tour – recruited families through other projects; run training; ongoing; still haven’t tried this out yet - New facilitated interpretation activity to be delivered by families (and other volunteers) – in development at the moment; drawing on inspiration of Science Museum – drop-in in style; investigative tasks set for visiting families - Wider estate: - Taster days – litter picking, laying wood chip paths, sweeping hornbeam debris – small group work with other volunteers – 45 mins at a time - Leaf sweep (in partnership with CSV – MADD) – half day event (10.00 – 12.30) on Sat 30 Oct; recruited through CSV and posters around the Park; bought some equipment for children to use; provided refreshments
Benefits/lessons - Lessons - very different approach in the House from wider Estate - recruitment was difficult – not enough established family contacts – need to work in partnership with Ext Svcs, family learning etc - activities need to be purposeful – families are busy - particularly for House/family tour – this is a slow burn, we build relationships, build confidence - Benefits - we have begun to develop contacts with families - we are becoming more confident about working with families in this way – equal relationship - helped us to understand what is possible at Osterley and how to communicate this to families - gather feedback from families – helps to inform our offer
Next steps - Eco Champion Days – small mammal surveying in May and mushroom surveying in September (half day events with refreshments) – recruit through contacts and schools and Extended Services - We have partnered with CHESS to find families to deliver family tour – light touch – show them around – take them on a tour – then talk about training – no commitment - As above - Grow the database - We have applied for OPAL funding for bat detecting evenings… Final thought – I have learned that working with families as volunteers – focused on getting a job done (rather than as paying visitors) helps me to understand families better and to have a more nuanced sense of what a good experience at Osterley is for families.
![Getting started ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Families as consultants Family Tour Guides Relationships with families Interest in the estate & conservation](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)