What does a YAC Leader do?

YAC Leaders lead teams of volunteers providing regular archaeology activities for 8–16 year olds.

What tasks and activities does this involve?

  • Ensuring that current Young Archaeologists’ Club policies and procedures are followed.
  • Ensuring the appropriate management of branch administration and finances.
  • Being responsible for the design and delivery of an inclusive and accessible programme that meets the needs and aspirations of branch members.
  • Ensuring that branch sessions are run within the terms of YAC’s insurance.
  • Ensuring the health, safety and welfare of everyone in your branch of the club.
  • Ensuring the responsible supervision of YAC members.
  • Managing and supporting YAC Assistants.
  • Recruiting new volunteers following the Young Archaeologists’ Club’s recruitment procedure.
  • Maintaining regular contact with YAC HQ.
  • Ensuring the parents of YAC members are informed of upcoming activities, and that branch members’ details are kept securely.

What will you gain by being a YAC Leader?

Being a YAC Leader can be great fun, and can get you closer to some brilliant local archaeology. You’ll have the chance to get better at:

  • managing groups of young people
  • leading a team
  • communicating with people of all ages and abilities
  • planning and delivering safe, exciting learning experiences
  • administration

and to develop your understanding of:

  • learning styles and abilities
  • health and safety
  • child protection, and
  • (last but not least) archaeology!

What are the requirements for becoming a YAC Leader?

YAC Leaders must agree to undergo a criminal record check every three years. They must be at least 18 years old. YAC Leaders come from a wide range of backgrounds and have many and varied skills, including:

  • Enthusiasm for working with young people, and an understanding of the issues involved.
  • Enthusiasm for archaeology.
  • Strong organisational skills.
  • The ability to lead a team.

What support do YAC Leaders get?

Young Archaeologists’ Club policies, procedures and guidance are all available online in the Club Admin pages. Support is available for Leaders from YAC HQ, who you are welcome to contact with any questions and encouraged to speak to about any problems. Leaders can also join YAC’s email network and Facebook group, where you can discuss any issues with other YAC volunteers. Each club is able to send one Leader or Assistant on a First Aid training course each year, and online Child Protection training is also available for Leaders at new branches or where trained individuals have moved on. YAC organises face-to-face and online training sessions on a range of topics as funding allows, and YAC HQ will send out information about these as they arise.

How much time does being a YAC Leader take up, and when?

Most YAC branches hold activity sessions once a month at weekends for two or three hours. In addition to these activity sessions, Leaders also spend time planning and risk assessing activities, taking care of branch administration, communicating with members’ parents and the YAC team, dealing with enquiries from new members, and communicating with YAC HQ. We estimate that Leaders give an average of eight hours a month, but this will of course vary depending on how you delegate tasks among your team. 

Where do YAC Leaders volunteer?

There are YAC clubs all over the UK. Look at the map on our website to find your nearest one. If you are interested in establishing a new YAC branch please read the information on this page: Set up a new club.

Who supports and supervises YAC Leaders?

Some YAC branches have more than one Leader, so you might share your responsibilities with another volunteer. You can always contact YAC HQ for help and advice 01904 671 417 or yac@yac-uk.org.

Important information

YAC takes Child Protection seriously and asks all Leaders and Assistants to go through a formal application process, which includes providing two references and undergoing an enhanced criminal record check. This is a standard procedure for most organisations that work with children, is part of YAC’s Child Protection Policy and helps us ensure the safety of everyone involved. Once you have submitted your application form, the Leader and YAC staff will guide you through the rest of the process. 

The criminal record checking process differs slightly for each country of the UK. When the CBA receives your application, we will send out the appropriate paperwork to you, which you will need to complete with your local Leader. Our DBS checks in England and Wales are completed online using an umbrella body called Mayflower. If you are a member of the Disclosure and Barring Service’s Update Scheme (England and Wales only) then we will ask for your permission to request an update.

If you will be volunteering at a YAC branch in Scotland you will need to complete a PVG check with Disclosure Scotland. If you are already a PVG member you will still need to complete a new check for your role as a YAC volunteer. If you will be volunteering at a YAC branch in Northern Ireland you will need to complete an AccessNI check through Certn.