Our heritage
Over 25 years we have generated an extensive and valuable archive of voice recordings and video interviews and have collected photographs and other artefacts kindly donated to us by the many individuals and communities we have worked with. This archive is an important regional heritage resource that we have a responsibility to protect, develop and share.
Oral history archive and photographic collection
Donnison School
We have also restored and renovated The Donnison School, a Grade 2 listed building in the East End of Sunderland (web link to map) which is now the home of the Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre where we conduct a significant part of our business.
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We also have a new base at the Elephant Tea Rooms Local History Library @ETR (link) in the centre of Sunderland for our oral history archive and from where we can also conduct some of our oral history activities once Covid-19 restrictions allow.
Our heritage
Over 25 years we have generated an extensive and valuable archive of voice recordings and video interviews and have collected photographs and other artefacts kindly donated to us by the many individuals and communities we have worked with. This archive is an important regional heritage resource that we have a responsibility to protect, develop and share.
Oral history archive and photographic collection
Donnison School
We have also restored and renovated The Donnison School, a Grade 2 listed building in the East End of Sunderland (web link to map) which is now the home of the Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre where we conduct a significant part of our business.
​
We also have a new base at the Elephant Tea Rooms Local History Library @ETR (link) in the centre of Sunderland for our oral history archive and from where we can also conduct some of our oral history activities once Covid-19 restrictions allow.
Our heritage
Over 25 years we have generated an extensive and valuable archive of voice recordings and video interviews and have collected photographs and other artefacts kindly donated to us by the many individuals and communities we have worked with. This archive is an important regional heritage resource that we have a responsibility to protect, develop and share.
Oral history archive and photographic collection
Donnison School
We have also restored and renovated The Donnison School, a Grade 2 listed building in the East End of Sunderland (web link to map) which is now the home of the Donnison School Heritage and Education Centre where we conduct a significant part of our business.
​
We also have a new base at the Elephant Tea Rooms Local History Library @ETR (link) in the centre of Sunderland for our oral history archive and from where we can also conduct some of our oral history activities once Covid-19 restrictions allow.
We Living History Northeast was established in 1995 as a regional specialist in oral history. In these 25 years we have worked with many different local and regional partners to engage with individuals, groups and communities, exploring their personal testimonies. For example we have captured oral histories from the coalmining and shipbuilding communities in the North East, the people who underpinned the UK economy for over 100 years. Our reach is broad and inclusive; we have worked with older people, black, Asian and minority ethnic groups (BAME) as well as people suffering with ill health like stroke and dementia sufferers, sharing in their experiences and giving them all a voice.
Our experience
We Living History Northeast was established in 1995 as a regional specialist in oral history. In these 25 years we have worked with many different local and regional partners to engage with individuals, groups and communities, exploring their personal testimonies. For example we have captured oral histories from the coalmining and shipbuilding communities in the North East, the people who underpinned the UK economy for over 100 years. Our reach is broad and inclusive; we have worked with older people, black, Asian and minority ethnic groups (BAME) as well as people suffering with ill health like stroke and dementia sufferers, sharing in their experiences and giving them all a voice.
Our experience
MAKING MEMORIES MATTER
Digital Centre for Oral History
Living History northeast
What is intergenerational practice?
Many changes in society, including greater geographic mobility, breakdown of family relations and a demographic shift towards an ageing population, have resulted in the increasing segregation of generations. This separation can lead to a decrease in positive exchanges between older and younger people and increased negative stereotyping. However, both groups have resources of considerable value to each other and share many areas of concern; for example, many younger and older people feel isolated within their communities and marginalised in decision-making that directly affects their lives.
Intergenerational approaches are many and varied. However, there are a number of core principles and characteristics, as set out in the definition below:
Intergenerational practice aims to bring people together in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities which promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contributes to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational practice is inclusive, building on the positive resources that the young and old have to offer each other and those around them.
(Beth Johnson Foundation, 2009)
An intergenerational exchange provides an opportunity for heritage, reminiscence and oral history projects to engage the community across generations, In our intergenerational practice young people and older adults become oral historians, history detectives, community ambassadors that impacts community cohesion and intergenerational understanding.
Living History north east work with community organisation to develop skills and creative opportunities for all ages.
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Our intergenerational work includes training and developing Intergenerational Champions for the long term benefit of local communities.
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Sunderland Bangladesh Community and The U3A volunteers working together to become
community Intergenerational Ambassadors for Sunderland.
We train and involve all age groups in both being interviewed and recorded, and interviewing and recording each other – young people and older adults become interviewer, as well as interviewee. This approach gives them all a totally different viewpoint, helping them to appreciate the value in others and themselves and capturing the minutiae of everyday life through their shared and captured experiences.
We implement intergeneration practices and approaches on a range of social engagement and research projects helping individuals to become more connected, building better communities and informing future work in this field.
If you are interested in finding out more or would like us to undertake an intergeneration project on your behalf, please contact us for further details:
Email: livinghistory.ne.ltd@gmail.com
Mob: 0744 3653 838
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