Make Your Mark in Volunteering Campaign launched

Attended by an audience of 86 people, the Make Your Mark launch shared up-to-date evidence from Volunteer Scotland about volunteer participation during COVID-19, provided information about Make Your Mark and asked for input on the campaign’s future activities.

To inspire attendees with the amazing work already being done to engage more of Scotland’s people with our shared spaces and places, the launch also presented three inspiring heritage volunteering stories of collaborating with refugees to put on multi-lingual tours, changing volunteer application processes to remove barriers to participation and supporting women of colour to participate in museum exhibition development. Recorded presentations from the launch can be found below.

Over 20 Scottish heritage organisations have already signed up to work together to make heritage volunteering more inclusive and accessible, including Historic Environment Scotland, the lead public body established to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment.

Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland, said: “This initiative will bring together organisations and volunteers with inclusion and diversity very much at the forefront of the approach. Our hope is that people from all backgrounds will be able to access and enjoy all the rewarding aspects of volunteering in heritage and I’d very much encourage people to find out more about what is on offer.”

Any Scottish heritage organisation who works with volunteers or would like to begin working with volunteers can join Make Your Mark, including public, private, charitable and other entities. Joining the Make Your Mark campaign is free – the only requirement is that organisations sign the Make Your Mark Expression of Commitment to signal their dedication to inclusive volunteering.

Presentations from the launch

Welcome: Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture

The challenges and opportunities for volunteering posed by COVID-19: Matthew Linning, Volunteer Scotland

Why your organsations should join Make Your Mark & how Make Your Mark can help you recover and renew your volunteering programme: Erin Burke & Rosie Wylie, Make Your Mark campaign

Inclusive heritage volunteering case studies

Opening up heritage volunteering: Mirella Arcidiacono & Kaneez Fizza, Thistles and Dandelions Volunteer Coordinators

Reviewing recruitment for a relaxed and engaging experience: Joseph Sellors, Historic Environment Scotland

Involving refugee volunteers: Nicky Imrie, Scottish Civic Trust Diverse Heritage Officer