Volunteering for PHA (Vic & Tas)

The PHA Committee of Management (CoM) needs you! We are looking for volunteers to contribute to one-off projects and to be part of Working or Sub-Committee groups. We are currently looking for a new Treasurer to join the Committee of Management.

You can learn the ropes of the CoM by shadowing existing Committee Members; attending meetings and learning from committee members as they prepare to depart the committee; or by volunteering time to assist on projects that will extend your skills and professional development.

Volunteering for the PHA (Vic & Tas) is a great way to develop your skills, learn new skills, network amongst like minded colleagues, develop your knowledge base and/or to give back to the organisation. As our membership spans across Victoria and Tasmania, many meetings occur online, or use a hybrid model with some of our members meeting in person and some via Zoom. Some meetings such as CoM planning days are held in person. During the pandemic, all meetings are occurring virtually via Zoom.

This page contains information about Committee Positions; Working Groups and Sub Committees; and project based volunteering. If you have any questions or wish to express interest contact us by email mail[@]phavic.org.au

PROJECT BASED VOLUNTEERING

  • PHA (Vic & Tas) 30th Anniversary sub-committee. Happy 30th birthday to us! We are seeking energetic volunteers to join the PHA 30th Anniversary subcommittee to help us mark the occasion in 2021. Your history skills and ideas are needed to help us recognise and celebrate PHA (Vic & Tas) achievements and members over the past 30 years. If you have expertise in or want to learn about oral history, this subcommittee is for you! The first planning session will be held in late February 2021 on Zoom.

  • History research skills wanted! The Events Sub Committee team are looking to compile a list of all speaking engagements undertaken for the PHA. We seek someone to develop a master list of all PHA speakers at various events in a spreadsheet. The sources to develop this list include PHA (Vic & Tas) event records, Pharos archives and Retrospect annual reports. 

  • Do you have a flair for graphic design? PHA (Vic & Tas) member sought to produce creative images for our events, social media and Committee of Management communications. Learn new skills in Canva.

Committee Positions 

We welcome shadowing to learn the ropes from the incumbent. We also encourage members to join a sub committee as a stepping stone towards joining the CoM at a later stage.

Secretary - Harshini Goonetilleke

The Secretary manages the monthly Committee meeting papers including: agendas, minutes and collating portfolio reports; responds to email and voicemail enquiries and delegates to the appropriate Committee member.

Membership Secretary - Elizabeth Offer

The Membership Secretary manages the process of potential applicants seeking membership with the PHA (Vic & Tas). The Membership Secretary facilitates communication with potential applicants, coordinates the formal accreditation process of applicants with the CoM and conveys accreditation decisions to applicants.

Public Relations Officer - Natasha Joyce

The role of the Public Relations Officer is to promote the work of PHA (Vic & Tas) and its members to both internal and external stakeholders. It is also the role of the PR officer to promote and raise the profile of the practice of history and its practitioners in Victoria and Tasmania more generally and to maintain and update the PHA (Vic & Tas) social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. This role reports monthly to the CoM on the social media stats and supports the Events and EPD teams in promotion of events and professional development.

Treasurer - Simone Sharpe

The Treasurer prepares basic monthly reports and keeps simple records for the auditor, while also contributing to important discussions at our monthly Committee meetings, where Zoom attendance is often the norm, even in non-COVID times. As part of this role, they report monthly to the Committee of Management.

Employment and Professional Development Officer - Lucy Davies

The Employment and Professional Development (EPD) Officer coordinates a suite of programs designed to help members build their knowledge, skills and networks. The programs include: the Professional Development Points, the Reading Groups, and the Mentoring program. The EDP Officer also oversees EPD sub committee who coordinate the weekly distribution of the Employment and Professional Development notice to members by email.

Events Coordinator - Peter Symons

The Events Coordinator plans and delivers a suite of events (both physical and online) to benefit the PHA (Vic & Tas) membership to meet the professional needs of members and enable networking opportunities. The Events Coordinator is supported by the Events sub-committee and works closely with the Masterclass and the Employment and Professional Development sub-committees. This role reports monthly to the Committee of Management.

Pharos Editor - Deborah Lee-Talbot

The Pharos Editor produces the PHA (Vic & Tas) newsletter every two months. The Editor seeks out content and coordinates contributions from members relating to their latest news, their research and projects they have recently completed. The Editor is supported by a Publishing subcommittee and collectively they produce a weekly Employment and Development notice, and coordinate and advertise employment enquiries received by the PHA (Vic & Tas).

Professional Historians Australia Delegate (ex officio) - Lucy Bracey

PHA (Vic & Tas) is represented at the national level by a delegate who is an ex officio member of the PHA (Vic & Tas) committee of management. The delegate is a point of liaison between the state or territory association and the national body and therefore usually needs to actively participate in state level committee of management meetings and activities.  Delegates meet four times a year (three of them via zoom) and once a year for a face – to face meeting and AGM. The face to face meeting is rotated around the states and is usually timed to coincide with a professional development event, such as a PHA conference.  All states also have an alternate delegate who is encouraged to attend all the national meetings. PHAustralia funds the travel expenses for delegates to attend meetings. State and territory associations fund the alternate delegates’ travel. This role reports monthly to the Committee of Management.

Each delegate takes on one role for the national organisation: President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer, Accreditation Secretary and web manager.  It can be an interesting role to learn about the activities of professional historians in other Australian states and to help advocate for members’ interests.  It is a role that is probably suited to members who have had some years of membership and have an understanding of how the association operates and preferably, but not necessarily, someone who has been active in PHA activities and perhaps participated as a volunteer at their state or territory CoM or sub-committee level. It can be a rewarding way of taking your participation in the association to a new level.

WORKING GROUPS AND SUB COMMITTEES

Advocacy Sub Committee Michelle Blake (Chair), Lucy Bracey, Sonia Jennings, Elizabeth Offer and Donna Fearne - meets on an as needs basis.

The Advocacy sub committee work to promote and raise the profile of our members and their work and who can respond to issues affecting historians and the practice of history.

Events Sub Committee Peter Symons, Sophie Couchmand and Michelle Blake. More Volunteers Wanted!

The Events sub committee develop and coordinate PHA (Vic & Tas) events. Tasks include developing events, contacting speakers, helping behind the scenes with Zoom, using Canva for social media ads, booking venues and catering and more!

Masterclass Sub Committee Caitlin Mahar, Michelle Bashta and Charlotte Jenkins - meets on an as needs basis.

Masterclasses provide intensive professional development opportunities for PHA (Vic & Tas) members. A variety of masterclasses to date have explored practical skills development in public speaking, websites and social media and include podcasting with 3CR, digital storytelling with ACMI and Building Aboriginal Cultural Competency with the Koorie Heritage Trust.

Publishing Sub Committee Deborah Lee-Talbot, Fiona Gatt, Lee Sulkowska and Louise Blake - meets on an as needs basis.

The Publishing Sub Committee compile content for PHA Vic & Tas’ quarterly newsletter Pharos, the weekly EPD notice, and members profiles.

EPD Sub Committee Lucy Davies and Kate Laing.

The Employment and Professional Development Sub Committee oversees the Professional Development Points program, the Reading Groups program and the Mentoring Program.

Inclusivity and Diversity Working Group Lucy Davies, Amanda Lourie, Donna Fearne, Tsari Anderson, Abi Belfrage, Nikki Henningham and Bob Marmion - meets on an as needs basis.

The Diversity and Inclusivity Working Group reviews how we can best address the diverse needs of our current members and make our organisation welcoming to future members. 

Pay It Forward Working Group Amanda Lourie, Elizabeth Offer, Kimberley Meagher, Karen Twigg and Leo Martin - meets on an as needs basis.

The PHA (Vic & Tas) Committee set up a Pay it Forward initiative in 2020 to support colleagues who have suffered loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These monies will be used to support members applying for subsidised annual membership fees.