Rethinking the role of SAMA

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Rethinking the role of SAMA
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Purpose of presentation

• Introduce ideas that are being discussed by the
  outgoing Council and the National Office
• Feedback from membership

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SAMA Mission Statement

• As a professional body concerned with South
  Africas heritage, the South African Museums
  Association will provide leadership in the
  management of the countrys diverse natural and
  cultural heritage for the enrichment of all
  people so as to
• develop and support an inclusive South African
  heritage practice
• build the capacity for an effective South African
  heritage industry
• address and advocate critical concerns for the
  future of South African heritage management

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What SAMA is about

• The core values of SAMA are support, knowledge
  sharing, cooperation, empowerment, co-ordination,
  continuity.
• SAMA is a network of museum professionals and
  supporters who serve the same cause, namely the
  conservation, interpretation and communication of
  South African heritage. Through SAMA, everyone
  working in a museum are colleagues who share
  responsibility regarding policy and system
  development, mentoring of less experienced
  colleagues and sharing knowledge and ideas
  irrespective of institutional ties. Through SAMA,
  each museum benefit from the expertise from all
  other museums as everyone are working towards the
  same goal.
• SAMA has committed itself to developing
  professional standards to ensure excellence in
  all museums empowering museum staff in complying
  with these standards through training and
  knowledge sharing.

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Strengths

• Long track record as representative of museum
  sector we have been around 1936
• Extensive network
• annual Conference is well-supported
• Transformation Training Programme confirmed the
  need for a vocational training programme
• Experience in SAMA Office
• The SAMA Office continuity
• Decentralised membership base in regions

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Challenges

• Making members of our participants
• Create framework which allow members to become
  involved in committees and work groups.
• Financial sustainability
• Calendar that is planned well in advance
• Support for volunteers to deliver on projects

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Challenges continued

• Align structure of Council and Committees with
  SAMA objectives and needs of the sector
• Integrated SAMA structure
• Clarifying national and regional roles

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Introduction to recommendations

• SAMA should stay true to its membership-based
  structure
• Legitimacy based on its membership structure
• SAMA has to continue to build on its strengths,
  namely
• Professional Standards Ethics
• Vocational Training
• Annual Conference
• SAMA structure and decision-making systems to
  acknowledge and adapt to changing environment

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Structure National and regional
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Structure Council
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Membership benefits

• Rethink categories of institutional membership
• Rethink membership benefits of institutional and
  individual membership and how they participate in
  SAMA activities.

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Communication strategy

• Internal communication - Improve communication to
  members
• External communication Creating profile for SAMA
• Internal and external communication have
  different objectives and messages

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Internal communications

• New look Samantics with a greater emphasis on
  SAMA-related news.
• Weekly SAMA e-news to SAMA members only.
• SAMA Classifieds that includes tendering
  opportunities and job advertisements.

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External communication

• Electronic newsletter aimed at decision makers in
  heritage sector
• Annual Report
• Redesigned website

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Financial sustainability

• Fundraising strategy
• Diversify funding sources
• Raise profile
• Acknowledge existing sponsors
• Register SAMA as a service provider
• Projects requiring extensive consultation with
  heritage community
• Developing standards and criteria for the sector
• Heritage training programmes
• Museological research

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Way forward

• Presentation available on SAMA website
  www.samaweb.org.za
• Deadline for initial comments and input 6 July
  2007
• Send input to helene_at_futurserve.co.za
• Council to consider in July 2007