Cultural connectors
Tools and resources

Given both our experience with Cultural connectors at MCBA and our enthusiasm, we are looking forward to seeing this innovative programme of participatory cultural mediation grow. This would extend the spirit of the initiative by sharing the tools and resources developed and tested at MCBA with others. The documents available here have been worked out to make it easier for institutions and related associations to adopt the programme in keeping with the project’s governing philosophy.

While many tools can – and must – be adapted to the context of each cultural institution, the premises cannot be tweaked or tinkered with. If that happens, the resulting programme could not be linked to the MCBA Cultural connectors programme.

• Premises in theory and methodology (pdf)

To head the Cultural connectors programme involves a certain manner and outlook, as well as social skills and a specialised knowledge connected with the programme’s theoretical and methodological premises.

• Rôle du responsable de programme (forthcoming)

To get volunteers and the organisation that enlists their help to work together in a fruitful, cohesive and pleasant way, it is important to produce a clear framework that spells out the rights and duties of each person involved, along with the tools that are needed to apply it successfully. The following documents have been drawn up based on recommendations and tools proposed by the association Bénévolat-Vaud.

• Common values (pdf)

To form the Cultural connectors group, MCBA worked with the cantonal senior citizens group Pro Senectute Vaud, the Art History Department of Lausanne University, and the Lausanne Immigrants Office (BLI). When looking to adopt the programme, a cultural organisation must identify the socially oriented institutions and organisations that are already active in the area and with which the organisation would like to work to reach potential Cultural connectors. Once these partners have been identified and contacted, they in turn must relay to the people in their network an invitation to participate in the programme (via emails, flyers, etc.). They will be advised that a meeting will be held at such a date to provide information on the programme. At the end of that information session and in the following days, interested persons can join the group of Cultural connectors that is forming by signing up at the institution or organisation in question.

To take care of the new ties being formed and guarantee that interactions are helpful to the participants, we recommend limiting the group of Cultural connectors to around 25 participants when accompanied by two cultural mediators, and 15 participants when only one mediator is involved.
The first meeting with all of the volunteers marks the start of the programme. This meeting is spent presenting the role that the Cultural connectors are to play, as well as the code of ethics that governs the programme. It is also during this meeting that the institution or organisation will have each participant sign the voluntary participation agreement. It is important to distribute these documents to the participants, and to take whatever time is needed to meet them all and foster a climate of trust, which strengthens the life of the group.

• The role played by our Cultural Connectors (pdf)

The Cultural connectors make the exhibitions their own thanks to an annual programme of continuing learning and training, and informal meetings. This is the backbone of the programme.

• Canevas annuel (generic document) (document générique)
• Calendrier de formation continue (2022-2023)

At MCBA, briefings bring together our 27 Cultural connectors while offering them a moment during which they can learn and share their experiences with us and each other. Besides being offered both a visit with the exhibition curator and a copy of the accompanying catalogue, they are given two specific documents:

• Repères et petit glossaire (example given is for the voyage imaginaire)
• Canevas de visite (example given is for the voyage imaginaires)

For the debriefings, two dates to choose from are proposed after the closing of each show in order to limit the group to 13 or 14 people and make it easier in this way for participants to speak up and share their experiences with the group.
Each debriefing is structured around a key moment, i.e., when participants share their own experiences. In practice this takes shape as a discussion in 3 subgroups based on a questionnaire. Each subgroup then summarises the key elements of their conversation to the group meeting as a whole:

– Débriefing suite à une exposition (generic document)

Later, our Cultural connectors are offered a reflective workshop, that is, on thinking analytically and critically about the programme. This is a space where needs and responses to those needs are articulated (you can see examples of the reflective workshops in the Calendrier de formation continue 2022-2023).This meeting also makes it possible to evaluate once a year the programme and volunteers’ commitment.

Evaluation is an inescapable part of this participatory programme and its volunteers. Detailed feedback on what works and what needs to be improved – as well as on how each volunteer sees the experience of the commitment to voluntary work – can be generated using the following documents:

• Evaluation annuelle du programme
• Evaluation de votre engagement bénévole sur l’année écoulée