Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory

Why Volunteer

The Waring Laboratory has a very active Volunteer Program. Volunteers work along-side the professional staff in the Laboratory on a wide range of projects that provides hands-on experience in archaeological laboratory methods. If you are interested in archaeology, like to organize, teach, work with computers, and meet new people, then volunteering might be for you! Volunteers at the Waring Lab handle real artifacts from sites across the Southeastern United States. Volunteers are also eligible to take various practical workshops, provided by the Waring Laboratory, to teach methods of Curation and Excavation. The Volunteer Program is split into two sets of volunteers: Junior and Senior Volunteers.  A Junior Volunteer is any volunteer between the ages of 8-17. A Senior Volunteer is ages 18-up. Positions for volunteers include: Cataloging, data entry, library work, and public outreach. Volunteers can be students (secondary education or college students) and members of the local community. Whether you are still in school, in college, or just seeking a chance to further develop your skills, volunteering might be for you. Additionally, the Waring Volunteer Medal Reward Program offers incentives and allows the staff to thank volunteers for their work invested.  

Requirements to Volunteer

• Have an interest in archaeology, education, and the sciences.
• Be at least 8 years old. Ages 8-17 qualify as Junior Volunteers, and Age 18-up qualifies as Senior Volunters..
• Be able to work during normal operating hours (Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5:00PM).
• Have reliable transportation to and from the Laboratory.
• Be able to work a minimum of 2 hrs/week for most positions (preferred) or 5 hrs/month.
• Must work 5 hrs/month to remain active and some of the work may be done at home.

Steps to Becoming a Volunteer

• Read the Volunteer Policy and Procedure Manual and complete the Application attached at the end of the document. Note: Junior Volunteers must have their parent/legal guardian sign the application.
• Bring in or mail the completed Application to: Volunteer Program, Antonio J. Waring, Jr. Archaeological Laboratory, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA 30118. 
• The Applicant will be contacted by the Laboratory Coordinator to clarify the application.
• Volunteers are chosen based on experience and need.
• All volunteers must complete and turn in an on-line training course before begining work with artifacts.
  • Senior Volunteers: Managing Archeological Collections: Technical Assistance (National Park Service) must be completed with scores of 80% or better. 
  • Junior Volunteers: must complete the Junior Volunteer Training Packet.