This is an exciting opportunity to work at Dorset History Centre and help expand access to heritage and archives for all. Dorset History Centre is the principal archive repository and local studies collection for the county of Dorset, preserving over 1,000 years of history. We are ambitious to grow both our physical storage capacity (now at over 96% capacity) and our audiences for the future.
Dorset History Centre has received support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its Past Lives, Future Proofed project. Thanks to National Lottery players this project aims to provide new and expanded storage for Dorset's archives to keep them safe for the future, and to improve access to archives through a programme of activities and public engagement. This project will help widen and diversify our holdings, ensuring that our collections are more representative of communities in Dorset today. We aim to increase knowledge and skills relating to archives across the county, raising standards in the acquisition and preservation of oral histories and in digital preservation, ensuring that heritage at risk of being lost forever is preserved for the future. We have received just over £603,000 from the Heritage Fund for the initial development phase, which will help us progress our plans to apply for a full grant of £3.8 million, with the delivery or second stage project predicted to run from 2028 to 2031. There will be a gap in the funding between the development and delivery stages but there will be a community engagement officer role within both stages. The project community engagement officer role is crucial to the success of the overall project.
What's in it for you
This is an exciting time to join Dorset History Centre at the start of the Past Lives, Future Proofed project. You will work with a range of colleagues to deepen your knowledge and understanding of Dorset's rich history. You will have the opportunity to help evaluate and assess the success of the development phase and to help shape the delivery phase of the project.
What you can expect to be doing
You will work closely with the Principal Archivist and our existing permanent (0.6 fte) community engagement officer to trial and test community engagement activities and develop partnerships which will form the basis of the activity plan in the delivery phase of the project. You will work with partner organisations and individuals such as artists (and other creatives) to design and deliver jointly planned activities using archives. You will help to supervise volunteers, consultants and oral historians during the project. You will help with the marketing and promotion of the project and Dorset History Centre to our audiences, both in person and online. You will help with the project monitoring and evaluation, ensuring that we have essential statistics and feedback required for reporting back to the Heritage Fund on the project's success.
About You
You will need to demonstrate extensive experience in community engagement and partnership working, including working with marginalised communities and "hard-to-reach" groups. You will be able to communicate clearly in person, online, in written and spoken form with partners, stakeholders and project participants. You will be able to evidence good organisational skills and a flexible approach. The ability to drive is essential as this post has a significant travel requirement.
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