How much of my time will you need?
An oral history can last between ten minutes and a couple of hours. It depends on how comfortable you are and what you are willing to talk about.
We’ll need to meet first to go through our form.
At another date, we will visit to conduct the interview.
What kind of questions will you ask?
Oral history interviews aren’t structured like a job interview. There won’t be set questions. Think of it more like a conversation that’s recorded.
We’ll be asking about your of being parent, so will cover (broadly speaking) the time before pregnancy, during pregnancy and what life has been like since.
Are there other ways I can be ?
We will also be looking for volunteers to help decide what our exhibition is going to look like, to staff the exhibitions when they are being held, and to be present at outreach activities.
Can my children also give an interview?
Our project is funded specifically to collect the stories and experiences of parents.
Where will the interviews take place?
The interview can take place wherever you feel comfortable, as long as the background noise is suitable for recording audio.
Most people feel comfortable recording in their home, but if you want to meet elsewhere, just let us know.
Will I get the final say in what is made publicly available?
You will receive a recording of the interview afterwards to review. The typical advice for oral histories is that anything you don’t want shared publicly can be embargoed for a period of time.
We will let you know what parts of your interview are included in any exhibition that happens.
What happens if I decide I no longer want my story to be used after I have given an interview?
Under GDPR, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. You will receive a copy of the project’s privacy policy with information about how to withdraw your consent.
Will I get your questions in advance?
No. Oral histories work best as conversations; if people have questions beforehand, they are more likely to write answers. Oral history is about being as natural as possible.
Topics of conversation can be discussed to make you feel more comfortable.
Can I do my interview online?
To preserve the integrity of the audio quality, we will always ask to record in person. Face-to-face interactions help the quality of oral histories as well.
In events out of our control (another pandemic, fuel shortages/restrictions) we may need to revisit this.
If you would like to conduct the interview online, please let us know and we can discuss.
Is there anything I can’t talk about?
You can talk about whatever you want and then decide what you want to embargo and/or share in our exhibitions and online before signing your copyright agreement.
If you raise anything that could be considered a concern, project staff are duty-bound to report it.
Whilst your interview can be made anonymous, or sections embargoed, if, for some reason, the police needed to listen to the recording as part of an investigation, your right to privacy can be overridden.
If you say anything in your interview about your child that you may feel awkward about them hearing, you could share with your child to see if they are happy for it to be shared.
If there is something in there that is likely to be upsetting, or revealing of personal data, we will be able to embargo it.
Can I be involved in designing the exhibition if my story is selected?
Yes! If you complete our expression of interest form, we will ask to keep your details for volunteering opportunities associated with the project.
If I need to travel for the interview can my be paid?
We can, although we would always prefer to travel to you.
What will the process be like from start to finish?
We will send you our information sheet. If you feel you want to discuss with us further, we can arrange a telephone call, video call, or face to face meeting to go through the information.
You’ll have some time to think about whether to take part.
Before, or on the day of recording you’ll need to sign the consent form.
We will then set up our equipment and the recording location. This includes a small, portable audio recorder and microphones that clip onto your clothing.
The interview happens.
Afterwards, we will transfer the interview to our computer system. At this point, the only people allowed to listen to it are yourselves and a group of four Mencap staff.
Once you have listened and completed our copyright form we will include the recording for consideration in our exhibitions, if you have given consent. We will also share extracts in the ways outlined int he copyright agreement form.
When will the exhibition be live?
The exhibitions will begin in April 2027 and run through until January 2028 in the following locations:
Torfaen Museum
St. Fagan’s National Museum of History
Scolton Manor Museum
STORIEL Museum
