Virtual Resource Hub | Site-Based Trainers

Welcome to the Virtual Resource Hub for Site-Based Trainers!

Thank you for your commitment to developing a new cohort of volunteer history docents eager to support your historic sites and history-based organizations. We are thrilled to support your invaluable role in preparing docents-in-training to bring the past to life.

Our goal is to make your job easier by fostering a community of trainers dedicated to excellence in volunteer docent learning and development. This hub is your go-to destination for tools, guidance, and inspiration as you lead and mentor your new volunteers. Within these resources, you'll find practical training materials, best practices, and creative ideas tailored to help your docents develop confidence, deepen their historical knowledge, and enhance their interpretive skills.

If you have any questions about this resource hub, please reach out to Marissa from Ahali at marissa@ahaliconsulting.com. You can also contact Katie at the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission at khimics@co.somerset.nj.us

Program Overview

There are several phases of the Somerset County Docent Training Program. Review each phase below and understand the many opportunities for you to meet the new volunteers and help them prepare to become history docents at your historical house museum! You can also learn about the different stages of the program in your Site-Based Trainer Guide and other resources available on the Digital Resource Library.

February 1 - March 29, 2025

Docents-in-training learn the core knowledge and essential skills of a volunteer docent in a cohort of peers through interactive learning and field-based experiences that offer foundational knowledge and skills. These sessions are facilitated by guest speakers and YOU!

April 5, 2025, 9:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

You will celebrate the cohort’s learning and achievements at a graduation ceremony and represent your historic site at a Volunteer Open House to help match to their wants and needs. Invite your docent team to join in some community building fun!

April 7–June 29, 2025

Docents-in-training learn to lead tours, support programs, conduct research, engage visitors, and most importantly – build confidence as a history docent! You will lead training activities, provide hands-on experience, and offer feedback to help new volunteers grow.

Key Responsibilities for Site-Based Trainers

Resources

  • February 1 - March 29, 2025 | 27 Warren Street, Somerville and various sites

    Trainers can volunteer to facilitate a presentation, lead a workshop, host a site visit or field-based experience. This is a great opportunity to meet the docents-in-training and practice your training and development methods!

  • April 5, 2025, 9:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. | 20 Grove Street, Somerville

    Join us for a brief graduation ceremony before hosting your organization’s table at the Volunteer Open House, where you can meet with participants, answer any questions, and finalize the matching process.

    Don’t forget to invite the docent team at your historic site for some community building fun!

    Click here to learn more on the Docent Community Celebration page. Plan to arrive by 9:30A.M. to begin setting up your table for the volunteer open house.

    There is free parking available at the Bernie Field Parking Garage, located at 68 East High Street, Somerville, NJ 08876, which is attached to the Somerset County Administration Building. Enter the County Administration Building on the Green level.

  • April 7–June 29, 2025 | Your Historical House Museum

    You will lead six training activities, provide opportunities for hands-on experience, and offer observation and feedback to help develop new volunteers.

    This period is flexible and dependent on the shared availability between your site and volunteers matched to your organization.

    Click here to view the opportunities for Learning & Service across all partner sites.

Upcoming Dates

Schedule of Activities

  • Five Generals Bus Tour (Collaborative Training Session 3): Docents-in-training will be a part of this one-of-a-kind interactive experience to see history docents in action at the sites where they may be placed to volunteer during Learning & Service.

  • Collaborative Training Session 4: Docents-in-training will rehearse different strategies for inquiry and learning that will inspire visitors to think critically about the stories they hear and the artifacts on display at historic house museums.

    27 Warren Street, Somerville. | 9:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.

    Trainer Meet & Greet: Connect with other site-based trainers, pick up your trainer materials, and learn about how the program is going so far.

    27 Warren Street, Somerville. | 12:30 P.M. - 2:00 P.M.

  • Site Visits: Welcome volunteer docents-in-training to your historic site. Through this visit, they will get to see the skills and strategies they have been learning about in action! Docents-in training will visit your house during three scheduled time blocks:

    Time Block A | 9:30 A.M. - 10:10 A.M.

    Time Block B | 10:30 A.M. - 11:10 A.M.

    Time Block C | 11:30 A.M. -12:10 P.M.

  • Volunteer Job Descriptions are due to the Ahali team. Email them to Marissa at marissa@ahaliconsulting.com

  • Collaborative Training Session 6: Volunteer docents-in-training explore how docents can make historical house museums more accessible for visitors with various learning needs. They will learn to think about potential access barriers and practice strategies to navigate these challenges to create welcoming, inclusive experiences for all visitors.

    Docent Panel: As part of this final collaborative training session, all trainers are invited to participate on a panel discussion to answer questions and prepare for their transition to site-based Learning and Service.
    27 Warren Street, Somerville. | 11:00 A.M. - 11:40 A.M.

  • Community Celebration: Attend the cohort’s docent graduation ceremony, and represent your site at a table during the Volunteer Open House to help match new docents’ interests with your site’s needs. Invite your team of docents to this appreciation event.

    20 Grove Street, Somerville | 9:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

  • Learning & Service: Host a group of volunteer docents-in-training at your historical site. You will facilitate six (6) training sessions, provide hands-on experiences, and offer feedback to help new docents to grow and develop.

  • We will reach out to schedule time for all site-based trainers to gather and share ideas, best practices, and lessons learned for the Somerset County Docent Training Program.