English Heritage exists to protect and promote England's spectacular historic environment and ensure that its past is researched and understood.

Heritage Link was set up in 2002 by national heritage groups to promote the central role of the voluntary movement in the sector and to make their voice heard collectively and coherently

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. We fund the entire spread of heritage - including buildings, museums, natural heritage and the heritage of cultural traditions and language

DCMS aims to improve the quality of life for all through cultural and sporting activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries.

Communities and Local Government sets UK policy on local government, housing, urban regeneration, planning and fire and rescue. We have responsibility for all race equality and community cohesion related issues across Great Britain.

The Sector Skills Council for advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, music, performing, literary and visual arts. We are an industry-led, campaigning organisation operating across the United Kingdom. Through better skills development, our aim is to secure world beating creative enterprise and more diverse cultural industries

MLA works with regional agencies in the MLA Partnership to improve people's lives by building knowledge, supporting learning, inspiring creativity and celebrating identity.

ASC is the national centre for delivering the skills & knowledge needed to make better places. ASC remit is to increase capacity and capability in the sector, improve professional practice, deliver better outcomes, raise awareness, and set the standard.

The site promotes publicly-funded UK museums, galleries, archives and heritage attractions and seeks to get the message about Britain's great culture to a broad online audience nationally and worldwide. It has recently had a facelift and includes new features for teachers.

Audiences London is here to offer support, guidance and services to help cultural organisations in London develop their audiences. It's a network which enables collaboration and exchange between organisations of all shapes and sizes in reaching out to audiences in new or more effective ways.

The Association for Heritage Interpretation is a key forum for anyone interested in interpretation - the art of helping people explore and appreciate our world. AHI aims to promote excellence in interpretation, and to gain wider recognition for it as a distinct professional activity. It runs networking events, a lively annual conference and a national awards scheme, and publishes a regular journal and newsletter.

Historic Scotland safeguards Scotland’s historic environment and promotes its understanding and enjoyment to all.

Community Archives and Identities is part of a research project based at the School of Library Archive and Information Studies at UCL and supported by the AHRC. The aim of this site is to provide a space for the project team to share ideas with people interested in community archives, particularly in black and other minority ethnic communities. To find out more visit

Participation Works is a consortium of six leading children and young people's organisations that provides expert advice to anyone wanting to give a voice to children and young people. They run events, workshops and have downloadable resources to help you consult with children and young people.

Revealing Histories is a partnership of eight museums and galleries in Greater Manchester. They came together in 2007 to commemorate the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade in 1807 and to explore the legacy of slavery in their collections, in their communities and in their region. Slavery is part of our shared history that still impacts on our lives today.
Site includes filmed debates, opportunities for discussion and historical interpretation.

MLA NE have produced a useful web summary (with links) of the contribution by MLAs in the region to communities and to local government.

Research funded by the forestry commission into, amongst other subjects; barriers to accessing woodland; the benefits of using woodlands and natural spaces; Woodland and health pilot project.

The Museums Association (MA) is an independent membership organisation representing museums and galleries in the UK and people who work in them. The MA has over 5,000 individual members and 600 institutional members. Formed in 1889, the MA is the oldest museum association in the world. Today it provides information through its website and publications, runs a series of events around museum issues, lobbies government and sets ethical standards through its policy department, and offers a comprehensive professional development programme helping members further their careers.

A training package designed to encourage museums and galleries to involve people with experience of mental health problems has been commissioned by a partnership of NSIP, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, the V&A, Tate Modern, The Wallace Collection and Portugal Prints, and developed by the University of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT and the Lost Artists Club. It aims to help build the bridges needed between people with mental health problems, museums and galleries and the wider community.
For more information see:

The Art of Common Space is a new programme of commissions, events and an international online network which aims to generate new thinking and influence the development of our common spaces through creative exploration.

Drawing on the historic term of 'the commons', The Art of Common Space looks at the basic premise of 'public' space and asks if there still exixts a space which we can call 'common' - an essential space that through its use, facilitates the celebration and bringing together of individuals from the diverse cultures that constitute our modern society.

The Art of Common Space provides unique opportunities for artists, creative professionals and public realm specialists to explore new ideas for creative public realm development by considering the use and reality of our common and public spaces, as both physical and social sites. It also provides new opportunities for a diverse audience to engage with the issues of ‘common space’.

This website has been set up to show the variety and quantity of community archives in the UK. It's a meeting-place where archives can publicise their work and share their experiences.
It includes some interesting case studies and guidance on setting up your own archival website.

The Arts and Humanities Research Council [AHRC] supports world-class research that furthers our understanding of human culture and creativity.

From ancient history and heritage science to modern dance and digital content

The AHRC funds research on a very wide range of subjects, from traditional humanities such as history, English, linguistics, French and other modern languages, philosophy and classics, area and interdisciplinary studies to creative and performing arts such as drama, dance, music, art and design.

It includes case studies and evaluation tool kits.

*engage is a membership organisation representing gallery, art and education professionals in the UK and in 15 countries worldwide.
*engage promotes access to, enjoyment and understanding of the visual arts through gallery education

The aim of the Association is to foster research and to disseminate information on the history of Black peoples in Britain. They publish a Newsletter three times a year in July, November and March, and hold annual conferences. They take up issues with government departments and quangoes, such as English Heritage re-Blue Plaques and much else, with the QCA on school curricula, and MLA regarding archives, libraries and museums. We have also worked on specific projects with other organisations. e.g. in the past with CASBAH, and the National Archives' website on the history of Black peoples in Britain since the mid 16th century.

The Outreach Department works with local communities on creative projects which encourage a greater understanding of England's diverse histories, and help to build strong communities through promoting sense of place and identity.

This programme aims to build capacity in the voluntary sector, its regional and local organisations such as Civic Trusts, Historic Houses Association members, CPRE and others.

The Heritage Funding Directory is a comprehensive guide to sources of financial support (and more) for anyone seeking to undertake creative projects connected with the UK's heritage. It includes details of the majority of substantive sources of funding from central and local government, non-governmental agencies and grant-making trusts which specialise in supporting heritage projects, as well as many which provide such funding within a wider remit.

For general information about social justice and museums and galleries, libraries, archives and other cultural and heritage organisations, see The Network - tackling social exclusion [with a link to www.seapn.org.uk]. See also membership details and the file of monthly newsletters.

The Community Development Foundation is a leading source of intelligence, guidance and delivery on community development in England and across the UK. CDF is a non-departmental public body and a registered charity supported by Communities and Local Government (CLG).



CDF's Vision is for an inclusive and just society and their mission is to lead community development analysis and strategy, in order to empower people to influence decisions that affect their lives.

Your Place or Mine? was a conference about broadening access to heritage, run by English Heritage and the National Trust in November 2006. It brought together 350 policy makers and practitioners to debate, share ideas and network. The blog was produced instead of conference proceedings.

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans History Month takes place every year in February. It celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBT community. Committed to celebrate its diversity and that of the society as a whole. They encourage everyone to see diversity and cultural pluralism as the positive forces that they are and endeavour to reflect this in all they do.

Launched in October 2008 to mark the completion of Heritage Link’s two year diversity programme, this site includes project stories, case studies, guidance and tools to show why diversity matters, what heritage has to offer people and to link people and places. It has fulfilled one of Heritage Link’s key objectives to increase the capacity of member organisations. This programme challenged everyone involved to extend their commitment to diversity and shown the many innovative and different ways in which it can be done.

The International Coalition of Sites of Conscience is a worldwide network of “Sites of Conscience” – historic sites specifically dedicated to remembering past struggles for justice and addressing their contemporary legacies.
It has a number of interesting resources including project guidelines on dealing with contentious issues and program models giving project case studies.

We want to know what makes your place distinct and for you to capture this using music, song, words or a photograph.This is your opportunity to create a record of the identity of your place - both good and bad, and even the ugly! Whether you live in Glasgow or Gigha, we want you to capture the essence of your place and tell us about it. Everyone can post their photos, prose, poetry and even music on the website

AS part of its drive to raise standards in how MLA organisations engage with individuals and communities they are featuring a variety of projects including film making with homeless men in Manchester, showcaseing Muslim Artists at BMAG and the Sensory Gallery at Wolverhampton amongst others.

Essential kit for your career
Creative Choices° is the first online service to provide the tools, knowledge and networks to support every individual and business to get in, and get on, in the creative industries and cultural sector.

This forum has been created to allow everyone with an interest in the work of Communities and Local Government to contribute their views on current policy and emerging issues

Promoting the importance of learning through museums, galleries and other cultural organisations.

If you want to share the results of an archaeological excavation, buildings survey or landscape study project with others, then this is the place for you. You could place material here to gain a greater profile for your project, to share ideas and to start discussions about the interpretation of the material you have found. Also try joining the Community Archaeology email discussion list.

The Creative Portal is a one stop shop for the Creative Industries. Whether you're an established business, an aspiring artist, needing careers advice or need to find a creative business, this is the place to go. It features Business and freelance directory that companies can register for free; Free jobs listing; Complete list of regional training course and institutions; Latest industry news; and great links.

Culture on Demand was commissioned by DCMS to consider the fundamental drivers of demand and in particular to understand what motivates people to engage in culture and the barriers of perception which imply that traditional cultural services are not often enough seen as a relevant leisure option. The report focuses on the PSA 3 priority groups - BME, disabled and lower socio-economic groups, but its not exclusively about these groups.

The summer 2007 issue of Conservation Bulletin focussed on broadening access to heritage beyond traditional audiences. Beginning with community perspectives, articles look at how people have chosen to interpret their own heritage; then new heritage sector initiatives are highlighted. A section looks to the skills and training needed by the sector, with practical guidance for people interested in delving into this work.

This report looks at the convergence of three trends: technological change, the way that people engage with culture, and the policy aim of increasing democratic participation in culture, with particular regards to audiences described as �hard to reach

First speech from James Purnell on appointment as Secretary of State - 'World class from the grass roots up'. July 2007.

This is a guide to setting up an 'arts ambassador's' programme in arts organisations and using arts ambassadors as an effective tool for audience and market development. It explores good working relationships and time investment that may lead to positive changes in an organisation.

Ethical principles for all who work for or govern museums in the UK. All Museums Association members agree to abide by these.

The Museums Association produces best practice salary guidelines for the museums and gallery sector, based on extensive research and consultation. Originally published in 2004 and updated in 2006, these have now been updated for 2008/09 in line with inflation and current trends.

Young People, Libraries & Censorship – A Powerpoint presentation by Sarah McNicol, independent researcher

Teenage engagement – Matthew Imrie, Teen Librarian, LB Enfield. Powerpoint presentation

A government discussion paper analysing the trends and drivers of social mobility. Published November 2008.
posted 08.12.08

Joseph Rowntree Foundation 10th annual report monitoring poverty and social exclusion was published in December. This report is key reading for an analysis of where exactly the Government's ambitious social inclusion agenda has reached.

Andy Burnham's speech to University of Liverpool: five lessons from Liverpool's year as capital of culture. Including proposal for a roving British City of Culture Prize in the future.

07 January 2009

New report from JRF, which looks at ‘what works’ in engaging young British Muslim Pakistani men.

“The report highlights:

* the impact made by the WBYI in building social capital, developing active citizenship, encouraging participation in neighbourhood life and increasing awareness;
* the need for sustainability and flexibility in effective engagement with young British Muslim Pakistani men;
* the importance of building trusting relationships with local communities;
* the effectiveness of capitalising on local talent and local networks for meeting community needs;
* the potential of creative arts informed project work.”

This guidance document is designed to support museums, libraries and archives to
develop policies and procedures that ensure the safeguarding of children.
MLA is committed to ensuring museums, libraries and archives are safe places and
spaces for children.

Self evaluation guidelines from the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council)

New guide from Participation Works, published by NCB, “aims to provide an understanding of why some children and young people might not make use of the services, organisations and activities that are on offer to them. It also offers practical ideas for enabling those individuals to get involved.”

This latest in the National Youth Agency’s series of case studies “picks up practice in five projects working with young volunteers to promote and develop community cohesion. The young people are either marginalised or at risk of being marginalised, often because of a range of complex factors such as where they live, their racial background, their lifestyle choices, their faith, or a lack of opportunities.”

This new guide from CDF shows you a selection of practical resources produced by community groups, including toolkits, books and DVDs. The resources all demonstrate some of the outcomes of successful faith, community and voluntary sector projects.



The guide covers a wide range of materials, many of which are available free or at a very low cost. Some are specifically faith based and some are universal, but they will all be useful to anyone who wants to see the results of funding community projects.

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Evaluation Resource Pack, published in association with the National Institute for Continuing Adult Education (NIACE) is now available as a free download. The pack provides creative and participatory methods for evaluating charitable activity.

This website explores the connections between objects in the home and those in museums, with a view to developing family learning, and using family stories to develop literacy, language and engage diverse cultures and communities. Every Object Tells a Story provides an insight into objects associated with the Khan family (originally from Pakistan) and draws on these to narrate the interests, histories and stories of a family. Of particular note is the teachers pack which can be downloaded. Aimed at Key Stage 2 (although it can be adapted for other age ranges) this provides a programme of structured activities both in the classroom and museum, offering teachers and museum educators a starting point to “develop their own ideas around how objects, stories and museums can be used to enhance family learning opportunities”. The project was developed in partnership with MLA Yorkshire and drew on the AHRC-funded Ferham Families project (also documented here) which “at the relationship between objects in the home and the narratives of migration of families of Pakistani heritage”.

Contains some good case studies (families and museums among others) and practical ideas.
The aim of the toolkit is to raise awareness of the contribution of culture and sport to community life and embed culture and sport in sustainable community strategies and local area agreements.

An evaluation report looking at 100 HLF funded projects from 2005 - 2007.

A member driven discussion on the topic of 'Community Ambassadors'.
Click on the player below to listen to the podcast.
You can download the podcast in both high and low quality. Click here for high quality. Click here for lower quality. Both will work fine on a portable MP3 player or iPOD.
A transcript of the podcast is available in both Word and PDF.
Got something you want to add. Why not visit the discussion forum?

You can download the panel's response to your written questions following on from the original podcast here in word and pdf format.

Members of Our Place have submitted videos produced as a result of community heritage projects.

We have posted short versions of the films here; for more info about each of the projects plus details about getting hold of the full length versions, please check out the info with each video.
If you would like to see your film included on this site please contact the Our Place Facilitator at rebecca.ourplace@yahoo.com.

This blog billed as "your resource for word of mouth in the arts and more" has a useful checklist of things to think about when setting up an ambassador scheme as well as case studies.

Read about a long term project with older people based at Sutton House in Hackney here.

Learn more about a celebration of five years of intergenerational projects at the Women's Library here.

For a look at the wider issues of community engagement with older people there is an M.A. dissertation.

To find out more about intergenerational projects funded by the HLF (Heritage Lottery Fund) we have a [May 2008 briefing].

Why not have your say, or ask questions about the articles in our resource file in the forum community outreach with older people.

The May '08 of the National Youth Agency’s Youth Action and Engagement is about intergenerational work, including volunteering., and contains some case studies showing how particular pieces of work have developed.

a campaign by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, based in USA. Engaging local communities to make the most of the places that are important to them, in order to stop them disappearing.

You can read the Arts Council’s first national strategy for the arts, health and well-being pub. 2007. This was influenced by the research they commissioned in 2004 to explore the relationship of arts and humanities with healthcare and the influence and effects of the arts on health. You can see the full report Arts in Health by Rosalina Staricoff or the summary Can the Arts have a positive effect on health?.

The Sydney De Haan Reseach Centre for Arts and Health in Caterbury have commissioned several studies into different aspects of health and music including the recent evaluation of a project with older people called the Silver Song Club and a wider review of Singing and Health in the community.

There is increasing interest from the academic community around the health benefits and influences of heritage. Here is an article by Dr Helen Chatterjee from UCL especially commissioned by Our Place about research into taking handling objects into hospitals.

You can read more about her work using artefacts for learning and health across the University here.

For a wider and more in-depth consideration of the role of Heritage and Well-being, Our Place commissioned an article by Dr Beverley Butler at the UCL Centre for Museums, Heritage and Material Culture. Rethinking Heritage as Pharmakon is concerned with the dangers of heritage being seen as a quick fix solution to well-being, and that the sticking plaster attitude when working with vulnerable groups means there is danger of doing some harm as well good.

There is plenty of evidence supporting the benefits of access to natural heritage, and in Scotland the Forestry Commission have been researching why some groups of people find it hard to get out into woodlands and green spaces. New Pathways for Health and Well-being is a summary of their findings. The case studies include; parents with young children, young people looking for work and older people with disabilities.

July 2008 saw the publication of a new report, which concluded that “artistic expression” is helpful for mental health. Funding from the National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) brought together a research team, led by Jenny Secker, Professor of Mental Health at Anglia Ruskin University and the South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and partners University of Central Lancashire. For a summary of the findings look here, and for the full report look here.

If you wish to comment on any of the above then please do join the Health and Well-being forum and have your say.

As an introduction to the area of reading and health, The Reader Organisation and The Lancet hosted this event at the Wellcome Collection. It brought together over one hundred people - medical professionals, academics, librarians, researchers, journalists, policy makers and representatives from funding bodies and publishers - to open up a discussion about the relation between reading literature and the health/wellbeing benefits that arise from it.



Why should literature matter to health professionals? Can reading a good book really make a difference to someone suffering from cancer or terminal illness? How will a dementia sufferer benefit from reading poetry? In what way could a busy GP be helped through reading Wordsworth?

posted 29.01.09

A new publication from CLG presents guidance for local cohesion practitioners on how to develop individuals’ sense of belonging to their immediate neighbourhood. The guidance explains that a sense of belonging is a key indicator of community cohesion. It outlines the key findings of research which examined people's identity and sense of belonging. It presents a selection of local authority statements on cohesion and local belonging from their Sustainable Community Strategies. It also provides advice on writing such a statement and sets out some specific examples of initiatives that have been established to help foster a sense of belonging to local communities.

The document aims to provide advice on establishing such initiatives, including: communicating the vision; using history, key past events and shared memories; using geographical features, key buildings, parks and other symbols; using symbolic events, such as festivals and carnivals; using activities and shared interests such as sport, art or culture; welcoming new residents; and promoting empowerment.

Launched in January 2005, Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society sets out the Government's commitment to create strong cohesive communities in which every individual, whatever their racial or ethnic origin, is able to fulfil their potential through the enjoyment of equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities.

This report provides information on progress to increase race equality and community cohesion. It outlines progress that is being made towards achieving race equality in the key public services and in building community cohesion.

A detailed statistical breakdown called 'Race Equality in Public Services' (REPS) is included in the report. This contains in-depth statistical information about performance with a focus on race inequality using data from published surveys and official statistics provided by Government Departments.

New report from the Community Development Foundation, which looks at the learning coming out of projects funded via the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund (FCCBF) and Connecting Communities Plus, Community Grants. Particularly useful summary of good practice for people engaged in community cohesion work.

The Government's New Opportunities White Paper argued that social mobility has improved in recent years. Some 600,000 youngsters have been lifted out of poverty in the last decade. The proportion of young people from lower income families going to university has gone up.

However, the White Paper also recognised that in some deprived areas, young people are less likely to aim high. They do not always make the link between doing well in education and doing well in life. Low self esteem, low aspirations and limited horizons can act as barriers to success.

The white paper summary and details here.

This strategy sets out the Department's vision for our ongoing relationship with the third sector.

It starts with the measures needed to provide our third sector with a healthy environment in which to thrive. Next, it sets out the nature of our relationship with third sector organisations and how we can make the partnership stronger and more beneficial to us both. The strategy then considers how we can help to provide a sustainable pool of talented and enthusiastic volunteers.

It tackles the question of social enterprise and, finally, it re-iterates our commitment to act as champion for third sector organisations in our sectors. The strategy translates our vision, wherever possible, into direct actions.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport Third Sector Strategy

This report looks at groups (including white working class boys) who find reading difficult and looks at different communication methods that can engage people more effectively, for example exploring perceptions of what reading is and how to attract people to it by subversive means not mentioning reading at all.

This report looks at groups (including white working class boys) who find reading difficult and looks at different communication methods that can engage people more effectively, for example exploring perceptions of what reading is and how to attract people to it by subversive means not mentioning reading at all.

See some short film clips with advice on broadening access to heritage for families on low income as well as a wider look at the impact of government policy and programmes which attempt to tackle inequality here.

Look here for film clips and transcripts of key presentations from the English Heritage hosted conference about engaging families on low incomes.