Susie Hay is an experienced provider of training in Participatory Appraisal (PA).
PA is based on a set of tools that rely largely on visual methods and an ethos of involvement and engagement that allow much clearer expression of ideas and ambitions and encourages a more open and wider range of views to be expressed. The method values local people as experts on their own lives, enables diverse views to be expressed, and overcomes barriers of language, culture, age, literacy and numeracy etc.
It can facilitate a process by which communities are able to express their issues, needs and aspirations, which then leads to positive learning for future action. This is achieved successfully when key stakeholders (e.g. policy makers, service leads and officers) actively support the process. They are needed in order to translate the recommendations into real changes on the ground, and feed back to participants any changes that are or are not possible/put into practice.
It is very important to underscore the distinction between PA and other formal types of social and academic research. PA is not a scientific research methodology, but looks to collect highly qualitative information relating to participants’ experiences, and perceptions of reality, to acknowledge issues and plan for change. In PA there is as much or even more emphasis on process, relationship building, sharing of knowledge and conciliation between stakeholders in a certain specific context, in order to move forward in a way which is mutually beneficial and sustainable.
More information about PA:
Participatory Appraisal: What is it?
Participatory Appraisal: A Brief Introduction
PA: The Big Shifts
On Tap not On Top
The following training courses are available:
Introduction to Participatory Appraisal (accredited by the University of Hull at University Foundation Award Level 4)
A five day full time course for those with no PA experience which lays the foundation for PA practice and offers experiential fieldwork to embed learning.
Advanced Participatory Appraisal
A two day (without fieldwork) or three day (with fieldwork) course for practitioners with a body of PA experience to explore good practice, to add further skills, and re-visit aspects of PA where they need further understanding.
Train the Trainer (accredited by the University of Hull at University Foundation Award Level 4)
A three day customised PA course for experienced practitioners to gain the qualification to train others in PA. Accreditation is awarded following the submission of a written assignment.
All of these courses have been developed by the Hull and East Riding Participatory Appraisal Network. Susie Hay is an accredited Trainer with the Network and is registered at the University of Hull as such. Training courses are usually facilitated by two trainers from the network. Where it can be arranged Train the Trainer participants can be offered training experience by attending and shadowing courses led by others.
Recent shortwork PA training and projects:
London Borough of Camden Safeguarding Children Board (jointly with Martin Westerby)
Engaging Communities: Involving Service Users in Setting the Safeguarding Agenda. A Community Research/Participatory Appraisal Project
Voices – Lives of Young People in South London
(jointly with Roger Newton of 3Ps and the SOS Gangs project at the St Giles Trust, Camberwell)
PA training and participatory video by the young people, funded by the Cadbury Trust (link to the film).
Tower Hamlets Healthy Boroughs Programme – Participatory Appraisal project working with the communities in Tower Hamlets to find community owned ways to lead healthier and more active lives.
Wakefield and Castleford PCT
PA training for the new Community Development team in health promotion.
Calderdale Council
PA project involving training young volunteers in Todmorden to enable the community to express their views about the town and to promote discussion and better relationship with service providers.