Interview participant information

Spare Lawyers for Refugees are calling on people who have left Australian immigration detention to participate in a visual history project. People will only participate in the project if they want to participate. People who are volunteers trained in interview technique and well informed of what life is like in immigration detention will interview participants. The interviews will focus on the detention experience rather than the reasons interviewees may have had to flee their home country. 

Interviews will last for as long or as short as the interviewee chooses.

Spare Lawyers for Refugee’s trained interviewers and camera-people will attend the home of any former detainee at a time that suits the person.

The interviews will be stored in secured facilities until a time designated by the interviewee. Eventually, the interview tapes will be donated to public institutions like libraries and museums. The interview tapes will not be edited. They will not be shown on television. It is intended that all the interview tapes will be transcribed in full and in English.  The resource will then hopefully be used by academics, researchers, commentators and interested members of the general public as a means of researching what the detention experience was really like for those who had to live it.  The vision we have for Detention Remembered is that it will assist in informing future generations of decision makers about the consequences of racism, intolerance and fear. 

Definitely not. We will only be interviewing people with permanent residence so DIMIA are unable to alter your status. 

No.  The interview will focus mainly on your detention experience anyway so there is no danger of there being any repercussions from your home country. 

No. All people participating in the visual history project are doing so for free.

Interviews will only be conducted in English. A willingness to speak in English only is important.

No. Participants may ask their interviewer to avoid certain areas if interviewees do not wish to talk about them.  Interviewees are only asked to tell the stories they feel comfortable telling. 

Interviewers have been given training and are aware that interviewees may get emotional when recalling their detention experiences.  It is fine to be emotional.  There is no rush to tell your story so just take as much time as you need to before you continue the interview.