The contractor is responsible for designing and conducting Oral History Workshops and follow-up activities that enable participants to document their own stories and community life and to integrate their materials into the Yazidi Community Archive. The contractor will work in close collaboration with the trainer providing the Photography and Videography Workshops in the design and delivery of all related activities, in particular the mentoring phase, the Editing Workshop and the Exhibition Preparation Workshop. Specifically, the contractor will design and deliver three complementary workshop formats and one mentoring period:

1. An introductory Oral History Workshop

   • Enable participants to understand and apply the basics of oral history practices, including storytelling, trauma-sensitive interviewing, ethics, and narrative structures, so they can conduct self-led oral history interviews and document their environment and traditions. The workshop will be designed in a practical and participatory way, including exercises, group work and role plays.

   • Duration of this workshop: two days.

      

2. Provide support to the participants during the self-led content creation period

   • Together with the Photography and Videography trainer, provide mentoring to participants during the self-led creation period, either remotely or, where feasible, in person.

   • Mentor participants in creating materials (primarily video interviews, photos and other videos in close collaboration with the photography/videography trainer) that reflect their lived and current experiences and community life, including guidance on the development of the content-related aspects of their work (e.g. feedback on interview progress, how to address additional topics, and how to deepen narratives).

   • Support duration of the self-led creation period for each participant: two one-hour mentoring calls.

      

3. An Editing Workshop after an extended period of self-led content creation

   • Together with the Photography and Videography trainer, support participants in editing and curating their collected materials so they can be integrated into the Yazidi Community Archive and shared through a local exhibition.

   • Duration of this workshop: two days.

      

4. An Exhibition Preparation Workshop to select and present materials in an exhibition format

   • Together with the Photography and Videography trainer, and with the edited materials from the Oral History Workshops and the Photography and Videography Workshops, design and implement the contents for a local exhibition taking place in a cultural institution in the Al-Hasakah region in the northeast of Syria, most likely in or around Qamishli.

   • Promote self-representation, respectful storytelling, and community participation in preserving Yazidi memory and culture.

   • Duration of this workshop: two days.

3. Time Schedule

Phase 1: Workshop Design (December–February 2026)

The contractor will:

• Develop the concept and detailed agenda for three workshop types, in close collaboration with the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops:

  • Oral History Workshop (for 10 participants) focusing on oral history methodology, trauma-sensitive interviewing, ethical storytelling, and narrative structure.

  • Joint Editing Workshop, co-designed by the Photography and Videography trainer and the Oral History trainer, for refining collected interviews and supporting curation for the archive, to be conducted jointly with the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops.

  • Joint Exhibition Preparation Workshop, co-designed by both trainers, focused on narrative and curatorial aspects of the local exhibition, to be conducted jointly with the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops.

• Present the workshop designs, agendas, and teaching methods to the HÁWAR.help project team for feedback and integrate suggestions.

• Prepare pre- and post-tests and feedback forms to measure learning outcomes and participant satisfaction for the Oral History Workshop.

Expected results:

• Three complete workshop concepts (Photography and Videography Workshop, Joint Editing Workshop, Joint Exhibition Preparation Workshop) are developed, including agendas, learning objectives, and methodologies.

• Workshop concepts and related materials are reviewed and validated by the HÁWAR.help project team.

• Pre- and post-tests and feedback tools are finalised and ready for implementation during the Oral History Workshop.

Phase 2: Oral History Workshop Implementation (February 2026)

This phase will be implemented primarily by the contractor. The trainer of the Photography and Videography Workshops is not responsible for delivering this workshop but is involved in preparatory coordination tasks and may optionally take part in selected sessions as an observer (hospitation). Together, both trainers lay the basis for a shared thematic and ethical framework across both workshop strands.

• Conduct a 2-day Oral History Workshop introducing participants to oral history methods and storytelling approaches.

• Train participants in ethical and trauma-informed interviewing, story structure, and collaboration with the photographer/videographer responsible for technical recording, ensuring that narratives can later be complemented by visual documentation.

• Coordinate with the Photography and Videography trainer during this phase to jointly develop and refine the thematic focus and ethical standards that will guide both the oral and visual documentation.

• Administer pre- and post-tests to measure changes in knowledge and confidence.

Expected results:

• One oral history training conducted for 10 participants.

• A shared thematic and ethical framework is jointly agreed between the Oral History trainer and the trainer of the Photography and Videography Workshops.

• At least 80% of participants report increased understanding of oral history methods and confidence to apply them independently.

Phase 3: Photography and Videography Workshops (March–April 2026)

This phase will be conducted by the trainer of the Photography and Videography Workshops and is not implemented by the contractor. Where feasible, the contractor is encouraged to attend parts of the Photography and Videography Workshops as an observer (hospitation) to strengthen coordination and mutual understanding of approaches.

The photography/videography trainer will introduce a total of 20 participants – the 10 participants from the Oral History Workshop and 10 additional participants who join only the photography and videography workshops – to the basics of photography and videography.

Role of the contractor in this phase:

• Coordinate closely with the photography/videography trainer and the project manager to ensure that oral history and visual material creation are aligned in terms of content, schedule, and ethical standards.

Expected results:

• One photography and videography training cycle for 20 participants is implemented (under the lead of the photography/videography trainer).

• Oral history and visual documentation activities are aligned through a common content plan and shared ethical guidelines.

• Regular coordination between the contractor and the photography/videography trainer is ensured and documented (e.g. through coordination notes or emails).

Phase 4: Mentoring and Self-led Creation Period (March–April 2026)

The contractor, together with the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops, will:

• Provide mentoring to participants of the Oral History Workshop as they independently conduct interviews and collect documentation materials. Mentoring may include individual or group check-ins (remote) focusing on story development, ethical considerations, narrative clarity, and the further development of the content-related aspects of their work (e.g. feedback on progress in interview practice, how to address additional topics, and how to deepen narratives). Support during the self-led creation period will consist of two one-hour mentoring calls per participant, coordinated with the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops where visual material is involved.

• Coordinate with the photography/videography trainer regarding participants’ progress and needs, especially where oral history content overlaps with visual material.

Expected results:

• Participants of the Oral History Workshop conduct a total of at least 10 recorded interviews.

• Participants of the Photography and Videography Workshop (under the responsibility of the respective trainer) produce a total of approximately 200 photographs and short video sequences.

• At least 70% of all trained participants upload their materials to the archive within three months; this can also be supported and achieved through the Editing Workshops.

• Trainers will hold biweekly 30-minute video check-ins with the project management team.

Phase 5: Editing Workshops (April 2026)

In joint facilitation with the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops, the contractor will:

• Conduct one Oral History Editing Workshop for 10 participants to:

  • refine interview recordings;

  • add basic metadata (e.g. who, where, when, topics);

  • ensure that ethical and trauma-sensitive standards are respected;

  • strengthen narrative coherence and storytelling quality.

• Coordinate with the photography/videography trainer who will guide participants in editing and selecting visual materials, so that oral and visual materials can be aligned for the archive and exhibition.

• The workshop will be conducted over of two days.

Expected results:

• All interviews generated through the Oral History Workshop are edited and prepared for integration into the digital Yazidi Community Archive.

• Participants understand the basics of curating and finalizing documentation material for digital storage and exhibition use.

Phase 6: Exhibition Preparation Workshop (May 2026)

In joint facilitation with the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops, the contractor will:

• Conduct a joint Exhibition Preparation Workshop with all participants (the 10 participants of the Oral History Workshop and the 10 additional participants of the photography/videography workshops).

• Support participants in:

  • selecting interviews, photos, and videos for the local exhibition;

  • shaping visual and narrative elements;

  • preparing printed materials, captions, and short exhibition texts.

• The workshop will be conducted over two days.

Expected results:

• One workshop on exhibition preparation completed.

• A final exhibition concept and selection of materials ready for presentation.

Phase 7: Local Exhibition Implementation (June 2026)

The contractor will:

• Support participants and the project team in setting up and presenting the local exhibition in the Al-Hasakah region in the northeast of Syria, most likely in or around Qamishli, focusing on narrative coherence and respectful representation of stories.

• Contribute to event facilitation, community engagement, and reflection activities, in coordination with the broader project team and the trainer for the Photography and Videography Workshops.

• Support documentation of the exhibition process from an oral history and storytelling perspective.

Expected results:

• One local exhibition conducted in Northeast Syria.

• At least 150 visitors attended the exhibition.

• Participants and community members express satisfaction with the presentation and representation of stories (e.g. through feedback forms or informal feedback).

The contractor is responsible for delivering the oral-history-workshops, ensuring continuity, consistency, and integration of oral history outputs into the Yazidi Community Archive. The contractor is expected to work closely with the trainers of the Photography and Videography Workshops. Depending on qualifications and availability, these two roles may be combined and fulfilled by the