Voluntary and community archaeology group

Background

The purpose of the Voluntary and Community Group is

• to provide a recognised voice for furthering the interests of voluntary and community archaeology within the IfA.
• to promote the adoption and implementation of IfA Standards by voluntary and community archaeologists (and the organisations to which they belong).
• to advise Council and its committees on issues relating to Voluntary and Community archaeology, both within the context of the IfA and within the discipline of archaeology as a whole.
• to provide guidance and assistance to ensure that voluntary and community archaeologists (and the organisations to which they belong), have the necessary and recognised competence to carry out archaeological research to the highest possible Standards.
• to promote discussion between voluntary and community archaeologists and other archaeologists in order to foster a greater understanding and improvement of relations, to further the overall pursuance of archaeological knowledge and research.

Join the Group

Membership is free for IfA members, while non-members need to pay an annual £10 fee. If you wish to join this group, please contact the IfA at

Institute for Archaeologists
Miller Building, University of Reading
Whiteknights Reading, RG6 6AB

Tel: 0118 378 6446
Email: groups@archaeologists.net

Committee

Craig Spence (Chair)
Tara-Jane Sutcliffe (Secretary)
Rachael Hall (Treasurer)
Margaret Broomfield
Abby Guinness
Lilly Hodges
Alison James
Phil Richardson
David Rudling
Adam Thompson

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Events

Update from VCSIG Group 10 April 2012

IfA Conference 2012 Oxford 18-20 April

Engaging communities with archaeology: different approaches Organisers: IfA Voluntary and Community Special Interest Group

How can community engagement projects offer wide-ranging and innovative ways in interact with archaeological heritage? Often the most successful engagements come through partnership work. Through the papers presented, communities will be at the centre of the projects discussed, rather than simply presenting archaeological projects which featured a community element as an ‘added extra’. In particular, we will explore different outcomes of community projects, such as encouraging well-being; generating senses of stewardship towards local heritage assets at risk of damage from unauthorised development, neglect, or crime; or engendering greater social inclusion.

Chairs: Craig Spence, Abby Guinness

Speakers

• Mark Beattie Edwards, The Nautical Archaeology Society
• Tara Jane Sutcliffe, The Young Archaeologists’ Club
• Tom Dawson, SCAPE Trust
• Phil Pollard, Council for British Archaeology
• Richard Osgood & Diarmaid Walsh, Operation Nightingale
• Jane Harrison, East Oxford Archaeology & History Project

VCSIG AGM

IfA Voluntary and Community Special Interest Group AGM will follow the Engaging communities with archaeology: different approaches session on Wednesday 18th April.

VCSIG will also be represented in the ‘After Southport’ session (morning of Thursday 19 April) with Craig Spence speaking about the value of Community Archaeology.

VCSIG on-line

Group members can find information about VCSIG on this page, and with regular updates about projects, events and news on both Facebook and Twitter. Join in!

• ‘Like’ us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter (#VolComSIG)

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If you would like your project to feature in the next edition of the newsletter or have any news, reviews, features or events that you would like to promote please send copy to Newsletter Editor abbyguinness@hotmail.com