Technique for Project Evaluation PHOTOVOICE Technique for Project Evaluation

What is PhotoVoice? A participatory monitoring and evaluation methodology that: Gives people a voice over issues affecting their lives Builds skills and empowers marginalized groups to give them greater influence over policies and programs that affect their lives Allows participants to communicate to program staff about how they experience the intended and unintended outcomes, both positive and negative, from the program PhotoVoice has the advantage that you do not have to be literate to use it so that it can be used with many different types of stakeholders. The methodology, like MSC is based on the development of a research or evaluation question. Instead of answering the question with stories, in PV, participants respond to the question with photos. Unlike MSC where the logistics are fairly simple, PV involves considerable logistical support for the cameras, and printing and exhibiting the photos. It also involves facilitation of the different steps in the process. The photographers, at least some of them, also have to be trained on how to use the cameras. 

What Can We Learn from PhotoVoice? Understanding of changes in women’s and men’s lives from their perspectives Understanding of social and economic impacts on individuals, participants in producer and self-help groups, and communities Identification of key domains and areas of focus for evaluation

Formulate a Research or Evaluation Question ? What When How Where Why Who Personal Open-ended Clear and specific Directly related to the life of the photographer Results in answers that can be illustrated through photos

PhotoVoice Question What is the most significant change experienced by men and women in the communities of ___________ as a result of the LGI project? Take a picture that illustrates the change.

Steps in the PhotoVoice Process In response to an open-ended question about change: Learn basic photography Answer the research question by taking photos Each photographer meets with a facilitator to select his/her 5 from the best 15 of his/her photos and tells the story behind each photo

Steps in the PhotoVoice Process The photographers view each others’ best photos and come up with categories to describe them and then group them by category Once categorized, the group selects a smaller group of photos representing group consensus on the answer to the research question The photographers prepare an exhibition Community representatives are invited to view the exhibition

Steps in the PhotoVoice Process The community groups discuss the photos and select one or two that best respond to the research question. They discuss why they have chosen the photos At a meeting between community representatives and project staff: Community representatives present the selected photos and explain why they were chosen. Staff read their selected MSC stories and then explain why they were chosen. Staff and community representatives discuss the similarities and differences between the changes identified through the stories and those represented in the photos.

Materials Jongeling et al. 2016. PhotoVoice Facilitator’s Guide for Sexual and Reproductive Health. Rutgers. http://www.rutgers.international/sites/rutgersorg /files/PDF/PhotoVoice_Manual_18042016.pdf Facilitator’s Guide and Presentations: http://www.rutgers.international/our- products/tools/photovoice/facilitators- guide#Presentations

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ? QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

This presentation is made possible by a grant from The Technical and Operational Performance Support (TOPS) Program. The TOPS Small Grants Program Improvement Award (PIA) is made possible by the generous support and contribution of the American people through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of the materials produced through the PIAs do not necessarily reflect the views of TOPS, USAID, or the U.S. Government.

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