Opportunity: Digital Collections Management Intern for Many Hand International

Opportunity: Digital Collections Management Intern for Many Hand International cultural organisation Australia/Timor-Leste.

Position type: voluntary

Commitment:120 hours over four months.

Hours: Flexible working hours

Location: online

Please note: this position includes minimal supervision from Many Hands Directors. Applicants must be capable of working independently, but seeking support and adviced when needed.

 

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Fataluku people of far eastern Timor-Leste maintain diverse and fascinating forms of cultural expression. Many Hands International sought to help re-invigorate critically endangered forms of cultural expression by recording those cultural forms; building local capacity to preserve cultural heritage; and providing Fataluku people with an opportunities to view and learn more about their cultural heritage. Many Hands’ team of local staff have recorded 30 different cultural heritage elements including: 
music   craft   tools   medicine  architecture   folklore   oral literature and song   ritual.

MHI seeks to compile the material collected from this community-based research project into an online collection. 

For this task, we are seeking an intern who would like to work in collaboration with MHI Special Projects Officer based in Timor-Leste, to catalogue and exhibit the collection using the web-publishing platform OMEKA. 

No travel to Timor is required as part of the internship, but the intern would be welcome to do so in a self-funded trip, should they wish to.

 

ABOUT MANY HANDS INTERNATIONAL 

Many Hands International (MHI) is an Australian registered international not-for-profit organisation seeking to improve the lives of those who live in some of the world's most disadvantaged communities. We work from a cultural assets-based approach to community development. We work with communities through participatory and empowering processes to identify their cultural assets and apply their traditional knowledge to develop a range of activities that assist in the maintenance of culture and develop economic and social opportunities.  MHI is an independent non-religious, non-political organisation that is not connected to any organisation of like or similar name anywhere else in the world.  Our work is supported by those who share our values and goals.  

Many Hands is operated by a Board of volunteer Directors based in Melbourne, and employs four Timorese staff in the Centro Cultura Lautem in far eastern Timor-Leste. 

 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Responsibilities:

Your responsibilities will include liaising online with MHI Special Projects Officer in Timor-Leste while undertaking various collection care tasks such as cataloguing, inventorying, rehousing of photos, film and documents, data entry of collections information and material, and creating exhibits on the OMEKA online platform.

Learning component:

This internship provides direct and real experience of working with a cultural organisation concerned with supporting disadvantaged yet culturally rich communities in archiving and exhibiting endangered cultural material for future generations.

Minimum Qualifications:

Undergraduate or post graduate student enrolled in studies relating to: Museum Studies, Library and Information Science, Archival Studies, Historic Administration, Cultural Studies, Natural Sciences, Arts Management, Anthropology, Archaeology, Art History, History and Historic Preservation programs that have had coursework or experience in online collections care and management, cataloguing, online exhibiting, and records management are encouraged to apply.

Skills required: 

Strong research skills and attention to detail;
Ability to work independently and seek advice when necessary;
Ability to work cross-culturally and in an online communications environment;
Strong verbal, written, organizational, time management and interpersonal communication skills;
Use of museum and archival best practices for cataloguing, inventorying and online exhibiting digital material;
Capacity to maintain confidentiality and follow organisational policies.

Desirable Qualifications:

Experience using the OMEKAonline platform;
Experience with digital preservation;
Experience of working, studying or traveling in the Asia Pacific.

TO APPLY

Please send an Expression of Interest letter outlining why you would like to undertake this internship and how your studies, interest and experience aligns to Kim Dunphy at:  kim.dunphy@manyhands.org.au