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Regardless of what happens to me next, I have found volunteering with a heritage organisation a very useful experience. I\u2019ve talked to archaeologists working in the field about their projects and have been able to pick their brains about my own research questions. I\u2019ve learnt much more about castles and how they worked, and have broadened my perspective on the topic. My work at the Trust also shows that I am passionate about heritage: I\u2019ve made the effort to do outreach, I\u2019ve gained practical knowledge of the challenges of preservation, and I\u2019ve been forced to consider the public benefit of projects submitted to the Trust. I\u2019ve also gained a much stronger understanding of the funding process. By assessing applications and giving critical feedback, I\u2019ve learnt what makes a strong application \u2013 and will be able to apply these lessons when I go on to make grant applications of my own. It\u2019s also been a useful opportunity to build my professional network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Importantly, it\u2019s also given me transferable skills which will be useful outside the context of medieval archaeology. Becoming a trustee, even of a small charity, requires you to be an active volunteer and to take on some major responsibilities. You have legal duties, such as scrutinising accounts and doing your bit to ensure funds are spent in line with your organisation\u2019s objectives. You also gain experience of governance, i.e. being in charge of an organisation. Finally, with the Castle Studies Trust I\u2019m also specialising in communicating the results of our work, so I have demonstrable experience of communicating with different audiences and developing skills I wouldn\u2019t get the opportunity to do so otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being a trustee has been a really rewarding experience and it\u2019s something that I would encourage others to do, particularly early in your career. Although, according to Young Charity Trustees<\/a>, the average age of trustees in England and Wales is 57, don\u2019t be put off \u2013 many charities are looking for younger members to join their boards. They want the new experiences and points of view that you can bring to the organisation. If you\u2019re interested and want further information, the Young Charity Trustees group has some useful materials here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Volunteering with heritage groups is a great way to contribute to an area you care about and to gain experience for your CV. I\u2019ve found that in small organisation, such as the Castle Studies Trust, one person can make a colossal difference. But most important of all, I\u2019ve found volunteering to be fun. So if there\u2019s an organisation whose values match your own, offer to help them out. And if you want to know more about the Castle Studies Trust in particular, check out the video below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n