We offer training to develop skills, knowledge and understanding within the archives sector. Our training sessions are relevant from both an organisational and individual perspective. Please email us if you would like more information about any of our sessions. At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, our events and training moved online and some of our events remain digital, alongside our e-learning courses.
Most of our training sessions are free, and bookings are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re unable to cover the cost of travelling to one of our events, please get in touch and we’d be happy to discuss this. We have a limited number of spaces available at each session. Because of this, please only book if you are able to attend, and contact us if you can no longer attend.
Upcoming events
Engaging new audiences (online)
13, 20 and 27 November (10:00 – 12:00)
This three-part course, led by heritage consultant Claire Adler, will support archive professionals in developing, delivering, and evaluating a strategy or project to engage new audiences. The first workshop will explore how to identify new audiences, including how to develop a strategy, understanding who to target, and how to engage them. The second workshop will explore delivering engagement projects, stakeholder consultation, engagement and delivery styles. The final workshop will cover evaluating engagement, demonstrating impact, and maintaining relationships. Throughout, speakers will share case studies on innovative archive, community, and heritage projects, offering practical insights and inspiration. The course will equip participants with tools to reach new audiences, strengthen outreach and build meaningful connections.
Find out more and register to attend the engaging new audiences training – sold out
Legacy fundraising for archives (online)
Tuesday 25 November (10:00 – 11:30)
This webinar, led by fundraising consultant Dr Claire Routley and 3rd Sector Mission Control, is designed to increase your knowledge and confidence when it comes to legacy fundraising. In this session, we’ll look briefly at the wider legacy market place, before thinking about who leaves gifts in wills and, most importantly, why they do it. Once we’ve discussed those underpinning principles, we’ll move on to think about the practicalities of developing your gifts in wills activities. We’ll think about how you can integrate gifts of wills into the other things you are doing in your day-to-day roles, and then think about how, as your knowledge and confidence develops, you can become more proactive in your approach. We’ll end by considering some key legal issues to be aware of.
Register to attend the legacy fundraising for archives webinar
Introduction to Major Gift Fundraising for archives (online)
Wednesday 3 December (10:00 – 11:30)
Major Gift Fundraising is all about developing meaningful relationships with individuals who have the ability and motivation to support your organisation at a higher level. In this practical session, you’ll learn how to lay strong foundations – starting with finding potential supporters, crafting an inspiring reason to donate, and mapping out your initial moves. You’ll come away with practical techniques and real-world advice for engaging major donors thoughtfully, earning their trust, and matching their passions with your mission to drive meaningful change. This webinar is led by fundraising consultant Kitty Hazel and 3rd Sector Mission Control. There will be an opportunity to ask questions after the presentation.
Register to attend the introduction to major gift fundraising webinar
Focus groups: The National Archives’ training (online)
9 December (14:00 – 15:00) and 14 January (10:00 – 11:00)
We are shaping the future of our training programme for the archive sector, and we want your input. This focus group is your opportunity to share ideas, highlight skills gaps, and influence the topics that matter most to you and your colleagues. Your feedback will directly inform the development of new training courses designed to support archivists across the sector. As a thank you for your time and participation, you’ll receive a guaranteed place on one of the new courses created as a result of these focus groups. You are only required to attend one of the two sessions.
Register to attend one of The National Archives’ training focus groups
Strategic Advocacy for Archive Managers (Manchester Central Library)
Wednesday 11 February 2026 (9:30 – 17:00)
It has never been more crucial to demonstrate the value of your archive to stakeholders and funders. You will leave this free, in-person course with the outline for a Strategic Advocacy Plan, fresh insights from sector experts and an expanded network of industry colleagues. This one-day course will be delivered by consultant and senior leader, Kate Farmery, and is aimed at Heads of Service or those responsible for managing an archive. Participants will be invited to an online follow-up session on 12 March (10:00–11:00) to fine tune their plan. There will be a limited number of places on this course.
Find out more and register to attend the strategic advocacy for archive managers course
Carbon Literacy training for archives (online)
The Carbon Literacy training is a free entry-level course designed to build attendees’ awareness of the carbon emissions relating to their roles in archives, records management and special collections. We will explore the science of climate change, how this can affect archives, and provide examples of actions that archives have taken to lower their carbon emissions. This interactive training is divided into four modules covered over two half days. There will be a small amount of work to complete before the training to help you prepare for the sessions.
After the course, you will be asked to make two carbon reduction pledges that are relevant to your life, work and sector as an individual and a group. By attending both half-day sessions in full and successfully completing the post-training work, you will be certified as ‘Carbon Literate’ by the Carbon Literacy Project, joining more than 125,000 others, including business leaders across multiple sectors.
Register to attend the Carbon Literacy training on one the following dates: All dates sold out
14 and 16 October (10:00 – 13:30)
18 and 20 November (10:00 – 13:30)
20 and 22 January (10:00 – 13:30)
24 and 26 February (10:00 – 13:30)
E-learning courses
Data Protection Toolkit for Archives
This toolkit is for archive service staff involved in providing access to personal data found within an archive service’s collections.
The toolkit is hosted on Moodle, an e-learning service that The National Archives uses to host learning and development content for the archive sector. Following the link provided below, please fill out the New Account form with your details. Please enter your email address as your username and use the enrolment key: ‘Data Protection Toolkit’. Once you have registered, you will receive an automatic confirmation email from Moodle.
Sign up to the Data Protection Toolkit for Archives
If you already have an account, log in to the Data Protection Toolkit
Archive Service Accreditation e-learning course
This e-learning course is for anyone working with archive collections who wishes to find out about Archive Service Accreditation. It provides a general introduction to the scheme and will help participants take the first steps towards making an application.
Sign up for the Archive Service Accreditation e-learning
Fundraising for Archives e-learning course
This e-learning course covers fundraising strategy, financial planning, cases for support, building networks and supporters, crowdfunding, and measuring outcomes and evaluation.
Video tutorials and step-by-step guidance will introduce you to each topic and guide you through online activities, enabling you to put what you are learning into practice and tailor it to your archive service.
Sign up for the Fundraising for Archives e-learning course
Transfer to Places of Deposit (PoD) e-learning course
This online learning course explains the key points of the Public Records Act for public record bodies. It describes what a place of deposit is and the process public record bodies should follow to select, prepare and transfer records for permanent preservation to a place of deposit.
The learning objectives of this course are to:
- understand the content and scope of the Public Records Act and the ’20 Year Rule’ changes
- gain knowledge about the process of selecting and transferring records from a public record body to a place of deposit
- recognise the roles and responsibilities for managing records under the Act and what the public record body needs to do
- find out about the guidance and support available from The National Archives
Sign up for the Transfer to Places of Deposit e-learning course
Recorded events
Take a look at our recorded events on YouTube, which cover a variety of topics, services and networks including:
Training
- organisational impact
- advanced bid-writing
- crowdfunding and digital fundraising
- Manage Your Collections in Discovery
Events
- Digital Archives Learning Exchange (DALE)
- Manorial Documents Register Conference 2022
- Archives for Everyone 2023 – 2027
- Launching the Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager apprenticeships
Grants programmes
- Risk and Resilience grants programme
- Cataloguing grants programme
- Research and Innovation grants programme
- Archives Revealed cataloguing grants