Seeking new delegates for our User Advisory Group

14 Oct 2022 02:47 PM

Would you like to represent the views of archive users and help to improve our services? If you are a regular archive user then we would love to hear from you, as we are seeking new voluntary representatives to join our User Advisory Group (UAG).

The group gives our user community the opportunity to participate in our planning and decision-making processes, helping make The National Archives an archive for everyone.

Representatives are expected to represent and speak on behalf of different sections of our user community. As well as attending quarterly meetings, each representative has a responsibility to engage with members of their user communities, to share information and gather feedback.

We would particularly like to hear from you if you think you could represent one or more of the following user groups:

• Diversity and inclusion (two representatives): those who represent LGBTQ+, ethnic minority communities and other diverse groups who use archives
• Map Room users & early career academics
• Family history users, including online family historians

Prospective representatives should be able to demonstrate they have the qualities to actively participate in the group, including:

• Willingness to express the views of their communities in the setting of a large meeting
• Time to prepare for meetings, including reading papers and networking.
• Ability to think strategically and see the bigger picture.

Quarterly meetings are usually held at The National Archives in Kew with an option to join virtually by video conference – the meetings are usually scheduled on Tuesdays during working hours. Dates and times are published well in advance and delegates are expected to make every effort to attend. Delegates may claim travel expenses.

We ask prospective representatives to commit to a minimum term of one year’s service. Find out more about the current representatives and the groups that they represent.

How to submit an expression of interest

If you would like to express interest in representing one of the groups listed above, please email UAGrecruitment@nationalarchives.gov.uk with the following information:

• Indicate in the subject line of your email that it is an expression of interest
• Indicate which sections(s) of the user community you would like to represent; if you list more than one, please rank them in order of preference
• Check the list of the sections of the user community which are already represented; if you feel that there is a group that we have not listed, and that you would like to represent, please specify this
• Tell us about your experience as an archive user and why you feel that you would be suitable as a user advisory group representative (please write no more than 150 words)
• Give examples to show that you have the personal qualities required as a representative (please write no more than 150 words)
• Indicate your ideas and suggestions for how you would disseminate details of the group to the user community or communities that you would be representing, and how you would gather feedback (please write no more than 150 words).

Representatives will be selected based upon the information provided.

The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 11 November at 17:00.