Read our latest blog posts:

YAC Impact Study 2025/26

We are delighted to share the results and final report from the 2025/26 Impact Study! Working with a sample of seven YAC branches across different regions of England, the report explores the difference that YAC makes to the lives of young people…

Dig Diaries 2026 – Cookham

This summer, members of the YAC have been joining excavations across the UK as part of our annual Dig It! competition. In July three lucky winners spent the day Cookham near Maidenhead, East Berkshire. Winners were hosted by the team at the University of Reading and explored the site of an Anglo-Saxon monastery! Let’s find out what the competition winners Florence and Luca got up to…

 A man in his early twenties stands in front of a stone column wearing a brown coat.

Voyage of the Vikings: a new D&D resource for YAC

As part of this year’s Festival of Archaeology, CBA Youth Advisory Board member Kenny Xie was challenged with designing an engaging new resource for young people. Inspired by Tynemouth Priory, the setting for our recent Youth Activity Day, and utilising his own skills at role-playing games, Kenny has created a fantastic Game Master’s Manual to help young people explore the fascinating history of Viking-age trade through D&D-style role-playing.

 Four adult women standing in a group and smiling. One is holding a teddy bear wearing a high-vis vest and a mini hard hat.

Introducing our newest YAC: York!

We’re delighted to introduce the newest YAC to join the YAC network: York YAC! Branch leader Sarah tells us about their vision for the new club and what they’ve been up to in their pilot sessions this summer, preparing for their launch in September.

 16 young people aged between 8 and 16 sitting or standing in a group, accompanied by a man wearing a mayoral chain of office.

From Festival makers to award winners: Gloucestershire YAC’s remarkable summer

Gloucestershire YAC has had a busy summer! Inspired by the Festival of Archaeology theme of Archaeology and Nature, young archaeologists created their own ‘Nature Through Time’ trail and recreated historic recipes. The club’s hard work was recognised at their first ever awards event! In our latest blog post branch leader Amelie, Learning Officer at Gloucester Cathedral, tells us more…

‘Our Transcapes’ – YAC leader training and resource pack

In June 2026 a cohort of YAC volunteers headed to Ecclesall Woods just outside Sheffield for a fascinating and inspiring training day hosted by creative facilitator, researcher and poet S.K. Marley. In this blog we share what we got up to on this training day and launch the fantastic new ‘Our Transcapes’ resource pack!

 A woman standing on the grass in front of an historic house. She is wearing a bonnet and Georgian dress and cape.

Martha reflects on 15 years of volunteering with YAC

In our latest blog we hear from Martha who leads the Peak District YAC branch, based at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery. After 15 years of volunteering with YAC, Martha reflects on her experiences and shares her highlights from being involved with the club, from historic graffiti to reconstructed coprolites!

Dig Diaries 2026 – Bamburgh Castle

This summer, members of the YAC have been joining excavations across the UK as part of our annual Dig It! competition. In July three lucky winners spent the day at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland with the team from the Bamburgh Research Project. Let’s find out what the competition winners got up to…

 A child is standing on the grass in front of an old gravestone. He is writing on a worksheet on a clipboard with a pencil. Other gravestones are in the background.

Festival of Archaeology Youth Event at Tynemouth Priory and Castle

In July CBA Youth Engagement staff teamed up with the Council for British Archaeology’s Youth Advisory Board and English Heritage to run an exciting youth event at Tynemouth Priory and Castle! We were joined by 37 young people aged 8-16 who took part in activities related to the Festival of Archaeology 2026 theme of Archaeology and Nature. Read on to find out what we got up to!