Resources

This concise list of practical hints for running a short workshop which does not include fieldwork is intended for numbers of up to 180 people. This kind of workshop might be a short introduction to PRA for people based in developed countries. The 21 tips cover every aspect, general (eg choosing a room, seating arrangements) as well as ideas for sessions on specific PRA techniques (though a basic knowledge of PRA terminology/concepts is assumed).

This paper describes the methodology used for Cresswell's "PRA Investigation into the Health and Social Needs of People Living in Danesmoor". The project took 34 days to complete, consisting of 54 individual interviews, two group interviews and eight groups of school children. The PRA approach is described, outlining its relevance to the work with this community in the UK. PRA methods used are listed with their application in "community assessment of health and social needs as undertaken in Danesmoor". Implications for professionals working in the area are considered and the future potential use of PRA explored. Further research is suggested around why there is poor uptake of certain key services.

This study in Staveley, an area with high unemployment, aimed to: i) identify & enable people to address the personal risk factors for cardio-vascular diseases ii) enable unemployed workers to discuss health difficulties specific to unemployment iii) promote a greater understanding of the specific health needs of unemployed people Unemployed people and 200 children were interviewed, then key people in the professions of education, health, social services, police, clergy and housing. Video, photos and mapping were used and people "had an opportunity to test their own health by filling in a health profile questionnaire". The various groups' different perceptions of the problems and suggested solutions are analysed. There is a need for "an informed, integrated, inter-agency approach with the involvement of unemployed people in order to respond effectively to the problems of unemployment".

Charles Sturt University was approached to help implement a community survey for the Flowerpot Hill Landcare group (FHLG). This group was formed to control run-off water which damaged town property. The information gained from interviews with members of the group, residents, farmers and council members, is presented as "issues" (specific knowledge, problems or feelings expressed by individuals) and "themes" (generally agreed important areas of concern). The themes included "Whose problem is it?", "Who should fix it?" and "Who should pay?" A number of solutions were proposed, with many people expressing a "deep suspicion of quick-fix solutions which the council was often accused of implementing". Recommendations from the study are around "establishing common ground in perception/problem solving and trying to get people committed to working together to improve the situation".

The Meadowell Estate in North Tyneside was described as a "disaster area, top of the league for crime, vandalism, drug abuse and despair". A facilitator was brought in by the Department of the Environment to help Meadowell residents to evolve their own Plan of Action and to develop the skills they needed. This report describes the whole process of community planning and implementation from 1988 - 91. The participatory methods used are described in detail and examples of materials illustrated. House-to-house surveys using Neighbourhood Talent sheets revealed human resources available locally, then groups ranked their suggested projects in priority using cards. A "Planning for Real" pack took groups through the stages of planning, assessing training needs and finding financial resources. The initial result was a 78% drop in crime and many "self-propelled" community projects. Other resident groups demanded similar planning exercises. A "working relationship between Us and Them (the council)" has now been established, suggesting benefits will be sustained in the long term.

A training programme for GTZ staff ("to let them have a taste for real life application of PRA techniques") focused on an area of the Austrian Alps undergoing rapid change due to tourism and infrastructure development. The "learning insights" from doing this exercise in the North are summarized as twelve points suggesting how PRA can help in 'Northern' countries and how PRA training in the North for aid personnel can be more effective than if held in 'Northern' countries. Advantages cited include : "the transfer of a number of critical insights from the First to the Third World and vice versa" and greater involvement and awareness of the ethical issues around research when using one's own language and cultural context.

This eight day workshop on PRA integrated practical community placements in Guelph to provide use for the techniques acquired during the theoretical sessions. The report highlights constraints around timing and venue when organizing a workshop in a 'Northern' country, and gives ideas for fieldwork.