Recordkeeping needs and capabilities of small migrant community organisations run by volunteers

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Purpose This paper aims to present the findings from a qualitative study of recordkeeping needs and capabilities in four small migrant community organisations run by volunteers. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted eight semi-structured interviews and two workshops with leaders and people responsible for creating and managing records in four small migrant community organisations in Australia to understand the records that they create and the problems they encounter in managing these records. Findings The research revealed a wide variety in the recordkeeping competencies and the digital skills in the four community organisations. The organisations focus their efforts on financial records, which they manage relatively well in the short term, but they have no strategy in place to preserve records for the long term. Practical implications Simple recordkeeping guidelines that focus on the basics and can be adapted to different socio-cultural contexts and levels of technological expertise should be developed for community organisations that rely on volunteers to manage their records. Originality/value The findings from this research provide a unique contribution to the records management literature, which previously had not paid much attention to how small community organisations run by volunteers manage their records.