Resources

Discusses the methods of collecting information during a field-study carried out in Brazil, in the health district of Pau da Lima. It was intended to provide a learning experience for students as well as to explore the local potential for Primary Environmental Care (PEC) and to produce a number of recommendations to local bodies. Possible actors, conditions, means and resources to promote PEC within the Pau da Lima district were investigated. PEC integrates three components: empowering communities, protecting the environment, and meeting needs. The first step was a preliminary identification of present and future potential actors in PEC in the Pau da Lima district. A Rapid Appraisal (RA) was conducted in three squatter communities within the district, focusing on felt problems; interests and priorities in PEC; forms and conditions of community organisation; and instances and conditions of community-based action. Methods used include: review of secondary data, informal disucssions with informants, direct observations, laboratory analysis of water samples collected during the observation walks, life history interviews, focus groups and ranking exercises, semi-structured interviews. While the study found the RA methods useful, it suggested that they may not be sufficient to identify community-based solutions to specific problems. The techniques in "Making Microplans" (Goethert and Hamdi 1988) provide an example of how this action-oriented phase could proceed.

This book focuses on civil society's role in international policy debates and global problem solving. Increased citizen action over the last 10 years has enabled citizens groups to be a major force in nonstate participation in the global system. Against this background, case studies from a number of movements and NGO networks are presented, including: campaigns to reform the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; the Jubilee 2000 Campaign, the movement against Free Trade, the Landmine Campaign as well as several other human rights, social justice and environmental movements. The book finishes with a section on lessons learned and challenges for the future. A synopsis of the book and abstracts of each section can be viewed at http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/particip/research/citizen/globcitact.pdf

This report looks at participatory appraisal (PA) methodology that is designed to involve people, particularly from communities that are socially excluded, in decisions that affect their lives. PA was originally developed with rural communities overseas, and has only recently started being used in the UK. This report summarises the findings from an evaluation of the use PA in a series of workshops looking at health issues in Scotland. It also introduces PA and looks at what it is, is not, and what it can achieve. Taking examples from the projects themselves, and using the voices of those involved in the processes, the report demonstrates how PA can be used in community and agency decision-making. It also shows what is learned by the community, by the organisations involved, and by decision-makers. The report is grouped into 9 key areas: Scotland, health and poverty; introduction; what is participatory appraisal; PA in action in an urban setting; what difference does PA make; good practiceùit is didn't work, then it wasn't PA; ways forward; useful contacts; and a checklist for communities, organisations and decision-makers.

A participatory well-being needs assessment on a deprived urban housing estate on the outskirts of London in UK. The report describes how the process of using a participatory approach proved as, if not more, important as any substantive findings about the well being needs of people on the estate. What mattered most was not what was known, but who found out about it and how. The report describes the different methods and tactics employed to incorporate different voices from around the community and some of the essential outcomes. It also shows how the community set about making action plans and leaves us at the stage of some of the intial ideas being put into action.

This article outlines a project that took place in Newcastle, in the UK in 2000. Instigated by Community Services in Newcastle City Council, it brought Local Authority officials, University staff, students and local residents together to try and solve the problems created by areas of high student concentration. These problems included increased noise, parked cars and a general perception of anti-social behaviour which led to resident complaints. The paper describes this process, including the staff training that was needed, the participatory methods used, the move from analysis to action and the results and lessons of the project.

This manual is divided into three parts. Part 1 introduces important concepts about homeworkers and value chains. Part 2 is the heart of the study, which provides the tools needed to carry out a value chain study. In particular it shows how to construct maps to represent a value chain, which make it easier to understand some of the complex aspects within the chain, such as the numerous controls and links that exist. Other techniques explored are: " widening the information net and strengthening the basis for action by learning from buyers, manufacturers, homeworkers, and comparing their perspectives; " working with public agencies, as these actors impact significantly on the lives of homeworkers in terms of regulations and laws impacting on labour, trade policies affecting industry, and forms of harassment of labour; " applying gender analysis to garment chains, which is advocated as a component to be included in all research of homeworkers. Part 3 puts forward suggestions about how to use the research findings from the value chain analysis to improve the conditions and opportunities for homeworkers, and how to promote best practice amongst employers. It deals with how to begin working towards solutions, and how to support collective action and mobilise around codes and standards, in particular the issues of occupational health and safety and child labour. It also looks at how to help workers switch chains.