From Snapshot to Civic Action: A Photovoice Facilitator’s Manual Developed by Meredith Powers, Darcy Freedman, & Ronald Pitner Powers, M. Snapshot to civic action: A photovoice facilitator’s manual. Community-Engaged Scholarship for Health (CES4Health), available online at http://bit. Made available courtesy of CES4Health.info: http://ces4health.info/find-products/view- product.aspx?code=RBKP8RZS ***© The authors.
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*** Abstract: This photovoice facilitator’s manual is a product developed to help research facilitators design and implement a comprehensive photovoice research project in collaboration with community stakeholders. Photovoice is a popular technique used for community-based participatory research (1). Photovoice uses a combination of photography and critical group discussions to engage participants as experts in the analysis of research topics and then use this knowledge for social action. This manual was developed after nine months of design and implementation of a photovoice project entitled “From Snapshot to Civic Action Photovoice Project,” which was conducted in Columbia, South Carolina during the summer and fall of 2010.
This manual includes information on how to design, plan and implement a photovoice project, as well as helpful tips and resource documents that could be used as examples for other photovoice projects. This manual is intended to be used by academic or community researchers attempting to utilize the photovoice technique as a way to engage communities in community-based participatory research. It was designed to help researchers think through all aspects of a photovoice project design to promote successful implementation. This manual is designed to be generalizable and applicable to any community setting or population with any research topic.
Researchers will benefit from this manual’s thorough discussion of each step of a photovoice project from design and implementation to analysis and dissemination of findings. The potential audiences for this manual include academic as well as non-academic research facilitators who are new to the photovoice process, or those who have experience with photovoice but would like to refine their process. Keywords: Photovoice | Facilitator’s Manual | Community-based Participatory Research Article: ***Note: Full text of article below PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 1 From Snapshot to Civic Action A Photovoice Facilitator’s Manual (July 2012) Developed by Meredith Powers, Darcy Freedman, & Ronald Pitner University of South Carolina, College of Social Work Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 2 Table of Contents Authors’ Welcome. 13 Results and Conclusions.
17 Designing Your Photovoice Project. 17 Participant Recruitment & Selection. 19 Ongoing Supplies Needed. 19 Other Helpful Notes.
19 Session 1: Introduction to the Photovoice Project & Training. 22 Example Supply List for Session #1. 22 2) What is Photovoice?. 23 3) Goals of Photovoice Project.
23 4) Participant Roles Explained. 23 5) Contract for Group Norms. 24 6) Photography Power, Ethics & Legal Issues. 24 8) Tasks for Next Session.
24 9) Post- Session Participant Feedback. 24 Session 2: Camera Training. 26 Example Supply List for Session #2. 26 2) Review from Session 1 Activity.
26 3) Review Photovoice Project Theme. 28 6) Photographs for Photovoice Project. 28 Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 3 Sessions 3-7: Reflection & Discussion. 30 Example Supply List for Sessions # 3-7.
30 1) Organizing & Storing Photos. 30 2) Selecting Photos for Photovoice Project. 30 3) Discussing & Sharing Photos. 31 4) Writing Titles & Captions.
32 6) Thematic Data Analysis. 32 Sessions 8: Celebration & Review of Photos. 34 Example Supply List for Session # 8. 36 Selecting Photos for Dissemination.
40 Appendix A: “Our Project” and “Getting Started”. 43 Application for Photovoice Project (Adult). 44 Applicant Interview Questions. 46 Adult Consent Form.
47 Youth Assent Form. 50 Parent/Guardian Consent Form for Youth Participants. 52 Participant Acceptance Letter. 56 Example Agenda for Session #1.
58 General Schedule of Sessions. 59 Developing a Contract for Group Norms Activity. 60 Ethics and Safety Guidelines Handout. 62 Photography Power, Ethics & Legal Issues Activity.
63 Fact Sheet and Photo Release Form. 64 Photovoice Ethics Agreement Form. 68 Seeing Like a Photographer. 69 Tasks for Next Session Sheet.
70 Post- Session Participant Feedback Sheet. 72 Example Agenda & Supply List for Session # 2. 73 Review from Session 1 Activity Worksheet. 74 What Matters to Me Worksheet.
76 Camera Policy Form for Photovoice Participants. 77 Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 4 Acknowledgement of Camera Received. 78 Photography Practice Worksheet. 81 Example Agenda & Supply List for Sessions # 3-7.
82 Reflection Documentation Worksheet. 83 Theme Activity Worksheet. 86 Example Agenda & Supply List for Sessions # 8. 87 Appendix F: “Dissemination and Action”.
88 Meet the Artists Reception. 89 Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 5 Authors’ Welcome In recent years, photovoice has become an increasingly popular technique to engage communities in community-based participatory research (CBPR). CBPR is “a collaborative approach to research that combines methods of inquiry with community capacity-building strategies to bridge the gap between knowledge produced through research and what is practiced in communities to improve health” (Viswanathan et al. Photovoice was originally created by Wang and Burris (1997) and many have used their insights and applied this technique to CBPR the world over.
Photovoice uses a combination of photography and critical group discussions as a way to engage participants in identifying their own views of the research topic, and as a tool for social change. This manual was developed after eight months of design and implementation of a photovoice project From Snapshot to Civic Action in Columbia, South Carolina during the summer and fall of 2010. Using a combination of digital photography and facilitated dialogue, 18 participants from a public housing community explored their community’s strengths and concerns and generated potential solutions to address identified concerns. We conducted two photovoice projects, one with 6 African American youth (ages 12– 17) and another with 12 African American adults (ages 21-67).
Each group met for about 25 hours over 7-10 weeks. Participants in this study selected up to 10 final photos of their community that best represented concerns they wanted to address, and strengths on which they wanted to expand. We used trigger questions to generate discussions about their photos. Themes that emerged from this process included (1) sense of place/place attachment (e., ownership, social and physical incivilities, (2) collective efficacy (e., social cohesion, sense of community, learned helplessness), (3) social capital (e., social support networks), (4) community development (e., capacity building, need for better resources), and (5) collective action (e., agency, need for collaboration and participation).
Participants also generated several community-engaged solutions to these concerns, ranging from community clean-up efforts to increasing awareness of available resources. Finally, participants selected over 170 of their photographs that they titled and captioned for use in dissemination efforts, which will engage the wider community. The information gained through this photovoice project will inform the next stage of this study, which is focused on developing community generated interventions to address neighborhood concerns identified via photovoice. When embarking on this research project we read widely to see the array of possibilities for using photovoice and gained insight from other photovoice manuals (Photovoice Hamilton Ontario, 2007; Shimshock, 2008; Gustafson & Al-Sumait, 2009; Napp, 2008).
In designing this manual, we hope to share our methods and lessons learned as a way to contribute to this broadening field of research and to assist others as they develop their own photovoice projects. Sincerely, Meredith Powers, Darcy Freedman, & Ronald Pitner University of South Carolina, College of Social Work Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 6 Emergent Theme: Lucky to Live Here* We (the residents) have pride in the community and our home, and have a sense of place. People care about our neighborhood. Beauty in the Community From sun up to sun down, my community looks the same.
It’s a blessing to live in such a beautiful place. ~ Natoria The Great White My house describes how beautiful our neighborhood is, and how houses are pretty. ~Starr * We have inserted a few photos and captions from the “From Snapshot to Civic Action” photovoice project throughout the manual to give you examples of photos and themes that emerged. Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 7 Acknowledgements This research would not have been possible without the support of the following: Our Funders Our Partners Kresge Foundation Healthy Environment Program Columbia Housing Authority USC Arts and Humanities Grants Program USC College of Social Work USC Office of the Provost The Photovoice Participants USC McKissick Museum Research Consortium on Children & April Families Brittney Tiffany Anderson Catherine Taylor Brickley Cleopatra Derek Brown Debra Lana Burgess Diane Kayla Campbell Emma Jenah Cason Floyd Rebecca Cooke George Faye Daniels Keyona Ja-Nae Epps Nicole Shanna Hastie Natoria Beth Herron Quanella Jennifer Hitt Shamar Paul Gebo Shaniqua Gwendolyn Gibson Suzette Donna Gilbert Starr TJ McDaniels Tanjenique Lee McRoberts Kathleen Robbins *NOTE: Participants consented to the use of their first names to Allison Rojek acknowledge their work as artists with display of their photos in Ellory Schmucker exhibits and publications.
Gary Snyder Howard Thomas Our Reviewers Gilbert Walker Pam Weiss Jenah Cason, MSW Ernest Wiggins Monica Motley, M. Ashley Witman Laura Stephenson, Ph. Contact Information Meredith C. Powers, MSW Darcy Freedman, PhD Ronald Pitner, PhD Doctoral Student Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Phone: 803-351-7197 Phone: 803-777-1326 Phone: 803-777-6797 University of South Carolina University of South Carolina University of South Carolina College of Social Work College of Social Work College of Social Work Columbia, SC 29208 Columbia SC 29208 Columbia SC 29208 Powersm3@email.edu darcyf@mailbox.edu rpitner@sc.edu Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 8 Emergent Theme: My Health is My Wealth Health issues exist in our community.
These include mental illness, sexual health, healthy living (such as exercise), nutritional, and emotional. Health issues need to be cared for/attended to and “normalized” so that people know they can talk about issues and ask for help. Sunset Drive When I look at the sunset I see myself bleeding. Pain flowing in the air.
The devil trying to stop me. When I look at the clouds I know that God is beside me. ~April Free, Take One… It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Protect yourself and your community.
Lower the statistics for teen pregnancy, HIV, and other STD’s in South Carolina. ~Brittney Powers, Freedman, & Pitner, 2012 PHOTOVOICE MANUAL 9 Photovoice Background Photovoice is a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach that integrates photography and critical discussion to examine issues from the perspective of the “resident experts” – the people living, working, playing, and praying in a targeted context (Wang, 2003). Insights from photovoice processes are then used to inform grassroots social action (Wang & Burris, 1994). In our study, photovoice was used to provide a forum for participants—residents of a public housing community—to record and reflect on their community’s strengths and concerns, promote critical dialogue and knowledge about community issues, and inform and promote social change efforts in the community.
Photovoice is ultimately focused on promoting change at personal and community levels. It empowers people to develop a critical assessment of their reality, share this information with important stakeholders, and promote change based on these insights. As a needs assessment tool, it has advantages over other types of assessment (such as community inventory), as it allows the community members to not only assess what they believe the problems to be, but also to define potential solutions (Wang & Pies, 2008). Moreover, photovoice allows community members to participate in all phases of a community change project (Wang & Pies, 2008).