The management of volunteers at heritage attractions: Literary heritage properties in the UK

This research involved an investigation of the role and management of volunteers at heritage-based visitor attractions in the UK. The structure of the UK visitor and heritage attractions market is considered, focusing on those museums and historic properties with links to a literary figure. The concept, nature and importance of volunteering is explored and the management of volunteers is considered as a process incorporating volunteer motivation and three key operational stages; the recruitment process, managing the volunteer resource, and monitoring and evaluation. The growing recognition of the significance of volunteers to the heritage industry is explored. In examining those who volunteer in museums and historic properties, this study includes those working in both front-of-house and behind-the-scenes roles. A triangulated research design was adopted. A two-stage quota-judgement sampling strategy identified eleven representative literary heritage properties where fieldwork took place, selected on the basis of key characteristics, including size and type of governing body. The research methodology consisted of a series of qualitative interviews with managers and selected volunteers at sampled sites and a postal questionnaire distributed to volunteers at the same locations; this was triangulated with observations and documentation. SPSS and the qualitative data analysis package QSR NUD*IST were employed to aid the analysis. Two groups of heritage volunteers are identified and their key characteristics explored: 'Mature Volunteers': socially-motivated older, retired professionals dominated numerically; and younger career-orientated 'Experience-Seeking Volunteers', primarily motivated and rewarded by gaining experience in a heritage environment. The role and career histories of managers responsible for volunteers are explored. While the key relationship in the management of volunteers is between the responsible manager and the volunteers, other inter-relationships are important in the volunteer and organisation's assessment of the volunteering experience; these include the relationships between the volunteers and: paid staff; other volunteers; visitors; the property; and the community.