Hi, I hope you are all enjoying this year’s Digital Festival of Archaeology, and especially today’s Youth Takeover! My name’s Issy and I would like to tell you about my experience in archaeology.

I first became involved with the Young Archaeologist’s Club as a member about five years ago and I have had a great time ever since. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the past, and the YAC allowed me to meet other people my age that also loved learning about how people lived in the past. Through being a member of the YAC I have learnt so much about archaeology, and have only grown more interested. I definitely think it was having access to this great group of people that sustained my interest in archaeology throughout my teenager years, and especially when it came to sitting the dreaded GCSE exams! I was able to view them as the first step towards achieving my dream of becoming a ‘proper archaeologist’ and then escape from revision to spend a few hours in a muddy trench.

My enthusiasm for the YAC only grew over the years, and so when I turned 17, I decided to stay and become a Young Leader. Since doing this I have gained a great insight into the importance of sharing archaeology with the community, especially the young people who are the next generation of enthusiastic archaeologists. (Admittedly, I had a bit of a bumpy start when I accidently turned up an hour late to a session!)

One thing being involve with the YAC has definitely done is open up a wealth of opportunities. Through the other leaders I have been fortunate enough to go on some wonderful work experience weeks, which showed me archaeology is not just people in a field, there is a whole world of passionate people who do a range of jobs from organising online catalogues to helping volunteers repair ancient earthworks. The leaders were also kind enough to put me in touch with some local excavations: this led to a couple of summers spent on the side of a Welsh hill, having a great time getting muddy and experiencing what it would be like to be a field archaeologist. (Much to my delight I also discovered a bit of a trend amongst my fellow volunteers for possessing a love of tea). I have also been really fortunate in being given the chance to sit on the YAC Steering Group(link is external), which has been a great opportunity to have a voice as a young person interested in archaeology.

For years it has been my dream to pursue a career in archaeology. And probably like many of you, I was a bit unsure initially about how to actually achieve this. I bought a trowel, borrowed some books from the library, watched Time Team on repeat, what else did I need to do? Apparently, go to university. I am currently waiting to find out my A-level grades and hoping UCAS will let me know on the 13th August that I am off to the Univeristy of Manchester in the autumn.

Like everyone else, the last few months have been a bit strange for me. I started this year with the expectation that I would spend the next few month revising, help at the monthly YAC sessions, remember how much I love archaeology and then smash my exams. But then lockdown happened. So, no exams and several months of hoping my teachers realise how much I want to be studying archaeology at university in September. I have tried to be productive in lockdown. I am a bit of a bookworm and so I have spent the last few months devouring every copy of Current Archaeology as soon as it has arrived and making a start on my reading list for university.

I hope I have shown you there are many different ways to get involved with archaeology as a young person, if you are not already involved with the YAC I would strongly recommend having a look at it (it’s amazing!), and that archaeology has a brilliant and really supportive community.

Enjoy the rest of the Festival!