Over the past five years, Ripon Museum Trust has developed a track record in supported volunteering for health and wellbeing. With the support of a charitable Foundation we are in year three of a programme called ‘Volunteering for the Soul’ and we have two further years funded. This delivers volunteering opportunities to those excluded due to a mental health diagnosis or condition or learning disability. Our results are impressive. A high proportion of these volunteers go on to employment or courses of study. They all report increases in confidence, creativity and happiness. 

Equality of opportunity, inclusivity and diversity are at the heart of what RMT aspires to. As an ACE funded organisation we are committed to continually reviewing our performance in these areas and striving to improve. RMT provides a high quality, safe, creative and purposeful environment for volunteering. Through engagement with heritage themes, real work with our heritage assets people develop their creativity. Creativity and participation is proven to improve mental and physical health. A new Steering Group on Health, Wellbeing and Inclusivity has been set up to steer our direction to further develop our capacity and resources, capital investment and our ACE National Portfolio work.  

We are looking for someone to work with us on a consultancy basis to help us capture and shape our work, building on our journey to date in line with our new mission and strategy. Full details can be found on our website. The successful consultancy must have significant experience in the cultural sector and an in depth knowledge of the volunteering and health and wellbeing sector and the ability to communicate with and train others in this area.