Diversify
Increasing the accessibility of museums careers to people from ethnic
minorities
Calderdale Libraries, Museums and Arts Traineeship Description
Title:
Museum Trainee
The Museums Association Diversify programme aims to address
areas where black and ethnic minority individuals are underrepresented in the museum workforce. This 5-month traineeship is
offered to Black and Minority Ethnic people only (Section 37 (1) of
the Race Relations Act 1976 applies).
Diversify is funded by Renaissance, the Museums, Libraries and
Archives Partnership’s regional museums programme
Duration:
5 months
This is a training opportunity and does not represent employment.
There will be no offer of a permanent job at the end of the
traineeship.
Training allowance:
£5,000 non-taxed bursary
Hours per day:
The placement can be taken full or part-time. The trainee will be
based in the host museum for 7.5 hours per day.
Location:
Calderdale Libraries, Museums and Arts
(Based at Shibden Hall, Halifax)
1.0
Background of the Traineeship
People from ethnic minorities are underrepresented in the museum and gallery
workforce. As part of the Renaissance programme, Calderdale Libraries, Museums
and Arts is offering a 5 month positive-action entry-level traineeship.
The successful applicant will have the opportunity to:

Undertake a masters in museum studies at the University of Leicester’s
Department of Museum Studies either full-time or on the Distance Learning




2.0
programme
Gain training and experience in the museum over 5 months supported by a
training bursary
Participate in the planning and/or delivery of a significant project as part of their
training
Undertake a training programme tailored to their needs, which will include an
introduction to the museum sector and the development of museum skills
Receive professional development benefits from the Museums Association
including membership and attendance at its Annual Conference and seminars
Potential projects
The Trainee will have the opportunity to train in one or more of the following areas
depending on their interests:
 Development of Volunteer Programme
The project will involve establishing a volunteer programme – this will include creating
a policy for use of volunteers within the service, producing processes for their
recruitment and training, and setting up a work programme. You will do this in
conjunction with the Collections Management Team, as well as liaising with other
services and organisations to establish best practice.
 Audit of photographic and postcard collection
Working with the Curator of Social History, you will develop a methodology for
auditing and documenting the museum’s extensive photograph and postcard
collection. This will include working with the museum’s documentation system,
MODES for Windows, cataloguing and indexing the collection and repackaging to
appropriate conservation standards.
 Produce a temporary exhibition
The exhibition, situated at Bankfield Museum, will be displaying the photographic and
postcard collection that you will have become familiar with from the auditing project
described above. You will work in conjunction with the service’s exhibition guidelines
to select objects, produce interpretation and market and promote the exhibition. For
this project, you will be allocated a small budget to manage.
Calderdale Libraries, Museums & Arts reserve the right to alter elements of the
proposed programme, depending on service priorities.
If you would like to discuss any of the projects outlined above please contact Franne Wills,
Collections and Service Development Manager, or Claire Selby, Curator – Social History on
franne.wills@calderdale.gov.uk or 01422 652334 / claire.selby@calderdale.gov.uk or 01422
352446.