Equality Strategy 2007‐2010: Progress Review
Contents:
Equality Strategy Progress Review 2007‐2010: Executive Summary 2
Progress 2007–2008 4
Progress 2008 – 2009 5
Progress 2009 – 2010 8
Appendices:
Appendix A 12
Reviews for branch covering the period 2007‐2010 ‐ each update includes planned activity from 2011 onwards.
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Equality Strategy Progress Review 2007‐2010
The purpose of this report is to provide a progress review on IWM (Imperial War Museums) Equality Strategy 2007‐2010 and to illustrate how IWM will be complying with the specific duties of the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Strategy 2007‐2010 set out IWM’s aims in relation to cultural diversity, disability and gender equality, with an action plan for each area. To summarise the range of work done this report will cover planned and unplanned work.
Executive Summary
Disability strategy
Disability issues have been addressed successfully across the IWM Family. Access provision is routinely considered as part of the exhibition planning process. All exhibitions are installed at wheelchair accessible height. Large print captions and transcripts of audio interviews are produced for all exhibitions. Subtitles are used on all new exhibition films and interactives and these have now been retrospectively added to films in the permanent galleries in IWM London. Site facilities have been reviewed and improved and there is updated accessibility information on our website for all branches. It is our view, supported by feedback, that all IWM sites are welcoming places for visitors; for example the Explore History project radically improved facilities and access to our collections for visitors with disabilities. Both the Lord Ashcroft Gallery (IWM London) and IWM Duxford AirSpace projects were excellent examples of working with disability groups in the development phase of new exhibitions and facilities for visitors. We have ensured that all our core teaching sessions can be modified for special needs groups.
In 2009 IWM London was nominated for Group Travel Organiser magazine’s award for the ‘Best Provision of Disabled Facilities’. The AirSpace audio guide received the Jodi award for ‘Digital Access On Site’ in 2009.
Cultural diversity
Awareness of cultural diversity, including race, religion and belief, has been increased across the Museum’s workforce by working in partnership with the Advisory, Conciliation & Abitration service (ACAS) to run workshops and by rolling out the e‐learning diversity training for all staff.
We have a well developed community learning programme. One of the constant themes of our programmed activities is cultural heritage diversity, especially Caribbean, African and Asian heritage. Our Schools Learning Programme reflects the experiences of men, women and children from a variety of different cultural backgrounds. Current arts projects have engaged with Iraqi, Scottish, Irish and Polish groups. Equality is embedded in all our core
Revised and issued 01/11/11 2 collections and access policies and procedures. We also have diversity competencies in all job roles.
Regrettably, progress on diversifying the workforce has been limited. In the London branches, the front of house roles, including retail and visitor services jobs, are very much a reflection of the communities we serve in the London branches and at IWM North, but there is still under‐representation in the workforce as a whole, particularly in the specialist curatorial roles and in senior management roles. The demographic profile in the catchment area for recruitment for IWM Duxford also makes this particularly challenging.
This situation has been hindered by the need to respond to the current economic climate, limiting recruitment largely to internal staff only.
Gender equality
IWM’s workforce has equal gender representation across all job roles. An equal pay audit was conducted in 2009 and the issues addressed.
Sex/sexual orientation
The Military Pride display in 2009 revealed the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people within the context of conflict, war and military service. Funded by the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities in partnership with Stonewall, this successful exhibition subsequently went on tour and was seen by over 16,000 people.
Progress 2007‐2008
General
1. The Museum’s library and archives equality toolkits were used to develop branch action plans on disability, cultural diversity and gender.
2. IWM finalised and published the Equality Strategy and action plans on disability, culture and gender and set up an equality consultation email address for the public.
3. Progress on branch action plans – it was agreed progress should be reported as part of the quarterly reporting process in addition to the Equality Monitoring Group (EMG) updates.
Disability
1. The Disability Monitoring Group (DMG) expanded its remit to cover all equalities issues, becoming the Equality Monitoring Group (EMG) chaired by the Director of Corporate Services; the group has met regularly to review progress in each branch and share best practice.
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2. Training on disability awareness, including deaf awareness and visual impairment awareness, was delivered to 49 staff.
3. Branch champions in all branches established links with local disability associations, e.g. Mencap, Royal National Institute for the Blind and Scope to get advice and feedback on local issues. This information then gets fed back at the EMG – the branches are reviewing and implementing changes accordingly.
4. AirSpace, at IWM Duxford, opened to the public in 2007. The exhibition development involved a significant level of consultation with disability groups including Portal, National Association of Deafened People, National Cochlear Implant Users Association, Royal National Institute of Blind People, Support 4 Sight, Fight Against Blindness and the Papworth Trust. This resulted in not only the standard provision of subtitles and British Sign Language on all films, carefully designed interactives and a high level of attention to accessible graphics design, but also Royal National Institute of Blind People Maps for All (sight and touch, an audio guide for blind and partially sighted visitors and a highly accessible approach to text writing.
5. Various events across the branches all specifically considered disability access at planning stages – for example the ‘First Partners in Time’ family day at IWM Duxford and the Moving Minds volunteer programme at IWM North
6. During 2007‐08, the Museum ran the Conflict & Disability project, part of a national programme of nine linked projects called Rethinking Disability Representation (RDR), led by the Research Centre for Museums & Galleries at the University of Leicester (RCMG) www.le.ac.uk/ms/research/rcmg.html. Principal funding came from the Heritage Lottery Fund and NESTA. The IWM London education team developed four new curriculum sessions looking at issues of disability represented in the collections of the Museum.’
The four new sessions were:
• Welcome Home ‐ Literacy workshop comparing collections evidence with Wilfred Owen’s view of life after the First World War in his poem Disabled. • Necessity Breeds Invention (with the Hunterian Museum) ‐ History workshop examining attitudes to visible difference through the incredible story of the Guinea Pig Club, a support group set up by 1940s airmen treated by pioneering plastic surgeon Archie McIndoe. • Disability Rights (with the Parliamentary Education Service) – Citizenship workshop, considering the campaign for disabled rights and assessing the Museum itself for access as Disability Discrimination inspectors. • The War on Nerves ‐ A two‐day workshop for Gifted & Talented students studying the emotional and mental outcome of warfare. Gulf War veteran Allen Parton contributed his own experiences to this session Revised and issued 01/11/11 4
Cultural diversity
1. Training: diversity awareness workshops were delivered to 131 managers (in partnership with ACAS).
2. IWM signed up to the Young Graduates in Museums and Galleries (YGMG) diversity scheme. The Director‐General and other senior IWM staff attended the launch at the National History Museum to learn more and met potential candidates and their families. Matthew Gansallo, the Director of YGMG, attended an IWM staff forum to talk about the scheme to staff. 35 potential participants attended an open day at IWM on 4th August 2008.
3. IWM hosted two placements as part of the Museum Association’s Diversify Scheme. One in IWM London’s front of house team and the other at IWM North.
4. IWM took part in the Museums, Libraries and Archives national workforce diversity audit.
5. IWM ran two recruitment open days, one in London and one in IWM Duxford, publicised to the local community to increase awareness amongst more diverse candidates. Both days were well attended and all vacant front of house posts were filled.
6. Diversity was considered in all exhibitions but particularly the Journeys of Change, From War to Windrush and the Through my Eyes exhibitions.
7. The community outreach project, Street Genius was launched.
8. IWM Personnel hosted a delegation of Managers from developing countries briefing them on developing HR strategy in a National Museum. The workshops raise awareness of our collections amongst the delegates and help to build partnerships with delegates from Asia, Africa and India.
9. Progress on Recruitment: it was agreed with the Head of Strategy and Planning that each branch should report on recruitment statistics in their quarterly reports. In November 2007 IWM employed 38 staff from black and minority ethnic BME backgrounds. In July 2008 that number remained at 38, despite some turnover amongst BME staff.
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Progress 2008‐2009
General
1. The Equality Monitoring Group (EMG) continued to meet on a regular basis: There was a clear level of commitment from the branch champions who provided progress reports at each meeting.
2. There was a review of progress on staffing targets at the March EMG meeting. There was regrettably little progress on staffing figures. It was acknowledged that this was likely to remain a challenge in the coming year as the need to reduce staff numbers required that recruitment be internal only.
3. Planning and Strategy: access in broad terms was to be built into the Fit for the Future plans. (Fit for the Future is the name given to the Museums change programme, initiated by the Director‐General Di Lees).
4. Quarterly reports were amended to facilitate branch reporting on equality action plans.
5. Compliance: impact assessment and draft guidance were developed for assessing new policies and projects. The checklist is a light touch/proportionate response to the requirements, it was put on hold pending all the other changes going on in the organisation.
Disability Strategy
1. A Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) event was hosted at IWM Duxford to improve links with specialist media.
2. New lifts were installed to enable greater access for those with disabilities in London.
3. The Learning department at IWM London created a handling box for use in the atrium; large print and braille interpretation were made available.
4. Front of house staff at IWM London attended the Welcome International Programme (which includes diversity awareness).
5. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery at IWM London organised access workshops and appointed an access consultant.
6. Approval given for a British sign language teacher to use our audio guides for students so they could translate the guides into BSL.
7. The Terrible Trenches exhibition was opened, with marketing to disability groups.
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8. IWM London was nominated for Group Travel Organiser magazine’s award for the ‘Best Provision of Disabled Facilities’.
9. 108 staff attended training on disability awareness, deaf awareness and visual impairment awareness. One member of staff gained the British Sign Language qualification.
10. Marketing Action Plan: Disability standards written into the visual identity guidelines.
Cultural Diversity
1. Raising awareness: An article was published for staff in the in‐house magazine, Searchlight in April 2009 which presented highlights of the achievements across all branches (e.g. Young graduates diversity programme (Global Graduates), Journeys of Change, Street Genius). A further article also appeared in the May edition of the Personnel newsletter.
2. Training: Nine diversity awareness workshops were run for managers in partnership with ACAS. The Director of Corporate Services and the Head of Personnel attended a cultural tour of the temples in south London to increase links with the community (organized by Diverse Ethics)
3. A contract for a diversity e‐learning package was agreed and training for all staff began.
4. The Young Graduates scheme for a second year. An open day took place on 22nd July, 39 students attended.
5. The From War to Windrush exhibition was a great success and was extended as a result. A small scale travelling version went to Jamaica. Stories from the exhibition were integrated into the main A‐floor exhibitions.
6. The post of Community Learning Coordinator enabled the Street Genius project to work with BME young people and consult with the local community
7. The community learning project with faith schools continued. A range of participants included Somali, Afro‐Caribbean, Muslim and South American groups.
8. A diversity placement from the Museum Association Diversity scheme was appointed at IWM North.
9. Welcome International Programme (includes diversity) for all Front of House staff was introduced.
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10. The Head of Personnel and the Training Manager hosted a further delegation of managers from developing countries in partnership with the Royal Institute of Public Administration (RIPA) RIPA.
Sex/sexual orientation
1. The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) funded a Military Pride display of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) experience at IWM North (in partnership with Stonewall) this directly led to a change in the demographic profile of visitors to IWM North.
Progress 2009‐2010
General
1. Equality was embedded in all our core collections policies and procedures including the Acquisition Policy.
Disability
1. Delegates from Disabled GO visited the Churchill War Rooms and provided an extensive review on their website www.disabledgo.com. The report enabled managers to pinpoint further areas for improvement.
2. IWM Duxford received a Jodi award for ‘Digital Access On Site’.
3. The Explore History reading room was opened in IWM London, in a new area providing enhanced facilities for disabled users.
4. At IWM North, new BSI and audio described tours were delivered as part of the visitor programme. Listings information was sent to specialist organisations.
5. The IWM North web pages were updated to show developments of facilities for deaf and disabled visitors.
6. IWM North completed the collection and recording of BSI testimonies from deaf eyewitnesses and veterans as part of a project to build relationships with the deaf community.
7. Simulator glasses were acquired for visually impaired users as well as new signage, induction loops and hearing aids.
8. IWM North ran a successful ’touch’ volunteer programme for a wide range of people, including those from BME groups, (around 60 volunteers)
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9. A handling box has been introduced which staff promote to elderly groups and visitors who request resources for visually impaired visitors.
10. An audio guide was introduced for use by visually impaired visitors in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at IWM London. . 11. The Twickenham Hearing Support Group attended a guided tour in April 2010, with the support of one of the volunteer guides. The group tested the portable hearing loop equipment, and advised on how to set up the equipment and the types of hearing loss it was most suitable for. The device has subsequently been promoted and demonstrated to the Explore History team. An article promoting the Museum’s access provisions has appeared in the magazine One in Seven.
12. The Royal London Society for the Blind contacted IWM London to arrange two Visitor Services Assistant led touch tours of the atrium in September/October. Communications remain open for future visits.
13. A Visitor Services Assistant from London was interviewed and recorded leading a touch tour in the Museum for Insight Radio in October 2010.
14. The Special Needs Flight Day at IWM Duxford took place on 11 May 2011 and was very well attended.
15. In IWM Duxford there was a higher than usual volume of requests for taught sessions for groups of disabled children. All sessions are staffed by the Learning team, adapting regular workshops and activities.
16. There are now braille packs available for visitors to IWM Duxford. These include a tactile map and braille information to help visitors plan their visit and use the site.
17. A large print map/welcome leaflet has been added to the accessibility page on the IWM Duxford website.
18. The project to update the large print books in each exhibition continues at IWM Duxford.
19. A series of consultation sessions with disability groups was held as part of the research and planning for the Historic Duxford project. Sessions have included delegates from Scope, Youth Parliament (advocates on behalf of various disabilities amongst 16‐24 age groups), National Association of Deafened People and Cochlear Implant Users Association (meeting involved using a speech to text reporter), Support 4 Sight, Fight against Blindness and Cam Sight.
20. Research visits to the Reframing Disability exhibition at Royal College of Surgeons, and Labyrinth of Living Exhibits (Hunterian event organised by Shape) have been carried out by IWM Duxford staff.
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21. The pre‐visit information for visitors with disabilities has been recorded in advance of being added to IWM Duxford’s accessibility page on the website.
22. The schools Learning Programmes in London includes materials applicable to reflect the range of nationalities, ages and if appropriate physical disabilities of those who participated in the events of the twentieth century. E.g. together, looks at the contributions of the African, Asian and Caribbean men and woman of the Second World War.
23. IWM hosted a workshop as part of the International Perspectives conference on equal access to museums for people with vision impairment.
24. Staff at IWM North have received autism training so that visitors on the autistic spectrum get the best possible visit.
Diversity strategy
1. IWM presented a paper at the Montpellier Diversity exhibition on ‘ IWM collections and multi‐cultural Britain; uses, challenges and possibilities’. (Suzanne Bardgett)
2. The film programme continued to address a range of issues relevant to our national and international audiences. IWM co‐developed and ran the Black Screen Heritage Conference (July 2009) to explore issues relating to making Black British Heritage accessible.
3. IWM worked in partnership with the Ansar Ahmed Ullah of Swadhinata Trust concerning possible programmes with Bangladeshi cultural organisations (ongoing).
4. All Visitor Services Managers, supervisors and staff completed a Diversity E‐Learning programme in 2010.
5. All Visitor Service Assistants and Supervisors undertook an accredited Front of House certificate with Welcome International. Welcome International raises staff awareness of different cultures and religions and looks at the expectations that may arise as a result. It also covers basic language training to help improve the welcome and experience for international visitors to the Museum.
6. The ‘Equality Workforce Declaration’ within the National Museum Directors Conference (NMDC) was agreed. IWM provided an update on all diversity projects to the NMDC Diversity working group.
7. The volunteering schemes continued to work and attract a diverse range of participants.
8. The Head of Personnel and the Training Manager hosted another delegation for managers from developing countries in partnership with RIPA. Revised and issued 01/11/11 10
9. July 2009 saw the final part of a three part film season in the cinema called Polish Paths to Freedom (which first ran in 2007), which charted the history of Poland from the start of the Second World War to the collapse of the Soviet Union and Polish independence. The programme was organised in collaboration with the Polish History Museum and the season included Polish feature films and documentaries (many screened in the UK for the first time) with films from the Museum’s collection. The film attracted many Poles living in the UK and was widely covered in local Polish radio and press.
Age
1. IWM withdrew the default retirement age for staff.
2. IWM London worked with Age UK Lewisham and Southwark and arranged consultation work with service users and the day centre manager for Elephant and Castle. Two visits were arranged in August/September 2010 and the feedback gave the museum a better understanding of the needs of older adults with associated health problems. The visits were self guided, in order to highlight the access problems that arise without staff assistance in the galleries and followed up with a focus group and reminiscence session with an education officer. We hope to conduct future partnership work.
Sex/sexual orientation
1. The Military Pride exhibition first displayed in 2009 at IWM North to reveal the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people within the context of conflict, war and military service, went on tour and was viewed by over 16,000 people.
For further details of the Museum’s future Equality plans please refer to the Equality Strategy 2011‐2015 and our Corporate plan.
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Appendix A
This section has detailed reviews for branch covering the period 2007‐2010. Each update includes planned activity from 2011 onwards.
Diversity Projects
Name: Helena Stride, Head of Learning
Organisation: IWM London
Contact details: 020 7416 5446 [email protected]
What diversity &inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking?
Please see attached documents for full list of activities and further detail. 1. Community Learning Programme where the focus of projects and core programmes wherever possible has been to help deliver audiences, exhibitions, collections and a workforce that reflects our local community. One of the constant themes of our programmed activities is cultural/heritage diversity, especially Caribbean, African and Asian.
2. Schools’ Learning Programmes In the formal learning programme for schools we try to use as wide a range of material as applicable to reflect the range of nationalities, ages and if appropriate physical disabilities of those who participated in events of twentieth century up to the present day in our remit. Many of the schools that visit us have a wide range of children from different cultural heritage backgrounds so it is also important that they understand that the range of our remit includes the experiences of men, women and children from a variety of different cultural backgrounds. Wherever possible we also include material that reflects disabilities too.
Eg. Together – this teaching session for school groups looks at the contributions made by African, Asian and Caribbean men and women in the Second World War. This session was particularly popular when the exhibition From War to Windrush was on. As mentioned before we also include this material in our sessions that are more general e.g. Home Front Second World War. Eg. Interpretations: The First World War through poetry and artefacts – this teaching session compares evidence from the Museum’s Collections with Wilfred Owen’s view of life after the First World War in his poem Disabled. As mentioned before we also include this material in our sessions that are more general e.g. Trench Warfare, Britain and the Great War.
Special Needs Provision We offer free handling sessions for groups of school children with Special Needs – this can be visual, hearing and physical disability through to a variety of different learning needs and behavioural needs. All are core teaching sessions can be modified for special needs groups and we have Revised and issued 01/11/11 12
different audio guides available for the Holocaust Exhibition for students with Mild Learning Difficulties, students with Visual Learning Needs and Adults with Learning Needs.
Informal Learning Programmes Wherever possible material is used that reflects the widest range of cultural diversity and identity reflected in our collections and also material on the subject of disability. Eg. Me, Myself and Others focused on identity and diversity, linked to From War to Windrush. IdentiTea linked to cultural identity especially through food and drink linked to our collections and The Ministry of Food Exhibition.
3. Rethinking Disability Representation in Museums and Galleries. Conflict and Disability at IWM London, 2007‐8. (Please see additional sheet for further information) 14 October 2010 we hosted a workshop as part of the conference, International perspectives on equal access to museums for people with vision impairment. The workshop included the work developed for the Rethinking Disability Representation Programme and the Audio Guide for Adults with Visual Impairment developed for the Holocaust Exhibition.
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward? Disability Representation Unfortunately the joint bid with RCMG Research Centre for Museums and Galleries to the Wellcome Trust to extent the work developed for Rethinking Disability Representation fell through after initial encouragement. This work will inform the redevelopment of the historical galleries. In the Learning Division we will continue to use diverse and often challenging material in the redevelopment of programmes linked to the new galleries as part of the redevelopment of the Museum.
Cultural/Heritage Diversity We have a couple of Community Projects working in partnership with other organisations in addition to our core programmes.
a) Hanging Out (2010 – 11) ‐ Youth Culture then and now. Looking at the immense changes that occurred in popular and social culture in the 1950s and 1960s. In partnership with Full Spectrum Productions, V & A, London Metropolitan Archives, Museum of London, BFI. Funded by HLF. Working with young people in Camden, Brent, Lambeth and the City of London.
b) We Are the Future – A History of Campaign and Protest in Lambeth and Southwark (2010 – 11) in partnership with Emergency Exit Arts, Youth Street Theatre Arts Group, Black Cultural Archives, Lambeth Archives, Southwark Local History Library and BFI. Working with young people from local schools Lilian Baylis Technology School and St Thomas Apostle College.
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What do you want to achieve? We want to build upon the good work that we have already developed in the areas of cultural/ heritage diversity and disability awareness so that this thread links all that we do in our programming and is more fully realised in exhibition content.
When do you plan to take these forward? They are ongoing and will play a part within the redevelopment of exhibition content as part of Master Planning.
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this? As part of Master Planning and the National Programme linked to 2014
Name: Collections and Research
Organisation: Imperial War Museum
Contact details: Gael Dundas
What diversity &inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking?
• Explore History has radically improved facilities and access for all users, and specifically includes specialised equipment to assist visitors with disabilities. • Suzanne Bardgett gave a paper in November 2010 entitled ‘The Imperial War Museum’s collections and multi‐cultural Britain: uses, challenges, possibilities’ at a Diversity conference in Montpellier. This paper will be used as a basis for workshop sessions with Collections and Research Division staff at the quarterly forum to identify mechanisms for developing and highlighting the diversity elements of the collections. • Our Film programme continues to address a range of issues relevant to our national and international audiences. o The Colonial Film AHRC project highlights the international scope of the collection. o The Black Screen Heritage Conference held at the Museum in July 2009 was devised by the FVA in partnership with Film London and the Yorkshire Film Archive to learn more about the issues involved in making collections relating to Black British Heritage accessible. • Summer 2009 saw discussions with the Ansar Ahmed Ullah of Swadhinata Trust concerning possible programmes with this Bangladeshi cultural organisation. • Current Art projects have engaged with Iraqi, Scottish and Irish groups • As part of the Polska! Year cultural season, organised by the Polish Government in the UK, a podcast was produced about the 1987 television series The Struggles for Poland, a highly acclaimed nine‐episode historical documentary series shown on Channel Four.
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• Equality is embedded in all core policies and procedures.
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward?
• Further guidance needs to be provided from Personnel and Fred Bambridge on how communications and strategic planning. • As noted above, based on Suzanne Bardgett’s paper ‘The Imperial War Museum’s collections and multi‐cultural Britain: uses, challenges, possibilities’ we are planning workshop sessions with Collections and Research Division staff at the quarterly forum to identify mechanisms for developing and highlighting the diversity elements of the collections.
What do you want to achieve?
• Far more diverse interpretations of the Collections • Identify potential broader opportunities for community involvement, such as volunteer work, CDAs, crowd sourcing etc
When do you plan to take these forward? • Starting with the March forum
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this?
• Could lead to collaborative work with academic institutions and international partners such as JISC, Europeana etc
Name: Cressida Finch
Organisation: Exhibitions Department IWM London
Contact details [email protected]
What diversity & inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking?
• Access provision and equality and diversity issues are routinely a part of the exhibition planning process. Relevant design access guidelines are routinely followed e.g. All elements installed at wheelchair accessible height and ensuring that designs allow for the width and turning circle of wheelchairs and pushchairs.
• Diversity is always considered when selecting personal stories and exhibition themes, e.g. in Outbreak 1939 many different backgrounds were represented within Revised and issued 01/11/11 15
the exhibitions including Men, Women, Children, Canadian, Polish, African, Jamaican; Once Upon A Wartime stories included Silversword (set in Warsaw) and Little Soldier (set in London and Africa)
• The War to Windrush gallery directly addressed issues relevant to Black British Heritage. A version is now on show in Jamaica (with a UK tour in preparation), plus an edited version, including 13 large prints will shortly be installed in the Learning Entrance. It has caused great public interest and many, continuing enquiries to the Exhibitions team.
• Large print captions and transcripts of audio interviews are also produced for all exhibitions. Subtitles are used on all new exhibition films and interactives e.g. Ashcroft gallery (which also includes BSL); these have also been retrospectively added films/interactives in permanent galleries where possible (e.g. all films/interactives at the Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast had these added in 2009‐10).
• Handling items and facilities for the visual impaired are used where possible, for example an audio guide for the visually impaired was created for the Ashcroft gallery, and Exhibitions worked with the Learning Department to produce a large scale handling unit in the Churchill Museum and handling equipment used by volunteer interactors at HMS Belfast.
• Testing is used were possible, for example for the Ashcroft gallery, working with an access consultant, an Access focus group (whose members had a range of disabilities such as visual, hearing, learning, physical), was shown the design as it progressed at each stage and prior to launch, including all graphics.
• All members of the Department completed the Diversity E‐Learning programme in 2010
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward?
• Diversity and access will be prioritised as part of the Regeneration exhibition design process, including appointing an access consultant to the design team, and looking at building on the things we have done across the museum for the First World War Galleries and wider building works.
What do you want to achieve?
• Explicit, auditable, consideration of Access provision and equality and diversity issues during the exhibition planning process as opposed to adhoc
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• Universal use of subtitles in all new exhibition films and existing ones where possible (e.g. Crimes Against Humanity)
When do you plan to take these forward?
• TBC
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this?
• Would gladly work with Visitor Services on their accessible tours e.g. these could work well at the Churchill Museum
Name: Linda Davies
Organisation: Imperial War Musuem
Contact details: 0207 091 3184
What diversity &inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking?
All Visitor Services managers, supervisors and staff completed a Diversity E‐Learning programme in 2010.
All Visitor Service Assistants and Supervisors are undertaking an accredited Front of House certificate which includes attendance on a Disability Awareness course and Welcome International. Welcome International raises staff awareness of different cultures and religions and looks at the expectations that may arise as a result. It also covers basic language training to help improve the welcome and experience for international visitors to the Museum.
A handling box has been introduced which staff promote to elderly groups and visitors who request resources for visually impaired visitors.
An audio guide has been introduced for use by visually impaired visitors in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery.
The Multi Media Family Tour guides introduced on 1st May 2009 are suitable for anyone with learning disabilities.
Meetings were held with an organisation called Disabled Go to discuss the development of
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an access leaflet. The development of the access leaflet has now been taken over by Marketing; however, a detailed access guide for IWM London is now available through Disabled Go’s website. This is available via a link on the IWM website on our Access page (there is a Disabled Go logo which visitors need to click on – this takes them to the information)
Liz Smith invited the Twickenham Hearing Support group to attend a guided tour in April 2010, with the support of one of the volunteer guides. The group tested the portable hearing loop equipment, and advised on how to set up the equipment and the types of hearing loss it was most suitable for. The device has subsequently been promoted and demonstrated to the Explore History Centre team. An article promoting the museum’s access provisions has appeared in the magazine One in Seven.
Liz also contacted Age UK Lewisham and Southwark, and arranged consultation work with service users and the day centre manager for Elephant and Castle. Two visits were arranged in August/September 2010 and the feedback gave the museum a better understanding of the needs of older adults with associated health problems. The visits were self guided, in order to highlight the access problems that arise without staff assistance in the galleries and followed up with a focus group and reminiscence session with an education officer. We hope to conduct future partnership work.
The Royal London Society for the Blind contacted the Museum, and Liz was able to arrange two Visitor Services Assistant lead touch tours of the atrium in September/October. Again, communications remain open for future visits.
Paul Wild, Visitor Services Assistant was interviewed and recorded leading a touch tour in the Museum for Insight Radio in October 2010.
As a culmination of these activities and additional research into Museum access for visitors with Learning Disabilities and Older Adults, Liz has written a report on the access provision at Lambeth Road for these groups (as well as VI/HI/MI) and the opportunity to improve it. Other Museums offer an ‘escort’ service to improve the visitor experience for these target groups, and the formalisation of a similar ‘Chaperone Service’ at IWML is explored in this report.
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward?
We are going to look into the possibility of introducing touch tours with audio description for visually impaired visitors and BSL tours for visitors with hearing impairments.
We will also look at software to transcribe talks, dependant on costs.
We will continue to work closely with Age UK and the Royal Society for the Blind to build upon our current strong working relationship and to utilise any resources they can offer us, particularly in terms of staff training and advice.
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Depending on resource constraints, to look at developing procedures and frameworks for dealing with tours for visitors with disabilities.
What do you want to achieve?
Further training, advice and upskilling for staff to deal with a wide range of issues from dementia, elderly care, learning disabilities, autism and dyslexia. This will enable us to better handle groups of visitors with special needs.
When do you plan to take these forward?
These activities will be included in forward job plans for the next appraisal year 2011 – 12.
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this?
Liz Smith is going to contact the V&A to look at some of the work they have already carried out in terms of providing a service to visitors with learning disabilities, dyslexia and offering tours to visitors with disabilities.
Linda Davies will look at working more collaboratively with other National Museums through setting up a Visitor Experience network group. Meetings have already taken place or are planned with Royal Historic Palaces and National Portrait Gallery.
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Name: Carl Warner / Kay Cooper
Organisation: IWM Duxford
Contact details: 01223 497896 / 01223 499363 [email protected] / [email protected]
What diversity & inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking?
Effective working relationships have been established with local and national groups representing a range of disabilities. Consultation with relevant groups has taken place on a project by project basis. Background research into cultural diversity has been carried out with the aim of increasing knowledge, understanding and experience of the different communities in our region to inform future provision and present procedures.
Extensive consultation took place to develop the AirSpace audio guide for blind and partially sighted visitors. This was launched in October 2008 and updated in March 2009 to include the new Wright Flyer fabric display. The audio guide received the 2009 Jodi Award for Digital Access on Site. Experience gained in the creation of this guide has been shared with the museum sector through four conferences: Big Stuff (IWM), Developing a More Inclusive Museum (RNIB and IWM), All in hand: Working with Hand Held Devices (Museums Journal), and In Touch with Art (V&A and St Dunstans).
Two RNIB maps for site and touch have been installed in AirSpace, one showing the layout of the building and one for the exhibition.
A new site‐wide orientation system has been installed following consultation with the pan disability RNIB Access Consultancy Service, and site audits conducted by local disability groups. This includes an RNIB site map for sight and touch, and from summer 2011 this provision will be enhanced with large print maps and hand held braille maps.
The Wright Flyer fabric exhibit was installed in the AirSpace foyer in March 2009. The display was developed in consultation with a blind person and includes a tactile model and handling fabric to enhance accessibility for all visitors. The audio guide was updated to reflect this.
BSL provision in AirSpace has been audited by BSL first language users and updated according to their recommendations.
The Resource Room has been opened, providing 2 accessible stations each with adjustable height table, large key keyboard and large roller ball mouse.
The new Imperial War Museum Duxford Handbook follows Clear Print guidelines. Large print information is being made available in exhibition buildings.
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In 2009 the Museum hosted an exhibition of photographs by the Talking Pictures group of artists with disabilities. Currently the Museum is hosting ‘Polish Airmen in the Battle of Britain,’ commissioned by the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Repression.
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward?
As part of the planning process for all future exhibitions we will be considering access provision and equality and diversity issues. The first demonstration of this in our exhibition plan is Historic Duxford – an exhibition which tells the story of the airfield and the men and women who lived and worked here. Three of the stated aims are:
To create an exhibition that is accessible to all. To create an exhibition that appeals to men and women equally. To create an exhibition that relates to the needs of a wide range of audiences, from a variety of different cultures.
To accomplish this, we plan to use the large body of material already at our disposal related to disability provision (cultivated in the main through consultation with the groups mentioned above on the AirSpace project), plus continue this pattern of liaising with local groups which was a successful element of that exhibition.
We also plan to consult a variety of different cultural groups, particularly those associated with the range of nationalities that served at IWM Duxford, to ensure that their stories are told in an engaging and culturally resonant way, at the formative and development evaluation stages of the project.
We will continue this good practice when redeveloping the American Air Museum, and undertaking future exhibitions projects on site.
What do you want to achieve?
As stated above, by following the above plans, we wish to overcome the barriers to creating exhibitions that relate to the needs of a wide range of audiences, that are accessible to all and appeal to a wide cross section of the community. In particular with Historic Duxford, we wish to tell stories that are naturally resonant to different cultural groups (particularly those whose ancestral national history is represented by the diverse national units that served at RAF Duxford), and to present the exhibition in a way that is inclusive and universally resonant.
We will continue this good practice when redeveloping the American Air Museum, and undertaking future exhibitions projects on site.
When do you plan to take these forward?
The Historic Duxford project is being developed over the next 18 months, with an opening planned for March 2013
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The American Air Museum project is being developed over the next four years, with phased completion of different elements culminating in 2015.
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this? Yes. We would particularly like to collaborate with organisations that have already begun consultation with culturally diverse groups in our area.
Name: Joyce Murdoch/Sue Chippington
Organisation: IWMD Dept for Learning
Contact details: 01223 497294/01223 499341
What diversity &inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking? The programme for educational groups is inclusive in that most activities can be adapted for learners with special needs. We have a section on the Booking Form which asks about special needs and support so that we can accommodate and tailor make visits as appropriate. We continue to offer an annual ‘Special Needs Flight Day’ where children with complex needs, ranging from EBD, MLD, SLD and physical disabilities can participate in hands‐on activities.
We continue to work in Edmundshill Prison, supporting the ESOL and History curriculum.
We continue to work with Veterans of the Second WW and post war, offering special days where the visitor has the opportunity to interact with them.
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward? We will continue with the above, although the prison project is dependent on private funding and is due to finish in March 2011. We may be involved in a wider nationwide project involving veterans who have served time in prison supporting the IWM in some capacity (possibly interacting with visitors via object handling or supporting Collections) although this will be decided by the Director for Learning.
In 2012 we will consider actively promoting certain days for general visitors with special needs where staff and volunteers can be on hand to give more hands‐on experiences and support.
As part of the Fit For the Future initiatives the Director for Learning has rationalised what each branch delivers. IWM Duxford is not tasked with delivering on the diversity/social inclusion agenda or taking outreach projects to groups in the community.
What do you want to achieve? N/A in light of the FFF specialisation.
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When do you plan to take these forward? N/A in light of the FFF specialisation.
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this? N/A in light of the FFF specialisation.
Name: [Christian Pratt]
Organisation: IWM Duxford
Contact details: [email protected]
What diversity &inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking? • A ‘value for money’ strategy to reduce financial barrier to entry/barrier to visit for audiences • Programme of events and activities formulated for differing audience types • Regular dialogue with neighbours and communities, including free admission scheme
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward? • Programme of events and activities targeted at women • Engagement programme with community and veterans to inform content of new exhibition • Use of digital social media to provide alternate means to engage and interact with museum
What do you want to achieve? • Engagement with a wider variety of visitor types and audience profiles • Input from stakeholders into longer‐term product development (exhibitions, interpretive angles)
When do you plan to take these forward? • Ongoing
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this? • As necessary and appropriate – yes.
Name: Gerry McCartney, Head of Operations
Organisation: Imperial War Museum – Responding on behalf of two branches of the Museum Revised and issued 01/11/11 23
1. Churchill War Rooms 2. HMS Belfast
Contact details: 020 7766 0120 [email protected]
What diversity &inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking? 1. We have reviewed and improved site facilities 2. Updated accessibility information on our web site 3. Invited focus groups to visit and offer comments on potential improvements
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward? 1. Further staff training on assisting people with disabilities 2. Further staff training in employment law as it relates to diversity and best practise in recruitment and retention of staff.
What do you want to achieve? 1. A site that is safe and welcoming to all visitors and colleagues 2. Staff who are trained fully aware of the needs of others and who are pleased to welcome all within the workplace
When do you plan to take these forward? Financial year 2011/2012
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this? 1. Happy to do so but must be coordinated corporately; we are a multiple branch museum and wish to ensure consistency across all sites.
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Name: Peter Brown – Head of Learning Organisation: IWM North
Contact details: [email protected] phone extension 4060
What diversity &inclusion activities or initiatives have you/are you undertaking? • We have now completed the actions from the Access Audit we are working on, except for those that have been deemed impracticable due to the structural upheaval they would require or impact on the building. We do still receive regular complaints about low lighting in the MES affecting people’s ability to read labels. Recent comments have also pointed out lack of seating and issues with accessibility to displays for wheelchair users. These concerns will be addressed in the MES redevelopment being planned for the coming years.
• BSL and audio described tours delivered as part of visitor programme.
• Listings information sent to specialist organisations to promote events, especially audio described and BSL events.
• IWM North web pages have been kept up to date to show development of facilities for Deaf and disabled visitors.
• Completed the collection and recording of BSL testimonies from Deaf eyewitnesses and as part of the project built relationships with local Deaf groups. These films and Military Pride LGBT films have been edited together onto one Hidden History DVD. We are currently having 500 copies produced to send to Libraries and Archives in the Manchester area. The DVD will also be accessible via the website and YouTube.
• Simulator glasses purchased to support visual impairment awareness training for staff.
• Audio description training held for front of house staff, to enable them to provide tours and ad hoc interpretation for visually impaired visitors.
• The Museum has experienced some issues with the subtitles and BSL interpretation on the Big Picture Show, however these have for the most part been resolved and technicians are working on improving the brightness of the BSL interpretation, which is the last remaining issue.
• Induction loop installed in the Group Entrance/Security Control office. New signage for induction loops. We have 9 induction loop pendants that can be signed out from AV cupboard in the Learning studio.
• New handsets purchased for the Special Exhibition Gallery which are compatible with hearing aids.
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• Most of the letters and documents within the Main Exhibition Space have now been transcribed and are available on request from Exhibitions. Transcriptions will be incorporated into the MES redevelopment to ensure that archive material is fully accessible to visitors in the future.
• Access guidelines are closely followed in the creation of new exhibitions, e.g. films all have subtitles.
• Signage and level indicators installed in all lifts.
• September 2009 saw the last intake into the In Touch volunteer programme, which recruits people from a range of backgrounds including a large percentage of people with disabilities and some people from black and ethnic minority groups. We continue to work with around 60 volunteers day to day who were recruited through this programme and its predecessor programmes.
• The Live & Learn project was completed in January 2010, and much of the learning about the needs of the different group leaders we worked with (many of whom represented disability and BEM groups) has been cascaded to front of house and other teams. The project’s model of providing familiarisation sessions and support to group leaders has continued into 2010. We have translated floor plans into 14 languages to improve navigation and access to services. We are now in the final stages of completing translation of additional text (taken from our guidebook) in the same 14 languages. The languages are: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Czech, Farsi, French, German, Gujarati, Japanese, Polish, Punjabi, Somali, Spanish, and Urdu.
• Military Pride exhibition has toured to Sale Waterside Dec 10 – Feb 10, where it was viewed by over 16,000 people. A programme of outreach talks was staged to accompany the tour.
• Content developed for Black history Month has been incorporated in Self Directed Resources for learning groups.
What ideas for activities, initiatives and collaboration do you have moving forward?
Loss of the Community Development Manager and Marketing Manager posts has necessitated some changes to the Diversity plan especially. This is likely to include some of the following actions:
• BSL and audio described tours continue to be scheduled as part of the visitor programme. These take place on Sundays once per quarter.
• Marketing & PR publicise events to disabled organisations, specifically the BSL and audio descriptive work.
• Access information on the website kept up to date.
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• Build on existing relationships with Deaf and visually impaired groups to enhance the group offer and develop audiences for existing services for these groups. Booked group visits organised with Henshaws Society for Blind People involving audio‐ described talks, tours and artefact handling sessions which has given delivery staff the chance to practice what they learnt in training and build on in‐house delivery skills in this area.
• Build on the relationships created with Live & Learn participant groups, and host further familiarisation sessions for group leaders.
• Continue to build relationships with organisations such as Refugee Action, who are working with us on a series of events for Refugee Week 2010.
• Provision for hearing impaired visitors and people with visual impairment (subtitles and BSL) has been incorporated into the digitisation of the Big Picture Show.
• Create a plan for using the visual impairment simulation glasses to increase awareness amongst staff.
• We have applied for funding from Eurocities to continue the employability strand of the volunteer programme for 2011‐12, and continue recruiting to the programme from as wide a range of people as possible, especially from groups traditionally underrepresented in the Museum workforce. We are also currently preparing an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund to extend the work of In Touch, particularly for young people 16‐25 years old from diverse backgrounds and with a range of needs.
• The Military Pride exhibition will continue to tour to at least two more venues, with a continuing programme of outreach talks and on site events about gay and lesbian personnel in the Military. The branch will also participate in the Manchester Pride festival (August) and stage events for LGBT month (February).
• The BSL testimonies will be launched to the public in July and used to support a small programme of events on and off site in the autumn.
• Our Self Directed learning resources are being amended to include Black History content.
• We will be working with local organisation, Hercules Productions, on a young people’s project called "I didn’t die in vain". The project will take the participants and the audience on a journey of research and interpretation of the history of slavery and how it affects people living in Manchester today.
• Staff have received Autism training so that visitors on the Autistic spectrum get the best possible visit.
• Continue to develop Veterans North membership by encouraging more Revised and issued 01/11/11 27
contemporary veterans to join. Development of new print/membership form.
• Continue to offer handling sessions for formal SEN groups (with Special Educational Needs) on gallery or in the Blue Room where a more contained space is required.
What do you want to achieve? IWM North aims to continually improve access to the Museum’s collections, exhibitions and programmes by consulting and collaborating with a widening range of visitors and users.
When do you plan to take these forward? Access initiatives have been built into the 5 year Corporate Plan. Most of the ideas listed above will be initiated or completed in 2011‐12.
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations on this? We are already collaborating with external specialist interest organisations and will continue to develop those relationships. We are also keen to maximise impact and effectiveness by sharing knowledge and experience across the branches.
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