Safe Access

Fostering positive wellbeing for all those working in, visiting, and engaging with museums and heritage.

Safe Access is a wellbeing- and inclusion-focused project funded by the Heritage Innovation Fund, created by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF). Following two successful research phases, we are currently delivering the third and final ‘Grow’ phase, a two-year £250k programme that focuses on embedding wellbeing and a Trauma Informed Approach within heritage settings, so that people from marginalised backgrounds can safely engage with sensitive collections and stories. 

A fundamental element of the project is a Peer Cohort Learning and Support Programme which is bringing 14 diverse heritage organisations together for a series of needs-led developmental activities designed to foster collaborative culture change. 

Get involved

In addition to the Cohort’s sessions, we are launching a series of wider Safe Access sessions. Throughout 2026 there will be opportunities for museums and heritage organisations to attend monthly training opportunities and expert talks. Further details of this programme of sessions can be found at the link below.

As the Safe Access Cohort develop and implement trauma-informed and wellbeing-focussed initiatives, they will be sharing their progress as well as what worked and what didn’t.  

We also regularly share relevant news, information and updates from across the sector via a dedicated Safe Access LinkedIn page. 

Get in touch and stay up to date

Safe Access is a part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Innovation Fund and, as such, it is experimental and agile. We are developing the programme in iterations and are always keen to take on board relevant best practice from across and beyond the sector. We would also love to connect with other organisations who are delivering similar initiatives that aim to enable safer, inclusive and trauma-informed practices within the sector. 

Please do let us know if you would be interested in getting involved in Safe Access and/or sharing examples of great work. 

To be kept informed directly about upcoming Safe Access opportunities or to discuss any aspects of the programme, please contact the Freelance Project Manager, Jenna Marrion: [email protected]  

We keep this page updated but also have a dedicated Safe Access group on LinkedIn where we regularly share relevant wellbeing and EDI related information, updates and links to additional opportunities across the sector.  

And to stay up to date with Safe Access, as well as all other news and opportunities from AIM, sign up to our weekly eNews below.