5th July 2009, 10:43 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by Austin Ainsworth
Quote:quote:Originally posted by FrankieobSounds like knee jerk protectionism to me.
I beleive, especially in todays climate, that Companies should not be allowed to hire more volunteers than professional archaeologists on excavations. We need more job protection!
Archaeology/heritage is for [u]ALL</u> not just for people employed in the commercial sector.
Volunteers aren't hired by commercial contractors, they are unpaid additions to the 'professional' hired staff. Despite the anecdotal nonsense spouted by some in the pub on a Friday night I've never seen, (in over 20 years as an archaeologist), a commercially run site which was staffed by volunteers in order to avoid paying for a 'professional' field team.
Does anybody have any hard evidence that this has ever happened?
![[Image: OZUJSKO.jpg]](http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg189/boltonsquanderer/OZUJSKO.jpg)
Before PPG16 I've seen many sites run by and dug by 'volunteers' (for want of a better term - 'amateurs' is no better) - and, not wishing to upset my esteemed friends and colleagues who are pro community involvement etc (cos I like you all and see where you're coming from a lot of the time) the results were pretty bad, where they'd bothered to actually do the work at all. I've dealt with stuff that was literally written on the back of a fag packet - which is all very well, if it's done properly, but it wasn't. I have also seen very very predatory behaviour by male 'directors' towards young female volunteers.
We've worked very hard to have what we do recognised as something that can't just be done by anyone with their own shovel. I'm not saying don't involve people, but I am saying let's not shoot urselves in the foot here. Everyone has an interest in our Health Service and I'm involved in a local forum where I live which helps the local trust decide some priorities, but I wouldn't want any old person dealing with me when I was ill. i.e. Yes to community involvement, and yes to professional involvement - but in both cases only when and where appropriate. And only with everyone understanding what they can and can't do!