This resonated at a hui that Archives NZ's Community Archives team hosted yesterday.  One of the clarion calls for what might the Community Archives team assist with was "short course" training packages... a package or "smorgasbord" of options that orgs small or large can pick and choose from (it helps you see what you might not have known you need some upskilling in too).  This is not news!

The need is obvious but one of the cons was "accreditation", not necessarily a formal NZQA-style accredited course - but certainly a panel within, or available to, the Community Archives ensuring that those presenting such courses, content and knowledge did indeed have the mana and expertise to do it well (whoever it is, right across the country).  All too often we have likable people, or even mates (or utter sharks) being vaunted for (or vaunting) their expertise when in fact they're just good people who know a bit about a subject.  Even then they still have to know how to teach or communicate well!

In 20 years of imaging we've learned the hard way at NZMS that good operators don't necessarily make good trainers (let alone good Managers).  The best advice I could give is to ensure your needs are well articulated (for this you may need assistance), the content is relevant, and the pedigree and teaching skills of the presenter are proven.

all the best,  Andy Fenton