Volunteer opportunity: HIVstory

Expressions of interest to take part in this project will close on Monday 9th December 2024.

We need your help

We’re looking for RCN forum members to get involved as volunteers throughout this project and beyond. This is a chance to gather inspirational first hand memories of nursing history, learn new skills, do something a bit different, and work with a small, enthusiastic team of staff and other volunteers. We are also seeking input from nurses working in all areas of practice to share their stories of the impact of HIV-AIDS.

About our partner

The National HIV Story Trust (NHST) films, records and preserves the stories of survivors, families, partners, and medical professionals affected by the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s and 90s. The NHST hopes the 120+ interviews filmed so far will be a voice for those who didn’t survive, a chance to honour those who did, and an education for those who live so freely today.

To date, NHST has published over 20 stories remembering the 40 year history of HIV, as Love, Life and Loss. Real Stories from the AIDS Pandemic by Rupert Everett, Lord Fowler, Jane Anderson and many more.

NHST’s interview footage collected to date has been donated to The London Archive (formerly known as the London Metropolitan Archive) for public and research access and as a record in perpetuity. Find more information about NHST.

More details

As an oral history volunteer working with HONF, the NHST and the RCN Archive team, you will receive online training in conducting and recording oral history interviews, and ongoing support through monthly online meetings.

We are looking for interviewers from around the UK. Although training will be delivered online, the interviews will be conducted in person, the aim being to meet and interview people in your country or region. We expect to fund reasonable individual expenses.

Initially we want to recruit one lead interviewer from each country and region of the RCN, twelve in total.

There will be more opportunities to be more involved with the History of Nursing Forum and with the National HIV Story Trust, and more details will be provided at the training session.

After training, volunteers will meet monthly online for support and advice. There is a dedicated online ‘Teams’ group hosting guides and training resources for conducting oral history interviews.

We aim to interview a range of nursing voices reflecting the breadth and depth of different care settings around the UK. We are interested in stories from nursing and care staff as well as from nursing HIV experts.

We anticipate that each interview would take between 45 and 60 minutes to complete. Should we identify interviewees who would benefit from a much longer time, these will be addressed on an individual basis.

In partnership with the NHST we will be sharing these stories publicly, to raise the visibility of the roles of nurses and nursing, and the impact on individual nursing staff.

The training session will take place online on Wednesday 8th January 2025, 10am - 3.30pm.

Benefits of volunteering

You will receive dedicated training in oral history interview techniques and copyright requirements. You will get the opportunity to interview nurses and nursing support workers about this important aspect of our history. You may also get the opportunity to carry out longer interviews with members who had specialist experience in nursing people with HIV-AIDS. This can contribute to your revalidation portfolio.

Commitment

We ask you to commit to attending the online training session and carrying out at least two interviews in the first six months of 2025. There will also be opportunities to continue with oral history collecting after 2025.

If you’re interesting in finding out more, or to seek clarification please get in touch via honf@rcn.org.uk.

To apply

There are limited spaces for this opportunity. If you are interested, please e-mail us at honf@rcn.org.uk with the following details:

• Name and RCN membership number
• Confirm that you are a History of Nursing Forum member (you can join at My RCN)
• Confirm that you can meet the commitments detailed below
• Why you want to be involved, please include relevant skills and experience (maximum 200 words)
• Do you have any special requirements?

Important dates