Newsletter Issue Number:
AICCM National Newsletter No 151 September 2020
Author:
Jennifer O'Connell

Strategic Plan 2020–2025

At the annual Face-to-Face meeting (this year held virtually), the AICCM National Council finalised the 2020–2025 Strategic Plan. This document has been a year in the making with much of the content originating from the Collections Future Workshop, which was hosted by Foresight Consultant Jose Ramos last year. The AICCM Sustainable Collections Committee organised the workshop to look at the AICCM and the wider collections industry, to consider how we ended up where we are today and imagine how we will look in the future. This work helped create the vision for the current Strategic Plan, which is accompanied by a detailed Business Plan for National Council to use on an annual basis.

Compared to previous plans, there is a deliberate shift in the language used. In the Vision, we state that:

The AICCM links the ‘when’ of conservation (deep time, present time, and carrying forward the present to the future) to a multiplicity of meanings and values. We foster an environment where conservation decisions are led by the meaning and value of objects, and are capable of incorporating multiple contexts.

We espouse the values of being Participatory, showing Respect, having Accountability, showing Commitment and Professionalism, and being Adaptable.

The strategic goals are: Advocacy, Member Engagement, Professional Discourse, Community Engagement, Fundraising and Governance. Under each strategic goal we have listed major projects that go towards achieving that goal.

Biannual Member Survey

We would appreciate feedback on the Strategic Goals and Major Projects that will be the focus for the next five years. Therefore, would you all please take a few minutes to complete the AICCM Member Survey, which will remain open until 14 September 2020 at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SPBPFD8

This is the third member survey (held bi-annually) and your responses are of great help to National Council. We review the results in detail at our annual Face-to-Face meeting, which assists with decision making and planning.

The surveys are used by National Council to determine the importance of events, awards and communications, as well as ask important questions such as the preferred name of the organisation or the structure of the National Conference. We are coming up to our third survey, which means that we will start to have interesting data where we can look for trends.

Past survey results

In the last survey, we asked membership if they would like to see the name of the organisation changed. A few names were suggested as examples, but there was no consensus on the names suggested, with many respondents not keen on a change at all. The most popular suggestion was the Australian Institute for Conservators and it was noted by many that something shorter than our current name would be easier. Many respondents noted that it is important that we differentiate ourselves from environmental conservation. As the responses were so divided, and it was not seen as a priority at this stage, it was not a topic that was further investigated by National Council.

Similarly the notion of joining forces with another association or organisation was polarising. We realise that this has been investigated in the past, and again it was not a popular suggestion. The idea of strengthening industry partners, however, is well received and is being listed as a major project in the current Strategic Plan.

The suggestion to join SIG events and the National Conference was better received. The National Conference in Hobart was heralded as a good example of how this could happen as there were multiple streams. The idea of networking across specialities was favoured. The National Council has taken this advice on board and continues to look into this option for future events.

Events Schedule

Due to COVID-19, the AICCM will plan only virtual events for the time being. The webinar series has been successful and we are working to expand our online events. The AICCM National Conference that was planned for Darwin with the theme ‘Meeting Place’ has been postponed. Look out for the webinar series and upcoming events here

AICCM AGM 47

The AGM will be online this year and is scheduled for 1pm, Tuesday 29 September 2020. Online registration is open here. As always, if you are interested in a role on National Council, please submit a nomination form. Role descriptions are available in the Procedures Manual on the governance page. Current incumbents are listed on the website management page and are happy to answer any questions you have about the roles.

The agenda, nomination form, proxy form and minutes from AGM 46 are available on the event site: https://aiccm.org.au/events/aiccm-national-annual-general-meeting-47/

If you have any other AGM questions, please contact Amy Bartlett, Secretary.

Thank you to the National Council

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing National Council (although I do expect some renominations). I would like to acknowledge the work and dedication that the volunteers have put in. This year has been particularly gruelling on associations. Since the last AGM at the National Conference, we have been responding to the bushfire season and then COVID-19. Both events have meant multiple responses to government in the form of submissions to inquiries, working on a roundtable with other cultural associations on disaster response, and sharing information with our membership. Council members have delivered some highlights since the last AGM, including the new Strategic Plan and online webinars, and continued to deliver the AICCM Bulletin and e-News publications, member awards, professional member renewals, and managing the finances of the organisation. Also, thank you to our contractors who have worked extremely hard on supporting the National Council. We look forward to seeing everyone online at the AGM.