BAJR Mission Statement

[gumbo]

Jaffa Cakes?

[deepdigger]

not nearly a biscuit, more snack food item i think, lets ask Troll, he's the biscuit expert.

deep

[drpeterwardle]

What is Bajr last sentence.

IFA.... as the highest standard that should be adhered to and as such

surely this should be minimum standard. Are we saying that we have reached perfection....and that lower standards are acceptable.

Peter

David could you re post numbering each sentence. It will make it is easy to refer to.

[BAJR Host]

The Role of BAJR - British Archaeological Jobs & Resources
David Connolly - Director, BAJR

What is BAJR?
1. Among the national institutions of archaeology, such as the IFA, CBA, Rescue, etc there has appeared an independent organisation run by an archaeologist for archaeologists and heritage workers. There is no committee, no formal membership and no subscription; however BAJR is run democratically, with decisions, guidelines and documents put out to public vote and/or consultation from interested groups, such as the CBA, SCAUM, ALGAO or the IFA.

2. BAJR provides information and services to the whole Heritage Industry and those who interact with them. In conjunction with the Digger, it also acts as an independent voice for the workers in archaeology and heritage, providing advice and protection on an informal basis, empowering the workers with facts and data
concerning all aspects from Health and Safety to Employee Rights.

3. As our heritage belongs morally and ethically to us all, BAJR supports all those who adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards. To this end, BAJR provides information to groups as diverse as Local History Societies, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, Metal Detecting Groups, Developers, as well as Archaeological Contractors. The IFA Code of conduct is recognised as the highest standard that should be adhered to and as such, BAJR has adopted the IFA Code of conduct as the condition for Archaeological Contractors to both be included in the database of contractors and to advertise on the jobs pages.

4. BAJR?s mission statement is as follows:

5. to provide practical information concerning all aspects of archaeology and the heritage disciplines, promoting the professional standards already available and creating an environment where care and respect of the archaeological resource is understood to be the responsibility of everyone.

6. BAJR is primarily concerned with providing up to date information and resources for public and professional use. It also involves facilitating the way in which archaeology and other related activities are conducted and creates standards, in conjunction with other national organisations.

Who uses BAJR?
7. A range of groups and individuals both professional and amateur use BAJR. Our visitors come from universities, contracting units, development control departments, museums, conservation laboratories, environmental. They come from metal detecting clubs, local societies, building development companies, architects firms, schools and colleges, but all have one thing in common ? Need for easy to find and easy to use information. Every day, over 2500 people from across the globe visit BAJR.

What does BAJR do?
To maintain the intentions within our mission statement BAJR has the following aims

Article I. To provide a employment service for all.

The primary function of BAJR is to provide an advertising service for Heritage Organisations, whether Contracting Units, Council Services, Higher Education Institutions or Heritage Body. This is updated daily, with access to hundreds of jobs a year. In addition there is the CVs Online service, where a large searchable database of individuals is held that can be accessed freely by employers looking for staff. Over the past 5 years, BAJR has now become the primary location for job adverts in UK heritage.

Article II. BAJR provides information services to all.

Gathering information and making this easily accessible to all has become an important goal for BAJR. To this end, the following datasets (continually updated) were gathered and are available as fully searchable databases online;
1. Council Curators (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man)
2. Local History Centres
3. Educational Institutions
4. Heritage/Archaeology Courses (HERA)
5. Archaeological Contractors
6. PAS and Treasure Trove centres.
7. Young Archaeologist Club Locations
8. Funding Sources and Grants (Heritage based)
9. National Organisations
10. Resources in Archaeology (Maps, Software, useful sites)
We recognise that the CBA along with the IFA contains many useful datasets, and we will work closely with them both to avoid over duplication of effort. It is not the intention of BAJR to challenge the pre-eminence of these organisations in this aim, more to enhance and provide an additional parallel source for the public and archaeological/heritage professionals alike.

Article III. BAJR provides Guides in archaeology.

To promote archaeology and standards within both the profession and amateur organisations and individuals, BAJR has worked with specialists in a number of fields to produce simple to use guides to several key aspects of archaeological work and standards. These range from guides to archaeology in the planning process, health and safety in archaeology and employment rights in archaeology to short explanations of GPS, geophysics, osteology, fieldwalking, survey, metal detecting (including recording), aerial photography and marine archaeology. Many more of these guides are planned including recording historic buildings, building standards in the planning process, excavation, battlefield archaeology, onsite conservation. These guides are not intended to supplant the current documents, which they reference as the main source of information, but, are designed as easy to read introductions to these subjects.

By promoting standards and ensuring that breaches of the IFA Code of conduct and associated Guidance documents are brought to their attention, it is hoped that all archaeological contractors will ensure Best Practice as standard. In addition, it is expected that amateur and hobby groups will maintain similar rigorous standards and therefore protect our shared archaeological resource.

Article IV. BAJR promotes fair wages, employment conditions with a career structures BAJR has created a 7-grade career structure in archaeology, which has been in existence since 2002 to create the framework for a professional career structure. The levels look at the responsibility that each grade should be expected to undertake, from trainee to top. The salary levels are based on grading structure within local government and the IFA minimum levels. BAJR strictly enforces pay levels and will not advertise jobs that fall below BAJR approved minimum.

BAJR also provides informal guidance on the employment rights of self employed individuals and employees, to ensure that the IFA stated goal is upheld by all companies that use BAJR?s services.
?the archaeologist shall recognise the aspirations of employees, colleagues and helpers with regard to all matters relating to employment and equality of opportunity.? IFA

The conditions and career structures that are part of advertising on BAJR in turn provide clear guidelines for contractors on what is expected, and include treatment of staff from matters concerning Health and Safety to Employment Law.

Article V. BAJR allows archaeologists communicate.
BAJR is part of the network that allows Field Archaeologists and other Heritage Professionals to communicate both ideas and concerns about the profession. The new Hotline. Provides a confidential outlet to highlight problems at a stage where they can be dealt with or explained. The important Digger Newsletter is published online and both the BAJR message board and BAJR poll allows frank exchanges of information and ideas about archaeological practice which can then be communicated to the profession more widely.

With the recent addition of the Heritage Calendar, detailing events from re-enactments and conferences to lectures and exhibitions BAJR is providing information to help plan the year.




Conclusion.
BAJR is here to stay, but it is thanks to the support from many hundreds of people and organisations that this has taken place. One person can make a difference and this can be seen in the vast resources that are now available via BAJR. In the future it is hoped that further collaboration with other National Organisations can take place to ensure that the archaeology that we all hold dear is both cherished as a national resource and investigated by genuine professionals, aided by amateurs and all other groups that care for our heritage. BAJR will be pursuing a course to support the creation of Chartered or Licensed Archaeologists in the immediate future.
For more information about the BAJR, please contact us at:
British Archaeological Jobs & Resources
5/2 Hamilton Terrace
Edinburgh
EH15 1NB

Tel 0131 669 2686 & 01620 861643
Mob 0787 6528498
Email info@bajr.org
Web http://www.bajr.org

About David Connolly
Began working in archaeology in 1981 before entering Edinburgh University in 1983. Spent the 80s working in various locations throughout the UK, mainly in York, Lancaster, Scotland and Europe. Created Backtrack Archaeology in 1992 which specialised in illustration, survey and site recording using cutting edge computer technology, while also spending 6 month a year excavating and supervising excavations and surveys in the Middle East and Central Asia. Began recording buildings and designed landscapes in 1995 in conjunction with Kirkdale Archaeology and devised several new methodologies for their documentation. In 2001 he joined forces with Tom Addyman to assist in the recording of major buildings, including the Scottish Parliament site, and continued for 2 years as a co-director until completing the Cowgate Fire Project, which created a 3D model of a rescue fire site in the heart of Edinburgh. Currently he is the assistant archaeological officer for East Lothian and the development control archaeologist of Midlothian council, as well as the Director of BAJR. The contracting company is still available for specialist work in illustration, survey and building recording. Recently, he has joined the IFA Buildings Archaeology Group committee.

[BAJR Host]

Lots of comments taken on and the changes made.....

LAst chance to comment... before this goes live.

Will be launching the new Library of Everything service (God I loved the "Museum of Everything" with Marcus Bridgestock) with books, magazines, journals, standards documents, and BAJR guides in mid June. Thats when the Mission Statement will be made fully public.

[drpeterwardle]

David,

Unfortunately I do have the time to comment in detail.

What is good is that there will be a clear statement of BAJRs aims.

As this is a mission statement it is not cast in tablets of stone and can be amended at any time by yourself. It is not a rule book or constitution but a statement of what BAJR is about. Therefore while I doubts about some of the precise wording ( I would omit the sentence one person can make a difference and BAJR is here to say).

I suggest you post the mission statement with the rider that BAJR is here to provide a service and that service is tailored to what people want and thus will be amended to meet changing circumstances.

Keep up the good work.

Peter

[troll]

Jaffa cakes are not currently classified as biscuits but simply, love pockets.

[BAJR Host]

Love Pockets!! fer f### sake! whats wrong with a nice custard Cream

[deepdigger]

ok Troll, but if jaffa cakes are love pockets what about "pop tarts"
and custard creams mr hosty are definetly biscuits but are not favoured by Welsh diggers, i much prefer pink panther wafers myself!!

deep

[BAJR Host]

I feel ill.....[xx(]