Conservation Connection Forum Building Supportive Communities Through Advocacy

By Nikkie Sayre and Emily MacMillan

The Conservation Connection Forum, hosted by the West Dean Student Conference Committee, gathered professionals with a diverse range of conservation experience to discuss support networks and early career development. With three distinguished speakers and an afternoon of engaging discussion, the event was a treasure trove of insights on navigating conservation careers, understanding the role of trade unions, and advocating for oneself and the profession. 

Ashleigh Brown kicked off the forum with "The First Three Years," offering a roadmap for emerging conservators. She emphasised the importance of persistence in job applications, advising attendees to apply to as many positions as possible, ask questions during interviews, and to not be afraid to negotiate job offers. Brown acknowledged that transitioning from education to a career can be daunting but reminded everyone that building a career is a marathon—not a sprint. Even small projects and roles in related fields can help build a reputation and portfolio.

When it comes to interning, apprenticing, and volunteering, Brown advised against overcommitting to unpaid positions. However, she recognized the value of short-term, part-time, and volunteer work for building professional relationships and skills. She encouraged asking insightful questions during interviews to demonstrate engagement and to learn about the work environment and team dynamics. Brown also stressed the importance of requesting feedback after interviews to improve future applications and aiming high by leveraging skills from various fields to negotiate higher salaries.

Meg Hogg from the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) at the Victoria & Albert Museum then shifted the focus to the vital role of trade unions in heritage conservation. Speaking personally, Hogg highlighted how trade unions advocate for better working conditions including paid leave, equal pay and fair treatment. With six million UK workers in trade unions, their collective power is significant. While strikes are a last resort, they can be effective; PCS, for example, has successfully secured additional paid leave and access to menstrual products for staff. Hogg offered practical advice for supporting union efforts. Non-members can help by signing petitions, joining picket lines, donating and sharing union activities on social media. She emphasised that union members are legally protected, providing a collective shield against punitive actions, especially on sensitive issues like decolonization and exploitative work practices. Hogg's insights underscored the importance of union membership for fair treatment and job security in a challenging field.

The final speaker of the morning, Bridget Mitchell from Arca Preservation Ltd, delivered a compelling talk on self-advocacy. She emphasised that advocacy is an ongoing effort to create impact. Mitchell discussed the importance of self-support and innovation, explaining that success in conservation requires embracing both discomfort and failure. She encouraged attendees to focus on their personal value and contributions, reject competition and to view fellow conservators as connections rather than rivals.

Mitchell also addressed the financial aspects of conservation, noting that money reflects the value one creates. Establishing fair pricing benefits everyone and underscores the importance of meaningful work. She urged a positive professional mindset by celebrating small victories, accepting feelings of guilt or shame, and practising radical self-acceptance. Trusting in one’s career journey and overcoming initial business challenges were also key themes.

The morning presentations each concluded with lively Q&A sessions. Topics discussed included networking in new locations, visiting public institutions, visa sponsorships, and volunteering. Job search resources like Leicester’s jobs desk, LinkedIn, and Indeed were recommended, with a note of caution about short application windows.

With the event being online, roundtable discussions were simulated by creating breakout rooms on Teams. Each breakout room covered one of four topics: salaries, accreditation, unions, and accessibility. Moderators asked pre-prepared questions to aid the discussion, and attendees could choose which subjects they wanted to discuss. These topics complemented the morning speaker presentations and aimed to understand different perspectives while identifying where change is needed.

Recommended salaries for conservators often do not match the level of training/qualification achieved. It was noted that while Icon’s Accreditation was set up originally to professionalise conservation and help with negotiating salaries, salaries have decreased since the introduction of this system, and the cost of living has increased to the point of crisis for many. The financial limitations to becoming accredited were highlighted, and attendees also raised the existence of accreditation risking the encouragement of elitism and separation, with a brilliant statement from one attendee: “anything that separates, weakens.”

 In the union discussion, attendees began with sharing what they knew about unions in general prior to the event. This helped to begin with a foundation on what advice and recommendations were needed to fill in knowledge gaps. As a collective, the discussion group built a network of information about which unions were near each attendee; and what unions can do for their individual needs. Research into which unions support specific needs is key, such as those geared towards workers in private practice, along with utilising the support system that unions provide. Knowing how to self-advocate is also important, and being part of a union can grow confidence. 

This ties in well with the final topic of accessibility, which has a broad meaning both in and out of the conservation/heritage context. When discussing this topic, we noted that conservation is not a very accessible profession due to the physical and mental toll it can take on a person from the get-go. The term ‘intangible accessibility’ came up when addressing the importance of making spaces and experiences accessible, as physical accessibility is often the most considered because it is something that can tangibly be seen, especially by higher-ups making final decisions. Improving accessibility should always involve consulting people with lived experiences; making changes and adjustments without doing so will inevitably lead to an inaccessible feature that leaves doors open for some while unintentionally closing doors to others.

The Conservation Connection Forum was a resounding success, providing attendees with practical advice, empowering insights and a sense of community. The shared knowledge and experiences highlighted the importance of advocacy, support networks and continuous professional development in the conservation field. As a whole, the team is incredibly proud of the huge collaborative effort that went into the organisation of this event, and the important discussions held with the attendees. Heartfelt thanks are extended to all those who attended, and to volunteers along with staff at West Dean College for their assistance. 

For full details of the day, follow the Student Conference Committee on Instagram at @conservation_connection_forum. Download our new zine for a detailed breakdown of the day, along with contact details for further questions.

Special thanks to editing by Patience Barkus

Author Bios

Emily MacMillan is an MA conservation studies student at West Dean College specialising in books and library materials and has strong interests in sustainability, accessibility and advocacy in conservation and working toward their development and improvement. They have been involved in conservation since doing an apprenticeship in traditional bookbinding in the UK, and their MA thesis has a focus on sustainability.

Nikkie Sayre is currently working on an MA in conservation studies at West Dean College, specialising in ceramics and related materials. With experience in archaeology, making ceramics and promoting accessibility in art education, Nikkie combines her interest in social justice, community facilitation and heritage conservation in her professional practices and her approach to the world.

Read the story in the August-September 2024 "News in Conservation" Issue 103, p. 40-43