The VOICES project aims to collect and share the personal experiences of residents in six case study cities in a cross-national comparison: Rotherham, Redcar and Middlesbrough in Northern England, and Lauchhammer, Eisenhüttenstadt and Weißwasser in Eastern Germany. These cities, once thriving industrial centres, have experienced significant decline and we want to hear the voices of those who have lived through these changes. Our focus is on listening: What insights can be gleaned from the people who once formed the backbone of their communities, only to see their industries disappear? To uncover these stories, we are organising storytelling cafés where residents can share their experiences and delve into the untold stories of the past.
Storytelling cafés: share your memories
Online digital archive – "Our Voices"
To ensure the lasting impact of the VOICES project, our website will feature the online digital archive “Our Voices”. This archive will allow visitors to access selected testimonies from project participants presented in a digital storytelling salon. With the permission of the interviewees, these personal stories will highlight a diverse range of voices, including those from marginalised communities, sharing their experiences with a wider audience.
In addition to the digital archive, we will produce podcasts to further enrich the content and provide deeper insights into the stories and experiences of the communities involved.
The online archive will be built over the course of the project and can be found on our website.