Beamish, The North of England Open Air Museum

Name of Organisation

Beamish, The North of England Open Air Museum

Why did you decide to go for Investing in Volunteers?

There were several reasons for wanting to go for IiV, we wanted to show our existing volunteers how important they are to the Museum, as well as showing potential new volunteers that they would be valued. We felt that by aiming to achieve the standard it was a good way of ensuring that our procedures were up to date with current practice and also then amend any gaps.

What benefits have you found from working towards Investing in Volunteers?

Working towards the Standard showed that our practices were mainly good, but it also identifies areas that needed improvement and allowed us to do this.

Tell us about your experience of the assessment process in your organisation.

Each stage is explained well and guides the organisation along; this meant that the whole process ran really smoothly.

5 Practical tips you would give another organisation working towards Investing in Volunteers

• Get everyone involved – make them feel a part of the process
• Speak to other organisations who have been through IiV
• Set up a working group made up of a wide cross section from the organisation
• Keep referring to the Standard – check and re-check as you progress
• Make use of the Investing in Volunteers and Volunteering England websites – they are extremely valuable resources.