Indian-Australian Families: Intergenerational Oral History Project

Are you passionate about preserving your family's heritage and passing down family stories to future generations?

We invite teenagers aged 14+, parents and grandparents to participate in a special intergenerational oral history project designed to strengthen and celebrate shared cultural heritage through storytelling.

You will receive training in our Media Room at the STEAM Centre at Altona Meadows Library, borrow our new Heritage Library of Things audio recorders and portable scanner, gain storytelling skills from an expert and have the opportunity to add them to our new online community archive. 

Project description 

Hobsons Bay City Council recognises that the collection of memories as living histories is part of the work we do to collect, preserve, and share local stories. We want to be help you tell and share stories. 

Our intergenerational oral history project is dedicated to capturing the rich tapestry of Indian family histories, traditions, and migration experiences. By bringing together multiple generations within the same family, we aim to create a nurturing space for storytelling, reflection, and intergenerational dialogue.   

This project fosters community bonds by equipping members of the Indian community with the skills and equipment to conduct and record interviews and share your history. 

Participating in the project

• Families and individuals from the Indian diaspora living in Hobsons Bay interested in exploring and sharing their stories of migration and home. You could be a recent arrival or from many generations ago. 

• Members of the same family spanning different age groups (youth, adults, seniors) or individuals from Indian backgrounds 

• Those with a passion for preserving Indian cultural heritage and family narratives 

• Families and individuals eager to strengthen connections and deepen understanding across generations 

More about this program 

• Multigenerational Storytelling Workshops: Come together as a family to participate in storytelling sessions facilitated by our team. Across a series of three workshops with experienced facilitators Jasmeet Sahi and Hobsons Bay City Council’s Heritage Librarian Nicole Hilder, you will be provided with training in oral history interviewing and storytelling.  

• Archiving and Documentation: With your consent, we will document and preserve your family's stories through audio recordings, transcriptions, or objects dear to your family. You will be given a copy and have the opportunity to donate to our community archive, ensuring that your family's legacy is cherished and remembered for generations to come. 

How to Get Your Family Involved: If you are interested in participating or learning more about our intergenerational oral history project, we encourage you to fill out this expression of interest form. Up to ten people will be selected to participate. 

If selected, you will be invited to three workshops on 3, 10 and 17 August.