Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Champion?

A champion is an individual who shows enthusiasm and support for the People's Collection Wales website project. This individual will embrace the importance of shared Heritage and will encourage others to become involved in the People's Collection Wales project. Champions will become ambassadors for the People’s Collection Wales program. They will be trusted individuals who have completed a standard digitisation training which will enable them to share best practice with others. They will be acknowledged for their work by the People’s Collection Wales and supported in kind for their commitment in facilitating the People’s Collection Wales project. They need to be either staff or volunteers at a Digital Heritage Station, or a member of a Heritage group or an individual interested in Heritage who is keen to facilitate others in sharing content onto the People's Collection Wales website.

How do I become a Champion?

To become a Champion an individual will need to attend a digital training day as arranged by the People's Collection Wales staff. They will need to be able to give freely some time for promoting the People's Collection Wales within the context of their involvement, either as a volunteer at a host organisation who has developed a Digital Heritage Station, or as a member of a Heritage group, or an individual who is interested in digital heritage.

What will I be required to do as a Champion?

A Champion is an individual who will become an Ambassador for The People’s Collection Wales; therefore the main priority for a Champion is the promotion of the People’s Collection Wales website to others. Champions will act as facilitators for local Heritage projects. Champions will be qualified to share best practice when it comes to digitising material. Champions should be competent enough to show others how to digitise material to a given standard. They will assist in any digitisation needs that groups or individuals may be faced with. Champions will be expected to liaise with People’s Collection Wales staff at the National Library of Wales if there are any site issues that we need to be aware of.

What support will I receive as a Champion?

A Champion will receive standardised training in Digitising material for uploading onto the People's Collection Wales website. This training will include information on copyright and metadata with reference to the Dublin Core system. They will also be shown how to calibrate a scanners and the practical training will include a method for creating master (tiff.) and web ready (jpg.) files. This training will provide the Champion with new skills, which could lead to opportunities within employment. People’s Collection Wales can create further opportunities for Champions to complete an Agored Cymru Qualification Framework Course in Digitisation for Museums, Libraries, and Archives, which is a Level 2 – 3 Credit course. People’s Collection Wales will provide remote support to all Champions; this will include information on site updating and digitising standards. If a Champion has identified a potential location for a Digital Heritage Station, People’s Collection Wales staff will provide the support necessary to assist in facilitating this aim as well as to provide the necessary marketing material to enable the Champion to promote People’s Collection Wales website.

Definition of a champion

A true champion without a cause is entrapped energy.
A great cause without a champion is but an elusive dream.
But a great cause with a true champion is the realisation of a vision
!

By Robert Porter Lynch, "How to Foster Champions" Leading Beyond the Walls