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Volunteering for PHA (Vic & Tas) is a great way to:
- develop your administrative and organisational skills
- learn new skills
- grow your network of like-minded colleagues
- develop your knowledge base
- give back to the organisation.
Most positions require a time commitment of 2 to 4 hours per week, including attendance at a monthly committee meeting hosted in-person or online (at your convenience). A Planning Day is held once a year.
PHA (Vic & Tas) currently employs a part-time Project Officer who manages external communications, the website, social media and administrative tasks around events.
If you would like to volunteer for a position on the PHA (Vic & Tas) Committee, please contact Sophie Couchman.
COMMITTEE POSITIONS
President: Sophie Couchman
The President oversees the internal and external activities of PHA (Vic and Tas); including organisational responsibility for the Committee, maintains communication and liaison with sub-committees, is the first point of call for members and is the public face of the Association in advocacy matters.
Her email address is president@phavic.org.au
Vice President (Executive): Fiona Gatt
The role of the VP (Executive) is to assist with and oversee the internal activities of PHA (Vic & Tas); including assisting and providing advice to the Membership Secretary, Treasurer, and EPD Officer as required.
Her email address is vpexec@phavic.org.au
Treasurer: Sonia Jennings
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.
Her email address is: treasurer@phavic.org.au
Secretary: Nicole Davis
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.
Her email address is: mail@phavic.org.au
Membership Secretary: Hayley Webster
The Membership Secretary processes membership applications with the PHA (Vic & Tas). The Membership Secretary also facilitates communication with potential applicants, coordinates the formal accreditation process of applicants with the CoM, and conveys accreditation decisions to applicants. The position also oversees the renewals process.
Her email address is: membership@phavic.org.au
Public Relations Officer: Deborah Groarke
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.
The email address is: pr@phavic.org.au
Employment and Professional Development Officer: Kylie Andrews
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.
The email address is: employment@phavic.org.au
Events Coordinator: Jill Barnard
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.
Her email address is: events@phavic.org.au
Pharos Editor: Cherie McKeich
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).
Her email address is: pharos@phavic.org.au
Professional Historians Australia Delegate (ex officio): Lucy Bracey, Helen Penrose (Fiona Poulton, Nikki Henningham Alternate)
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 an in-person 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. PHA 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.
Honorary Archivist - Vacant
WORKING GROUPS AND SUB COMMITTEES
Advocacy Sub Committee: The Advocacy sub committee is now a national sub committee that works 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 and Masterclass Sub Committee: Vacant, Caroline Evans (Tasmanian talks) NEW MEMBERS WANTED!
The Events sub committee develop and coordinate PHA (Vic & Tas) events. Tasks include developing events, liaising with speakers, working behind the scenes with Zoom Webinars, using Canva for graphic design, booking venues and catering and more! Masterclasses provide intensive professional development opportunities for PHA (Vic & Tas) members.
Publishing Sub Committee: Fiona Gatt and Dr Linda Young - meets on an as needs basis.
The Publishing Sub Committee compile content for Pharos, the PHA (Vic & Tas) quarterly newsletter, including members profiles.
EPD Sub Committee: VACANT
The Employment and Professional Development Sub Committee oversees the Employment and Professional Development notice, Professional Development Points program, the Reading Groups program and the Mentoring Program.
Inclusivity and Diversity Working Group: Amanda Lourie, Donna Fearne, Tsari Anderson, Abi Belfrage, Nikki Henningham - 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: Fiona Gatt, Hayley Webster, 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.
PHA (Vic & Tas) Oral History sub-committee. Anisa Puri, Jill Barnard, Lesley Alves and Nicolette Snowden - meets on an as needs basis
PHA (Vic & Tas) External Committee Representatives
Katherine Sheedy: History Council of Victoria; Provenance Journal Editorial Board.
Jill Barnard: Joint Victorian Archives Consultative Committee; Victorian Historical Journal Editorial Board.
Roland Wettenhall: State Library User Organisations’ Council.