Staff and volunteer managementTe whakahaere i ngā kaimahi me ngā kaitūao

Manage and train your museum’s staff and volunteers.

Managing staff and volunteers

These resources will help you with the legal aspects of employing and managing staff.

Employment relations

For information about employment relations, see the Employment New Zealand website.

Employment New Zealand

Equal opportunities

Use the information and tools at the Diversity Works website to make the most of New Zealand’s increasingly diverse workforce. Learn how your organisation can recruit, retain, and motivate the people you need to be successful.

Diversity Works New Zealand

Fostering wellbeing

Following the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, maintaining good mental health and arranging options for working flexibility and remotely are likely to be ongoing challenges for organisations. Below are some resources to help you develop good practises to maintain good mental health amongst your staff.

Fostering healthy relationships (Te Papa) (217.12 KB)

Flexible working (Te Papa) (845.90 KB)

Building positive relationships in the workplace (MOTAT) (703.61 KB)

Developing a volunteer programme

Use this guide from National Service Te Paerangi, to develop an effective volunteer programme.

Working with Volunteers - He Rauemi Resource Guide (3.82 MB)

More resources and templates for working with volunteers

Training

What skills do the people who work at your place need to develop? How do you find out? How do you plan to meet their needs? These guides, from National Services Te Paerangi, look at how to put together (and evaluate) a training plan for your museum.

Developing a Training Plan – He Rauemi Resource Guide (1.47 MB)

Training Evaluation – He Rauemi Resource Guide (843.68 KB)

Workshops

Museum workshops are available through National Services Te Paerangi.

National Services Te Paerangi workshops

Qualifications in museum and heritage studies

  1. Victoria University of Wellington
    Location: Wellington and online
    Study options: Full-time, part-time
    Level: Postgraduate – PhD
    Duration: 1 year
    Note: VUW have a dedicated programme.

  2. University of Auckland
    Location: Auckland
    Study options: Full-time, part-time
    Level: Undergraduate – Master
    Duration: 1-4 years
    Note: UoA have a dedicated programme and an opportunity for specialisation in a related course.

  3. Massey University
    Location: Distance and online
    Study options: Full-time, part-time
    Level: Postgraduate
    Duration: 1 year
    Note: MU have a dedicated programme.

  4. University of Canterbury
    Location: Christchurch
    Study options: Full-time, part-time
    Level: Undergraduate
    Duration: 3 years
    Note: UC have an opportunity for specialisation in a related course.

  5. Eastern Institute of Technology
    Location: Gisborne
    Study options: Full-time, part-time
    Level: Postgraduate
    Duration: 1 year
    Note: This programme is on hold for 2024

If you are currently working as a museum professional, though you are looking to turn your work into a recognised qualification, you can undertake a New Zealand Certificate in Museum Practice.