Museum of East Anglian Life
Job description
Job title:
Skills for the Future
Curatorial and Family Learning Traineeship - part time
(variable 2 or 3 days per week - average 15 hours per week)
6 months, starting August 2013
Responsible to:
Fenland Project Officer and Kings Lynn and Thetford Curator
Main base:
King’s Lynn and Thetford
The Skills for the Future Programme
‘Learning from the Past – Skilled for the Future’ is a training programme running from 2011 to 2015.
The programme is being jointly run by Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse and the Museum of East
Anglian Life and is supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Its aim is to
develop museum-specific traditional skills including:
 Rural collections management, learning and interpretation
 Historic steam engines operation
 Farming including working with heavy horses
 Heritage estate management and conservation
 Heritage gardening in a museum environment
 Visitor services in a heritage setting
Main purposes of this job
Working closely with Fenland Project Officer, KL and Thetford Curator and the Fenland Project
Support Worker, this trainee would learn about the skills involved in planning and running heritage
based learning activities for adults and families predominantly based around rural museum
collections. The trainees work will also have a strong emphasis on curatorial work and in particular
working with partner museums across the Fens. The main outcomes from this traineeship would
be:
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To work with a range of partners and community groups on identifying objects from the
collections to support the five touring exhibitions.
To increase knowledge and understanding of Museum family learning practice and techniques.
To gain practical experience of co-production and working with a range of large and small
independent volunteer run museums.
Gain practical experience of sourcing and creating a changing online exhibition for the Fenland
website.
To increase knowledge of using social media in a museum environment.
Relationship to museum objectives:
Fenland Lives and Land project is a three-year Heritage Lottery funded project, which is the third
project the Greater Fens Museum partnership has delivered. Lives and Land involves the creation
of five community co-produced touring exhibitions The Early History of Fen Communities, Shops,
Pubs and Trades, River Marsh and Mere, Living on Land and Water and Tales of Fen People. The
partnership consists of 22 museums across the Fens.
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Main Duties
1. Curatorial

To assist with the development and delivery of the family learning programmes across the Fens,
especially during holidays such as half-term etc.
To assist, develop and deliver social media related to the Fenland partnership such as Facebook
Twitter and Blogs with an emphasis of rural museum objects from the partnership museum
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2. Assist with the development and delivery of family learning opportunities at Gressenhall Farm
and Workhouse
3. Develop, co-ordinate and evaluate adult leisure learning opportunities focused upon traditional
skills based on consumer and market intelligence
4. Be on site to supervise, and monitor the programme.
5. Undertake basic administrative tasks
6. To develop a publicity strategy for adult leisure learning courses and to undertake basic
marketing tasks
7. Commit to, attend and learn from off-site visits and meetings
8. Keep to high standards of health and safety on sites
9. Work positively with other staff and volunteers. Most obviously:
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Events Team
Front of House team
Volunteer Teams
Skills for the Future Project Officer
10. Any other relevant duties as directed by members of the Events Team or Skills for the Future
Project Officer
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Person Specification
Key
competencies
Skills and
Experience
Essential
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Experience of interacting with the public
(adults and/or family audiences)
ICT skills
Desirable
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Knowledge
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Personal
qualities
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Qualifications
or
equivalent
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Specific
Requirements
of the post

Understanding of the importance of family
learning
Understanding of market opportunities for
leisure learning courses
An interest in traditional skills
Awareness of good Health and Safety
practice and Child Protection issues

Excellent communication skills
Interest in heritage
Friendly and helpful approach to visitors
Flexible and willing approach to work.
Common sense approach to problem
solving
Ability to work independently and on own
initiative.
Punctual and with good attendance record
Willingness to undertake further training as
necessary

Numerate and literate – GCSEs grade C in
English and Maths or equivalent

Experience of working in a
museum or other public
attraction
Some experience of public
delivery
Art, craft or practical skills
Understanding of different
learning styles
Relevant other qualifications
e.g. countryside skills,
History, Art, Drama etc
Willingness to work evenings, weekend and
bank holidays as required.
 Willingness to wear a uniform
 Ability to carry out physical requirements of
the role, such lifting boxes and moving
resources across the site.
 Able to travel to off-site visits/meetings
 Agreement to undergo CRB check
NB Both the application and interview process will be used to assess applicants against criteria
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Pay and conditions
Salary:
£11,909 p.a. pro rata (£4828 p.a.)
Hours of work :
Average 15 hours per week (excluding breaks) to be arranged on appointment – will include some
weekends.
Likely working pattern:
 Variable working pattern of 2 or 3 days each week. Working pattern will need to be flexible.

Hours will include weekend, evening and Bank Holiday working to support events (plain time may be
taken off in lieu for these occasions)
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Due to the nature of the role there may be the requirement to work additional hours some weeks (for
which plain time off may be taken in lieu)
Holiday entitlement:
8.5 days paid annual leave per year
plus
3.25 days paid leave per year in lieu of bank holidays
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