Call for volunteers: Prison Nursing Exhibition

Background

The RCN Library and Archive Service holds two public exhibition and event series every year. Each is themed around a particular aspect of nursing or history: past exhibitions have included the history of mental health care, children's nursing, learning disability nursing, women’s health, the First World War and pandemics. See our current and past exhibitions at www.rcn.org.uk/whatson

Each exhibition runs for 6 months in London followed by 6 months in Edinburgh and is accompanied by an online exhibition and a series of themed events (virtual and in-person). In 2025, we will be holding an exhibition on prison nursing.

We need your help!

We’re looking for RCN members to get involved as volunteers throughout the project. This is a chance to research nursing history, learn new skills, do something a bit different, and work with a small, enthusiastic team of staff and other volunteers. Training, events and social activities will all form part of the programme.

More Details

Volunteers do not need any specific experience to take part as all training will be provided. We can also offer travel expenses for the site visit and support with equipment (if needed).

Volunteers can participate in the following (depending on their availability):
• Be invited to training in conservation, research and text writing for exhibitions
• Carry out individual research in the history of prison and justice nursing
• Participate in focus groups (virtual and in person) on exhibition design and interpretation and object selection
• Draft text for the exhibition, to be edited with the RCN Museum and Events team
• Support events and workshops, from planning ideas to delivery


Training

There will be three training sessions during the project to support you to participate fully and learn new skills. You do not need to attend all of them, but you will need to attend the relevant session to help with that activity in the exhibition.

1. Research training: A practical session on the basics of conducting historical research. Find out how to develop a research question, where to look for sources, what sort of questions to ask and, most importantly, when to stop! You will need to attend this to get involved in researching the histories we want to tell in the exhibition. 
2. Object handling training: An introduction to the basics of handling and working with historical objects, using items in the RCN collections. You will need to attend this to handle historic items and help install the exhibition. 
3. Interpretation training: A practical workshop on interpreting objects and telling stories for museums and exhibitions. We will use themed exercises to explore how to bring the history of children’s nursing to life for a public audience. You will need to attend this to help write the exhibition text. 

If you’re interested, get in touch with the RCN Library and Museum on rcn.library@rcn.org.uk by 15 September 2025. Please let us know your name, membership number and why you’re interested in volunteering.