Our stories

Sensitivity, ethics, empathy and responsibility to the story – these are key to History@Work’s approach to oral history. This way the storyteller’s reality and the emotion, drama and humour are retained. This approach also enables a history, report, memoir or exhibition to be revealing, touching, honest and open.

Living Treasures

Oral history as commemoration.

‘Living Treasures are people who have had a lasting impact on the quality and nature of life for everyone in the City of Greater Dandenong. Some are quiet achievers ... others have devoted themselves to the community and in the process influenced the history, local economy, social, sporting and cultural life in Greater Dandenong.’

History@Work interviewed and wrote short biographies for the nine City of Greater Dandenong Living Treasures of 2005. These were exhibited alongside their portraits in the Council offices and published in a commemorative booklet.

RACV

 

Oral history as reminiscence and celebration.

An oral history project with over forty interviews was undertaken by History@Work for the RACV’s 100th anniversary enabling longstanding members and staff to reminisce about their involvement with the Club and what it meant to them. Material from the transcripts formed the basis for a series of articles published in RACV Club News during 1998-1999.
Hotham Redevelopment in North Melbourne

Oral history as a learning tool.

History@Work conducted interviews in 1997 with several residents of the new Hotham Redevelopment in North Melbourne with the purpose of understanding what they felt about the new accommodation and the nature of the rejuvenated community. A summary of each interview formed part of a report prepared with Frances O’Neill for the Building Services Agency.

Oral history as a family heirloom.

After many active and productive decades, reflecting on your life, your mishaps and your achievements can be satisfying, and passing a well-told, honest and revealing story on to your family can be rewarding. For your children and grandchildren your reflections will become their most meaningful family heirloom. After working on several memoirs History@Work has wide experience in helping people draw on the important, influential, meaningful, interesting, sad and funny elements of their lives.

Oral history as a resource.

Oral history is also an important resource which, together with archival material, can shed light on the development and characteristics of the institutions, professions and cultures that are a part of our society. History@Work uses oral history as a resource when undertaking any type of commissioned history or research.