Oral History
Oral History
What I do
Based in Brighton, I work all over the South East and London, as well as devising and delivering online recording and training across the UK and internationally if required.
I have been recording oral history interviews and running oral history projects for 15 years, and would love to help you with any of the following on funded or private projects:
- Setting up an oral history project
- Advice on funding applications and equipment
- Oral history training
- Volunteer engagement and involvement
- Oral history editing
- School oral history projects
- Making personal or family recordings
I am an experienced trainer in all aspects of Oral History, facilitating regular 1-2 day oral history and reminiscence courses, as well as bespoke courses for clients and also community groups.
Previous clients include: Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, Royal Voluntary Service, East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals Trust (NHS), Independent Lives, West Sussex Libraries Service.
I also deliver talks, workshops and training in schools, colleges and universities such as Brighton College and Uxbridge College, London.
Oral History projects
Additionally if you are considering setting up an oral history project and wondering what is required, I am happy to support development of a bid with a breakdown of all the things to consider at the planning stage – especially if you are seeking NLHF funding or similar.
Find out more about all aspects of Oral History – Contact Me
Case studies
Royal Voluntary Service
Through this four year NLHF funded Heritage Plus project for Royal Voluntary Service, as project coordinator, in addition to reminiscence, workshops, events and a website, I supported recording, delivery and archival of 100 oral histories chronicling lives of people across Sussex.
Oral History Society
The Oral History Society promotes the collection, preservation and use of recorded memories and plays a key role in facilitating and developing the use of oral history. As Oral History journal editorial team, I worked on publications centering oral history as an academic and community discipline, both nationally and internationally.
Independent Lives
As part of a three year heritage project Speaking up for Disability with social care charity Independent Lives, I worked as project manager to train volunteers, collect and record 30 oral histories with disabled people across Sussex and often by disabled people too. This was archived through WSRO, and also involved an exhibition in partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons.
Brighton Dome / Brighton Festival
‘I Was There’ is an exciting, current project which centres on the iconic Corn Exchange building, Brighton. As heritage manager, I am responsible for both in-person and online training volunteers in oral history, as well as sourcing performers, staff and audiences to record their experiences and creating thematic analysis training to enable the development of creative heritage outputs.
“I worked with Nicola Benge on several projects during the centenary of the First World war. She was a highly regarded and trusted community partner, who created and managed a series of successful community heritage projects. Nicola is both professional and inspiring, and I would be keen to work with her again.”
Professor Lucy Noakes Rab Butler Chair in Modern British History, University of Essex
Nicola “… worked with us on two projects, ‘Mazel Tov Brighton’ and a project about the Jewish involvement in the 1st World War. Both were really interesting and Nicola clearly spent a lot of time preparing and researching the topics. The projects both incorporated a variety of different elements to suit the needs and interests of our care home residents. In particular she is excellent at facilitating reminiscence and discussion groups and we were really happy with the professional, creative delivery of programme.”
