This document discusses a skills development program between museums in the Highlands and Moray regions of Scotland. It outlines the challenges of serving museums across a large rural geography with limited resources. The program formed a partnership between various museum organizations to provide centralized training, share expertise, and raise standards through workshops, conferences, and site visits. By working together and learning from each other, the program helped museums overcome isolation, access funding, and improve their operations despite constraints. Organizers believe the collaborative approach and critical mass were key to its success, and they plan to continue and expand the program in the future.

1. A Wing and a Prayer;
The Highland and Moray Skills
Development Programme
Lorna Cruickshank, The Highland Council Katey Boal, The National Trust for Scotland

2. Where are we?

3. Who are we?
Highland Museums Forum:
•The Highland Council (officer support)
•Independent Highland Accredited museums
•The National Trust for Scotland
•Highlife Highland (Archives, Inverness Museum
& Art Gallery and the Highland Folk Museum)
Moray Heritage Connections:
•Moray Council Museums Service (Falconer Museum)
•Independent Accredited museums
•Non Accredited museums and heritage centres

4. The Challenges
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Geography - travel distance and time
Capacity and aging volunteers
Professional isolation
On-going need to maintain/raise standards
Wide range of skills levels and existing
knowledge
• Timetabling/avoiding clashes
• Funding…

5. Overcoming the Challenges
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Working together in an informal partnership
Sharing skills in the area
Using central venues
Critical mass
Prioritising needs based on numbers and
timescales
• Funding – MGS thank you!

6. Our First Partnership with Moray –
The Learning Initiative
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Wish to work together
Interest and evidenced need
MGS small grant
Low cost/no cost training central
location
• Skills sharing and museum support

7. Training, CPD, Schools Brochure,
Marketplace of Ideas!

8. Highland and Moray Skills
Development Programme
- the Plan
• Building on success and
learning from mistakes!
• Expanding content based on
recognised needs
• Trying out new approaches
• Sharing local skills as well as
bringing in national expertise
• More structured host visits

10. Workshops and conferences
Good teaching – best to learn by
experience
Well presented useful and relevant
Great- engaging & pertinent
Lots of food for thought, but also very
pragmatic

11. Host Visits at Knockandhu Woollen Mill
Grantown Museum and the National Museum of
Scotland, Edinburgh

12. Why we think it worked…
• Managed with clear responsibilities
for each organisation
• Learning from each other and sharing
skills
• Positive formal and informal
evaluation from museums
• Assisted in raising and maintaining
standards
• Critical mass
• Access to funding/skills for projects
• Research work

13. The FUTURE....
A formal partnership agreement
Highland and Moray Heritage project for Homecoming 2014
My heart’s in the Highlands…
2014
2014

14. Lorna Cruickshank
Independent Museums Support Officer
Education Culture and Sport Service
The Highland Council
01349 868206 Lorna.Cruickshank@highland.gov.uk
Katey Boal
Learning Manager
Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre
The National Trust for Scotland
0844 493 2159 kboal@nts.org.uk
www.museumsinthehighlands.com

15. A Wing and a Prayer;
The Highland and Moray Skills
Development Programme
Lorna Cruickshank, The Highland Council Katey Boal, The National Trust for Scotland