Yesterday morning I left Camrose bright and early to travel to Sundre, Alberta where my fellow intern, Kailyn Jones, and I pitched the Creative Video Retreat idea to high school students. Kailyn and I were encouraged by the students' excitement and interest in working with us on this project. Though the final details of the Retreat have not yet been finalized I would like to share with you our proposal.
What is Participatory Video?
Participatory video is an empowering process meant to give individuals a voice through the creative outlet of filmmaking. Participatory video projects vary in length and structure however; they generally involve bringing together a group of individuals to learn filmmaking skills while producing a short video. In particular, participatory video has been proven to be especially empowering for youth populations (Wallace-DiGarbo & Hill, 2006).
Importantly, participatory video is primarily about the process as opposed to the end result (Lunch, 2006).In some cases the group will decide to showcase their final product within their community however, in other cases the final product is only viewed internally. The topic or theme of the video is not predetermined by the facilitator but instead emerges from the group members (Lunch, 2006). Due to emphasis on empowerment it is essential that the topic or theme is not determined by the facilitator but instead is generated internally by the group.
The Theory Behind Participatory Video
Participatory video as a method for engaging and working with youth has been validated in academic literature. Boyd (2010) found statistically significant improvements in the quality of life and social connectedness of youth who participated in a filmmaking project. Participatory video is thought to produce beneficial outcomes because of the underlying assumption of creative outlets such as filmmaking. Crawford and Patterson (2007) suggest that creative outlets, such as filmmaking, encourage self-expression, promote self-awareness and increase insight, thereby enhancing overall psychological wellbeing.
Anticipated Outcomes of a Participatory Video Project
A number of benefits have been observed in youth who were involved in a participatory video project. In particular, Boyd (2010) conducted a mixed-method study evaluating the use of participatory video with youth. The outcomes of this study are listed here:
· A creative outlet to express ones’ self
· Ownership and a sense of achievement
· Increased social connections
· Increased motivation
· Increased confidence and self-esteem
· Increased insight and community awareness
· Development of new skills (e.g. team work skills, decision making skills, conflict management skills)
The Creative Video Retreat
The Creative Video Retreat will provide an opportunity for participants to learn basic video skills while exploring issues of communication, decision-making, and community awareness. The program will be primarily focused on interpersonal skill development and leadership training. Overall, our intention is to provide an environment where participants are able to voice their stories, concerns, and hopes through the creative outlet of filmmaking.
References
Boyd, C. (2010). Development and evaluation of a pilot filmmaking project for rural youth with serious mental illness. Youth Studies Australia, 29(3), 27-35.
Crawford, M.J. & Patterson, S. 2007, ‘Arts therapies for people with schizophrenia: An emerging evidence base’, Evidence Based Mental Health, v.10, n.3, pp.69-70.
Lunch, C. (2004) 'PV - Rural People Document their Knowledge and Innovations': IK Notes.
Lunch, C. (2006) Insight's into Participatory Video: a handbook for the field.
Nathanials, N.Q (2006) Implementation of Cocoa IPM in West Africa. Participatory Video. A guide to getting started (CABI).
Wallace-DiGarbo, A. & Hill, D.C. 2006, ‘Art as agency: Exploring empowerment of at-risk youth’, Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, v.23, n.3, pp.119-25.
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