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Six months before it opened in July 2002, the Imperial War Museum North embarked upon an ambitious community volunteering programme, working with over 100 local residents - many from disadvantaged backgrounds. Volunteers worked towards vocational qualifications in the Museum, building confidence, gaining experience and increasing employability. This article fully describes this unique program.

"... The project was ambitious because it started six months before the new Museum was due to open, and its key purpose was to use a new, high profile cultural venue to promote social inclusion. Members of the local communities were invited to support staff in front-of-house operational roles and, at the same time, work towards National Vocational Qualifications (more about these later) accredited by the fifth partner, the local Further Education College in neighbouring Salford. Volunteers from disadvantaged groups were targeted, as were older, more confident or semi-professional citizens who would be able to act as ambassadors for both their communities and the Museum and, equally important, promote and facilitate peer and intergenerational learning.

"The Programme was a success, and a crucial set-up phase for the new seventeen-month continuation Programme – ‘Volunteer Plus’. We learned a lot along the way. A summary of the key findings was published in the IWM North’s report on the Programme and is included here . The following provides just a few highlights of our experience of working with our particular group of volunteers."

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