Volunteers in cultural heritage: FAI and Mi riconoscire meet to value professionals

Last Monday, at the headquarters of FAI - Fondo Ambiente Italiano in Milan, a meeting was held between FAI, represented by Marco Magnifico, Daniela Bruno, Marco Di Luccio and Vittoria Meloni, and the movimennto Mi riconosci? I am a cultural heritage professional, represented by Daniela Pietrangelo and Amy Rodighiero. The purpose of the meeting was to clarify roles on the issue of “volunteers and professionals in culture” and agree on actions for the enhancement of professionals working in culture. The meeting was held under the banner of mutual openness and purposefulness.

“Importantly, on the part of FAI,” the communiqué reads, "it has grasped how the communication line used in recent years by the Foundation, aimed at rewarding its volunteers, may have overshadowed the essential role of professionals in Cultural Heritage. FAI recognized the need and opportunity to emphasize in its institutional communication the role of the many professionals who make up its staff (273 employees in 2018, a number that is growing) or collaborate with it. In addition, FAI clarified some aspects about the involvement of volunteers in its activities, whose very high number, declared during national events such as FAI Spring Days, mostly includes high school students - called Apprentice Tour Guides - who cannot be considered volunteers, but rather participants in a school training project (including school-to-work alternation service). FAI, also at the suggestion of Mi Riconosci, is committed on future occasions to give proper emphasis to these aspects in its communication, in order to offer the public a correct view of its own activity and mission."

“It then moved on to the practicalities,” the text continues. “FAI explained to Mi Riconosci the strategies, already undertaken and initiated, that over the next three years will lead the Foundation to offer a cultural service of accompanying visits to its properties supported only by multimedia materials and professional guides (already employed in large numbers by FAI to carry out all group and school visits, and for educational workshops); this is to avert any problems of overlap, real or perceived, between staff and volunteer personnel in FAI properties.”

“FAI,” the statement adds, “undertakes to disseminate to its Delegations what is stated here and says it is willing to discuss the text of Mi Riconosci’s proposed law for the regulation of cultural volunteering.”

“In the face of FAI’s statements,” the document concludes, “Mi Riconosci undertakes to monitor developments and the implementation of the commitments made and to prepare and send a report to the Foundation every six months, beginning the week before the 2018 FAI Fall Day.”

Volunteers in cultural heritage: FAI and Mi riconoscire meet to value professionals

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