Participatory Action Research (PAR)

Overview

In this learning experience, you will be introduced to Participatory Action Research (PAR), which can best be described as a cooperative approach to research, learning, and action for social change, bringing together all parties concerned to work together to identify the problem, develop the research methodology and tools, gather information, analyze and produce results and practical solutions that respond to the problem chosen.

The strength of PAR lies in finding solutions to practical problems and its ability to empower both development and community actors by working cooperatively to address and implement intervention activities and action plans. Implementation activities and action plans are then systematically monitored for reflection on the process, impact, and results, which may lead to other rounds of enhancement. Thus, action research is an iterative process.

In Participatory Action Research, three concepts overlap their characteristics as follows:

1. Research:
   1. Defining the research question
   2. Choosing the Research Methodology
   3. Analyzing results – Publishing results
2. Action:
   1. Choosing the problem
   2. Defining resources and solutions
   3. Implementing the plan
   4. Evaluation, with the probability of going back to the first step
3. Participatory:
   1. From the beginning & throughout the process
   2. Participation of all interested parties
   3. Democratic decision making
   4. Collective ownership

Learning objectives

• Understanding the principles of PAR, including how it combines participatory research with action research.
• Developing knowledge of the theories and methods of PAR.
• A practical exercise will enable participants to be able to design their own PAR.
• Being aware of the various stages that must be followed when designing PAR.
• Ensuring ethical considerations which must be made in PAR.
• Learning outcomes
• You will know the origin, history, and theories of PAR and how it relates to qualitative methods. – You will be able to conduct your own PAR study following the various ‘stages’ of PAR.
• You will be aware of the ethical and practical considerations of PAR, including working as a team and building rapport with participants and communities involved in a PAR study.

Duration: 5-day workshop.

Exact dates: It will be announced on the website two months in advance.

Admission: An application will be available on the website two months in advance.

Cost: It will be announced with each learning experience.

Scholarship: All our learning experiences have different schemes of scholarships, just please indicate in your application the needed % of scholarship (25%, 50%, 75%, 100 %).

If you are an organization or a self-organized group that wishes to organize this learning experience for your team members/ group, please contact us via info@collectiveroutes.org, specifying in the subject title “name of the learning experience.”