Community Archaeology Resource Review
Across the New Forest like the UK, many volunteers and community groups undertake their own archaeological research and fieldwork.
Last year, the New Forest National Park Authority commissioned Oxford Archaeology to identify and review guidance resources readily accessible to volunteers and community groups undertaking their own archaeological investigations. The research was undertaken as part of the Our Past, Our Future Landscape Partnership Scheme supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (now the National Lottery Heritage Fund). The results of the research are now released and published online.
Focus groups and an online survey were undertaken in order to find out how community volunteer archaeologists access and use these existing guides and what they would like to see from future community resources. The report includes a number of recommendations for future community resource creation and maintenance, and a toolkit for consulting community volunteer archaeologists about guidance materials and support.
The results demonstrate that there is a demand for simple ‘how-to’ guides with signposting to more detailed information produced by well-recognised and easily identifiable sources.
There has been limited evaluation of the extent, use and impact of these resources prior to this study. This review has not involved ranking or critiquing existing guidance but getting an understanding of what exists, what is accessible and what volunteers and community groups engage with. It is hoped that this review will be of interest to the wider archaeological sector and help to inform the creation of new resources in the future.
The full report and supplementary documents can be downloaded from OA’s online library here: https://library.thehumanjourney.net/4636/
For more information about the resource review please contact: community@oxfordarch.co.uk or 01223 850515
