North East Museums seeking Community Engagement Development Programme provider

North East Museums is seeking to appoint a provider to work with us to help us develop and then support delivery of a Community Engagement Staff development programme.

North East Museums (NEM) is a regional museum and archive service that manages twelve museums, galleries, and historic sites across the North East, as well as the Archives for Tyne and Wear.

Our mission is to welcome and connect people to the past, present, and future of the North East through stories, shared spaces, and meaningful experiences.

We help people understand and act on local and global challenges by focusing on five core priorities:

• Equality – providing a warm welcome to everyone, breaking down barriers caused by inequality and discrimination, and sharing diverse stories.
• Wellbeing – using our spaces and services to support people’s physical and mental health.
• Social Mobility – delivering learning experiences, volunteering opportunities, and pathways for personal development for people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Climate – raising awareness about the environment and inspiring people to act for a sustainable future.
• Place – celebrating North East England, inspiring local pride, and supporting research, innovation, and economic regeneration.

For over 20 years, NEM has developed influential museum programmes that recognise and demonstrate the positive impacts of cultural participation. Our Community Engagement programmes connect creativity, health, and wellbeing, and are rooted in the Five Ways to Wellbeing:

• Being connected
• Being active
• Taking notice
• Giving to others
• Learning new things.

We listen, reflect, and respond to what people want and need. We work collaboratively with partners to run projects, host events, support social prescribing, deliver training, create cross sector resources, and more.

Community Engagement activity takes place across all NEM venues, with more targeted work delivered by the Communities team across four programme areas:

• Wellbeing – promoting mental health recovery and general wellbeing
• Platinum – supporting people aged 55+
• Recovery – based at the Shipley Art Gallery, supporting people in addiction recovery and/or involved with the Criminal Justice System
• Network – working across Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, and Northumberland with older people, health and wellbeing groups, refugees, and asylum seekers.

North East Museums (NEM) is seeking a provider to design and deliver a Community Engagement Development Programme for staff, aligned with our mission and strategic priorities.

The programme must deliver the following core outcomes:

• A clear understanding of the role and value of Community Engagement, including insight into our local communities and a range of models and approaches to engagement.
• Knowledge of ethical Community Engagement practice including practical guidance, resources, and tools to support equitable planning, delivery, and evaluation.
• Development of the key skills, knowledge, and attributes required for effective and inclusive Community Engagement practice..

Additional Context

Community Engagement activity is delivered by a wide range of staff beyond the dedicated Communities team, with varying levels of experience and confidence. We therefore aim to develop shared guidance, principles, and approaches that build confidence and ensure greater consistency across teams.

NEM has a strong track record in Community Engagement. However, delivery can be inconsistent across venues and teams, with limited time and structured opportunities to develop shared practice. This can lead to variation in the quality and inclusivity of engagement and reduce opportunities for collaboration.

This programme will strengthen skills, confidence, and shared approaches to inclusive, place-based engagement, aligning with organisational priorities around collaboration, workforce development, and long-term sustainability.

In year one we have also committed to offering approximately 50% of places  to external organisations based within the Creative Central Newcastle area. More information about Creative Central Newcastle is available here.

We expect the programme to bring together cross-organisational cohorts through a structured series of facilitated workshops, skills-based sessions, peer learning, and reflective practice. This collaborative model will create a shared learning environment across organisations, disciplines, and sectors.

Each cohort will complete a programme equivalent to approximately two days of training, delivered through a blend of half-day and full-day sessions.

Indicative Content Areas

• Foundations of Community Engagement and place-based practice
• Inclusive and ethical approaches
• Co-production and relationship-based working.

NEM has adopted the Going Places Community Engagement Toolkit (Art Fund) as a core resource. The training programme should build on this framework while reflecting specific context, approach, and priorities relevant to programme participants.

We are seeking a provider to design and deliver a structured, cohort-based Community Engagement Staff Development Programme. Download a copy of the full brief.

We anticipate training approximately 50 participants, drawn from across North East Museums and partner organisations.

• Around 50% of places will be offered to external organisations based within the Creative Central Newcastle area. 
• Participants will be organised into approximately 4 cohorts of 12–15 participants.
• Each cohort will progress through the programme together to support peer learning, relationship-building, and shared reflection.

Programme Structure

Each cohort will complete a programme equivalent to approximately 2 days of training per participant.

We expect delivery to be structured as:

• A series of facilitated sessions combining half-day and/or full-day formats
• Typically, 3–4 sessions per cohort, allowing time for reflection and applied learning between sessions.

The programme should include:

• Facilitated group learning
• Practical, skills-based activities
• Opportunities for peer discussion and reflection
• Optional preparatory and/or reflective tasks between sessions.

Due to varying staff working patterns, sessions will need to be scheduled flexibly across different days and times.

Delivery Format and Locations

Delivery should be:

• Primarily in-person, taking place across North East Museums venues, including:
  • Discovery Museum
  • Laing Art Gallery
  • Great North Museum: Hancock
  • Woodhorn Museum
  • Segedunum Roman Fort
• Supported by high-quality learning materials and resources.

Some online or hybrid elements may be included where appropriate. North East Museums can provide meeting spaces and technical support where required.

eLearning Component

As part of this commission, the provider will develop content for a complementary eLearning offer to support and extend the in-person training.

• North East Museums will host this content on its Learning Management System
• The provider will be responsible for supplying content, which may include:
  • Written materials
  • Slide decks
  • Scripts or recorded content
  • Suggested activities or reflective exercises.

This content should:

• Reinforce key concepts from the training
• Provide a reusable resource for wider staff access
• Be designed with accessibility and inclusive learning principles.

Supporting Outputs

The provider will be expected to produce reusable outputs to ensure long-term value from the programme. These may include:

• Participant resources and guidance
• Templates, tools, or frameworks to support Community Engagement practice
• Recommendations for embedding learning across the organisation.

Evaluation

The provider will be responsible for supporting evaluation of the programme, which should include:

• Participant feedback and reflective learning
• Assessment of increased confidence, knowledge, and skills
• A concise final report summarising outcomes, learning, and recommendations.

Roles and Responsibilities

• North East Museums will:
  • Coordinate logistics, scheduling, and participant booking
  • Provide venues and technical support
  • Support recruitment of participants, including external partners.
• The provider will:
  • Design and deliver the training programme
  • Provide all learning content and facilitation
  • Develop eLearning materials
  • Deliver evaluation and reporting.

Budget

The maximum available budget for this commission is £10,200 including VAT.

This should include:

• Programme design and development
• Delivery across all cohorts
• Development of eLearning content
• Evaluation and reporting
• Creation of reusable outputs.

Bidders should include a clear breakdown of costs. Travel and subsistence should be included within the total budget.

In-person delivery is expected to take place across NEM venues, including:

• Discovery Museum
• Laing Art Gallery
• Great North Museum: Hancock
• Woodhorn Museum
• Segedunum Roman Fort.

We can provide meeting rooms and technical support for online or hybrid sessions if required.

Proposals

Download a copy of the full brief.

You may return an electronic version of your quotation, proposal including at least 2 referees that can be contacted prior to interview, and all supporting documents by email to Clare.Smith@northeastmuseums.org.uk

Submissions must be received no later than 5pm on Monday 29 June 2026.

Proposals should be no longer than six sides of A4 although we will accept proposals in other formats if necessary and they should include:

• An introduction to and credentials of your business
• Details of the relevant experience and competency possessed by the consultant and any other personnel who will work on the project.
• Details on how you propose to satisfy the requirements of the brief with a proposed methodology and time commitments
• A breakdown of full costs and delivery timetable
• Name and contact details of two recent referees
• Availability for interview week commencing 20 July 2026.

For questions or to arrange an informal discussion, please contact:

Clare Smith, Learning & Engagement Manager, at Clare.Smith@northeastmuseums.org.uk