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Growing Together. Child participation through the project journey. Management of a children’s club by the children themselves

HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL
December 2017

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An overview is presented of a project in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand to:

  • To support communities in raising socially and emotionally healthy kids in refugee/IDPs camps and in host communities.
  • To create opportunities for children with disabilities and other vulnerable children (0-12 years old) including children at risk of developmental delays/psychological distress in displacement contexts, to learn and develop safely while having fun.
  • Using “play” as key driver to learn and develop safely children’s potential while having fun.

The project was implemented using:

  • Existing HI tools (Personalized Social Support, Adapted Physical Activity, etc.)
  • Tools piloted in IKEA project (Blue Box, low-cost toy making, inclusive playgrounds, Ideas box)
  • Environmental Footprint Assessment across 3 project sites

Monitoring & evaluation was carried out using techniques including

  • Scopeo (Sc-ore O-f Pe-rceived O-utcomes) Kids
  • Participatory M&E approaches (digital story telling, child-child video interview etc) 

Presented at the People at the centre Seminar, Dec 2017 

 

Take us seriously! Engaging children with disabilities in decisions affecting their lives

LANSDOWNE, Gerison
et al
June 2013

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UNICEF’s work on disability is based on a human rights approach, with a focus on equity. It has been developed within the framework of inclusive development, and actively promotes the social model of disability. A central tenet is that legislation, policies and programmes must be informed and shaped by the children they will affect. Participation is a foundational principle of a rights-based approach. These guidelines are meant to strengthen the capacity of UNICEF and partners in creating opportunities for children with disabilities to exercise their right to be heard and taken seriously.

It is important to:

  • clearly identify obstacles impeding the participation of children with disabilities;
  • examine why participation is important for children with disabilities;
  • provide practical guidance on how and where to reach out and engage children with disabilities more effectively and systematically;
  • prioritize ways to measure the effectiveness of participatory initiatives with children with disabilities. 

Getting to know cerebral palsy|Working with parent groups : a training resource for facilitators, parents, caregivers, and persons with cerebral palsy

INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR EVIDENCE IN DISABILITY (ICED)
et al
2013

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This manual aims to increase knowledge and skills in caring for a child with cerebral palsy. Research highlighted the significant needs of the caregivers, and how they can gain a huge amount of support from meeting with each other in an understanding environment. The manual is divided into 11 modules and promotes a participatory learning approach with an emphasis on the empowerment of parents and caregivers. It provides an opportunity for parents to organise themselves and to consider strategies at the community level to address some of the issues which affect them and their child
Note: An online community that aims to support practitioners share their learning and experiences around the parent training manual is available from the weblink. Members can share questions and perspectives, news items and resources with eachother via email or through a community website

Heightened risk identification tool (HRIT)

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)
June 2010

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"The Heightened Risk Identification Tool (HRIT) and User Guide have been developed to enhance UNHCR's effectiveness in identifying refugees at risk by linking community-based / participatory assessments and individual assessment methodologies. They have been designed for use by UNHCR staff involved in community services and/or protection activities (including resettlement) and partner agencies"

The heightened risk identification tool : user guide

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)
June 2010

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"The Heightened Risk Identification Tool (HRIT) and User Guide have been developed to enhance UNHCR's effectiveness in identifying refugees at risk by linking community-based / participatory assessments and individual assessment methodologies. They have been designed for use by UNHCR staff involved in community services and/or protection activities (including resettlement) and partner agencies"

A new weave of power, people & politics : the action guide for advocacy and citizen participation

VENEKLASEN, Lisa
MILLER, Valerie
March 2007

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This comprehensive action guide provides an approach for building people’s participation and collective power that goes beyond influencing policy and politics to transforming public decision-making. It offers easily adaptable 'modules' for NGOs trainers, activists, grass-roots organisations, who wish to develop ideas around advocacy. One of the strengths is that it focuses on peoples participation and explores ideas relating to power and politics in citizen-centred advocacy. It emphasises power and constituency-building discussed through the lens of gender/race/class and is based upon the concrete experiences of social change worldwide
It also offers facilitators tips, sample exercises and easily adaptable handouts, along with core information to support anyone through the learning process. Based on long-term experience of a range of practitioners, the guide provides well-tested methods for promoting citizen participation and practical ways of realising a rights-based approach.
The contents, chapters 1, 3, 5, 10 and 13 can be accessed electronically

Guidelines for project and programme evaluation : volume 3

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
2006

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“The European Commission has developed and formalised a methodology for evaluating its external assistance, in which the priority is on results and impacts … This third volume completes and updates the project evaluation manual previously used by the European Commission. It is intended primarily for the evaluation of large projects and of programmes involving similar projects in several countries. The volume is organised chronologically, with two approaches: that of the evaluation manager and that of the external evaluation team. A participatory evaluation option is also proposed”

Evaluation methods for European Union’s external assistance, Vol. 3

Mobilising the community : a PILLARS guide

CARTER, Isabel
2003

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This guide looks at an example of community mobilisation that is based on using outside facilitators and workshops. However, recognising that resources to employ external facilitators and run such workshops may not be available, it takes the basis of the mobilisation process and shares it in a way that will help a well-organised and motivated group to use the process without outside help. It looks at participatory methodologies that can be used to focus on key community issues, how to gather information, presenting information and planning the action. It will be helpful to small groups or NGOs seeking to bring changes that benefit local people

Learning from difference : understanding community initiatives to improve access to education

MILES, Susie
et al
2003

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This is a report of an action research project carried out by teachers in Zambia and Tanzania and external facilitators. The aim of the research was to encourage teachers to articulate their experience in inclusive education by developing written accounts that could be shared with other countries of the South. The written accounts produced are useful training materials and serve as a stimulus for further reflection

Outcome mapping : building learning and reflection into development programmes

EARL, Sarah
CARDEN, Fred
SMUTYLO, Terry
2002

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Assessing the impact of the efforts of a single external development agency is problematic because changes in the well-being of beneficiaries occur as a result of a ‘confluence of events’. Outcome mapping is a dynamic methodology that looks at the contribution an agency has made at project, programme or organisational level to influence the processes leading to changes in the behaviour, relationships, actions and activities of people and organisations. According to the authors, development is about people relating to each other and their environment. Outcome mapping is therefore a monitoring and evaluation system for current and completed activities and provides a framework and vocabulary for understanding changes and assessing efforts. It is based on principles of participation, iterative learning and evaluative thinking throughout.
This book includes a thorough explanation of the outcome mapping approach, and provides detailed information on workshop design and facilitation, as well as numerous worksheets and examples

Monitoring and evaluating stakeholder participation in agriculture and rural development projects : a literature review

KARL, Marilee
2000

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This article reviews the current literature on the subject, and also highlights three key methodological issues to be addressed: how to assess the degree and quality of participation; how to measure the costs and benefits of participation to the stakeholders involved; and how to assess the impact of that participation on desired project outputs, project performance and sustainability. An annotated bibliography is also provided

Advocacy : building skills for NGO leaders

CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND POPULATION ACTIVITIES (CEDPA)
1999

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A three-day, six-session curriculum designed as a companion piece to 'Cairo, Beijing, and Beyond: A Handbook on Advocacy for Women Leaders'. This manual uses participatory methodologies and is based on CEDPA's experience in building the skills of NGO leaders to advocate for change in the reproductive health arena. While the background information and role play scenarios deal directly with reproductive health issues, a trainer can adapt the sessions for other contexts

The essential handbook. Radio and HIV/AIDS : making a difference : a guide for radio practitioners, health workers and donors

ADAM, Gordon
HARFORD, Nicola
1999

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Part of the UNAIDS best practice collection, this publication outlines an inexpensive communications methodology for media and HIV/AIDS workers. It is illustrated with examples of successful HIV/AIDS radio programming from all over the world. Includes sections on planning, researching, designing and producing radio programming, with a participatory emphasis

Enabling education network (EENET)

EENET

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This extensive website focusing on inclusive education is regularly updated, primarily with publications written by people working and living in the South. The website’s resources database covers a wide range of themes including: action research and image-based methodologies, early childhood, emergencies, deafness, gender, parents, policy, teacher education, among others. The website also contains EENET’s newsletters, plus event and job vacancy announcements.
The website is also available from EENET as a CD-ROM

Participatory learning and action [formerly: PLA notes]

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PLA is primarily aimed at sustainable development practitioners, researchers, students and activists. The majority of our readers come from the global South.

The journal's articles include reports on fieldwork and practical workshops around the globe. The popular "tips for trainers" section features suggestions and resources for practitioners.

Although regular publication of the journal ceased in 2013, user feedback and an external review have shown that the content continues to form a useful resource for all those engaged in participatory work. We have made the full archive available online, so that development workers, researchers and community workers can continue to access all of the material.

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