Get Involved

There are lots of ways you can get involved with archives across Wales. Whether it’s attending an event at an archive, collaborating with us on a project, or becoming a volunteer, all are welcome.  

Volunteering  

Volunteers play an important role in the work that we do. Whether you have a passion for history, want to improve your knowledge and skills, or simply want to do something worthwhile, volunteering at your archive service is a great way to get involved and make new friends. 

You can be any age and looking to learn a new skill or expand your CV, get some work experience, or gain some local knowledge. Volunteering can benefit you by: 

• developing your IT and other work-related skills 
• providing a sense of being part of a community 
• boosting your wellbeing, health and social connections 
• improving your confidence when looking for a job 
• gaining work experience in a new sector – see also the Archives Records Association volunteering page for further information. 

Some archive services also offer digital volunteering opportunities so that you can volunteer remotely from the comfort of your own home. The award-winning Crowd Cymru digital volunteering platform, for instance, brings people together from across Wales and beyond to transcribe handwritten documents and tag digital photographs.  

Not all archive services across Wales can offer volunteering opportunities at this time; some opportunities run at different times of the year. If you’re interested in volunteering, check with your local archive service to see what opportunities they can offer. 

Work with archives on a project 

Archives work with local communities on exciting projects to connect our shared past with the present.  

We collaborate with individuals, groups and organisations, from heritage and conservation to education and creative practitioners. Our news page is full of examples of these amazing collaborative projects. 

If you’d like to work with a particular archive, use our Archive Services page to find their contact details and get in touch. 

Depositing your documents and records  

Many of the records held by archive services have been donated or deposited by members of the public, businesses, organisations and societies.  They can come in many different formats, for example handwritten on paper, digital records, photographs and audio files. 

All archive services will have Collections Policies that provide details of the types of records they collect. This is to make sure that they only collect records that are related to their jurisdiction, subject specialism or research area, and are of enduring value. 

If you have records relating to people or places in Wales that could be of lasting benefit to the public, then you may be able to add them to our collections. You can either donate your records as a gift or deposit them on loan. If you want to donate or deposit your records, please contact your local archive service.