The purpose of this document is to set out the policy and procedures by which volunteers can contribute to the work of the Greater Manchester County Record Office (GMCRO) and to provide guidance to staff engaged in managing volunteers.

GMCRO aims to promote the conservation and understanding of the heritage and culture of the Greater Manchester area. Vital archives, both historical and cultural, are essential to the preservation of the memory of this metropolitan area. By offering opportunities for voluntary work, GMCRO can provide a medium for adults and young people to learn and develop throughout their lives, promoting lifelong learning and a better understanding of their communities.

Volunteers are key to the work of GMCRO and help achieve GMCRO’s objectives in a number of ways:

• Improve public access to the archives and resources held by GMCRO
• Promoting GMCRO to help increase use by the public and target audiences
• Demonstrating and promoting the value of Greater Manchester’s heritage and cultural assets

Preserving and improving access to archives is a crucial part of the work of GMCRO. This often takes the form of time-consuming and painstakingly detailed work on original documents. Depending on the nature of the task and the skills involved, this work may be undertaken by volunteers, with appropriate training and supervision. The knowledge, goodwill and enthusiasm of volunteers is often crucial to the success of a project. Volunteers have a variety of educational and cultural backgrounds. They can be motivated by a sense of civic pride, an interest in local or family history, or wishing to further or change career.

Recruitment of volunteers can be by a variety of means, but is often made by word of mouth or formal and informal contact within the existing archive user community. It may be through newsletters, leaflets, Open Days or advertising within GMCRO. Recruitment may also be determined by a particular task or a specific collection. Volunteers are often regular Record Office users, with particular skills or knowledge, who already have some understanding of the requirements of heritage or conservation work. Volunteers are sometimes previous employees who have a continuing interest in heritage work. There may also be a supporting body of volunteers, comprising interested or benevolent parties who become actively involved in interesting projects.

Volunteers have the opportunity to contribute to the preservation of Greater Manchester’s memory and its documentary heritage. They can become actively involved in the work of the record office, including working on special projects. Voluntary work offers the chance to utilise existing expertise or specialist knowledge, and to gain new skills. Volunteering creates new opportunities to make new friends, socialise and extend one’s network of contacts. Volunteering offers the chance to be consulted on and help shape the future of the archival heritage of Greater Manchester.

Work experience placements are an important example of the opportunities which volunteering can offer. For those seeking a career in archives or conservation work, this gives a chance to learn about the day-to-day running of an archive and the roles of the various professional staff employed there. Where people are seeking a career change, a short work experience of one to two weeks gives a brief taster of what working in archives or conservation means.

• Anyone who has time and an interest in supporting GMCRO
• Undergraduates/postgraduates interested in a career in archives or conservation work, or records management
• Individuals seeking a career change or in need of work experience before returning to work or retraining
• Useful skills include computer literacy, neat handwriting, the ability to work alone, flexibility and close attention to detail

Most volunteers work from GMCRO in order to work on original documents or microfilm copies. There may also be opportunities for volunteers to work from home. Wherever possible, the individual skills and interests of the volunteer will be matched to the requirements of a particular task. The requirements and expectations of a particular project will be made clear from the outset. Volunteers will be consulted about the progress and conditions of a project and their valued contribution will be acknowledged. Volunteers will also be involved in any appropriate team training activities.

Volunteers seeking pre-training work experience will usually attend for a one or two-week placement during which they will see different aspects of the work and undertake some basic tasks. There will be an initial informal interview during which their needs and interests will be discussed and accommodated. A programme for the placement will be drawn up by an archivist who will undertake the supervision of the volunteer, provide necessary training, offer feedback and write a concluding report . Following completion of the placement, they may continue attending the Office on a regular basis. Volunteers may be accepted for placements in the Spring or Autumn, but it may not be possible to accept all applications due to limited resources for supervision.

Many non-vocational volunteers attend as regularly as they are able, depending on the requirements of the project. They can be working on specific, long-term projects not related to professional career development. Staff facilities are generally available to them, and expenses, in the form of reasonable travel reimbursement may be offered, on production of travel tickets or receipts.

• Word processing or typing
• Transcribing original documents such as institution registers
• Inputting transcriptions into database files
• Document sorting or reboxing in appropriate archival boxes
• Simple listing or cataloguing of documents or photographs within a collection
• Conservation tasks such as document-flattening or cleaning
• Probate enquiries
• Organising large collections of records in preparation for listing
• Practical tasks such as moving shelving or exhibition panels
• Photographic image scanning
• Digitisation of oral or written records

Other tasks

Volunteers may also assist in a variety of ways:

• Open Days and public exhibitions/events
• Disaster Response – long-term volunteers are included in the office’s emergency response plan, as appropriate
• Helping out at short notice with specific urgent projects
• Providing specialist expertise or knowledge on a particular project

Proper supervision and training are essential to the success of a project and will ensure high quality outcomes. The appropriate training guarantees that volunteers have the relevant skills to undertake the task at hand. Formal training in advance may be given where volunteers are working on a large-scale or long-term project, where specialist skills may be required, or which involve more than one person. Guidelines and a schedule may be drawn up by the supervising archivist and the progress of the project reviewed on a regular basis. A senior professional member of the archive staff is responsible for the management and training of all volunteers.

All volunteers will be given a full induction in the procedures of the Record Office, including the health and safety procedures. Where necessary, they will be equipped with the appropriate access tools, such as keys and identification badges. They will also be equipped with the appropriate protective equipment and advised on suitable clothing.

All volunteers working on projects from home will be supported and supervised by an archivist in regular contact by email or phone. Arrangements are usually made to meet at the Record Office where necessary to discuss progress on the project and any problems.

Younger volunteers may be unused to a working environment and to the environment of the Public Searchroom. Consequently they may require closer supervision and training by a professional member of staff. The work they undertake requires careful planning and preparation to ensure that it is appropriate to the young person’s skills and abilities. Risk assessments are carried out and made available to parents prior to the student’s visit or work experience.

Volunteers are not required to sign a confidentiality agreement. The supervising archivist will ensure that volunteers do not work with any archives which are in any way sensitive or subject to the access restrictions imposed by the Data Protection Act.

Applications should be made in writing (by letter, fax or e-mail) to the County Archivist. Addresses and contact details can be found below. Anyone wishing to become a volunteer will be asked to complete an application form and may be required to supply references or evidence of previous archives experience. Then the applicant will be invited to visit the Record Office for a tour, to discuss the placement or project in further detail and to agree a timetable for the placement.

The County Archivist
Greater Manchester County Record Office
56 Marshall Street
New Cross
Manchester
M4 5FU

Tel 0161 832 5284
Fax 0161 839 3808
E-mail: archives@gmcro.co.uk

 

Return to the main web site of the Greater Manchester County Record Office

© GMCRO. The copyright for pages on this web site rests with the Greater Manchester County Record Office. You may download and read this material. However, you may not alter the information, repost or sell it without the permission of the Greater Manchester County Record Office.  All pages on this site are best printed in landscape orientation

Email