Appendix B. Facilitation guides for each workshop

WORKSHOP #1: ORIENTATION

Overview

At Workshop #1: Students are introduced to the concept of PhotoVoice, to the focal question of the project and to the process leading up to the final exhibit. 

Suggested Workshop Format:

• Introduction to the project: project details, timelines, expectations
• Introduction to PhotoVoice:
  • Concept of PhotoVoice, a brief history
  • PhotoVoice as a tool for social change
  • Its use as a collective research technique
  • Its inclusivity and work with disenfranchised populations
  • Its approach towards creating social change
  • Its power to raise social issues
  • Provide examples of past projects and impact

• Introduction to course-related PhotoVoice project
  • Introduce the focal topic (e.g., “I thrive when…”). General, open discussion with students on questions such as:
    • How do you define Thriving? ​
    • How do you define wellness? ​
    • How does Thriving relate to self? community? Our environment? ​

• • Provide detailed instructions regarding*:
    • number of photos to take
    • length of the narrative
    • deadlines and deliverables

Break-Out/Small Group Exercise
Students are divided into small break-out rooms for a reflection activity.

• Use a set of pictures (Examples of pictures can be found below under “SAMPLE PHOTOS”) to involve students in a group to discuss what the pictures depict. See below an example of the discussion session:
• SHOWeD Prompt Exercise:
  The SHOWeD prompt exercise offers students the opportunity to critically analyze photos and reflect on a deeper level of what it may mean in relation to their own experiences. 
  • What do I See here?
  • What is Happening in this photo?
  • How does it impact Our lives? (or my life)
  • Why is it happening?
  • (How can this picture/poster Educate people)
  • What can we Do about it?

*Provide instruction to students for the next steps: Prompt: “I thrive when…”

• Take 3-5 photos in response to the statement
• Choose the photo you believe is most fitting for the focal topic and resonates with you
• 100-120 word narrative describing how the photo represents thriving to you
• A title that describes your photo

Conclusion/ Wrap-up

• Return to main room; debrief from small groups
• Provide weblink for release and waiver form
• Remainder of next steps: taking pictures, date of Workshop #2 and structure of 1-1 peer meetings

SAMPLE PHOTOS

These photos (below) are used to have students reflect on the manifest and latent meaning of photos, similar to the SHOWeD method of reflecting on photos.

WORKSHOP #2

Overview

Workshop #2 focuses on discussions regarding the meaning of pictures taken by the students in relation to the focal question, in order to enable the selection of the final picture and writing of the brief narrative for each student.

Suggested Workshop Structure

• Check-in and general recap of project timelines
• Check-in: completion of release and waiver form
• Provide guidelines for submission of pictures and narratives – date/s, format
• Break-out into small groups: (in-person or virtual) for focused, reflective discussion on the pictures taken by students
  • Students showcase one/two photos they have taken and share with their group what it means to them in relation to ‘thriving’ (i.e. the theme of the PhotoVoice project)
  • Students discuss their narrative
  • Get feedback from peers

Small group discussion prompts:

• • What does the word ‘thriving’ mean to you? What first comes to mind?
  • What helps you thrive? Can you think back to a time/situation where you felt like you were thriving?
  • How do you think your definition of thriving may be similar/different than others?
  • How could you convey the theme of thriving in a photo? Visually, what would that look like to you?
• Return to the main room
  • Debrief from small group discussions

• Wrap-up: recap of next steps:
  • submission timelines, submission guidelines/instructions
  • Provide instructions for 1-1 peer meetings (if included as part of the PhotoVoice project)
  • Q&A

Sample Schedule

Workshop #2: Reviewing pictures and discussion on narratives   

PhotoVoice Co-Curricular Facilitation Guide (Workshop #1)

Overview

The instructions presented in this document are to assist the facilitation of workshop
1. Specifically, these instructions cover sections that can assist facilitators in supporting their PhotoVoice project through a co-curricular approach within their post-secondary institution.

Introduction to PhotoVoice

A brief introduction to the history of PhotoVoice within community psychology and its opportunity to create an expression that can lead to social change:

PhotoVoice areas to address:

• • Advantages of raising awareness
  • Challenging stereotypes
  • Its value in starting important conversation for social change

Introduction to the V.O.I.C.E Acronym
This acronym can be explained to assist students in exploring the photos they have taken and writing their narratives. 

Acronym:

• Voicing
• Our
• Individual
• Collective
• Experience

History of PhotoVoice:
Providing the history of PhotoVoice can be valuable in assisting students in understanding the power this approach has for social change. Areas to touch on include: 

• Its use as a collective research technique
• Its inclusivity and work with disenfranchised populations
• Its approach towards creating social change
• Its power to raise social issues
• Examples of past projects and impact

Introduction to your PhotoVoice project
In this section you will introduce your focal topic (e.g., “I thrive when…”) and detailed instructions on how many photos and how long the narratives needs to be. In addition deadlines and deliverables can be provided to assist the students in navigating this project outside of their classwork. 

Instruction Example:

1. Prompt: I thrive when….
2. Take 10-15 photos in response to the statement “I thrive when…”
3. Choose the photo you believe is most fitting for the focal topic and resonates with you
4. 100-120 word narrative describing how the photo represents thriving to you
5.  A title that describes your photo

Note: As students’ time is valuable, the PhotoVoice project in a co-curricular approach offers students flexibility in their schedule and should be highlighted in the presentation.

SHOWeD Prompt Exercise: Facilitating the shown prompts exercise offers students the opportunity to critically analyze photos and reflect on a deeper level of what it may mean in relation to their own experiences:

• What do I See here?
• What is Happening in this photo?
• How does it impact Our lives? (or my life)
• Why is it happening?
• (How can this picture/poster Educate people)
• What can we Do about it?

Examples of pictures can be found in Appendix D

Introduction to Self Reflection
Explaining the importance and definition of self-reflection can help students understand the importance of this practice within the project.

Definition: Self-reflection: the process of deliberately paying attention to our experiences and behaviours, understanding how our meanings of the world are formed, and noticing the role these play in decision-making​

• Self-reflection requires us to critically consider our role within the context of moral, political, and ethical issues

Self-reflection Exercise:
In small groups, go over the following questions:

• How do you define Thriving? ​
• How do you define wellness? ​
• How does Thriving relate to our community? Our environment? ​

Conclusion:

• Debrief content
• Provide and explain guidelines, future dates, and accommodations
• Explain and remind students to complete waiver and consent forms
• Go over the process of 1v1 meetings with mentors
• Provide contact information and opportunity for questions to clarify any miscommunication

PhotoVoice Co-Curricular Facilitation Guide (Workshop #2)

Overview:

The instructions presented in this document are to assist the facilitation of workshop 2. Specifically, these instructions cover exercises that can assist facilitators in supporting their students in completing the narrative in their PhotoVoice project. The examples provided are based on a PhotoVoice project whose prompt is “I thrive when…”.

Introduction of PhotoVoice project timelines:

As it has been some time since students have attended workshop one, it is important to reiterate the goals and what has been completed so far in the project.

What to submit

Be clear with what you are asking both mentors and mentees when submitting their photos and narrative:

Example:

What to submit for the PhotoVoice poster (3 components)

1. Choose the photo you believe is most fitting for the focal topic and resonates with you
2. 100-120 word narrative describing how the photo represents thriving to you
3. A title that describes your photo

How to Submit:

• Submit your photo as a jpeg file
• Submit your narrative & title as a word document
• You will submit the above 3 to Miguel Litonjua at Mlitonjua@centennialcollege.ca

Peer Meeting Prompts Exercise: In small groups again discuss these questions:

• What does the word thriving mean to you? What first comes to mind?
• What helps you thrive? Can you think back to a time/situation where you felt like you were thriving?
• How do you think your definition of thriving may be similar/different than others?
• How could you convey the theme of thriving in a photo? Visually, what would that look like to you?

Collaborative Discussion

In small groups in person or online follow the points below:

• Talk/share the photos you have taken
• Discuss writing your narrative
• Get feedback from peers/ask questions
• Come back to the main room after break-out sessions are done!

Showcase Your Photos: This is the opportunity now for students to share their photos!

Instructions:

• Showcase one photo you have taken and share with your group what it means to you in relation to thriving!

Conclusion:

• Provide reminders to complete waiver forms
• Provide dates for the upcoming exhibit
• Go over any learning goals or outcomes
• Provide reiteration of the presented material
• Provide contact details of the facilitator for any questions and remind mentees to reach out to their mentors.

Tips for the Facilitator:

• Since the workshop can be a lot of information for students, it is useful to reiterate what and how to submit their narratives in your closing.
• Have time for questions at the end of the workshop to clarify any miscommunication.
• Send follow-up emails and ask the mentors to check in on mentees after the workshop.
• There may be questions on how to write narratives, therefore providing examples within the presentation can be useful.