{"id":30069,"date":"2021-05-21T17:30:49","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T16:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsblogsnew.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=30069"},"modified":"2021-05-21T17:30:49","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T16:30:49","slug":"ihbc-directors-befs-blog-explains-how-shared-ambitions-for-inclusion-and-connection-shaped-access-priorities-for-the-ihbcs-2021-virtual-schools-marketplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=30069","title":{"rendered":"IHBC Director\u2019s \u2018BEFS Blog\u2019 explains how shared ambitions for inclusion and connection shaped access priorities for the IHBC\u2019s 2021 Virtual School\u2019s MarketPlace, on 18 June"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>In a new blog for Scotland\u2019s BEFS, IHBC Director Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly explains how
\ninclusion and accessibility shaped the 2021 School Heritage MarketPlace<\/a>, with low entry\u00a0fees and virtual platforms that mean community and voluntary sector can more easily reach practitioners and regulators outside planning issues \u2013 though a legacy of barriers means that IHBC and BEFS still need to show leadership on connecting across any divides.<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly writes:<\/p>\n

\u2026 we have to connect our members with all the players\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

Connecting the community and cultural stakeholders with those in practice is a core objective shared by BEFS and the IHBC.\u00a0 The IHBC\u2019s charitable role, as the professional body for built and historic environment conservation specialists, means we have conservation outcomes as our primary charitable objective.\u00a0 For that to be effective, we know we have to connect our members with all the players \u2013 communities, charities and volunteer \u2013 as much as with clients and practitioners.<\/p>\n

\u2026 polarisation across so much heritage sector engagement\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

\u2026 our virtual conference\u2026. designed to offer a whole new bridging strategy\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

As co-founder and first Treasurer of BEFS I have long been aware of the challenges faced in such ambitions.\u00a0 The legacy of polarisation across so much heritage sector engagement \u2013 originating in the historic planning model that relies on \u2018objections\u2019 to manage inappropriate change \u2013 means there is sometimes little opportunity to secure common understanding.\u00a0 BEFS works to bridge that gap, as does the IHBC.\u00a0 For us our virtual conference \u2013 which this year includes our virtual \u2018Heritage MarketPlace<\/a>\u2019 and \u2018Stallholder Listing<\/a>\u2019- is designed to offer a whole new bridging strategy.<\/p>\n

We were inspired by the familiar marketplace or exhibition hall, but with \u2018virtual stalls\u2019.\u00a0 Here, though, we\u2019ve innovated, and made \u2018learning\u2019 a priority, in its broadest sense; whilst still including networking and understanding, as well as services.\u00a0 IHBC MarketPlace stalls can tie their content to a wide range of outreach \u2013 education, information, showcasing services, as well as highlighting priorities for planning, or promoting advocacy or membership benefits.\u00a0 In the MarketPlace, any organisation or individual (quality assured by the IHBC) can engage directly with delegates and IHBC Members on matters of mutual interest.\u00a0 Each stall also gets its own Social Media digital networking link \u2013 their MarketPlace Billboard.\u00a0 To see what that might look\u00a0 like, the IHBC\u2019s can be seen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As the MarketPlace engagement happens in the shared environment of conference discourse \u2013 not the potentially siloed setting of casework, regulation or planning \u2013 it offers a real chance to share perspectives and build a common awareness, and mutual understanding.\u00a0 That is not the only solution to divergences in our heritage world, but it may well help.<\/p>\n

\u2026 barrier to such experiences has been the fees\u2026. \u2018virtual\u2019 world\u2026. offers the potential for more equitable access\u2026<\/span><\/em><\/h2>\n

Historically, the barrier to such experiences has been the fees.\u00a0 But now, the \u2018virtual\u2019 world with which we have all become so familiar (perhaps currently too familiar) offers the potential for more equitable access. The unavoidable costs of live events almost disappear in virtual environments, so specialists, communities and volunteers can participate, together, and on a more level playing field, without the \u2018cheque book\u2019 drawing demarcations. With this in mind the IHBC\u2019s conference costs, benefitting from the light infrastructure of virtual environments, are kept as low as possible to encourage participation across all players. Costs that are intended to remove some of the barriers to active participation in the kind of inclusive discussion we want to promote. (About \u00a325+VAT for day delegates, and about \u00a3100+VAT for stalls offering sector-wide outreach.)<\/p>\n

That agenda of inclusion is encapsulated in the School\u2019s title \u2013 linking history, people and places.\u00a0 It is not our only strategy though: that aspiration to connecting conservation is also represented in the IHBC\u2019s next issue of the our membership journal Context<\/em><\/a>. IHBC\u2019s Context<\/em> is always available free online<\/a>, but in the next issue we highlight how people across community, voluntary, public and private sector roles can actually maximise the \u2018public good\u2019 and amenity on offer in our places.\u00a0 Do keep an eye out for it on the IHBC website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But for now, our 2021 School MarketPlace is the location and platform we are offering for affordable and accessible engagement and outreach beyond the well-trodden, often siloed, terrain of planning, consultations and individual policy perspectives.\u00a0 Many organisation are on board, BEFS included (BEFS note that their place at the Conference is funded by BEFS, but thank the IHBC for a complimentary Marketplace Stall in return for offering to share this topic with Bulletin readers). But, if hosting a stall is not for you, why not enhance your personal capacity to make a difference by contributing to discussions as a School delegate<\/a>, and connect better in the future by hearing what others are saying today!<\/p>\n

Read more….<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a new blog for Scotland\u2019s BEFS, IHBC Director Se\u00e1n O\u2019Reilly explains how inclusion and accessibility shaped the 2021 School Heritage MarketPlace, with low entry\u00a0fees and virtual platforms that mean community and voluntary sector can more easily reach practitioners and … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30069","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ihbc-newsblog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=30069"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30073,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30069\/revisions\/30073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=30069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=30069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=30069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}