30th September 2013, 09:56 PM
Folks can indeed be paid (by their employers) to offer their professional expertise to volunteer organisations. That way the pro doesn't have to choose between family and earning when looking for spare time, and the volunteer group gets "free" expertise, but the bosses have to be willing to donate. Perversely, the tricky part about this happening in the Public Sector is that plenty of taxpayers will moan that they jolly well expect "Their" salaried archaeologists to be in the office doing the core job every day of the week! Can't win for losing...