Guijt, Irene

In 1994 Redd Barna Uganda started developing an approach to community-based planning using PRA (PRAP) that placed children and their issues at the centre of the planning process and that also aimed to recognise differences within communities. This report is based on discussions involving project staff, members of three partner organisations and villagers from seven communities. The discussion reflected on the PRAP process to examine which aspects were proving beneficial and for whom and those that were proving problematic with an aim of identifying areas for improvement.

Introductory article for special issue of PLA notes resulting from an international workshop on participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM & E). Provides a comprehensive overview of PM & E, recent developments in its practice and emerging issues.

This document outlines a card game which can be played during training or a workshop to examine the role of policy in forest management and the benefits of community participation in natural resource management. The game is played using statements written on cards (provided in the document) which relate to policy issues. Players have to decide if they are strong or weak statements and explain their decisions.

Details of a game which can be used during training to enable participants to:
- determine what can and cannot be expected from participation in natural resource management (NRM)
- understand the simplicity of some of the assumptions behind participation in NRM

This paper outlines the development of interest in participatory development approaches. Some of the difficulties faced today in natural resource management are discussed and the opportunities presented by participatory methodologies are highlighted. Finally, the implications for forestry professionals wanting to work towards more participatory forms of resource management are indicated.

Starting with a question - can participatory learning and action methodologies be combined with more formal, academic approaches and still be effective?, this paper reflects on the methodological complementarity and compromise between PLA and other research methods. Numerous examples are drawn from participatory research and development practice which suggest that complementarity seems to be both essential and effective.