This note is to help researchers, who find themselves in the Trinidad context, to have some insight into how it is really like to work in the field with participatory approaches. (run-on much?)
Community Engagement:
The Trinidadian reality is that in the beginning of any project there will be a small interested group of people who will understand the value of the project and be consistent with the activities. There would be others who are interested and committed but they maybe a little intermittent. Lastly, there will be persons who are present but are intimidated by the process or feel excluded.
Below are some guidelines which I developed from my experiences, reading and observations.
- Focus on the core group - They have a vested interested and would be the main movers and shakers.
- Encourage the core group to bring another person.
- Ensure that those who participated are able to explain the purpose of the project.
- No matter the turn out - Start with your activities.
- Value people's time as a facilitator you may not know what the persons involved are giving up to be there.
- If possible increase the frequency of participation opportunities.
More Researcher Notes to come!
