Image: Volunteers at Norwich Cathedral library © Historic England Archive
Beginning in May, the survey is hoped to identify barriers to volunteering and gaps in representation in the heritage sector.
Historic England is beginning to survey the diversity of volunteers in the heritage sector, from which it plans to share actionable public results.
Its ‘Heritage Sector Volunteer Cohort Diversity Survey’ will run from May until July 2025, after which its results will be published.
The survey is hoped to identify barriers to volunteering and gaps in representation across the sector.
The survey follows Historic England’s pilot workforce diversity study, which was published last year. That study found 90% of the respondents described themselves as white.
Sean Curran, Head of Inclusive Heritage at Historic England, said: “Volunteers play a vital role in the heritage sector, contributing skills from visitor engagement to archaeological excavation. Understanding the makeup of our volunteer community is essential to ensure heritage is truly accessible to everyone.”
Historic England is looking for volunteer co-ordinators in heritage organisations to enable their volunteers to take part, and is offering free online training sessions in March and April 2025.
The findings of the survey will be made publicly available to help organisations develop targeted strategies for creating more inclusive volunteering opportunities across the heritage sector.
Heritage organisations interested in participating in the survey or requesting bespoke training sessions should contact Historic England at [email protected].
