Through an annual conference, other meetings, a web site and the Oral History journal the Society encourages individuals to share ideas, experience and good practice.
The Society also provides a voice for oral historians advising and collaborating with national organisations and research councils on oral history The British-based organisation was founded in 1973, with its origins in an informal day conference at the British Institute of Recorded Sound (BIRS) in 1969.
[1] In the early years support for the Society was drawn from amongst labour and social historians as well as archivists, folklorists, ethnographers and researchers in oral tradition (including the School of Scottish Studies).
This reflects the Society's policy of representing oral historians no matter where they work whether it is in education, community organisations or the media.
A key structure of the Society is the Regional Network consisting of oral historians who offer a first point of contact in localities throughout Britain and Northern Ireland.