Vice Chairman’s report 2016Learning Liaison Forum AGM
The Learning Liaison Forum is a heritage learning network that supports Sussex and Surrey museum, gallery and heritage educators. The members are a pro-active group who come from a range of heritage organisations across the South East region, and are a mix of paid and unpaid post holders.
Last year we adopted a slightly different approach to some of our activity by holding our first 'annual conference' meeting. This involved having a few speakers in key areas of interest chosen by our members to act as an industry update, and to give everyone an overview of what is happening at a national, regional and local level impacting museums and consequently, our museum education work.
Last year's key areas were Museums and the Health & Wellbeing agenda which was quite a high profile topic nationally in 2015/6, and changes to the curriculum, especially the secondary curriculum. We used the points, issues, needs and queries gathered from members during the day to shape the ideas and CPD content for 2016, and to agree working parties to coordinate those CPD days.
This was a new way of working for the LLF, and has proved to be very successful.
CPD Day 1 Community Engagement was hosted by Fishbourne Roman Palace and was attended by 23 members
CPD Day 2 Attracting and Involving Secondary Schools was hosted at Brooklands Museum and was attended by 22 members.
CPD Day 3 Museums and theHealth & Wellbeing Agenda was hosted at Amberley Museum and was attended by 24 members
Though attendance could be higher considering the size of the membership, all those coming along to the CPD days have really valued them.
Warm thanks go to all of the hosts, and to those involved in the working parties. Having working parties has helped distribute the responsibilities well, and has given the LLF ownership of its training programmes. We will continue with the same structure going in to 2017.
Thanks too to other members of the Exec Committee. The Exec has met 3 times over the course of the year and have worked hard together to keep the flow and administration of the group moving forward, whilst working towards new actions which have included starting to develop the Museum Wellbeing ‘5 a day’ and setting up of a dedicated website for LLF. We now look forward to new officers taking up posts and welcome fresh ideas and input to the group.
Final thanks go to the Southeast Museum Development Programme for their ongoing support through funding the LLF to continue its network, but also through personal involvement of the Museum Development Officers.