Innovative techniques of needs assessment Session 8 Global Youth Network Workshop Needs Assessment & Programme Planning

What are innovative techniques?  The dictionary defines innovation as the introduction of something new, so innovative techniques are new ways of getting information  These are opposed to the ‘old techniques’ like surveys, questionnaires, etc.  Examples include puppet assisted interviews, drama based techniques, map making, etc.

Why use them?  The ‘old ways’ or what we may call formal techniques make certain assumptions about the people they deal with such as a minimum level of literacy, the ability to verbalise community issues, the willingness to share personal information with a stranger, etc.

Why use innovative techniques?  But often, when working with youth we need to adjust to a whole new set of circumstances, which require that we alter the tools we use to obtain information.

Examples of innovative methods  Role plays  Various forms of theatre like  Image theatre  Forum theatre  Invisible theatre  Puppets

Examples of innovative methods  Visual methods like maps, collages, collective drawing  Individual and joint story writing

The methods discussed here are innovative for one particular target audience, youth. Can you think of any innovative methods to get information from say, teachers, or mothers?