At Staithes Museum, preserving the unique heritage of our coastal community is at the heart of everything we do. This year, participating in the AIM Aspire Mentoring Programme has been a game-changer. Through tailored mentorship, the programme has been helping us tackle challenges, seize new opportunities, and build a stronger foundation for the future.
About AIM Aspire
The AIM Aspire Mentoring Programme, offered by the Association of Independent Museums (AIM), connects museum professionals with experienced mentors. Participants receive four personalized mentoring sessions to explore leadership, project management, community engagement, and more. These sessions are designed to provide reflective space, address challenges, and inspire innovative solutions.
Our mentor, Rachel Adam, brought invaluable expertise in fundraising, community development, and co-creation. Her mentorship helped us align our priorities and make measurable progress across multiple fronts.
Highlights from Our Mentorship Journey
Volunteer Recruitment and Retention:
With Rachel’s help, we refined our volunteer outreach - from paper brochures to a social media strategy. Two successful open days brought in four new recruits, including a local volunteer available two days a week.
Rachel encouraged us to highlight the museum’s core values to attract a broader, more engaged volunteer base. Her advice led us to explore untapped channels, such as Facebook groups, and develop a promotional film.
Rachel's key advice was to promote the volunteer role by allowing the volunteer to see themselves in the volunteers who already give their time here - by introducing them and their backgrounds, and by showing exactly what the day-to-day work entails. Secondly, we tried to make it as easy as possible to take the first step to volunteering - from sending an email, to popping in to an open day where they could come with a group of other prospective volunteers. Both strategies have shown great results.
Income Generation:
Rachel’s knack for breaking down challenges into manageable steps helped us improve our gift shop offerings and explore online sales.
Her strategic approach led to stocking child-friendly items and planning Staithes-themed merchandise. With her guidance, we also launched an online store, which has already covered its costs through initial sales.
Loans Boxes and Educational Outreach:
Rachel supported us in developing the idea of loans boxes for schools. With her input, we’ve identified engaging activities, and are working on reaching out to local schools to collaborate.
The Mentorship Experience
What made this mentorship exceptional was Rachel’s ability to reflect ideas back to me. Her thoughtful questions and insights helped clarify my vision and break down complex goals into actionable steps.
For example:
Structuring Long-Term Plans: Rachel’s approach during our early meetings was transformative. She guided me through structuring improvement plans by focusing on realistic, incremental changes while keeping larger goals in view.
Creative Problem-Solving: Whether it was exploring new revenue streams or tackling resistance to change, Rachel’s ability to frame challenges as opportunities was inspiring. Her feedback during brainstorming sessions often revealed new angles I hadn’t considered.
A New Chapter for Staithes Museum
With two mentorship sessions remaining before the end of the year, we’re excited to continue refining our strategies and building on the momentum we’ve gained. The AIM Aspire Mentoring Programme has already empowered us with practical solutions and a renewed confidence in our ability to adapt and thrive.
If you’re considering applying to AIM Aspire, don’t hesitate—it’s an unparalleled opportunity to work with seasoned professionals and shape a brighter future for your museum.
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