Volunteering

Volunteers play an important role in the work that we do. Whether you have a passion for history, want to improve your knowledge and skills, or simply want to get involved in something worthwhile, volunteering at your archive service is a great way to get involved and make new friends.

You can be any age and looking to learn a new skill or expand your CV, get some work experience, or gain some local knowledge. Volunteering can benefit you by:

• improving your IT and other work-related skills
• providing a sense of being part of a community
• improving your confidence when looking for a job, especially if you are keen to work in an archive service.
• boosting your wellbeing, health and social connections

Volunteering also supports people returning to work after a period of unemployment through learning new skills and getting experience in new sectors.

Some archive services can also offer digital volunteering opportunities so that you can volunteer remotely from the comfort of your own home. Examples of the types of work you can do include the transcription of handwritten text and the tagging of digital photographs.

If you’re interested in volunteering with an archive service, check with your local archive service to see what opportunities they can offer.