"Hear Ye! Hear Ye!" Interviews and More

In the rapidly approaching countdown to all things tinsel and Christmas cheer, I thought it was a good idea to perhaps discuss one of the most creative and diverse causes that I still take an active role whenever it's logistically (and financially) possible in Dorset. To say it's been a highly eventful week so far would be a mean-spirited conclusion with all the interviews and such as well....


Dorset Young Remembers (or DYR as we simply pronounce it) is a year long, Heritage Lottery funded project in which young volunteers (where I come in!) from the ages of 18-25 scrutinise and delve into the very first foray of the history of youth clubs. Of course, most of this originates from our partner association, Dorset Young Remembers, which in 2013 will celebrate its 70th anniversary in existence since 1943.  To be blunt, returning to the project after many months of acting with staff and volunteers to get the project even running seemed I had been absent for two years, let alone four months! Much has come on since the days when we were merely exchanging ideas over lunch and now with all the formal interview training and even volunteers allocated in positions such as 'Press Officers', I could have done with some of the Journalism training single-honours students have at that moment. With many of the interviews circulating around very distinguished members of the county, from ladies of the manor to former mayors and politicians, DYR has to be credited with the single title of being a serious and committed investigation which will see all young volunteer interviews archived for the decades to come. However, why not visit their blog and see for yourself all the great work that has been going on. And look on your television screens for next year, as there might just even be further surprises coming...
http://dorsetyoungremembers.blogspot.com/

Alistair Chisholm

Now, onto my personal attempt at posing a formal interview. Well, if you can call it a good attempt is another matter, but the point is at least I was not as clueless on my initial return. I had the kind pleasure of, solely I might add, interviewing the well respected town crier of Dorchester and fellow Blue Badge tour guide, Alistair Chisholm. Dressed immaculately in his crier uniform, he made hsi presence soon known as he stepped through the door. I might add that his sense of analogous inferences to our process of decision making did not let him down and even before we were five minutes into the interview, he said it was like "walking blindfold". I could not help agree with this assessment, as ignorance of the historical context that informs many of our decisions should to a degree be affected by what occurs previously. One can compare this to the ongoing situations in Russia, Egypt and even Mexico today, but that is besides the local issues which I put forward to my guest. On matters such as transport and the rural issues around Dorset, it was regarded as difficult if a young person wanted to benefit from "the services and the support that's on offer."  


Many young people may regard Alistair's views as quite reasonable and vote-winning slogans as his concerns for the price of bus fares after the age of sixteen and the purpose of youth clubs ultimately benefiting the probability of young people in the all too struggling jobs market. Perhaps to sum it three of his best words in the interview was "tenacious", "confidence" and, the old favourite, "ambition". Elected in the recent local elections as an Independent councilor, it does leave some hope that despite the cuts to constructive services for the youth, Alistair will not be forced to toe the party line when it comes to any whipping for votes and, dare I say it, will hopefully challenge a very tired and desperately out of touch system. As the incumbent crier for twelve years and supporter for the movement of the volunteering service, Alistair's name in the town of Dorchester's most respected people will not have been unheard of. With his very entertaining political perspective after the interview, there was much to be debated without it ever having to be heard on the final archive recording. How nice it is to know that the three of us in the room that day will only know what was said 'behind the scenes' (besides that of my own recorder). I was most pleased to know that everything ran smoothly and thanked my guest for his company and what a start for a taste into the processes of journalism itself.

Myself and Alistair

The only way now is, without any doubt after this week, is a definite forward!


With thanks to Dorset Young Remembers for kind permission of these photographs.