action research
For my Participatory Action Research (PAR) design, the community within which I will conduct my research will revolve around the residents of a local shelter for homeless children and youth located in Germantown. The homeless youth (up to age 21) who live in The Covenant House will be included in this first stage of the PAR. The PAR process will begin with a trauma-informed arts-based assessment of the homeless children with the goal of measuring their current levels of resilience. The results of this assessment will indicate if the shelter’s current youth-development model of building resilience is actually having positive effects. Research in PAR usually goes through a repeating cycle of planning, action, reflection and evaluation (Pain, Whitman & Milledge, 2011) so different methods of research including interviews, surveys, and focus groups will be utilized in later stages of the PAR. These methods will involve the participation of shelter staff members, youth case workers, and Germantown residents.
The method for collecting information will be through an arts-based assessment. The main social issue, or problem, to be explored within the context of shelter-life is the youth’s ability to be resilient despite the major disadvantage of being homeless. The Covenant House employs a trauma-informed youth development model that focuses on helping their youth build foundations for resilience. Their building blocks of resilience are called the “7 Cs” (Fostering Resilience, n.d.): competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. The goal, or expected outcome, of this research process is to determine if the homeless youth are learning and applying the 7 Cs, and to see if their level of resilience has increased. Increased resilience of homeless children in shelters is one of the primary objectives of my Project Proposal.
I chose to use an arts-based assessment as the first method for action-research because an artistic or creative process is inherently action-oriented. An arts-based assessment is an effective qualitative method of gathering information and emphasizes the aspects of participation and action, foundational elements in PAR. Collaboration, another critical aspect of PAR, is often an essential activity in finding solutions to problems (Spaniol, 2012). Aware of the limitations of PAR, however, I know that in the course of the research, what I considered as the main problem may be simply a result of a more pressing issue that should be addressed first (Velasco, 2012).
The method for collecting information will be through an arts-based assessment. The main social issue, or problem, to be explored within the context of shelter-life is the youth’s ability to be resilient despite the major disadvantage of being homeless. The Covenant House employs a trauma-informed youth development model that focuses on helping their youth build foundations for resilience. Their building blocks of resilience are called the “7 Cs” (Fostering Resilience, n.d.): competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. The goal, or expected outcome, of this research process is to determine if the homeless youth are learning and applying the 7 Cs, and to see if their level of resilience has increased. Increased resilience of homeless children in shelters is one of the primary objectives of my Project Proposal.
I chose to use an arts-based assessment as the first method for action-research because an artistic or creative process is inherently action-oriented. An arts-based assessment is an effective qualitative method of gathering information and emphasizes the aspects of participation and action, foundational elements in PAR. Collaboration, another critical aspect of PAR, is often an essential activity in finding solutions to problems (Spaniol, 2012). Aware of the limitations of PAR, however, I know that in the course of the research, what I considered as the main problem may be simply a result of a more pressing issue that should be addressed first (Velasco, 2012).
arts-based assessment
The arts-based assessment will highlight each child’s level of resilience. They will be asked questions and will be prompted to draw out their responses.
The questions:
1. Who are five people who make you feel good and safe?
2. When you are older, if you could do anything, what would be your dream job? Or, who would you be?
3. What people or things will help you reach that dream?
[post-drawing questions]
4. What actions can you take now to work towards that dream?
5. How can the people you wrote in your ‘fingers’ help you achieve your dream?
6. Who here at the shelter can help you reach the dream you have for your future?
7. What have you learned here that will help you in the future when you are no longer living here?
Description of the art experience (I did not actually facilitate this experience at the shelter but included a drawing I made as an example):
The children will each be given a piece of white paper and a handful of colorful crayons and markers. There will also be a wide variety of magazine clippings (of people, places, objects, symbols, scenes of different locations, etc) and glue sticks. They will be instructed to trace their hand (either left or right) in the center of the page. They are then asked to write a name of a friend, teacher, family member, or someone who makes them feel good about themselves, or makes them feel safe, in each of the fingers. If they cannot think of five names to write, they can substitute names of people for positive qualities about themselves. In the middle of the hand, they will be asked to draw or glue down an object that represents what they want to be when they are older (in my example, I drew a paintbrush which represents my desire to be an artist). Then they will be prompted to draw, or glue images, of action-steps, places, people, and other things that will help them achieve what they want to be in the future.
When the children have ceased adding content into their ‘hands,’ the facilitator will ask the children to explain the images in their drawings, what their dreams are, and will ask the post-drawing questions. The facilitator will then explain the metaphor – the children will be told that their future is in their own hands and all of the things they drew (internal and external protective factors) will help them to be resilient when they face obstacles in the future.
The facilitator will hold onto the drawings after the art experience, taking the proper precautions to keep them safe until they can be returned to the children. The PAR team will assess the drawings, looking for and counting indications of protective resources represented or symbolized within the hands. Hands that do not have names written in the fingers, and lack images that indicate a positive, future-orientation will indicate that the resilience of that child may need to be buffered. The questions in this arts-based assessment center on themes of internal and external protective factors and foster will- and way-power thinking. This activity helps the children identify people that make them feel safe and can help them achieve their goals. Identifying positive relationships emphasizes interconnectness. Future-oriented thinking, in the identification of a ‘dream job’ or profession, helps the children have positive-expectations for the future. These are just a few elements of resilience highlighted in this assessment.
The questions:
1. Who are five people who make you feel good and safe?
2. When you are older, if you could do anything, what would be your dream job? Or, who would you be?
3. What people or things will help you reach that dream?
[post-drawing questions]
4. What actions can you take now to work towards that dream?
5. How can the people you wrote in your ‘fingers’ help you achieve your dream?
6. Who here at the shelter can help you reach the dream you have for your future?
7. What have you learned here that will help you in the future when you are no longer living here?
Description of the art experience (I did not actually facilitate this experience at the shelter but included a drawing I made as an example):
The children will each be given a piece of white paper and a handful of colorful crayons and markers. There will also be a wide variety of magazine clippings (of people, places, objects, symbols, scenes of different locations, etc) and glue sticks. They will be instructed to trace their hand (either left or right) in the center of the page. They are then asked to write a name of a friend, teacher, family member, or someone who makes them feel good about themselves, or makes them feel safe, in each of the fingers. If they cannot think of five names to write, they can substitute names of people for positive qualities about themselves. In the middle of the hand, they will be asked to draw or glue down an object that represents what they want to be when they are older (in my example, I drew a paintbrush which represents my desire to be an artist). Then they will be prompted to draw, or glue images, of action-steps, places, people, and other things that will help them achieve what they want to be in the future.
When the children have ceased adding content into their ‘hands,’ the facilitator will ask the children to explain the images in their drawings, what their dreams are, and will ask the post-drawing questions. The facilitator will then explain the metaphor – the children will be told that their future is in their own hands and all of the things they drew (internal and external protective factors) will help them to be resilient when they face obstacles in the future.
The facilitator will hold onto the drawings after the art experience, taking the proper precautions to keep them safe until they can be returned to the children. The PAR team will assess the drawings, looking for and counting indications of protective resources represented or symbolized within the hands. Hands that do not have names written in the fingers, and lack images that indicate a positive, future-orientation will indicate that the resilience of that child may need to be buffered. The questions in this arts-based assessment center on themes of internal and external protective factors and foster will- and way-power thinking. This activity helps the children identify people that make them feel safe and can help them achieve their goals. Identifying positive relationships emphasizes interconnectness. Future-oriented thinking, in the identification of a ‘dream job’ or profession, helps the children have positive-expectations for the future. These are just a few elements of resilience highlighted in this assessment.
PAR Toolkit Responses
- Collaboration
- Knowledge
- Power
- Ethics
- Building theory
- Action
- Emotions & Well-being
from https://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/beacon/PARtoolkit.pdf
goals and action steps
Based on the responses to the questions, the following goals and action steps are necessary to move forward with PAR on the issue of resilience of homeless children in shelters:
1. Form the primary PAR group and ensure members:
- are oriented toward collaboration
- have unique skills and knowledge on the social issue
- can meet on a consistent basis
- agree to all necessary precautions when working with a young, vulnerable population
- consider expanding PAR group and including ‘experts’ in process
2. Brainstorm and share other issues related to the main social issue being researched
- rank other issues in order of social impact and influence on main issue
- create a timeline in which sub-topics could be researched
3. Brainstorm research methods to be used in a future research cycle
- discuss strengths, limitations, and special considerations of each method
- create a timeline in which other methods can be employed in PAR design
1. Form the primary PAR group and ensure members:
- are oriented toward collaboration
- have unique skills and knowledge on the social issue
- can meet on a consistent basis
- agree to all necessary precautions when working with a young, vulnerable population
- consider expanding PAR group and including ‘experts’ in process
2. Brainstorm and share other issues related to the main social issue being researched
- rank other issues in order of social impact and influence on main issue
- create a timeline in which sub-topics could be researched
3. Brainstorm research methods to be used in a future research cycle
- discuss strengths, limitations, and special considerations of each method
- create a timeline in which other methods can be employed in PAR design
references
Fostering Resilience. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://fosteringresilience.com/professionals/7cs_professionals.php
Pain, R., Whitman, G., and Milledge, D. (2011). Participatory action research toolkit: An introduction to using PAR as an approach to learning, research, and action. Durham University. Durham.
Spaniol, S. (2012). An arts based approach to participatory action research. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/Lauren E Todd/Downloads/An Arts-Based Approach to Participatory Action Research (1).pdf
Velasco, X. C. (2013). Participatory Action Research (PAR) for Sustainable Community Development. Retrieved from http://postgrowth.org/participatory-action-research-par-for-sustainable-community-development/
Wilding, N. (2011). Exploring community resilience in times of rapid change. Retrieved from http://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/carnegie/media/sitemedia/Publications/ExploringCommunityResiliencedownload.pdf
Pain, R., Whitman, G., and Milledge, D. (2011). Participatory action research toolkit: An introduction to using PAR as an approach to learning, research, and action. Durham University. Durham.
Spaniol, S. (2012). An arts based approach to participatory action research. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/Lauren E Todd/Downloads/An Arts-Based Approach to Participatory Action Research (1).pdf
Velasco, X. C. (2013). Participatory Action Research (PAR) for Sustainable Community Development. Retrieved from http://postgrowth.org/participatory-action-research-par-for-sustainable-community-development/
Wilding, N. (2011). Exploring community resilience in times of rapid change. Retrieved from http://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/carnegie/media/sitemedia/Publications/ExploringCommunityResiliencedownload.pdf