Strategy 2025-30 Sector consultation
Strategy 2025-30 Sector consultation
April 2025 - May 2025
In December 2024 ARA circulated to its members a draft Strategy for 2025-30. The strategy consultation information is hosted on a web page here. The results of the survey for this consultation showed that more than half our aspirations received the agreement of over 90% of the respondents. Only one aspiration received less than 80% agreement (73%).
The Strategy has been revised in light of these results and the 283 comments provided in the free text boxes (excluding those saying ‘none’ or ‘no comment’ or ‘see above’).
This strategy should be read in conjunction with our charitable objects contained within our Memorandum and Articles of Association. Those charitable objects remain the fundamental work of the association and the foundation of all we do:
a) to foster the care and preservation of archives in the public interest and to promote the better administration of archive repositories
b) to advance the professional education and training of Archivists, Archive Conservators and Records Managers and those engaged in related activities
c) to commission and support research into the creation, use, administration and conservation of archives and the development of new techniques and the publication of the useful results of such research.
Where the strategy relates to environment, sustainability and EDI this will be complementary to the preservation, conservation and provision of access to, digital and non-digital materials on an equal basis.
Our strategy has a strong focus on future proofing the sector against technological change and giving it the tools to take advantage of the emerging and existing digital landscape. This will be alongside our continuing support of ‘traditional’ record-keeping skills, whether in palaeography, document handling, conservation, etc.
We want to make this strategy ambitious but acknowledge that, particularly in the strategy areas of leadership, digital and resilience, there may be difficulties in achieving our aspirations within the current context of under resourcing both in terms of people and money; in addition, for the digital area of the strategy the cost of implementation in terms of equipment, software, training, etc. This does not mean that we should not set ambitious goals and our strategy regarding advocacy must work in parallel to make those goals more achievable.
The survey
Having received a sufficient level of approval for the strategy we now wish to consult with the wider record-keeping sector (including our members) on how we should take this forward, what initiatives, good practice or research already exist to help make this strategy achievable and what barriers or challenges to achieving it might exist (and any thoughts on how to address these).
As a result this survey requires more detailed responses and we do not expect every respondent to respond to every question.
Our questions for each area are the same:
What actions can ARA meaningfully take to help achieve these aims?
What actions can people working in and organisations operating in the record-keeping sector meaningfully take to help achieve these aims?
Please provide details of any examples of good practice, research or useful initiatives.
What challenges or barriers do you see in the record-keeping sector to achieving these aims?
We will use these responses, alongside actions already identified by the Board and Staff of ARA, to formulate and publish an action plan that will sit alongside the strategy.
We are also happy to take longer responses via email at deborah.mason@archives.org.uk please copy and paste the question you are answering into any email you send or use the word version of this survey here to respond.
Deadline for responses is 13th May 2025