Volunteers in Community Archives

Micro Volunteering

Micro volunteering is a much less structured form of volunteering, with less paperwork. It is purely task-based volunteering which can cover two different kinds of tasks:

• Practical one-off tasks such as boxing documents, removing steel paperclips or filing press cuttings
• Taster activities: small projects designed to introduce your work

Micro volunteering could be suitable for people not looking to sign up for long-term volunteering. When looking for these volunteers:

• Don't seek a long-term volunteer
• Advertise individual tasks that need completing, on or by a fixed date
• Advertise widely, and outside your usual networks

Corporate Volunteering

You can sometimes work with employers, especially large employers, to access volunteers directly from their employees. This is often on their paid work time as part of a company's 'Corporate Social Responsibility' programme.

With corporate volunteering you need a compelling reason which is often working with a large employer based in your community. It might also be around an issue or cause. Sometimes it might be where a company needs to reduce reputational damage - you need to be careful of this last one, to protect your own reputation.

Corporate projects are:

• Often one day/weekend projects
• Generally not highly skilled, often manual tasks
• Can become an annual or ongoing relationship
• Often a good photo opportunity

Pro Bono Work

Pro Bono work is when someone provides you with a service they would normally charge for but gives up their fee. You might request pro bono work when:

• The work is for the public good
• You can't afford to pay for it
• Having the work done professionally is legally required

Pro Bono work for charities usually comes into play when you are undertaking a large project. For example, if you're building a new archive store, you might decide to approach architects, quantity surveyors and structural engineers. It's also possible in financial services as well as in the law.

Key Considerations:

• Be clear at the outset that you are looking for pro bono work
• Allow a long deadline
• Choose larger practices with more capacity
• Be aware that you are more likely to be offered time from junior partners - working pro bono is often a career progression step for chartered professionals