GEM’s Competency Framework: Building Relationships

The Building Relationships category aims to encourage us, as Museum Educators, to seek out and nurture those connections between people that can help us develop our organisations, our teams, and ourselves. The category’s statements are collected under four “Themes”:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Co creation
• Managing & Leading

Communication

The competency statements within this theme relate to communicating effectively with existing and potential audiences, colleagues, and other stakeholders. As you progress through the levels you will expand on your abilities to communicate what you, your team and your organisation do to become influential, and then an advocate for learning, within your organisation and across and outside the sector.

Collaboration

This theme aims to promote productive and creative working alongside colleagues and other stakeholders such as freelancers to enable and enhance learning opportunities. As you progress, you will be expected to demonstrate and encourage collaboration in others, and gradually build and enable a culture of collaboration within your organisation.

Co-Creation

This theme focuses on the development of working practices, programmes and activities with members of a diverse range of communities as partners. From developing recognition and understanding of the importance of consultation, to influencing your department more broadly to co-curate activities and resources, you will help to encourage positive attitudes to community partnerships. Leading-level statements look at embedding standards within your team and organisation, and advocating for them across the sector.

Managing and Leading

This theme aims to develop individuals’ skills and attitudes with regards to supporting and managing a variety of individuals as part of their working practice. Everyone can develop their skills in this area, not just those in leadership positions. At Foundation level this includes supervision and management of volunteers, visiting teachers and freelancers in short term projects, which extends at the Experienced level to recruitment and management of staff, contractors and volunteers. Leading-level competencies work towards embedding practices and attitudes that create a diverse and inclusive workforce, celebrating strengths and enabling skills-development.

There is no progression from one category to the next, they are all of equal precedence and can be worked on in parallel.

Return to the Competency Framework Home Page to download your preferred version of the document.