Interviewer Training & Education
Choose the program path that fits your role.
Voices of Service provides separate preparation for high school interviewers and for college participants and adult community volunteers. Both paths share the same standards for research, ethical interviewing, consent, recording, documentation, and preservation.
Required Interviewer Preparation
Oral History Interviewer Training
$120 per participant
Scholarships are available.
Minimum enrollment: 10 participants.
A training session will be conducted once at least 10 registrations, including scholarship-supported participants, are confirmed. Schools, colleges, and community organizations may register participants as a group cohort.
All interviewers must complete approved training before conducting an interview through the Lakeside Veterans Wall of Honor Oral History Program. The workshop is designed for high school students age 16 and older, college students, and adult community volunteers.
High school program
- Students conducting or co-conducting interviews must be at least 16 and complete the full training.
- Participants under 18 require parent or guardian permission and direct adult supervision.
- School cohorts require at least 10 students.
- Training is $120 per student, or $1,200 for a cohort of 10. Scholarships are available and count toward the minimum.
- The supervising teacher attends at no additional charge.
- Students serving only in research, transcription, captioning, metadata, or classroom-support roles may complete a shorter role-specific orientation.
College and adult program
College students and adult volunteers complete the same ethical and procedural foundation, with expectations tailored to their roles.
- College participants may complete course projects, internships, service-learning, research, transcription, metadata, biographies, digital exhibits, or interviews.
- Adult volunteers may serve as interviewers, research mentors, recording monitors, transcription assistants, metadata specialists, or archival-preparation volunteers.
- Interviewers complete the full approved training before meeting with a veteran.
- Role-specific orientation may be used for volunteers who will not conduct interviews.
- Adult volunteers may require screening when assigned to work with minors.
What all interviewer training covers
Historical research, first-person accounts, ethical and trauma-informed interviewing, question development, practice interviewing, consent, privacy, recording procedures, documentation, and preparation for archival preservation.
Interviewer Resources
Voices of Service program guides
Select the guide designed for your program path. Each includes a table of contents and the shared requirements for research, consent, ethical interviewing, recording, documentation, and transfer to the Lakeside Historical Society.
High School Oral History Curriculum
A classroom-based curriculum for educators and students age 16 and older, including standards alignment, lessons, student handouts, assessment, and school administration guidance.
College and Adult Interviewer Program
A training and procedures guide with distinct expectations for college participants and adult community volunteers, including interviewing and non-interview service roles.
Participation requirements
Interviewers must be at least 16 years old and coordinate through the program. Participants under 18 require parent or guardian permission and direct supervision. Adult volunteers complete program orientation and may require screening when assigned to work with minors.
Lakeside Veterans Wall of Honor 