Due to COVID-19, we have moved our in-person events online and we continue to offer e-learning courses. Please visit our coronavirus update webpage for the latest information.
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.
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.
A best-practice guide to recruitment
8 June 2021, 10:30 to 13.30
Part of our inclusive recruitment training series delivered by Creative & Cultural Skills, this session will provide advice on diversity and inclusion, work-based entry routes, inclusive job descriptions and workforce development.
While many organisations have diversity action plans, these alone do not bring about change – only the people in our organisations can really do this. We want to help employers shift the way we approach recruitment by learning how we might use different entry routes to help us open our doors to a much wider pool of talent, and in doing so support social mobility.
Sign up for the ‘Best-practice guide to recruitment’ training session
Managing mixed collections: guidance launch and workshop
9 June 2021, 10.00 to 12.00
Many archivists have responsibility for managing other collections alongside their archives, such as costumes, awards, objects, artworks, and non-traditional media. Each of these items needs different management strategies, potentially different storage requirements and access needs.
We have commissioned guidance which brings together sector standards and advice for archives and museums, aiming to provide archivists with the direction and support to care and manage these collections.
This event will provide attendees with an overview of the guidance and a chance for participants to share experiences of working with mixed collections.
Sign up for the ‘Managing mixed collections’ guidance launch and workshop
Understanding volunteering
10 June 2021, 10:30 to 12:00
Volunteers are a vital part of our sector, but many organisations are still not fully aware of their obligations to their volunteers or the expectations they should meet. This session will help you ensure that you have all the bases covered for understanding the conditions that describe genuine volunteering (as opposed to unpaid work) and how this route can be positioned as a step into paid employment.
Sign up for the ‘Understanding volunteering’ training session
Volunteer management
22 June 2021, 10:00 to 12:00 or 19:30 to 21:30
This training will provide archive staff with the skills and confidence to manage volunteer projects in the post-pandemic blended environment. The session and resources will:
- provide practical tips and insights for developing and delivering a volunteer project, including how to consider recruitment, retention and recognition
- give consideration to the tools and ways of working in a blended environment
- explore the challenges and opportunities of working with volunteers, drawing upon the facilitators’ expertise and with peers sharing best practice
Sign up for the ‘Volunteer management’ training session
Archives respond: re-gear, re-frame, reset
Four-part course between 17 June and 15 July 2021
Archives will be under increasing pressure to demonstrate their value and explore new ways to make savings and increase income from fundraising and trading. This programme will provide archive leaders with the skills required to lay foundations internally so they can secure funding and resources. It will help participants to answers questions such as:
- How do I reframe the priorities of my services in light of the impact of COVID-19?
- What local needs should we and can we respond to?
- What activities do we need to stop/do more of?
- What expectations do our core funders and parent bodies have?
Sign up for the four-part ‘archives respond’ training programme
Designing and delivering lessons with archives
Two-part course in June, July and September 2021
These interactive workshops are aimed at archive services that already have some experience at delivering archive education sessions and are keen to broaden and otherwise develop their offer.
There will be a specific focus on facilitating learning activities online. Experts from The National Archives’ Education team will explore their approach to teaching with archival material and take you through the process of developing your own teaching sessions.
Sign up for the ‘lessons with archives’ training course
Manage Your Collections
8 September 2021, 10:30 to 12:00
Join us for a webinar about Discovery and Manage Your Collections (MYC).
MYC allows archives to publish and edit their collections information directly into Discovery. We’ll be going through the tool’s complete functionality, including an overview of the MYC Excel template and the metadata mapper. After the presentation and demo, there will be plenty of time for a Q&A.
We especially welcome those who don’t currently have the means to publish their collections data online.
Sign up for the ‘Manage Your Collections’ workshop
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.