Day One – Interactive, Participatory Training Session

• Move towards common PAR framework;

• Explore PAR in range of public planning applications; and,

• Consider preliminary research on PAR practice in U.S.

Day Two – Discovery and planning to integrate PAR practice

• Identify whether to and how to further participatory research.

Why Practice Participatory Research?

Participatory research improves the depth and breadth of communication between public officials and the publics they serve. In this way, public officials and managers can better set their sights in developing management plans. This in turn means less public resistance, fewer public disputes, higher implementation rates, greater efficiency and better outcomes.

Through PAR, public planners can better understand the sociocultural patterns that lead to community well being and ecosystem stewardship, both precursors to sustainability. The practice of PAR is well suited to natural resource management, water resource planning, urban planning, community development, and more.

Collaborative stakeholder groups are often comprised of “professionals” and few participants from the general public. PAR offers to collaboration a critical missing link. Through direct conversation, PAR can bring to bear a well-rooted academic and practical method for tuning into local values, stories, entrepreneurship, and ways of “doing things” that work.

What is Participatory Research?

Through PAR, practitioner and community jointly place their attention on the interconnections and relationships between events, people, and places.

Participatory research is more than a toolkit; PAR involves non-survey based conversation and direct interaction with people in a place-based community. At the same time, the practitioner also focuses on eliciting group-based reflective insights to serve that community and a narrative to analyze for the benefit of the communities growing understanding of itself as a community. Ongoing insight can then serve to co-design a plan to reach a co-determined objective. Effective, culturally relevant group process is central to PAR.

PAR has a history of use in the international development arena. PAR encompasses and goes beyond a range of approaches including participatory rural appraisal (PRA), rapid rural appraisal (RRA), participatory learning and action (PLA) and the Peace Corps’ participatory analysis for community action (PACA). Social anthropology, rural development and agro-system analysis also inform PAR.

“It is evolving and spreading so fast that any solid definition would mislead.”

Participation Group at Institute for Development Studies, 1996

Registration

Registration is available on line at www.westernforestry.org The registration fee is $250.00 if received by May 18, 2009 or $295.00 if received after May 18, 2009. Registration fees include a workbook, two lunches and refreshments. Checks should be made payable to Western Forestry and Conservation Association. Purchase orders, VISA/MasterCard, and American Express are accepted. Tax id # 930-331-712. No refunds for cancellations after May 18, but substitutions are always welcome

The Workshop will be held in the beautiful historic setting of Edgefield.

Edgefield is on the National Register of Historic Places located just east of Portland. We are gathering in Blackberry Hall with plenty of room for small group discussion and experiential activities in an exquisitely renovated decor. Outdoor spaces are also available to enjoy. Edgefield is 12 miles from the Portland Airport.

The rate for a single room or double room is $60 plus tax.

Driving instructions are available at www.mcmenamins.com or by calling 800-669-8610.

Download

Workshop Invitation
Workshop Program
Workshop Agenda
Registration Form

Research-PAR in the United States

Delphi Inquiry on PAR

Please share the link widely. Thank you. Let us know what you know about PAR and also please consider remarks on the following formulation of PAR.

3 streams of PAR praxis – action and reflection:

• The process of shared inquiry to inform planning, project management or program development;

• The research and preparation of socio-cultural and ecological information sets on well-being (social and ecological) and in a range of forms to include maps, diagrams, and reports; and,

• A conflict resolution tool to level the playing field through research and fact finding by underserved, underrepresented or significantly impacted communities.

Research conducted with public planners, resource managers, engineers, and others prior to the workshop will be used to describe the current PAR practitioner landscape and to establish a baseline regarding the benefits of engaging in the diffusion of PAR.

Workshop Registration Questions?

Call Michele or e-mail Richard, Director,

at richard@westernforestry.org

Western Forestry and Conservation Association

4033 SW Canyon Rd., Portland, OR 97221

503-226-4562 ● 888-722-9416 ● Fax: 503-226-2515

Workshop Agenda and Research Questions?

E-mail Myriem, Director, at myriem@econ4peace.org

Economics for Peace Institute

970-422-4220