Volunteer with Live Borders Museums, Galleries & Archives Service, Scottish Borders

  • VO92321


Description

Volunteers welcomed to support Live Borders curators, archivists and educators. Tasks vary from contributing information, research and digitising resources for Borders Collections Online database, to helping at events/exhibitions or supporting on-site conservation, cataloguing and storage projects.

Role Description :
Volunteers can get involved in a range of ways to help our team deliver priority programmes in museums/archives work. We have opportunities available working either remotely (online) and in our Museums/Galleries plus Heritage Hub archive, located across the Scottish Borders area.

Skills/Experience Required:
We are looking for volunteers with a diverse range of skills and subject interests. Our collections and database projects cover everything under the sun from textiles, photography and local history, to natural sciences, art and motorsport. Current projects involve assisting with cataloguing, inventories, storage/labelling and digitising of 150,000 historic objects, artworks and images. In addition, volunteers can also support our team in the care and conservation of collections on-site and help with associated research topics. We also have opportunities for volunteers to assist at events or invigilate at exhibitions. Volunteering can be either digital/online work for collections database and research work, or site-based at museum/archive area offices located in Hawick, Peebles, Duns or Selkirk.

Hours to be arranged by agreement, minimum commitment of 3 months required.

Organisation aims and objectives

The stated aim of Galashiels and Selkirk Museums is to provide “a Museum of antiquities and artefacts associated with the social history of the local area, hereinafter referred to as the Collection”. In particular, we aim to promote the interest and education of the public (including local residents, visitors and school children) in using collections and fine art to produce :- - Attractive permanent and temporary exhibitions. - encourage increased public attendance and participation at the Museum and in its activities through the ideas and work of its volunteers.

Restrictions

Some of our museum/archive collections are located in historic properties where access to stores for inventory and conservation work on site will involve using stairs and include some light manual handling and lifting work
Experience required: By agreement, either remote working from home/online or based on-site in Hawick, Selkirk, Peebles or Duns, Scottish Borders.
Minimum age: 18

Support

Expenses paid: Yes
Expenses details: Where volunteers require subsidy/help with travel costs to their approved site/base, and wish to claim these, authorised expenses will be paid on basis of travel claim submitted on last day of month with receipts/tickets. Rate of recompense is on basis of reimbursement of public transport ticket costs.
Taster available: Yes
Training details: Training varies according to site/project but will include some work shadowing with staff and/or experienced volunteers, Induction training and volunteer agreement. Introduction given to Live Borders Museums, Galleries & Archive Service vision, values and mission. Training provided in procedures and policies to ensure safe working, data security/confidentiality and good curatorial/data management practice. Access to training/learning resources including documentation manuals, conservation & collections management guidelines and mentoring, provided by a nominated staff lead.
Support: Named Contact For Volunteer,
Wheelchair Access/Disabled Access Toilet