Participatory Appraisal

Five day training courses
at the University of Northumbria, Newcastle upon Tyne. 

Booking now for 2nd - 6th September 2002

What is Participatory Appraisal? 
Participatory Appraisal (PA) is a community-based approach to consultation
that prioritises the views of local people as 'experts' and their direct or
indirect involvement and action in deciding what happens in their community.
PA combines three inter-related activities in an interactive rather than
extractive process - research, education and collective action: research is
carried out by members of the community on issues defined by them as
relevant to them; collective education follows as they collect, contribute,
and disseminate information; and the potential for collective action is
maximised as local people think through their own problems, develop
solutions, and act on them.  PA uses visual and flexible tools such as maps,
spider diagrams and charts to enable people to start at their own level, and
to ensure that everyone can participate, regardless of their background.
Widely used in 'the South', PA is increasingly used in the northern
hemisphere (including the UK) to identify, and find solutions to, a wide
range of issues within communities.  PA has been used in the North East to
look at issues including drugs, crime, sexual health, community facilities,
health and education.

What's the course like?
Anyone can be trained in PA, and the course is interactive, with the
emphasis on learning by doing.  The course uses PA techniques and there are
"real world" fieldwork placements, based on ongoing projects, which allow
participants to try out the techniques and gain experience and confidence in
applying them on the streets.  Accreditation for the course through the Open
College Network (under review), and enhances participants' transferable
skills such as group working, personal development and communication.  The
courses are taught by experienced, qualified trainers who are members of the
well-developed Hull PA network that has been having impacts on policy making
in a range of areas for some time.  The course is run over five full days
(9.30am-4.30pm).  During the week participants will learn about:
*       the background and philosophies of participatory appraisal 
*       examples of projects which have used the methodology
*       how to use the tools and techniques with confidence in 'real world'
settings.

Examples of placements that have taken place on previous courses include
looking at homelessness, graffiti, asylum-seekers, consulting with young
people and financial exclusion.  

When is the next course? 

The next course will run between 2nd - 6th September 2002 (Monday-Friday
inclusive).  A maximum of 16 places are available. To book, please fill in
and return the form attached.  

If you are unable to make this date but are interested in receiving training
at another time, please call us to discuss your needs. 

How much will it cost?
(Including all course materials, lunch, tea and coffee on four days, but not
overnight accommodation).

Full cost:                                      £340 
Voluntary/not for profit sector:        £170

If you are keen to attend, but have difficulties in meeting the costs of the
course, or if you are unsure which costing category applies to you please
get in touch.

Please note - Due to high levels of interest, cancellations within 4 weeks
of the course running will only receive 50% reimbursement of fees, and no
reimbursement will be made with under 1 week to go.

For further information or enquiries, please contact 

Dr Duncan Fuller (tel. 0191 227 3753, e-mail [log in to unmask])
Address: Division of Geography and Environmental Management,
Lipman Building, University of Northumbria,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST.
Secretary tel. 0191 227 3951 
Fax 0191 227 4715

If you'd like to know a bit more about participatory appraisal in general,
have a look at Robert Chambers' paper "relaxed and participatory appraisal:
notes on practical approaches and methods"
http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/particip/research/pra/rcwkshpjun99.pdf


____________________________________________
Dr. Duncan Fuller
Division of Geography and Environmental Management
Lipman Building
University of Northumbria at Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
UK

Tel (Direct): (0191) 2273753
Mobile: 07946 401359
Tel (Division Office): (0191) 2273951
Fax: (0191) 2274715