Image credit above: Heritage Quay & Women in Rugby
This year we completed our leadership review, which started in 2021 with the ten-year anniversary of our role as archive sector lead in England. We commissioned an independent and comprehensive survey to gather your feedback on our leadership successes and the areas where we need to concentrate our efforts to make improvements. We have taken this feedback on board and have published our leadership statement, which identifies three areas of focus: working in partnership, advocating for archives, and embedding sector leadership across The National Archives. These areas of focus feed into the new 2023-2025 priorities for Archives Unlocked, the government’s vision for realising the full potential of archives. As part of our partnership building for example, this year we have brought together a Home Nations working group to increase collaboration across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and signed a collaboration agreement with the Archives and Records Association. We’re excited that A Year in Archives 2023 reflects this work by featuring its first-ever full-length case study from Scotland.
Emmajane Avery
Director of Public Engagement and Sector Leadership
The case studies featured in A Year in Archives 2023 come from all over the country and highlight the fantastic work of archives of all types to bring the vision articulated in Archives Unlocked to life. A major development this year was the launch of the Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager apprenticeships, which were designed by a trailblazer group with representatives from across the archive sector. We have worked closely with the Archives & Records Association and other partners to finalise preparations for the apprenticeships and we are delighted that 16 archives, employing over 20 apprentices in total, have already adopted the scheme. The new apprenticeships will enable a wider range of people to become archivists, bringing new ideas and expertise with them. This is just one example of how the archives sector is innovating and we really hope you enjoy discovering other inspiring examples in this year’s edition of A Year in Archives.
Tina Morton
Head of Archive Sector Leadership