About The National Archives
The National Archives is the UK’s official archive, safeguarding over 1,000 years of iconic national documents. We are committed to inclusivity, innovation, and disruption in preserving our collections while making them accessible to everyone. Our mission is to connect people to their history and support archives globally. As an institution at the forefront of heritage, we aim to engage and inspire through a range of opportunities for those with care experience.
Our Offer for Care Leavers
Work Experience & Volunteering:
- Gain hands-on experience working in our collections and services, Education Team and Events and Exhibitions. Our Estates team will offer opportunities from 2026.
- Hours tend to be 10am to 4pm for a week
- On-site opportunities are available at Kew.
- Develop skills in archival processes and historical research, community outreach with the Education team.
- Volunteering at The National Archives is a great way to engage with history and gain valuable career experience.
Job Opportunities – see our website for current vacancies:
Digital Archiving Roles:
- Get involved in preserving and organising digital records. These roles are ideal for those interested in working with emerging technologies, metadata management, and digital preservation tools like DROID, Apache Tika, and BitCurator.
- Build skills in collaboration, analysis, organisation, and technical proficiency.
Creative Careers in Archives:
- Join our creative teams and help us develop exhibitions, educational resources, and outreach projects that engage diverse audiences.
- Opportunities include working with our Education and Outreach department, helping to deliver workshops and programs to schools, young people, and communities.
Student Placements:
- We offer placements for students to work on research-focused projects, enhancing access to our archives and improving engagement with new audiences.
- These placements range from one to three months and are part of our commitment to training the next generation of archivists.
Additional Opportunities at The National Archives
- Holiday Activities and Food:Free arts workshops for children and young people from low-income families, supporting personal development and engagement in creative projects.
- Volunteer Experience Projects:Support behind-the-scenes archiving, digital preservation, and community outreach projects.
- Collaborative Research and Fellowships:Opportunities for those interested in academic research or collaborative projects with archives globally.
How to Get Involved
Care leavers are invited to apply for volunteering, work experience, and student placement opportunities. For more information or to apply, please contact us:
