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)
8, 15 and 22 July (13:00 – 15:00)
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 with 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.
This course has currently sold out and will be running a re-delivery in November
Carbon Literacy training for archives (East and South East) (online)
Monday 14 and Wednesday 16 July (10:00 – 13:15)
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 40,000 others, including business leaders across multiple sectors.
This course has currently sold out and we will be running training sessions later in the year
Impact Seminar – Volunteering (online)
4 August (13:00 – 14:30)
Join us to hear from three archives about their volunteer programmes, including the benefits of volunteers, types of tasks undertaken, and how to look after their wellbeing. Julie Montagu will share learning from the Alberta Research Project at Mapperton House, winner of the ARA Archive Volunteering Award 2024. Gavin Maitland will discuss the volunteer programme at Electric Palace, Harwich. Linda Bankier, archivist at Berwick Record Office, will discuss how to retain and upskill volunteers, including a practical guide to volunteer agreements. There will be an opportunity to ask speakers questions as part of the session.
Find out more and register to attend the impact seminar on volunteers
Introduction to Carbon Literacy Training for archives (online)
7 August (13:00 – 14:00)
Join us to learn more about the Carbon Literacy Training for Archives, Records and Special Collections. Dr Helen Wilson ACR, Sector Development Manager – London and Science & Technology, will provide an overview of the training, explaining the benefits for your organisation and the archive sector, as well as the practicalities of the course.
We will also hear from three former training participants about the positive impact that the training has had on them, and their plans to implement the sustainability pledges that they have made. The speakers are:
- Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan, Director and Consultant Archivist, Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan Associates
- Jennifer Hunt, Archivist Manager, Rugby School
- Jenny Mitchem, Chief Digital Preservation Officer, Digital Preservation Coalition
There will also be an opportunity to ask questions.
Find out more and sign-up to attend the introduction to carbon literacy training webinar
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