Volunteers play an essential role at the CCHC. Listed below are some of the volunteer opportunities currently available. If you have a special interest or skill that does not fall into one of the categories listed, please let us know and we will to do our best to fit your skills with the CCHC’s needs.
Volunteers are needed in the following areas:
Clerical
Education
Grounds Keeping
Museum Shop
Visitors Services
Student volunteers are those who do not necessarily have an academic advisor but complete a Volunteer Application and carry out at least 40 hours of work in 10 weeks.
For more information about volunteering with the CCHC, please contact our Volunteer Office at 610-692-4800, X232. If you’re ready to volunteer with the CCHC, please complete and return the Application Form to [email protected]
Do you love to bring history to life and want to work to share the remarkable story of Chester County and its people? We may have the perfect job for you. The Chester County History Center seeks energetic and positive visionaries who will help bring the CCHC to new heights. The CCHC is an equal opportunity employer.
Dr. Mian A. Jan Fellowship
CCHC is pleased to offer the third Dr. Mian A. Jan Fellowship to a post-secondary student. This is a paid opportunity that will enable CCHC to continue adding the local history of South Asian communities in the county and to share that information through public presentations.
Tasks to be completed:
The Dr. Jan Fellow will create a digital exhibit and small-scale framed photo exhibit of oral historians who have participated in the South Asian oral history initiative in Chester County. This may include reaching out to organizations that represent the broad experiences of the people in these communities. Both ordinary and extraordinary accomplishments will shape that exhibition narrative.
Specific tasks:
Skills required:
It is essential for the Fellow to work well with a variety of people in the community and to do so within the framework of the CCHC Collections Management Policy and other professional and ethical guidelines. CCHC adheres to the policies of the American Alliance of Museums with regard to respect for people and objects. The successful candidate will have strong written and verbal communication skills and have a sensitivity to the South Asian culture, although it is not required that the Fellow be a member of that community. A graduate student who is studying for a degree in history, anthropology, sociology, museum studies, or photographic archives is preferred. An upper level undergraduate may be considered.
Skills developed/products produced:
The Fellow will 1) gain research skills, 2) learn about public history from a practical perspective, 3) be an active participant in the cause of diversity, 4) learn about the South Asian community and the broader role of migration in Chester County, and possibly 5) gain oral history experience. Work will be on-site and remote.
Timing (specific to this Fellowship):
This fellowship will take place in the Fall of 2024 over a period of up to 8 weeks for a total range of 50 to 62 hours. The anticipated timeframe is September through November. The stipend is determined by the student’s level of study and experience: $14/hour undergraduate or $16/per hour graduate student.
Application (specific to this Fellowship):
The application includes: 1) a letter explaining the level of knowledge or experience with public history, community outreach, any museum or photographic experience, or other relevant experiences that the Fellow can bring to this effort. The letter should also include what the Fellow expects to gain from the experience; 2) a resume; and 3) the names and contact information of 3 references. All application materials must be submitted by email to Ellen Endslow, Director of Collections/Curator [email protected] no later than midnight August 16, 2024.
Internships at CCHC, usually unpaid, may be sought in the areas of education, library, or museum. They are temporary positions and are supervised by full-time professional staff, whose availability to supervise may influence the number of opportunities. Interns may interact with staff in other departments, volunteers, consultants, and the public. CCHC is willing to work with students to arrange course credit for their work, should it be available.
Preferred applicants are graduate or upper-level undergraduates in history, library science, archives management, museum studies, education, anthropology, or a related field with an interest in working with museum collections, special libraries, or archives.
To be defined as an internship at CCHC:
Internship applications should include:
Internships are currently unpaid.
Tasks to be completed:
Internships encompass basic collections management tasks: data entry into catalog database; original object cataloging; digital photography or scanning; primary research; object handling and re-housing. The goal is to make collections records more publicly accessible digitally and to physically improve basic object care.
Skills required:
Attention to detail and flexibility are important. The ability to work with a variety of people is also essential. Clear communication skills, both written and verbal, will be useful in the work of cataloging as well as ensuring that the intern and staff person(s) understand expectations.
Skills developed/products produced:
The concrete results for the intern and CCHC will be finding aids or scope notes, catalog records, properly housed historical materials, and photographic documentation. Professional cataloging standards, processing collections and learning to understand how researchers might use these primary materials for analysis are a part of the learning experience.
Timing:
Internships may be scheduled Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Internships are currently unpaid.
Tasks to be completed:
Library interns will do both library and archival work. Interns will assist with collection maintenance, shelving, and cataloging. Interns may also work with processing new accessions. Interns may assist with digitization initiatives if an in-house project is in progress during the internship period. Interns interested in manuscripts may process a small collection and write a finding aid to that collection. Specific tasks for each intern will be determined with the intern’s specific interests in mind. Tasks will vary as a result of the library projects available during each intern’s tenure.
Skills required:
Attention to detail is a must! Careful handling of historical documents, strong organizational skills, and an ability to interact with staff and volunteers are essential.
Skills developed/products produced:
The intern will learn how a special library functions, gain or enhance practical skills in archival organization, learn to manage manuscripts, and may produce a collection guide that will be added to the CCHC website.
Timing:
Interns will be scheduled during the CCHC working hours, Tuesday through Friday 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. After an introductory training period, interns may be able to add Saturday hours to their schedule.
The CCHC partners with the West Chester University History Department to offer an Education Internship (Fall Semester) and a National History Day Internship (Spring Semester). Please contact the WCU History Department for further information about the internships and how to apply.
225 N. High Street, West Chester, PA 19380 | 610-692-4800
Sign up for our Newsletter
