UKIC Fast Track Accreditation - Draft Self-Assessment Questionnaire

UKIC Fast Track Accreditation
Draft Self-Assessment Questionnaire

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE

Introduction and explanation for applicants

This assessment helps measure the candidate's performance against the standards of best practice expected of a professional conservator, as defined by UKIC. For the 'fast track' accreditation process, the candidate must satisfy their own sponsors and the Accreditation Committee that he or she is able to act professionally and responsibly in any conservation work situation. The results of this questionnaire, therefore, must demonstrate that the conservator has the knowledge, skill, maturity, and breadth of experience sufficient to ensure this.

The assessment questionnaire consists of an interlinked series of standards (descriptions of best practice), grouped under seven headings:

Technical competence in carrying out practical treatment work
Skills, knowledge and approach applied in the examination and assessment of both collections and individual items
Preventative conservation skills and knowledge
Management skills relating to the workshop or host organisation, programming of work and relations with others
Contribution to the profession as a whole and attitude towards conservation
Responsibilities towards wider society
Communications and Training

These sets of standards were drawn together after comparison with other professional groups. The overall aim is to define a conservator as a professional able to take responsible and well-informed decisions in situations where there is substantial risk to an item, building, collection, or indeed to the client or the conservator themselves. In preparing this questionnaire, UKIC has drawn from the MTI occupational standards, as well as Civil Service and local government grading recommendations. The MTI occupational standards and their supporting documents may be used to provide further guidance in this self-assessment process.

It is the applicant's responsibility to make an honest and accurate assessment of his or her own standard of work against this list. The candidate should read the form carefully before deciding which boxes to tick. A box should only be ticked where the candidate can confidently assert that he or she applies that particular standard regularly in the course of his or her work. The quantity of boxes ticked does not necessarily give a candidate a better chance of achieving a successful result. The candidate should then sign the declaration on the form.

ONLY TICK THOSE BOXES IN AREAS WHERE YOU ARE CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMPETENCE TO YOUR SPONSORS.

The form should be passed to each sponsor in turn. Sponsors should make careful consideration of the form and tick those boxes where they have knowledge of the candidate's work and agree with the self-assessment. Where sponsors disagree with any part of the self-assessment, they should put a cross in that box. Where sponsors feel they do not have enough knowledge to make a judgment, they should leave that box blank.

Practising conservators may feel their work is best represented by the 'hands-on' conservation section (Sections 1-3). The assessment panel for UKIC's 'fast track' system will take into account both the candidate's accreditation speciality and his or her current employment when reviewing this questionnaire. Those who work as conservation managers, trainers or administrators may find that their current work is best represented by the sections on preventive conservation or project planning (Sections 4-6).

Standards of a Competent Conservator for UKIC Accreditation.

FAST TRACK

Section 1: Technical competence in carrying out practical treatment work

Candidates should be able to demonstrate competence in the following areas of their work, taking into account their chosen specialisms. 'Competence' here implies that they should be able to apply these skills to objects in a wide range of conditions and degrees of stability.

Description of skills, knowledge or behaviour	Self-Assessment	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
The candidate is able to identify accurately the physical nature, structure and composition of an item to be worked on.
The candidate routinely explores and reviews all relevant sources of information about the condition of the item to be worked on.
The candidate demonstrates the ability to research and review available evidence about the history, use and production technology of an item and view it within that context. This knowledge informs the candidate's choice of treatment.
The candidate is aware of, and able to evaluate, a wide range of examination and treatment methods, both preventive and remedial.
The candidate consults appropriate experts and specialists about the item as and when necessary during treatment and makes sure that any information resulting from the process of treatment is communicated to the right people.
The candidate can write, record and implement an appropriate conservation treatment plan in a relevant format, keeping in mind the needs of the host institution, client or user.
The candidate is aware of the necessity to avoid compromising or jeopardising an item's integrity while carrying out conservation treatments.
The candidate can demonstrate how to remove, reduce or neutralise potential and active agents of deterioration.
The candidate can demonstrate how to minimise and counteract the causes of potential or actual physical weaknesses or deterioration in items.
The candidate adjusts the degree of intervention according to observed changes in condition or in response to evidence revealed during the process.
The candidate can demonstrate how to remove or reduce material which may inhibit full interpretation of an object in a sensitive and appropriate way.
The candidate demonstrates awareness of the item's planned use and context; in the treatment process, he or she continues to identify future conservation needs with a view to planning for the item's continued maintenance.
The candidate routinely records details of treatment, interventions and materials used during conservation work and ensures this information is documented and stored in an accessible and relevant format.
The candidate ensures that any information generated or retrieved in the course of the treatment process is recorded clearly and accurately in an appropriate format.
The candidate undertakes to comply with all relevant Health and Safety procedures during the treatment process.
The candidate shows a commitment to and an understanding of the principal of reversibility in terms of treatment, applications of other materials and gap-filling.
During the process of treating an item, the candidate demonstrates a considerable degree of personal awareness, with an understanding of the limits of his or her own skills and knowledge. He or she knows where a job demands expertise greater or different from their own.

Section 2: Skills knowledge and approach applied in the examination and assessment of collections and individual items

Description of skills, knowledge or behaviour	Self-Assessment	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
The candidate assesses the present and future environmental conditions affecting an item or collection, taking into account the item's integrity and its expected role and use when deciding on a conservation option.
During the survey or examination, the candidate takes steps to identify and assess the limitations, risks and effects of all potential conservation options, including an evaluation of resource implications.
The candidate is able to identify signs of instability or change in an item or collection and is able to read other indicators which suggest that the environment or surrounding materials are having an adverse effect.
Where an item or collection is seen to be adversely affected by environment, the candidate acts quickly and effectively to intervene and minimise this effect to the best of his or her ability.

Section 3: Preventive conservation skills and knowledge

Description of skills, knowledge or behaviour	Self-Assessment	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
The candidate can draw up schedules and procedures for monitoring the condition of items and maintaining environmental protection. He or she is able to put these measures into practice.
The candidate can identify an item's environmental requirements in accordance with a selected conservation option or plan and can take into account and reassess previously-specified recommended environmental requirements and inspection regimes.
The candidate ensures that existing environmental conditions at the intended location are accurately monitored over a suitable period before an item is transferred.
The candidate can determine and put into practice procedures for protecting items during use or transportation.
The candidate ensures that the appropriate personnel are informed of an item's environmental requirements, once these are established, and that monitoring procedures are put into practice.

Section 4: Management skills relating to the workshop or host organisation

Description of skills, knowledge or behaviour	Self-Assessment	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
The candidate manages his or her own workload well and monitors work progress and the achievement of objectives against an agreed plan.
The candidate demonstrates the skills to plan, fund and manage the day-to-day running of a laboratory, studio or workshop.
The candidate shows good management over a range of projects such as exhibitions, research, the conservation of an item, or a management development programme. He or she is able to evaluate the outcome of a project and assess its value.
The candidate is aware of his or her own employer's organisational structure, procedures, policies and methods of working. This also extends to organisations he or she may work for as client, contractor or sub-contractor.
The candidate ensures that work objectives, both personal and for others they manage, are achievable and realistic within the timescale and budget allotted.
The candidate clearly specifies the cost and availability of funding sources for a project. He or she understands the contract implications of a project.
The candidate knows how to establish the cost of the resources for a project, and how to negotiate the cost and provision of resources. He or she has an appreciation of cost-benefit analysis for determining the most effective use of resources.
The candidate knows how to monitor a project, and in particular how to retain control over financial resources. He or she is aware of the terms and conditions specified by grant-awarding bodies or lenders and takes responsibility for keeping the project to time and reporting back to the relevant parties.
The candidate is aware of his or her responsibility for security and protection of items and collections and demonstrates his or her own contribution to maintaining the security of items on a practical day-to-day basis.
The candidate is aware of the limits to the skills and experience of both teams and individual employees. He or she keeps each informed and aware of their own progress and successfully identifies and tackles breakdowns in communication as and when they occur.

Section 5: Contribution to the profession as a whole and attitude towards conservation

Description of skills, knowledge or behaviour	Self-Assessment	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
The candidate keeps up-to-date with the content and scope of new legislation, by methods such as reading articles in professional journals and newsletters.
The candidate has knowledge of the main regulatory and professional bodies relevant to his or her own area of expertise and those of the Heritage sector in general.
The candidate knows and applies the fundamental and advanced principles of ethics related to both remedial and preventative conservation appropriate to his or her specialism and area of expertise.
The candidate has an appreciation of the history, development and philosophy of conservation, and any current national debates concerning the role of conservators, including debates on conservation ethics. He or she understands the role of the conservator within the wider context of the Heritage sector.

Section 6: Responsibilities towards wider society

Description of skills, knowledge or behaviour	Self-Assessment	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
The candidate has knowledge of and abides by all legislation that has a bearing on his or her activities, particularly the requirements and principles of the Data Protection Act, health and safety legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, and the COSHH regulations.
The candidate is aware of and complies with accepted Museums Association guidelines concerning working upon items which have been collected, sold, or otherwise transferred in contravention of any national or international wildlife protection or natural history law or treaty.
The candidate is aware of and complies with accepted Museums Association/UKIC guidelines concerning working upon items where he or she may have cause to believe that the circumstances of their recovery involved either the recent unscientific or intentional destruction of ancient monuments or other sites, or involved a failure to disclose the finds to the owner or occupier of the land or to the proper authorities in the case of Treasure Trove or Bona Vacantia.

Section 7: Communications and training

Description of skills, knowledge or behaviour	Self-Assessment	Sponsor 1	Sponsor 2
The candidate works to develop and construct primary conservation courses or other conservation-related education and awareness programmes which are recognised by the profession.
The candidate takes part in the delivery of conservation training and awareness programmes and communicates well with students, conservation professionals, the public and those in related disciplines.
The candidate regularly assesses the content and effectiveness of training courses or programmes with a view to updating knowledge and improving standards.
The candidate makes presentations both formally and informally, to groups and individuals who might or might not be knowledgeable in the candidate's area of expertise. This should cover both written reports and oral presentations.

I comply with UKIC's Rules of Conduct. Signed

I agree that this is a fair and accurate assessment of the candidate's professional activities:

Candidate Name (Block caps)________________________________ Signature______________________

Date______________

Sponsor 1. Name (Block caps)________________________________ Signature______________________

Date______________

Sponsor 2. Name (Block caps)________________________________ Signature______________________

Date______________

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