Extending Survivor Voices: USC Shoah Foundation supports UK classrooms through the Supporting Holocaust Survivor Testimony in Teaching program
The USC Shoah Foundation is proud to be one of only three organizations whose resources are signposted through this initiative, reflecting the strength and trust placed in its globally recognized archive. The USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive collection holds more than 60,000 full-length audio and video testimonies from survivors of the Holocaust and other mass atrocities, making it one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind in the world. These testimonies preserve not only historical facts, but full life histories – offering educators and students a profound connection to individual human stories.
As the Holocaust moves further from living memory, educators face an urgent challenge: how to ensure that students continue to engage deeply and meaningfully with the testimonies of those who experienced it. In response, the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET), delivering on behalf of the UK Department for Education (DfE), has launched a national effort to make recorded survivor testimony accessible to as many students in England as possible. At the heart of this work is a commitment to quality resources, authenticity, and responsible pedagogy – values closely shared by the USC Shoah Foundation.
The program, Supporting Holocaust Survivor Testimony in Teaching, equips educators with the tools, training, and confidence to integrate recorded survivor testimonies and Holocaust educational materials effectively into their classrooms. This includes access to curated testimony, ready-to-use teaching resources, and expert-led continuing professional development. For many teachers, particularly those new to Holocaust education, the program provides essential guidance on how to approach a subject that is both historically accurate and emotionally sensitive.
Central to this work is the understanding that recorded testimony is not simply content to be delivered, but a powerful historical source that must be embedded within strong pedagogy. Teachers are supported in developing the skills to frame testimony appropriately, guide students through critical reflection, and connect individual narratives to broader historical contexts. In doing so, the program helps students move beyond passive listening to critical thinking and active historical inquiry – an approach that fosters deeper understanding and empathy.
At the same time, the initiative recognizes the opportunities – and responsibilities – that come with emerging technologies. A unique aspect of the program is how it supports teachers to confidently navigate the use of virtual reality and search-powered, non-generative AI in the classroom. Educators can bring immersive learning into the classroom, combining recorded survivor testimonies that students can interact with and virtual reality recordings of Holocaust-related sites as they are today, without leaving the classroom. Students are able to encounter testimony alongside visual exploration of places connected to survivors’ stories, creating a layered and engaging learning experience.
The USC Shoah Foundation’s expertise in digital testimony, including interactive formats that simulate natural conversation with survivors, complements this approach. Together, these tools offer students an experience that closely resembles a one-to-one interaction – an experience that, while not replacing the presence of a living survivor, powerfully preserves their voice and perspective for future generations.
Importantly, the program also addresses contemporary challenges in the digital environment. As young people encounter increasing volumes of information online, including misinformation and decontextualized content, equipping teachers with the skills to use testimony responsibly is more critical than ever. By combining high-quality content with professional development, this initiative ensures that technology enhances, rather than diminishes, rigorous historical teaching.
The inclusion of USC Shoah Foundation’s testimony collection within this national effort underscores the importance of trusted, comprehensive sources in Holocaust education. It also highlights the shared mission between institutions: to safeguard the voices of survivors and ensure that their stories continue to resonate.
More than 80 years after the Holocaust, the responsibility to carry forward these testimonies increasingly rests with educators and institutions. Through collaboration with trusted partners such as HET and DfE, a new model of Holocaust education is emerging – one that combines historical rigor, technological innovation, and a deep respect for the individuals whose experiences it preserves.
In classrooms across the UK, students are not only learning about the Holocaust – they are engaging with it through the voices of those who lived it. And through these efforts, those voices will continue to be heard.