Over the past few years, many churches have sought to harness the power of digital technologies to share their history and heritage with visitors and local communities. From short entries on church websites to videos and social media, such technologies have the potential to encourage in-person – and virtual – heritage tourism, helping churches to raise awareness and support as they care for their buildings. These technologies are developing rapidly, and many churches may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about what works best, and whether or how they should engage with these technologies. Additionally, they need support to enable them to sustain them in the future.
Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust (YHCT) is therefore delighted to announce a new partnership with the National Churches Trust (NCT) and colleagues from the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture (CSCC) at the University of York. An online workshop, to be held in late Spring 2022, will give guidance on how to welcome visitors to Yorkshire’s churches and chapels by using social media to maximum effect. Included in the workshop will be useful hints on how to create sustainable digital strategies and how to identify content from your church’s story and mission.
The YHCT is seeking to identify churches with whom Masters and PhD students from the University of York can work as a placement or dissertation, to review, develop and help to co-create content over the course of this Summer. Students will be mentored throughout their placements by the CSCC team, including YHCT Trustee, Dr Kate Giles.
The aim of this project is to start where churches are, and find sustainable solutions with which they feel comfortable, helping students better understand how to co-create and co-design content that really works for project partners.
Who is eligible to apply? To be part of the project, we simply ask that you are a member of the YHCT.
To find out how to join, click here: https://www.yhct.org.uk/donate/
If you would like to express an interest in being involved please email us at: generalenquiries@yhct.org.uk