Community Outreach Toolkit
UK Institution Scenarios
Specific guidance for UK institutions working with Indigenous materials, addressing common scenarios and ethical considerations.
Museum Collections Scenario
Your UK museum holds Indigenous artifacts and wants to improve community relationships.
Recommended Approach
Focus on repatriation possibilities, improved cataloging with community input, and ongoing collaboration rather than one-time consultation.
Key Considerations
- Acknowledge the colonial context of how items entered the collection
- Be prepared to discuss repatriation as a genuine option
- Offer ongoing partnership, not just consultation
- Respect community decisions about engagement
University Research Collections Situation
Your university has research materials (recordings, documents, images) from Indigenous communities.
Recommended Approach
Prioritize community control over access and use, offer capacity-building support, and establish ongoing relationships.
Key Considerations
- Provide communities with copies of all materials
- Transfer decision-making authority to communities
- Support community-led digitization and preservation
- Offer technical training and resources
Archive Documentation Projects
Situation
Your university is planning to digitize Indigenous-related materials for broader access.
Recommended Approach
Center community consent and control in all digitization decisions.
Key Considerations
- Obtain explicit consent before digitizing any materials
- Implement access restrictions as directed by communities
- Provide communities with high-quality copies
- Establish protocols for handling sensitive materials
Related Resources
Additional tools and frameworks to support ethical community engagement.
Process Map
Directory
Four Rs Framework