Education and outreach

Plymouth and West Devon Record Office employs a Community Engagement Officer who carries out a wide variety of activities to promote the Record Office and encourage the people to connect with its archival heritage.

The Community Engagement Officer works closely with colleagues at the City Museum and Art Gallery to deliver services to schools, community groups and any other interested parties.

The Community Engagement Officer is based at the Record Office, but is happy to make arrangements to visit schools and community groups at a venue of their choice.

Group visits

We can accommodate up to fifteen people on a Monday (when we are closed to the public). Visits are designed to explain the function and processes of the Record Office, to show what goes on 'behind the scenes' and to encourage use of the archives for research, leisure and study.

Talks

The Community Engagement Officer is happy to visit groups in a venue of their choice to talk on the work undertaken by the Record Office and its future plans. Talks will normally last about an hour.

Project work

The Community Engagement officer works with a variety of community groups in support of local heritage projects. Current projects include:

• Working with Plymouth Pride Forum to build a local Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Archive (LGBT)
• Working with Mount Wise Youth project to examine the impact on the changes in Devonport on both younger and older members of the community
• Working with Swilly GAS to build a community archive in the North prospect area of the city

If you are interested in any of the above activities, or would simply like to learn more about the education and outreach opportunities, please contact the Community Engagement Officer on 01752 305940 or email pwdro@plymouth.gov.uk.

Schools resource packs

We have produced number of schools resource/activities packs relating to historical events closely associated with Plymouth and the surrounding area such as:

• The Spanish Armada
• The abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade

All materials are linked to the Key Stages of the National Curriculum and can be downloaded for free from our activitiespage.