Requirements

No prior experience in audio required, just a willingness to acquire new skills.  

Participants will:

• Discover artful ways to volunteer in their community

• Learn interview and recording techniques, narrative shaping, and audio-editing skills

• Gain skills in community engagement through oral-history collection

• Enhance readiness for leadership roles and community participation

• Grow empathy from coast to coast through community-building dialogue.

Approximately 12 hours a week of commitment for 12 weeks total.  The training program is virtual, and open to applicants across Canada. See full program schedule at fixtpoint.com/empathysquad-apply.

About the organization

FIXT POINT is a Toronto-based arts & media company with national reach. Our mandate is to inspire audiences and artists to imagine change, and our mission is to promote local culture and preserve local heritage through the telling of tales across multiple platforms. 

To date, we've interviewed over 3,000 Canadians from every province and territory in almost 200 communities in our storymobiles (mobile recording studio on wheels); edited and posted hundreds of oral histories on our storymap; produced two seasons of a TV/web series for TVO; and, most recently, we were awarded Touring Artist of the Year from the Canadian Arts Presenting Association (CAPACOA).

Impact

Oral storytelling forges connections between people and ideas, makes information more accessible, and helps us understand the ties that bind us. Oral history nuances the stories of the past and present, helps us understand how communities experience history, and allows us to learn together on the path towards a shared future. 

Amplify voices, centre overlooked stories, and celebrate the unsung heroes in your community. You'll have the chance to collect stories, learn podcasting skills, meet new people from different walks of life, and collaborate with future leaders across the country. Come spark change, one story at a time.