On 23-25 May, students in youth & social work, as well as young social workers, met in Viareggio to learn about the participatory research method Photovoice. They were brought together by the VOICE partners, coming from Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Creative partners from the media sector also joined the event, to film the activities, which will lead to the creation of a video tutorial on Photovoice using lively and authentic video footage.
Through a mix of presentations and interactive activities, participants learned the ropes of this participatory research method. Hands-in sessions invited participants to experience a Photovoice exercise themselves to learn about its concrete implementation through non-formal methods while stepping into the shoes of Photovoice “co-researchers” to make them aware of what they can do as future facilitators to improve their own participants’ experience.
They also produced the VOICE project's first authentic Photovoice results by answering the question "How do you imagine your European utopia in 20 years?".
Contributing to VOICE project's results
Participants learned about Photovoice first and foremost, and also contributed to the future project results in many ways!
They will indeed star in the future “VOICE movie”, a video tutorial which will present the Photovoice method in a catchy, short and lively format. The participants’ own Photovoice results will be turned into a VOICE Photo Exhibit, online first and foremost but also on-site through local events. The outcome of brainstorming sessions will be incorporated into the future “VOICE Handbook”, providing ready-to-use material to newcomers into the world of Photovoice. Finally, the participants will indeed implement a Photovoice exercise themselves with the support of their local VOICE partner.
