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Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre is looking for a Freelance Project Officer for its Fifty Years a Borough Project funded by the HLF. See below for full job description and personal specification, as well as further information on how to apply. Please direct any queries about this role to Clare Sexton, Archivist via email: [log in to unmask] or telephone: 020 8227 5221.


About the project

The 1963 Local Government Act created the London boroughs and the Greater London Council. The following year elections were held for the shadow authorities for the 32 new London boroughs. In 1965, the London boroughs took up their powers and duties representing and serving Londoners.

Barking and Dagenham merged to form the London Borough of Barking on 1 April 1965. At first the combined borough was known only as the London Borough of Barking, but, after much local pressure, changed its name to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham on 1 January 1980. 

To mark this important milestone, Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre in partnership with Valence House Museum and the Mobile Museum has been awarded funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project entitled ‘Fifty Years a Borough’, which will run from January 2015 to December 2015.This project will celebrate the heritage surrounding of the politics, place and people of Barking and Dagenham since 1965. In particular, the project will explore and reflect upon how the local authority approached elections and democracy, shaped neighbourhoods, improved social housing and transport links, delivered public health services, supported education and celebrated events. By demonstrating how the area and community have changed over time, this project aims to help stimulate memories, impact wellbeing and contribute to a sense of civic pride in local people. 

The project will involve the cataloguing, preservation and digitalisation of 6,000 photographic negatives taken by the Egbert E. Smart, Borough Photographer dating from 1965 to 1974, as well as fifty museum objects relating to the history of Barking and Dagenham since 1965. These photographs and objects will be made available online via social media sites, such as Flickr and Historypin, as well as on a dedicate project blog on Wordpress. 

In addition, research into the history of the borough will be undertaken and used, together with the aforementioned photographs and museum objects, to inform online resources, a souvenir booklet and a series of related talks, reminiscence sessions, film and photographic screenings. Meanwhile, oral histories are to be collected in association with Eastside Community Heritage. Throughout the project people will be encouraged to share their own memories and photographs, and in turn fill a significant gap in the collections held at the Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre and Valence House Museum. Volunteers will also be recruited and trained in order to assist with all aspects of the project, including research, cataloguing, digitalisation, preservation and outreach events. 

There will then be a big celebratory outdoor event, which will be held at Valence House Museum in August. This event is to be inspired by how the local community have marked significant occasions in the past in keeping with the traditions of the Dagenham Town Show, and will be an opportunity to exhibit the museum objects and photographs taken by Egbert E. Smart.

To further engage people with the heritage collections, there will be a series of photographic workshops, which will result in a touring exhibition and publication led by the Mobile Museum.


Job description

Purpose of the job
To deliver the ‘Fifty Years a Borough’ Project, in collaboration with staff at the Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre and Valence House Museum, and to take the lead in managing Project Volunteers.

Main duties
•	Research and develop engaging online resources on the history of Barking and Dagenham since 1965, including a timeline of events and biographies of leaders, senior figures and notable people of Barking and Dagenham.
•	Assist with the cataloguing and repackaging of 6,000 photographic negatives from the Egbert E. Smart as directed by the Archivist.
•	Catalogue, repackage and photograph fifty museum objects from the collections held at Valence House Museum as directed by the Museum Curator.
•	Accession and catalogue ten oral histories and other material collected in the course of the project as directed by the Archivist or the Museum Curator.
•	Promote and widen participation in the project by regularly contributing articles and images relating to the project via social media e.g. Facebook, Flickr and Historypin.
•	Promote and widen participation in the project by creating, maintaining and regularly updating a project blog on Wordpress.
•	Liaise on the design, printing and distribution of a leaflet to disseminate information about the project with the Marketing and Communications Team.
•	Facilitate learning and outreach activities aimed at varied audiences, including three talks, three film screenings and ten photograph shows at Valence House Museum, and other sites across Barking and Dagenham, such as Eastbury Manor House and Dagenham Library.
•	Assist with ten reminiscence sessions led by the Education Team.
•	Assist with the development of a souvenir booklet on the history aimed at school children on the history of the borough since 2015. 
•	Curate a temporary exhibition of objects, archives and photographs concerning the history of the borough since 1965. 
•	Manage the organisation of the outdoor celebratory event in collaboration with the Valence House Events Team to be held on Saturday 29 August.
•	Attend monthly project meetings with staff and other stakeholders involved in the project, including the Archivist and Museum Curator.
•	Recruit, train and manage twenty volunteers involved in all aspects of the project.
•	Write an Evaluation Report to be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund at the end of the project in December 2015.

Accountabilities and responsibilities
•	Reports directly to the Archivist, whilst also working closely with other staff at the Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre and Valence House Museum, in particular the Museum Curator. 
•	Liaise with community groups and other stakeholders and partners, such as the Mobile Museum and Eastside Community Heritage.

Other requirements
•	To work at the big celebratory outdoor event which is to be held on Saturday 29 August.

        
Personal specification

We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic and creative individual who has the following experience, skills and knowledge:

Experience
•	Undergraduate qualification in history, archive or museum studies or a related subject.
•	Experience of undertaking research using library, archive and museum collections. 
•	Experience of working with volunteers in an archive, museum or related heritage setting.
•	Proven experience of successful project coordination and delivery.

Skills
•	Excellent organisational and time management skills.
•	Ability to take initiative and responsibility, working independently with a minimum of supervision where required.
•	Ability to build positive relationships with other members of staff, and to work successfully as part of a team.
•	Creative approach when planning and delivering learning and outreach activites to varied audiences.
•	Ability to write clear, concise and engaging articles, resource guides, publicity materials and other communications.
•	Good IT skills, e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel, and ability to maintain a project blog on Wordpress and contribute to social media websites including Flickr, Historypin and Vimeo. 
•	Ability to be flexible, with a commitment to the needs of Heritage Services.

Knowledge
•	Some general knowledge of, or interest in, the history of London.
•	Knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the work undertaken by archives and museums.
•	Awareness of issues surrounding handling archive material and museum objects.
•	Understanding of equalities and diversity issues.


Further information

Fee
A project fee of £26,400 is available (£110 per day). Please note the post holder will need to be registered (or willing to register themselves) as self-employed.

Timescale
This post is for a fixed term period for one year.


Application process

Application deadline: Wednesday 25 February.

Interviews: Week commencing 2 March.

Please send a CV and covering letter explaining how your experience, skills and knowledge match the requirements of the post to:

Clare Sexton, Archivist, via email: [log in to unmask] 

Or send a hard copy by post to:

Clare Sexton
Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre 
Valence House Museum
Becontree Avenue
Dagenham
RM8 3HT

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