30 C O N T E X T 1 2 0 : J U LY 2 0 1 1 JUDY JONES British Waterways trains staff and volunteers Preparations for British Waterways’ move to charitable status are making the need to progress and expand the organisation’s heritage training even more important. British Waterways cares for &,#!% designated heritage assets. As British Waterways’ head of heritage Nigel Crowe wrote in Context !!% (November &"!"), this makes it the third largest custodian of listed buildings in England, after the Church of England and the National Trust. In a recent internal survey, heritage came out top with staff in a ‘what’s most important about Britain’s waterways’ questionnaire. For the impending new waterways charity, heritage is a unique selling point.To look after the historic assets of an operational waterway network, both staff and volunteers need to recognise their key roles, not only in keeping heritage assets safe and working, but in enhancing visitors’ sense of place, wellbeing and desire to make repeat visits. Over the past decade, British Waterways has transformed the way it imparts awareness and understanding of its historic estate.The current team of seven heritage advisors delivers a range of training to office-based staff, toolbox talks to waterway-based staff, and practical training targeting masons and joiners who carry out repairs on the estate. Staff at British Waterways take a number of different training packages, ranging from water safety to computer literacy and media presentation. We have developed a variety of methods, from using live sites to repair historic buildings and learn about traditional materials, to producing DVDs showing the full environmental implications of carrying out works on a multi-designated site. In addition to these, and following theMemorandumof Understanding in &""# which promoted best practice for works in the historic buildings sector, BritishWaterways embarked on a programme of practical skills assessment with the target of achieving (" Heritage Champions by &"!'.These would be staff successfully completing the NVQ Level + in Heritage Skills and the associated CSCS card scheme. Many masons and joiners have already qualified. Under the assessment and guidance of the Heritage Craft Alliance, the scheme has been expanded to include many of BritishWaterways’ waterway supervisors who are taking the Level + NVQ Diploma in Construction Site Supervision (Conservation). The heritage champions programme has proved so popular that over $" staff have either completed or are due to complete it by September &"!!, achieving the target three years earlier than originally anticipated. Creating heritage champions adds value to British Waterways. It will send a clear message that the new waterways charity, once it is introduced, is a credible custodian of this national asset. The successful programme has not only revalued the skills within British Waterways, it has highlighted new opportunities and benefits. Heritage champions can cascade information to and inspire best practice in their colleagues. Potentially they can also mentor and upskill volunteers. The volunteers who already help in so many ways on the waterways have long hungered for some form of accredited training. With an estate rich in designated assets, the potential for training on sites around the British Waterways network is huge. Discussions with current volunteer groups from canal societies to the Waterways Action Squad, and from the Future Jobs Fund to the Prison and Probation Services, show that they all have short, medium and long term training aspirations. Many want more than just a nice day out or a photocopied certificate. They hope for a tangible outcome for all their efforts. Some are hoping to learn new skills, others for a qualification and others for something to put on their CV. Judy Jones is one of seven BritishWaterways heritage advisers. She has particular responsibility for developing heritage learning. BritishWaterways claims to have transformed the way it imparts awareness and understanding of its historic estate over the past decade. (Photo: ©xendo)
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