Nordic American Voices Oral History Volunteer

Nordic American Voices Oral History Volunteer

Supervisor: Allie Cheroutes, Media Producer and Oral History Specialist

Time Commitment: Once trained, average of 4-5 hours per month, on the 3^rd Saturday; Minimum 12-month commitment.

Overview of the Nordic American Voices Initiative

The Nordic American Voices (NAV) oral history program is one of several initiatives offered by the National Nordic Museum for documenting the stories and history of Nordics and Nordic Americans, including those of bicultural identities. Since its creation in 1980, the oral history archive has grown to include more than 900 testimonies captured on a variety of media, from audio tape to digital video.

Overview of NAV Volunteer Position

Oral history volunteers play an integral role within the NNM Collections Team, helping to expand and enrich our extensive oral history collection. Following training, volunteers will participate in oral history interview sessions, which take place on the 3^rd Saturday of each month (excluding July, August, November and December). There are no more than 2 interviews per person per day, and each interview is conducted by 2 NAV interviewers.

Duties

• When scheduled, travel to the National Nordic Museum and facilitate two interviews beginning at 10:30AM and 12:00PM the 3^rd Saturday of each month. Narrators and interview assignments will be determined by Museum staff.
• Conduct interviews following standard oral history best practices and guidelines.
• Record each interview on equipment provided by NNM.
• If desired, transcription and key word identification work is also available.

Desired Skills and Abilities

• Interest or familiarity with Nordic history, geography, and language.
• Willingness to attend an oral history training session and shadow at least one interview before stepping into an interviewer role.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Previous experience with oral history is beneficial, but not required.

Requirements

• Commitment of at least 12 months.
• Willingness to operate NNM recording equipment for each interview (tripod mounted camera and microphone).       
• Willingness to work in collaboration with other oral history volunteers to conduct interviews.
• Volunteers who are new to the Museum will receive general onboarding through Volunteer Coordinator, Tim Krumland, and all volunteers will receive oral history collection training with Media Producer and Oral History Specialist, Allie Cheroutes.
• This position will require sitting for extended periods of time.        
• All interviews are conducted in English.

To Apply

If you would like to participate as a NAV oral history volunteer, please email a short description of your experience or relevant interest to Media Producer and Oral History Specialist Allie Cheroutes at alliec@nordicmuseum.org

If selected to move forward, we will contact you to schedule a phone interview.

About the Museum

Founded in 1979, the National Nordic Museum is the only institution of its size and scale in the United States to present the history and culture of the entire Nordic region (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the regions of the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland, and the cultural region of Sápmi) and the legacy of Nordic immigrants to the United States.

Located along Seattle’s working waterfront in an iconic building that embodies Nordic design, the institution is both a museum and a community gathering place.

Our Mission

The National Nordic Museum shares Nordic culture, values, and ideas with people of all ages and backgrounds to create connections, generate dialogue, and inspire new perspectives.

Our Vision

Through the history we illuminate, the stories we tell, the connections we make, and the values we promote, we inspire our visitors to create a more vibrant, more just, more sustainable world.

Our Values

Openness: Foster trust and tolerance, and support everyone’s right to express their opinions.

Sustainability: Embrace a connection to nature and employ responsible practices that demonstrate respect for our environment.

Social Justice: Exhibit compassion, respect others, and manifest a conviction for the equal value of all people.

Innovation: Encourage creativity, resourcefulness, and new ways of thinking.