Leading Archives and Museums programme

Leading Archives and Museums is a national leadership development programme aimed directly at meeting the needs of managers in archives and museums. It has been commissioned by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) as part
of its workforce development strategy. The programme will equip managers with better skills to respond to the demands for more effective leadership at all levels as identified in Renaissance in the Regions; Listening to the Past, Speaking to the Future; and Inspiring Learning for All. Managers will also be better able to respond to any future policies which affect them. The programme was shaped by extensive consultation with people working in museums and archives and includes two levels: Senior Managers Leadership programme and Future Leaders programme.

Free places for archive and museum staff
MLA is offering free places on the course for East Midlands archives and museums staff. There are two free places on the Senior Managers course and one free place on the Future Leaders programme for archive staff.  There is one free place on each course for staff in the wider museums community (non-Renaissance partner museums).

The nomination forms are available below and need to be submitted no later than 31 August 2007. Candidates must ensure they are available on all the dates for the course modules. The dates are outlined in the application summary information below.

Renaissance East Midlands is also funding places for staff based at its partner museums.  More information on this funding is available from Ellie Spence on 01522 567137 or email Ellie. 

The programmes
Each of the programmes will help to:

• Build the capacity of managers to lead change and improvement in museums and archives,
• Provide participants with a broader and deeper understanding of themselves as leaders and an understanding of how they can use their leadership capacities to best effect,
• Enable participants to clarify and communicate a clear vision for change and development in their site or service,
• Increase the confidence of managers in museums and archives so that they have the courage to lead change,
• Develop the understanding, tools and techniques needed to position museums and archives with key partners and stakeholders.

The programmes will cover topics including challenges of leadership and leading in context, with the Senior Managers Leadership programme also including leading creatively. 

The programme is action-oriented with each person producing their own personal development plan and an action plan for implementation in the workplace.

Each programme includes work based activity, self reflection and taught modules. An e-forum and other support systems will be available to participants to help with their learning.

There will be some independent pre-course preparation, including required reading and related activities such as discussion with their line manager on the aims and anticipated outcomes of attending the programme. In addition, participants will
complete a developmental questionnaire and receive an individual feedback session with a qualified coach. An independent work-based project will enable participants to apply their learning to their own organisation.

More information about the programme is available at the FPM website.

Further information and the nomination forms are also available below:

Leading Archives and Museums brochure 2007 (375 kb)
Leading Archives and Museums 2007- 2008 summary (139 kb)
Leading Archives and Museums Future Leaders Nomination Form (309 kb)
Leading Archives and Museums Senior Managers Nomination Form (311 kb)