Inter-collect Intergenerational Toolkit for Museum Collections

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Intended Audience

“Professionals and volunteers working with heritage collections, who are looking to fulfil their collections’ potential to benefit society by organizing outreach programmes involving people from different age groups. It is ideal for those looking to create dedicated spaces within their institutions for these groups to come together and interact (known as intergenerational contact zones).”

A. Nikolić, International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)

2022

“Heritage collections have the power to connect people across different age groups. An intergenerational approach has been shown to boost self-worth in older adults, while the exchange of valuable cultural information and ideas between young people and their elders can be transformative for both groups. This dialogue has the potential to help achieve better social cohesion and can be facilitated as part of a museum’s outreach activities…” (p.1)

“Here you will find practical tools for promoting collections-mediated intergenerational dialogue, based on the following three approaches to communication:

STORYTELLING is the most traditional mechanism for cultural transmission and a natural choice for intergenerational programmes, particularly those relying on the sophisticated relationships between objects and oral histories.

CO-CREATION is a way for audiences to actively participate in the conception and realization of cultural programmes, similarly to how citizen science engages the public in scientific research. This helps ensure such programmes have relevance to society.

MENTORING is a form of one-on-one training, usually involving a senior person (the mentor) supporting the personal development of someone younger (the mentee). However, the learning in a mentorship can go both ways.” (p.1)

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SDGs LINKAGES

The resource is most closely related to SDG 4.7 (Education for Sustainable Development), SDG 4.A (provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments), SDG 10.2 (empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all), SDG 11.7 (provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces) and SDG 11.B (supporting policies for inclusion and Disaster Risk Reduction). These support SDG 3.4 (promote health and wellbeing).

The resource could be used to support SDG 11.3, on participatory decision making on the development of the community, drawing on collections.

As the resource can be used to inform educators’ practice to support Education for Sustainable Development, it supports SDG 4.4 (skills for work).

The focus on partnerships across generations also supports SDG 17.17 for multistakeholder partnerships.

Click on the SDG Target to discover Our Collections Matter indicators

SDG 3.4: Reduce Mortality from Non-Communicable Diseases and Promote Mental Health
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Plans, policies and procedures in place for the safe use of collections, notably in relation to chemical, physical, biological and other forms of hazard.
Proportion of users of collections facilities reporting positive well-being during and as a result of activities relating to collections.
Number and proportion of programmes relating to collections that incorporate wellbeing considerations and perspectives.
Number of targeted programmes drawing on collections that address issues relating to non-communicable diseases, supporting prevention and treatment.
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SDG 4.4: Increase the Number of People with Relevant Skills for Financial Success
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number of young people and adults in skills-development activities and programmes drawing on collections, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Increase in number of young people and adults in such programmes.
Number and proportion of staff who have received training in the last year, to better support their contribution to the SDGs.
Programs and processes in place to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce.
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SDG 4.7: Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of people in each type of programme drawing on collections from different demographic groups.
Increases in numbers of people in each type of programme from different demographic groups.
Proportion of people involved in such programmes in relation to overall audience size.
Evidence that learners have acquired knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development.
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SDG 4.A: Build and Upgrade Inclusive and Safe Schools
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number and proportion of education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive.
Proportion of education facilities that provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
Number and type of initiatives to improve effectiveness of learning environments.
Support given to other education facilities to make them more inclusive and effective.
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SDG 10.2: Promote Universal Social Economic and Political Inclusion
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Collections development to ensure that collections effectively meet the needs of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
Number and proportion of educational and participatory programmes that promote participation irrespective of social or other status.
Numbers and proportions of people making use of collections in relation to the demographic of the local population.
Numbers and proportions of people involved in focused programmes aimed at promoting social, economic and political inclusion.
Numbers and proportions of people from different demographic groups involved in decision-making processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
Number and types of partnerships that build relationships with marginalized groups, individuals and communities.
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SDG 11.3: Inclusive and Sustainable Urbanization
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically.
Plans in place for collections-based institutions to facilitate the incorporation of communities’ views into local planning and town management processes in a regular way.
Plans in place for collections-based institutions to facilitate the incorporation of minorities’ views into local planning and town management processes in a regular way.
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SDG 11.7: Provide Access to Safe and Inclusive Green and Public Spaces
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups, notably women, children, older people and persons with disabilities.
Increases in numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups.
Measures taken to remove barriers to access green and public spaces.
Extent of green space provided by collections institutions.
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SDG 11.B: Implement Policies for Inclusion, Resource Efficiency and Disaster Risk Reduction
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030a.
Disaster Risk Reduction strategies and plans in place, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, to ensure collecting institutions and collections are factored into planning, and contribute effectively to Disaster Risk Reduction.
Collections-based institutions included in local plans for social inclusion, resource use, and Disaster Risk Reduction.
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SDG 17.17: Encourage Effective Partnerships
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships.
Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of local, national and regional multi-stakeholder (public, public-private and civil society) partnerships that address the SDGs drawing on collections, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
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