Unearthing Futures

a youth-led pathway into archaeology event

On 13th September 2025, the CBA's Youth Advisory Board hosted Unearthing Futures: a free, youth-led event at the Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle, designed to help young people aged 16-25 explore pathways into archaeology. The day brought together over 40 participants for hands-on workshops, career insights, and a photography tour of Newcastle's historic sites.
Whether you attended the event or are discovering it for the first time, this page is your gateway to everything we created. Here you'll find resources from each workshop, reflections from participants and hosts, networking insights from archaeology professionals, and practical guidance to help you take your next steps in the sector.

We've also included suggested statements for CVs and applications, so attendees can showcase their experience, and a recap video capturing the energy and learning from the day. Think of this as a permanent, accessible toolkit, a space where the conversations, skills, and inspiration from Unearthing Futures continue beyond the event itself.

Ready to start your archaeological journey? Explore the sections below to dive into the workshops, hear from the YAB, and discover how you can get involved with archaeology in your own way!

Wondering how it would have felt to be there on the day? Watch our recap video and hear from the hosts and the participants:

This video was shot and edited by Ryan Fallon.

Archaeological Illustration

Heritage Photography

Landscape Survey

Museum Curation

Museum Curation or Curatorial Practice refers to the processes of acquiring, conserving, researching and exhibiting objects from a museum’s collection. Curatorial roles can be wide-ranging and all-encompassing; their duties can stretch from acquiring new objects and cataloguing collections, to curating new displays and developing public engagement programmes.

Networking and Careers

Zooarchaeology

For me personally, this project was especially important due to it being held in Newcastle at the Great North Museum: Hancock. I strive to advocate for more funding, opportunities and access to experiences in the North East, which despite its incredible heritage lacks equivalent accessible opportunities compared to other regions in the country. It was incredible to see and hear how beneficial Unearthing Futures was to the participants on the day, and I hope similar experiences become available for young people of the North East in the future

Anna

Assistant Curator at Beamish Museum

Having co-created the Youth Advisory Board from its inception, Unearthing Futures was a capstone project for many of us founding members, and a project close to our hearts. What began as fragmentary ideas at the CBA's York office in September 2024 evolved through months of planning into a day that exceeded our expectations. Seeing the engagement from participants, support from professionals, and encouraging feedback was incredibly rewarding. We created something that was not just informative, but genuinely enjoyable and accessible. We hope these digital resources will extend the project's legacy and provide a framework for future youth engagement in archaeology and heritage.

Ihini

PhD researcher at the University of Exeter and UKHSA

Unearthing Futures was an amazing project to work on with everyone and seeing it all come together was an amazing experience. Being there on the day and seeing how the environment and space was so positive, welcoming and accessible to other young people was incredibly rewarding and something we had all really hoped for. Being able to show young people that archaeology and heritage is something that they can use in so many different ways in terms of their career or more personal goals was incredibly rewarding. Along with the upcoming digital resources we hope that this project can continue to make more young people feel supported and excited to continue their journeys in exploring and understanding Archaeology and Heritage

Eva

Learning Communicator at National Museums Scotland

It has been an amazing experience to be part of YAB in co-creating the Unearthing Future project. Being on the team since the early stages of developing the idea, it has been really special to see the whole project come together and finally run smoothly on the day. It was really fulfilling to welcome all the young people and introduce them to the many possible routes to get involved with archaeology. To continue the project’s legacy while hoping to create a more accessible way for young people to be involved with archaeology, we hope these digital resources will be helpful for all young people, especially those who couldn’t join us on the day

Sam

Visitor Experience Officer at Leeds Castle and Maidstone Museum

To hear more about the YAB's vision and the process of bringing Unearthing Futures to life, check out our article in British Archaeology magazine. The article requires a CBA subscription, but students can join for just £5.

The response to Unearthing Futures exceeded our expectations. With 52 applications for 40 spaces, the event was oversubscribed: a clear indication of demand for accessible pathways into archaeology. Notably, 32% of applicants came from the Northeast, directly addressing the regional access gap the YAB identified, while others travelled from across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Thank you to our Funders and Supporters:

The Great North Museum: Hancock kindly provided the venue and support for this event free of charge, for which we are incredibly grateful.
Unearthing Futures is funded by Historic England, funded by the UK Government.
Our Youth Advisory Board is funded by Historic England and The Headley Trust.