> Community Access to Archives Project (CAAP)
> NEWS RELEASE
> ISSUED:  27 August 2004
>
>
> ***Community Archives:  the answer to social exclusion?***
>
> The Community Access to Archive Project (CAAP) is an innovative community
> focused project called led by The National Archives.  The project aims to
> provide a framework for development of relationships and activities with
> community groups by developing a 'Best Practice Model' for community-based
> online archive projects.
>
> The 'Best Practice Model' aims to address the practicalities of developing
> community-based online archive projects from start to finish and beyond.
> The team is building on the expertise our partners West Yorkshire Archive
> Service and Hackney Archives Department have developed in
> community-archive relations through their local projects, in addition to
> the input of our advisory partners The National Archives of Scotland, The
> National Council of Archives, The National library of Wales, Public Record
> Office of Northern Ireland and  Commanet.
>
> Gerry Slater, CAAP Project Partner, Record Office of Northern Ireland,
> believes that community-archive projects have an important role to play in
> United Kingdom communities.
>
> He said "Community archive projects can contribute greatly to social
> inclusion, community development, skills development and the preservation
> of 'unofficial' history, and are a means of encouraging non-traditional
> users to become involved with archives".
>
> The Community Archives Network (Commanet), a not for profit organisation
> that promotes, supports and develops community archives, has wide
> experience of the success of online community-archive projects in
> encouraging social inclusion.
>
> Patsy Cullen, Director, Commanet, has seen that community archives have
> met objectives associated with community development, cultural identity,
> regeneration, lifelong learning, reminiscence, inter-generational dialogue
> and training in information communication technology skills.
>
> She said "The Bygone Oldmeldrum" community-archive project is a classic
> example of encouraging social inclusion and community development, the
> community have come together by way of events such as coffee mornings,
> fundraising stalls and photo exhibitions for educational purposes and
> reminiscence".
>
> Evelyn Munro from the Meldrum and Bouritie Heritage Society explains that
> events such as these are when we see the best examples of people being
> brought together into a welcoming environment.  A community member has
> even told her that they find the events therapeutic.
>
> She said "The people who come to our events are people who have always
> lived in the community, people whose roots lie in Oldmeldrum and who have
> returned to walk down memory lane, people who are new to the town and want
> to learn a bit about its earlier way of life".
>
> The CAAP Best Practice Model will be available from October 2004, and will
> include details of case studies, outreach strategies and fully
> investigated suggestions for funding streams for community-archive
> projects.
>
> For more information on the Community Access to Archives Project please go
> to http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives/caap or contact Frieda
> Midgley, Project Manager on 020 8392 5330 ext 2051 or email
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -Ends-
>
> Notes for Editors:
>
> For media enquiries please contact Olivia Hayward, Press & Communications
> Officer on 020 8392 5330 ext 2523
>
> The project is being funded and led by The National Archives
> nationalarchives.gov.uk in conjunction with partners West Yorkshire
> Archive Service
> http://www.archives.wyjs.org.uk>, Hackney Archives Department
> <http://www.hackney.gov.uk/archives>, The National Archives of Scotland
> <http://www.nas.gov.uk>, The National Council of Archives,
> <http://www.ncaonline.org.uk> The National Library of Wales, Public Record
> Office of Northern Ireland <http://proni.nics.gov.uk> and Comma
> <http://www.commanet.org>net.
>
> The National Archives, Kew, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk has one of the
> largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British
> history, from Domesday Book to newly released government papers.   The
> free museum and research rooms in Kew, west London, are open to the public
> 6 days a week.
>
>
>
> Olivia Hayward
> Press & Communications Officer
> Community Access to Archives Project (CAAP)
> The National Archives
>
> Phone: 020 8392 5330. Ext: 2523
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> [log in to unmask]
> Web: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives/caap
>
>
>
>
>


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