6th July 2009, 10:30 AM
It was a nail head that was hard to miss...
and yes.. (being one that does supply info - and not wanting to speak for others who do) how do you find out about the quality of a volunteer site? You can't personally check each one.... and so you have to rely on feedback... however, how would a person know if they are being trained poorly? how indeed would a volunteer know if the copious records and photographs and resemblance to a proper dig actually end up in a proper report with al the relevant post excavation requirements... ? Currently with one of mine, I am trying to explain that the more you find, the more the cost post ex is... and thats something they can't do.. and so 2/3rds of the grant will have to go on completing the report to a publication... <sigh>
However, It can be done... perhaps it needs a more structured leadership and registration with a suitable body that does ensure standards... which of course costs money...
A kind of volunteer curatorial service....
I would hope that volunteers working on a commercial project, do not impact on standards, only enhance the profile of the project, and learn from the experience... the end product will have to go through the full curatorial procedures... so should be easy enough to see if there is a drop in quality.
Though remembering the past years, I would not be alone in saying that some of thopse sent out by commercial companies ranged from school leavers to less than commercially experienced university graduates..
Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi
and yes.. (being one that does supply info - and not wanting to speak for others who do) how do you find out about the quality of a volunteer site? You can't personally check each one.... and so you have to rely on feedback... however, how would a person know if they are being trained poorly? how indeed would a volunteer know if the copious records and photographs and resemblance to a proper dig actually end up in a proper report with al the relevant post excavation requirements... ? Currently with one of mine, I am trying to explain that the more you find, the more the cost post ex is... and thats something they can't do.. and so 2/3rds of the grant will have to go on completing the report to a publication... <sigh>
However, It can be done... perhaps it needs a more structured leadership and registration with a suitable body that does ensure standards... which of course costs money...
A kind of volunteer curatorial service....
I would hope that volunteers working on a commercial project, do not impact on standards, only enhance the profile of the project, and learn from the experience... the end product will have to go through the full curatorial procedures... so should be easy enough to see if there is a drop in quality.
Though remembering the past years, I would not be alone in saying that some of thopse sent out by commercial companies ranged from school leavers to less than commercially experienced university graduates..
Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.
Mohandas Gandhi