Claire McDade, Project Manager for The Skylark IX Recovery Trust, talks about the Trust’s work, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to deliver woodworking and boatbuilding skills training to people from Alternatives Community Drug Charity in West Dunbartonshire, who are recovering from drug addiction. The Trust hopes to expand and build the Spirit of Skylark Centre in Dumbarton with key partners, the Scottish Maritime Museum, at the Denny Ship Model Experimental Tank, over the coming years.

The ‘Marvellous Museums’ project gives learners, including those identified as being at risk of not achieving their potential, opportunities to raise their awareness of careers in the Museum and Arts industries and develop a range of skills to prepare for work or further study within the sector.

Ruthanne Baxter, University of Edinburgh (UoE) Museums Manager and Founder of Prescribe Culture, talks about their multi-programme offer that utilises engagement with heritage collections and sites, as preventative mental wellbeing support for the wider community and as early intervention referral options for students presenting with mild-moderate mental health difficulties.

A joint project between Warddykes Primary School, ANGUSalive’s Signal Tower Museum, Museums Galleries Scotland and Developing the Young Workforce that highlights the exciting and varied roles within museums and the skills required for these jobs.

Whilst being closed to the public due to Covid-19 regulations the team at Hoy Heritage Centre organised new impactful ways to display and share resources in the heritage centre. Funded through Museums Galleries Scotland.

In this case study Ross McGregor, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, talks about the heritage team’s decision to commit to change and develop their core programme to look at inequalities within the College’s history and bring more people into the conversation.

Glasgow Museums has taken steps to embed autism acceptance into all areas of its work. Lyn Mooney, Learning & Access Curator at the Riverside Museum, describes the wide range of measures - from improved accessibility and resources to workshops and training - which have been implemented to ensure a better experience for staff and visitors with autism.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on access to culture. The McManus responded to this challenge by partnering with Alzheimer Scotland, Home-Start Dundee and THAT (Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust) to deliver Reconnect, a remote engagement programme. Kim Galligan, Learning and Engagement Assistant (Digital) for Leisure and Culture Dundee, outlines the project and its impact on families and community groups.

Museum Engagement Officer Amy Crawford shares how a focus on wellbeing led to the development of a sensory backpack. By taking collections out into the community, this backpack improved access to University of Dundee Museums and facilitated engagement with new audiences.

Hedgerows can have a direct impact on climate change and carbon emissions, they also can help to create spaces and supportive habitats for many species to thrive.

Practical advice on how to create wildflower habitats, large and small, to encourage wildlife and plant biodiversity around your museum or gallery.

Learn more about biodiversity loss and why the rapid rate that it is currently happening at is catastrophic for the world’s ecosystems.