Situation:
Following on from the success of our workshop at the National Trust conference we were invited to create and deliver 3 pilot workshops. The training would help the National Trust define how volunteers and staff can use Storytelling as a valid communication and interpretation tool, throughout its properties.
Solution:
We offered a selection of bespoke workshops to suit participants from within a single property, as well as regional and national staff and volunteers. These were delivered over the course of 2 months as 2 train the trainers workshops and one workshop for a specific property. This would allow us to explore the effects and best possible long-term results from our training.
Results:
Participants were excited by the new interpretation possibilities created through the translation and application of storytelling techniques and processes. At the end of the training they were looking forward to using the workshops, they had learnt to deliver, to re-enthuse their colleagues' work, interpretation and engagement with the public. Of particular interest was how so much history can be conveyed through the attention and focus given to one small detail, instead of sharing large quantities of information and facts. Finally the workshops provided an ideal forum for ideas exchange and skills and knowledge share across different properties and regions.
We have since gone on to deliver similar train the trainers programmes and "Communicating with the Public" workshops to other regions and individual properties, including Croome Park and Court where we trained over 100 volunteers.