[Bcma-l] RE: Volunteers as Members?
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca
Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:35:29 -0700
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This is a more complicated process than one first thinks as seen by the =
responses. I believe the CMA did a 'on the street' study that somewhere =
about 84 % of people feel heritage is important but not nearly that =
wants to support it. Keeping that in mind what we have done as a =
non-profit Society and must have a membership. Only perks of membership =
are the right to stand for election for the Board of Directors and the =
right to vote at members meetings as admission is by donation, we send =
newsletters to more non-members, giftshop is small to give member =
discounts and trying to have various ticket prices to events is a =
hassle. =20
We don't require volunteers to be members. However, our membership fee =
is $5/year. The thought being we are not using membership fees as a =
fundraising source and most people usually have a spare fiver in their =
pocket. If members want to give a donation then we give a tax receipt.
Trying to meet volunteer needs is a challenge we are working on. =
References letters is a big one.
Chris - an ironic question - how many people with criminal records have =
you had that want to volunteer at the Vancouver Police Museum?
Jim Millar
Port Moody Station Museum
----- Original Message -----=20
From: bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
To: bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 8:29 AM
Subject: [Bcma-l] RE: Volunteers as Members?
I think Roger's made a very valid point; we all want to have an active =
and involved membership rather than a "send me a newsletter" membership.
=20
I've since learned that our policy of requiring volunteers to become =
society members comes from a time when our museum was 100% volunteer =
run. The thinking at the time was "if you were interested enough to =
volunteer, you're interested enough to be a member". Today, I think =
there's still some value in that-if people are aligned enough with our =
mandate to want to volunteer, being a member should be a no-brainer.
=20
As for those who commented that membership was one of the few "perks" =
they could offer, that kind of comment suggests a little of the =
self-deprecating attitude that holds many museums back. We owe a great =
deal to our volunteers for all that they do, but shouldn't sell =
ourselves short. Volunteering for our museums provides incredible =
opportunities to gain experience, meet others who share common interests =
and otherwise provide an outlet for contributing to one's community.
=20
(In our museum, each of our curatorial volunteers should come away =
with a basic understanding of the care and handling of artifacts and of =
basic curatorial procedure, often enough to land that first job as a =
curatorial assistant. There is a very real value in the experience we =
offer, especially if we're doing a good job of matching volunteers with =
jobs.)
=20
I don't think it's happening in BC, but there are many large =
institutions in the States that charge their volunteers for their =
training. Once you've spent 5-10 weekends in training and forked over =
$300, of course you're going to be committed. That's excessive for most =
of us, but having our volunteers make a small but real commitment to =
their positions can go a long way from separating the "browsing" =
potential volunteers (that will flake out on you in a couple weeks) from =
the serious ones. Sure, some museums -including us-ask for a minimum =
time commitment, but we've certainly never really enforced it.
=20
For now, we've decided to follow through and start enforcing the =
policy as written; people who want to volunteer are now required to get =
a criminal check, undergo a reference check and sign up as society =
members. Our pre-existing volunteers are not under any obligation, but =
every single one who's heard about this was thrilled to sign up-they =
didn't think that they COULD be members. (Just goes to show how little =
effort we apparently put into recruiting for memberships.)
=20
My two cents worth.
=20
Chris Mathieson
Vancouver Police Museum
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This is a more complicated process than =
one first=20
thinks as seen by the responses. I believe the CMA did a 'on the =
street'=20
study that somewhere about 84 % of people feel heritage is important but =
not=20
nearly that wants to support it. Keeping that in mind what we have done =
as=20
a</FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> non-profit Society and must have a=20
membership. Only perks of membership are the right to stand for =
election=20
for the Board of Directors and the right to vote at members meetings as=20
admission is by donation, we send newsletters to more non-members, =
giftshop=20
is small to give member discounts and trying to have various ticket =
prices=20
to events is a hassle. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>We don't require volunteers to be =
members. =20
However, our membership fee is $5/year. The thought being we are =
not using=20
membership fees as a fundraising source and most people usually have a =
spare=20
fiver in their pocket. If members want to give a donation then we =
give a=20
tax receipt.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Trying to meet volunteer needs is a =
challenge we=20
are working on. References letters is a big one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Chris - an ironic question - how many =
people with=20
criminal records have you had that want to volunteer at the =
Vancouver=20
Police Museum?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Jim Millar</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Port Moody Station Museum</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dbcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
=
href=3D"mailto:bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.bc.ca">bcma-l-admin@museumsassn.b=
c.ca</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dbcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca">bcma-l@museumsassn.bc.ca</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, September 18, =
2008 8:29=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bcma-l] RE: =
Volunteers as=20
Members?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=3DSection1>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">I think Roger=92s =
made a very=20
valid point; we all want to have an active and involved membership =
rather than=20
a =93send me a newsletter=94 membership.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: =
#1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">I=92ve since =
learned that our=20
policy of requiring volunteers to become society members comes from a =
time=20
when our museum was 100% volunteer run. The thinking at the time was =
=93if you=20
were interested enough to volunteer, you=92re interested enough to be =
a member=94.=20
Today, I think there=92s still some value in that=97if people are =
aligned enough=20
with our mandate to want to volunteer, being a member should be a=20
no-brainer.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: =
#1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">As for those who =
commented=20
that membership was one of the few =93perks=94 they could offer, that =
kind of=20
comment suggests a little of the self-deprecating attitude that holds =
many=20
museums back. We owe a great deal to our volunteers for all that they =
do, but=20
shouldn=92t sell ourselves short. Volunteering for our museums =
provides=20
incredible opportunities to gain experience, meet others who share =
common=20
interests and otherwise provide an outlet for contributing to one=92s=20
community.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: =
#1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">(In our museum, =
each of our=20
curatorial volunteers should come away with a basic understanding of =
the care=20
and handling of artifacts and of basic curatorial procedure, often =
enough to=20
land that first job as a curatorial assistant. There is a very real =
value in=20
the experience we offer, especially if we=92re doing a good job of =
matching=20
volunteers with jobs.)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: =
#1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">I don=92t think =
it=92s happening=20
in BC, but there are many large institutions in the States that charge =
their=20
volunteers for their training. Once you=92ve spent 5-10 weekends in =
training and=20
forked over $300, of course you=92re going to be committed. That=92s =
excessive for=20
most of us, but having our volunteers make a small but real commitment =
to=20
their positions can go a long way from separating the =93browsing=94 =
potential=20
volunteers (that will flake out on you in a couple weeks) from the =
serious=20
ones. Sure, some museums =96including us=97ask for a minimum time =
commitment, but=20
we=92ve certainly never really enforced it.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: =
#1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">For now, we=92ve =
decided to=20
follow through and start enforcing the policy as written; people who =
want to=20
volunteer are now required to get a criminal check, undergo a =
reference check=20
and sign up as society members. Our pre-existing volunteers are not =
under any=20
obligation, but every single one who=92s heard about this was thrilled =
to sign=20
up=97they didn=92t think that they COULD be members. (Just goes to =
show how little=20
effort we apparently put into recruiting for=20
memberships=85)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: =
#1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">My two cents=20
worth.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: =
#1f497d"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">Chris=20
Mathieson<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"COLOR: #1f497d">Vancouver Police=20
Museum<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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