As part of the 'Don't Dis My Ability' pilot project, 8 people were recruited as oral history interviewers and received oral history training from the Oral History Society. Of these, 6 people completed the training and went on to conduct interviews. Two of these individuals were Paralympians themselves, and four of them were our NPHT SEN Museum trainees. 

Throughout the project, they were supported by NPHT team members, and an oral history consultant, Dr Rosemary Hall. (You can read a conversation with Rosie, conducted by our Collections Officer Dr. Sam Goldstone-Brady back in 2021, here).

Following the completion of the 'Don't Dis My Ability' pilot project, we wanted to find out more about the experience of training as oral historians and conducting interviews; the things that worked well, the things that could be improved and what we all learned along the way.

To kickstart the conversation - we started by asking our trainees some questions about their experiences. Check out the interview below!

1. Why is oral history important? What can it give us that other methods of recording history can't?

Thomas: It gives us a first hand account of a personal experience. It personalises history adding emotions and bringing feelings out. It also gives us the voice of the actual person involved.

Adam: We can get unique information from Paralympians which can be kept for future reference.

Ben: You get direct accounts, from the actual people involved. It's cutting edge, the way you go about oral history is to not interrupt them or prompt them, it's a free-flowing account, helping them to expand areas - it's such a unique way of conversing.

Simon: It’s important because we are getting perspectives directly from people who have been involved in the Paralympic Games. The people are primary sources and they can relay experiences which we couldn’t get from a secondary source like a book. Good oral history I think challenges what we believe we know and where the person has felt comfortable opening up about what they have experienced.

2. What was it like to train as an oral historian?

Simon: It was great fun working with Rib. The trainers Rib and Rosie Hall were superb. The only parts I found daunting, were doing it justice, because I have a degree in History and Politics.

Ben: The training is very lengthy, I can understand why, but it is information heavy. I feel a more hands on approach would be better. Shadowing someone would be good too.

Adam: I do feel training options could be altered so they would be easier to understand. There was too much information to take in at one time.

Thomas: The training was interesting but I felt it could be better to meet the needs of those being trained. E.g. the issue of eye contact, and realising we can show engagement by more than eye contact.

Adam and Thomas pictured at an oral history training session along with Paralympians, Mark Chamberlen and Robin Surgeoner.

3. What did you learn from your oral history interview?

Ben: I interviewed Rob Barrett, and I learned about his sport mainly, but also about the social side of attending the Games in 1988. Beer tents at the Games!

Thomas: I interviewed Ian Gainey and Naomi Riches and what I learned was unexpected. It removed generalisations I had about [Paralympians]. It reminded me that Paralympians are normal humans too. I also learned about Ian's accident, due to a guy smoking on the track.

Adam: I shadowed the Mike Brace interview (Simon led) and I did Robin Surgeoner. I know that Mike Brace was a skier and Robin Surgeoner was a swimmer. I preferred shadowing more because I could learn more from it rather than have an information overload.

Simon: I interviewed Jamie Harris, archer, and learned about his ambitions for the future and his optimism despite not being selected for Paris 2024. It was enjoyable interviewing Jayant Mistry because he has done both wheelchair tennis, commentating about it and working in accessibility for the council. 

To hear these interviews in full, visit our Oral History page

4. How else did it expand your understanding of disability sport history? What else did you learn?

Thomas: I learned some funny stories, though not funny at the time. For example, an athlete having a cigarette, but wheeling onto the track during a race causing an accident [Ian Gainey's interview]. I also learned that athletes are sport junkies, they have some funny experiences during events, and some gutting ones.

Ben: I learned about Robert's Korean experience and the local drink. I learned about his knowledge of prosthetic limbs and I was shocked how little motivation there was outside of disability sport to make change. How long it took for the Games to grow.

Simon: By talking to Mike Brace of British Blind Sport, I learned that up to the 1970s, there was no organised sport for blind people after school so British Blind Sport was set up to change that. I have enjoyed all of them as I aim to learn something new every time and to learn about what they have done. What I most remember is Jayant Mistry’s memories of being at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony as it was on his birthday and he was involved in overseeing the facilities of the wheelchair tennis.

Thomas is pictured speaking about 'how to record an oral history' 

5. What did you take away from this project?

Thomas: I discovered a new interest, learning to be able to interview people and get their personal history. I look forward to developing further and would love a career in it in the future. I have a list of people I'd like to interview! It reaffirmed that I love history and its stories. 

Simon: I definitely improved in verbal communication and listening as well as gaining greater knowledge of Paralympic history. I also learned that people are more confident talking than writing books so there are greater chances of recording memories that way.

Adam: I have learnt better knowledge of the Paralympics. For example if you told me about the 'cauldron' I would not have a clue what you were talking about. I would respond “A witches cauldron?” . Learning more about the cauldron I have learnt that it [isn't] just any ordinary cauldron… It was THE Cauldron used for the 1984 Paralympic Games.  

Ben: I feel like I am already a good listener and talker, but it reinforced my confidence in this area. I learned that you can't be too expressive in reacting to what they're saying, and that I found hard, and so have to disassociate.

6. This was a pilot project, and we hope to roll out a larger project informed by this. What do you think could be improved next time?

Ben: More shadowing and building more confidence that way. Less gaps in time between interviews and more frequency too. the legal side can be very hard and off putting. I think the process is good, but perhaps we could look more at other equipment regarding accessibility. It can be a bit intimidating in the way that it's taught.

Adam: I would prefer to learn from practise because ‘practise makes perfect.’ I do believe some tests might help, as well as different options for the training, for example using Widgit to help me read texts better.  

Thomas: Practicing to help make sure my interaction is not too little or too much.

Simon: We check in with the trainers for more advice after having done several interviews ourselves. It would also be worth learning how to accommodate someone who is not confident talking to people, transcribing or does not have a background in studying history.

Here, Adam is pictured speaking about oral history Widgit resources.

7. Another aim for this project, was to assess the value of having a shared lived experience of disability between interviewer and subject. Do you think it's important for the interviewer to have a lived experience of disability?

Simon: It helps since there is a sense of shared experience between interviewer and interviewee. However, I don’t think it should exclude people who don’t have lived experience of disability. Oral history is about learning and since history and Paralympics is of interest to many people, not just disabled people, I think interviewers of all backgrounds are important.  

Adam: I do think so because if the interviewer had a disability, they would be able to understand what the person needs and why.  

Thomas: I think anyone can be an interviewer. A basic understanding is required, additional knowledge is a bonus.

Ben: In truth, it can be helpful and useful, but not absolutely necessary. Interviewers should be able to see the individual as human, and not have preconceptions, and be open enough to understand.

 Simon is already conducting more oral history interviews!

8. Do you feel more confident in conducting oral histories than before the project? Will you continue to use these skills going forward?

Thomas: I'd never done one before and so yes, very much. I started off thinking I couldn't do it, so to have two successful interviews with two great Paralympians! Oh yes definitely, it would be amazing to continue doing these oral histories in the future.

Adam: I will need more training to know that I am confident doing Oral Histories. I believe that using what I have learnt in Oral Histories already, I can use these qualities in real life to aid me with my speech if people don’t understand what I am saying first time.

Simon: Yes. I aim to have a career in the heritage sector so I hope to use the oral history skills in it. I have also done some amateur journalism so that will be helped.  

Ben: Yes, they are skills I can apply to other areas, teaching, therapy work for example, listening skills, and how to facilitate an environment where someone is confident to share themselves and [their] history.

This Q&A gave us some interesting insights and was a great basis for conversation with our trainees. In their oral history interviews, our trainees learned lots about the Paralympic Games - not just about sport, but social aspects, cultural experiences and societal/structural barriers. It also helped for us to plan how we might improve this process, beyond this pilot project. 

We encourage you to listen to these oral history interviews, and many more, on our dedicated Oral History page