Reply to: Tories toughen their image with hard line on benefits

[vetran]

The museums body said that, contrary to government plans for museums to attract increased philanthropy, only 28% of museums that took part saw a rise in income from individual giving - with 17% experiencing a fall.

"The potential for increased philanthropy appears limited in many parts of the UK and for many museum subject areas," said Mr Taylor.

"Philanthropic efforts will never substitute for the loss of public funding."

so they get less subsidy and only 28% managed to attract more investment from the private sector.

maybe they should go back to charging admission with a discount for UK tax payers like in France instead of being free to all?

Before they charged tourists & tax payers the same.

One assumes all the management in the museums took pay cuts before laying off staff?

[scooterscot]

Museums 'ditching staff for volunteers'

Well that din't take them long. The nasty party is in full swing.

BBC News - Museums 'ditching staff for volunteers'

More than a third of museums and galleries cut staff last year, while nearly half increased the number of interns and volunteers, according to a survey by the Museums Association.

The annual review also found that school visits were down by 31%.

"Interns and volunteers have plenty to offer but can never replace skilled, experienced staff," said Mark Taylor, director of the Museums Association.

The government said museum visits were at record highs.

The Museums Association said staff cuts were primarily due to a reduction in public investment, which had continued to affect half of all museums in the past year.

More than a fifth (21%) of museums cut staff numbers by more than 10% during the period surveyed, July 2012-July 2013.

The museums body said that, contrary to government plans for museums to attract increased philanthropy, only 28% of museums that took part saw a rise in income from individual giving - with 17% experiencing a fall.

"The potential for increased philanthropy appears limited in many parts of the UK and for many museum subject areas," said Mr Taylor.

"Philanthropic efforts will never substitute for the loss of public funding."

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said that although these were "tough economic times" the latest figures showed visits to museums are at their highest levels ever.

The statement continued: "We want philanthropy to supplement, not substitute public subsidy and it should be seen as one element of a funding model which includes other forms of income generation.

"We continue to work with the cultural and charitable sector to encourage philanthropy and share best practice on fundraising."

More than 120 museums or museum services were represented in the survey, which was sent out by the Museums Association in July 2013, ranging from large London nationals to tiny rural charitable-trust museums.

It also found that almost a quarter had reduced the number of temporary exhibitions, with 28% cutting down on the number of free events on offer.

"Museums are adapting to reduced resources, working and achieving impact in new, more efficient ways, but services for vulnerable people and non-traditional audiences are under particular threat as education and outreach suffers," said Mr Taylor.

On the issue of the shift towards museums relying more on volunteers and interns, Mr Taylor said: "It is outrageous that young people are expected to work for nothing."

The DCMS commented: "Well-run internships can benefit both individuals interested in a career in museums and the organisations themselves. And whilst it is a decision for individual museums, the government encourages all employers to offer financial support so that internships are genuinely open to all young people and not just those from well off backgrounds."

[amcdonald]

Labour are promising hyper inflation, power cuts and strikes tomorrow.

FTFY

[vetran]

As I said two people this week have been offered 3-4 jobs each their education level is GCSE only.

around London if you are fit and willing you can now find a job. If you can't you aren't trying.

Don't start with the old can't get jobs, the 50= warehouse guy & 60+ gardener found new jobs in the last year.

Now I have sympathy for some areas where work is almost impossible to get.

[d000hg]

I think it was the thick & Chavvy comment that drove that.

Well where I lived it was accurate. All the stereotypes

[darmstadt]

[hyperD]

You've got the choice of the blue-veined potato-headed turd and the red fresh-blooded, straight from the colon turd, both of which are forced down your throat and yet you all think one tastes better than the other?

And as for the lazy pejoratives of "the nasty party" and "the progressive party", do you think the stench will be anything better between the two?

Both are part of a political elite that want nothing more than for you to be distracted by the minutiae of detail that hide behind the true nature of increased taxes, bigger state and the circumvention of personal freedoms.

Until you understand this, this bickering is pointless.

[vetran]

I didn't claim anything of the sort. I was just talking about my experiences, and my neighbours. Quite possibly there are other small towns where everyone is stuck on benefits with no work, and would love to earn a good living, all I can say is this was not the case where I lived.

But this wasn't even my point - Labour claim to guarantee 25hrs a week jobs. Where I lived, I struggle to see where the 1000+ jobs this would require are coming from.

I think it was the thick & Chavvy comment that drove that.

Labour are promising Jam tomorrow.

[vetran]

I am sure there is some way of capitalising on these plans, it could be a good source of cheap labour if you adopted a chain-gang mentality. The government are paying them so am sure whoever employed them would have the wages heavily subsidised as it is only really an incentive to get them off benefits.

A4e?

[vetran]

I thought they couldn't do this under archaic anti-slavery laws (seem to remember a case where a graduate was forced to work in a supermarket)

no they failed to follow the process properly, the anti slavery comments were just that.

AFAIR

[d000hg]

well if you inspire them why would they not build businesses and create employment. not all long term unemployed are thick, many just do the maths and realise there is no point getting out of bed if the state will pay them to stay in it and breed.

I didn't claim anything of the sort. I was just talking about my experiences, and my neighbours. Quite possibly there are other small towns where everyone is stuck on benefits with no work, and would love to earn a good living, all I can say is this was not the case where I lived.

But this wasn't even my point - Labour claim to guarantee 25hrs a week jobs. Where I lived, I struggle to see where the 1000+ jobs this would require are coming from.

[RedSauce]

well if you inspire them why would they not build businesses and create employment. not all long term unemployed are thick, many just do the maths and realise there is no point getting out of bed if the state will pay them to stay in it and breed.

I am sure there is some way of capitalising on these plans, it could be a good source of cheap labour if you adopted a chain-gang mentality. The government are paying them so am sure whoever employed them would have the wages heavily subsidised as it is only really an incentive to get them off benefits.

[RedSauce]

Indeed after 2 years of unemployment they may well need a lot of support.

But the mandatory treatment for drug/Alcohol is a good thing.

I thought they couldn't do this under archaic anti-slavery laws (seem to remember a case where a graduate was forced to work in a supermarket)

[vetran]

So where are all these, generally rather thick and chavvy, people going to get jobs? The vast majority do not have cars and bus transport is not a trivial cost... besides the bulk of work they might do on farms or something wouldn't be accessible by bus. If there were jobs. And if they had ever been trained how to do a job.

well if you inspire them why would they not build businesses and create employment. not all long term unemployed are thick, many just do the maths and realise there is no point getting out of bed if the state will pay them to stay in it and breed.

[vetran]

I pity the charity or employer who takes them on.

Indeed after 2 years of unemployment they may well need a lot of support.

But the mandatory treatment for drug/Alcohol is a good thing.