How better volunteering can improve conservation: Why we need to stop wondering whether volunteering in conservation is a good thing and just get better at doing it well

Abstract

As a privately funded charity, the National Trust depends on the work of volunteers to achieve its core purposes of preserving places of historic interest and natural beauty for the benefit of the nation. During 2012-2013, 70,494 people contributed 3.8 million hours valued at 32.6 million, showing the Trust to be one of the largest British volunteeringorganisations and demonstrating how conservation volunteering has enabled Trust properties to open to the public and improve their state of conservation over the past 30 years. This article argues that the Trust's strategy of continued growth means that growth in conservation volunteering is both inevitable and positive. It reviews current debates in the heritage sector about whether volunteering is 'experience or exploitation' suggesting they are out-dated and unhelpful, and that wellmanaged volunteering can enrich lives and develop careers, as well as improve the state of conservation of cultural heritage, and is therefore a good thing. This discussion is set within the context of the Trust's programme of paid and unpaid internships and the various ways that people can be helped to enter and develop careers in collections conservation. © 2014 Icon, The Institute of Conservation.