Ulster Museum has hosted the launch of Our Stories: Spoken, Recorded, Remembered — a new oral history toolkit co-created with young people to help them explore, record and learn from experiences of the Troubles/conflict.

Unveiled on 1 October, the resource blends the expertise of renowned oral historian Professor Chris Reynolds of Nottingham Trent University with the insights of young people, ensuring it is practical and accessible across schools, youth groups and informal learning settings.

Professor Reynolds conceived the toolkit following his Voices of Conflict and Peace programme, which includes the Voices of '68 and Voices of '74 exhibitions. Developed in close partnership with National Museums NI, that work places oral history at the heart of how memories and experiences of the Troubles/conflict are explored.

In collaboration with the Commission for Victims and Survivors (CVS) and the Northern Ireland Youth Forum (NIYF), young people helped shape the toolkit's structure, language and activities. The Commission supported its design and production, while National Museums NI provided a heritage and education perspective and hosted the launch at the Ulster Museum.

The initiative aligns with The Executive Office's Strategy for Victims and Survivors 2024–2028, which commits to strengthening formal and informal learning about the impact of the Troubles/conflict. Its timing also complements the Department of Education's TransformED consultation on the proposed Northern Ireland Curriculum 2028.

At its core, the toolkit guides young people to engage sensitively with lived experience through testimony, active listening and conversation, helping to build understanding across generations.

Commissioner for Victims and Survivors Joe McVey said: "Understanding our past is an important part of building a better future. As we consider how future generations will learn about the Troubles/conflict, we also need to consider how the lived experiences of those directly affected can form part of that understanding.

"Oral history allows young people to hear the human experience behind our history – to listen, ask questions and understand how events continue to affect individuals, families and communities.

"At a time when we are having important conversations about how the Troubles/conflict will be taught and understood by future generations, this toolkit has real potential as an educational resource."

The launch takes place against a wider backdrop of debate about legacy, remembrance and memorialisation, with oral history playing a vital role in documenting and preserving personal accounts. Professor Chris Reynolds of Nottingham Trent University said: "I developed this toolkit out of my collaborative work with National Museums NI, where oral history has been central to exploring the legacies of the past. Through this project, I was struck by the enthusiasm, capability and willingness of young people to engage with these histories and become part of wider conversations about how the past is understood and remembered.

"Of all the strands of my work in this area, this project is perhaps the one that fills me with the greatest sense of positivity and hope for the future. Equipping young people with oral history skills creates new pathways for this work to reach wider society and empowers a new generation to contribute to building a sustainable peace."

Young people aged 14–25 who co-created the resource introduced it at the event and demonstrated how it can foster intergenerational dialogue. Intended for use by those aged 11 and over, the toolkit was shaped directly by the project's youth panel.

Natalie Corbett, Interim CEO, Northern Ireland Youth Forum said: "We are incredibly proud of the young people who have been at the heart of this work. They have engaged with difficult conversations about our past with real thought and respect.

"was important to us that young people were not simply consulted but had a lead role in shaping this resource. Their contribution has created something that other young people can now use to explore our past and understand its impact today.

"Young people should have a voice in how our past is remembered. This toolkit puts that belief into practice and shows the value of putting young people at the centre of this work."

National Museums NI hosted the launch at the Ulster Museum. William Blair, Director of Collections at National Museums NI said: "National Museums NI welcomes the launch of this important Oral History Toolkit, which builds on our longstanding collaboration with Professor Chris Reynolds in advancing oral history and memory work. Through our Troubles and Beyond programme at the Ulster Museum, we are committed to creating spaces where diverse experiences and perspectives can be explored with empathy, respect and understanding.

"Young people have a vital role to play in these conversations, bringing curiosity, insight and fresh perspectives to how we remember and learn from the past. We also recognise the vision and commitment of the Commission for Victims and Survivors and the Northern Ireland Youth Forum in bringing this valuable resource to fruition. Their leadership and partnership have helped create a toolkit that will support meaningful dialogue, deepen understanding of our shared past, and help ensure that diverse voices and experiences continue to inform how we understand our past and shape our future."

Further information, including how to download the toolkit, is available via the Commission for Victims and Survivors' website.