Creating Family Charters

"When we joined the London Voices project it was the first time we had been inside Osterley House and it looked very different from anywhere we had ever visited before. The furniture and decorations inside the house really fascinated us." Participants, Osterley Park and House

In a training session with staff and volunteers, Family Charters for each property were created. The idea was to set a series of standards of service for family visitors to expect at each property.

Staff and volunteers were very clear that a visit to their property for a family should be welcoming, fun, and inspiring. By involving the staff and volunteers in the process, The Charters were owned by everyone, not just those with an education or access focus.

The Charters were created in a very simple session during training days. Small groups of 4 or 5 staff and volunteers worked in small groups to reflect on what they currently offered to families and to come up with their top five standards to ensure a family friendly property. The small groups then came together and shared their points – these were then combined to create the whole Charter for the property.

The Charters have been reviewed and continue to provide a benchmark for the properties and their family visitors.