Webinar life (Weekly blog, 29 March 2020)

A blog by Catherine Leonard, Secretary-General

We’ve all been doing lots of webinars recently.  (See last week’s blog!)  And on Monday we held our first INTO member webinar on responses to the coronavirus.  It was really good to share stories and experiences and to support one another. And afterwards to hear from others who couldn’t make it, but shared ideas and best wishes from afar. I was impressed and humbled by our members’ resilience and eagerness to support one another.  Thank you to everyone who participated!

INTO family

Fabrice Duffaud of Rempart illustrated this point beautifully on the webinar.  For 10 years, Rempart has worked with the Ruan Yisan Foundation in China.  Sharing volunteers on joint working holidays and other projects.  Well, under Ding Feng’s leadership the Foundation is sending medical supplies to France, in an expression of solidarity.   What a wonderful way to celebrate the INTO family!

We had considered developing an INTO C-19 advice hub, but there seems to be so much information out there at the moment (please check out the list below) that we wanted to focus on very specific requests from our INTO members.  To use our connectivity to find creative and positive outcomes.

ASK-INTO

Much of this can be done via social media.  (Stay tuned to @intoheritage!) But we’ve also begun a very simple shared document, a live resource for our members to find new strategies for resilience during this time by asking us at INTO.  You can find it on Google Docs here bit.ly/CV19ASKINTO.   Please use it to request information and expertise from our network.

The sorts of things we discussed on the webinar were:

• How are INTO members going to fill gaps in their budgets left by cancelling events and closing properties?
• How do we approach membership and membership extensions whilst our sites are closed?
• What support are INTO members asking their governments for?
• What advice do INTO Members have on how to manage outdoor spaces that are open to all (i.e. ungated or with multiple access points)?
• Who has good communications to share? Creative ideas, nice stories, good communications, fundraising ideas, messages of solidarity …

We want to support the INTO family and will keep sharing inspiring stories, creative ideas and messages of solidarity to help us all through these challenging times.   Please pass on anything you think might be helpful to other INTO members.

Other resources and ideas

The US National Trust for Historic Preservation has shared resources for preservationists, museums and historic sites.  To keep staff and audiences engaged and involved, but also to connect them to others in the field.

Thanks to the National Trust for Canada for even mentioning our webinar in their latest newsletter!  They also shared links to lots of resources for the Canadian sector.

Take a look at the NTEWNI’s celebration of the blossom season emulating Hanami, the ancient Japanese tradition of viewing and celebrating blossom as the first sign of spring.  With our connection to nature more important now than ever, the Trust is encouraging those who can see a tree in flower – whether in their garden, through their window or on city streets – to take a moment to pause, actively notice and enjoy the fleeting beauty of blossom, and share their images on social media for those who can’t see blossom themselves.   INTO Members can help #BlossomWatch go global?  (The Trust’s press release is here.)

Our colleagues here at The Heritage Alliance in the UK have developed an advice hub.  This includes general government advice but also a useful digest of statements from organisations across the sector.  Alongside very specific information like ‘cleaning historic surfaces’.

Some of our members asked whether we might hold another webinar, so we’ll look for a time that might work for other parts of the world and arrange that shortly.  In the meantime, do keep yourselves, your families, your colleagues and organisations safe and well.   And we look forward to connecting again soon!

More resources

Impact surveys

• Heritage Fund (UK): How CV-19 Is Affecting you
• ICOMOS Survey: Impact of Heritage Closures due to Covid-19

Fundraising 

• Bloomerang webinar series on e.g. online events and fundraising in challenging times
• Kindful: How to Fundraise During Coronavirus

Digital

• Cuseum’s webinar recording: How to Keep your Audience Engaged, Entertained and Inspired During the Age of Coronavirus
• Charity Digital’s CV-19 resources
• ICOM’s advice on how to reach – and engage – your public remotely

Communications

• Media Trust (UK)’s Digital Marketing Strategy Toolkit
• CharityComms (UK)’s Crisis Comms Best Practice Guide

Governance

• Acevo (Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations – UK): Leadership in challenging times
• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations – UK)’s Coronavirus and governance: What charity trustees need to think about
• Non-Profit Law (US)’s Coronavirus and COVID-19  
• Association of Chairs (UK)’s Coronavirus- what can Chairs do?