About the Project

OUR MANDATE

The past few years have seen a progressive expansion in the participatory possibilities of audiovisual media, with increased access to recording devices, editing facilities, and digital cartography. The explosion of social media has encouraged youth from around the world to explore how their personal and public voices can make a difference. The tools are increasingly available and the channels are there to get the work out; the potential of media to inform and enlighten appears limitless.

At the same time, rapid advances in media technology are encouraging all of us to rethink notions of literacy and to adapt our curricula and projects accordingly. If the next generation is watching, listening, and producing as much as they are reading, we must develop new tools for critical literacy and for understanding the terms of these tools and platforms. Integrating these tools into the classroom or community group, in combination with personal narratives, is a meaningful way to broaden notions of literacy, to introduce critical social issues, and to raise questions around voice, truth, ethics, history, and intellectual property.

When we began this project, we had a series of burning questions: How can innovative trends in technology such as digital mapping and place-based media shed light on personal and social histories, as well as issues such as globalization and migration? How can a participatory media process help newcomer youth articulate their voices and find commonalities in a period of transition? What must we be cautious about when navigating this seemingly democratized, utopian terrain of creation and distribution when dealing with difficult stories? This website as well as our Book and DVD is our collective answer to these questions.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT YOUTH WITH REFUGEE EXPERIENCE FACE IN ARRIVING TO CANADA?

The young individuals involved in our workshops were forced to flee their countries for diverse reasons, including gendered violence, persecution based on sexual orientation, and violence as a result of armed conflict. We hope that the diversity of their experiences helps to demystify what it means to be a refugee or to be impacted by refugee experiences. Additionally, we want to spread awareness of the specific needs of newcomer youth who often arrive alone, who are often forced to forego their studies, and who benefit immediately from sensitive teachers, facilitators, and compassionate peers. For example, unaccompanied minors begin their adult lives without a supportive community, and because of this, integration services for young individuals are particularly essential. Finally, very few resources are available regarding the narratives and needs of individuals fleeing their countries because of gendered violence or sexual orientation, and this project provides a unique contribution to the understanding of LGBTQ refugee concerns.

WHAT IS PARTICIPATORY MEDIA?

Participatory media has become a bit of a catch-all phrase for media creation and exchanges that challenge divisions between audience and creators, such as mashups, wikis and more. For this project, we use the term to describe a process that involves individuals in the creation of their own personal narratives.

The process offers individuals who are often misrepresented in mainstream media a chance to find their voice, develop new skills, and become storytellers, filmmakers, or photographers. The process is about reclaiming voice and representation and involves ethics, advocacy, and collaboration.

While new media tools are the current rage, participatory media practices have a long history. Some of the earliest participatory projects date back to the Challenge for Change program of the 1960s, a participatory film and video project of The National Film Board of Canada. PhotoVoice, a project originating in England and now a method practiced around the world, greatly expanded the field of participatory photography projects (see Chapter 3).

More recently, technologies of mobility (cell phones, GPS mapping devices, etc.) are presenting new opportunities to both creators and audiences. In place-based media, neighbourhoods and surroundings can become visual or auditory prompts for digital storytellers. Exciting opportunities also exist for audience members who can walk in the footsteps of the storytellers through actual guides or with the support of mp3 players, GPS technology, and smart phones.

The possibilities for participatory and place-based media are indeed exciting, and at the same time, the technology is only a small part of a participatory media process. The tools selected for a project should be adapted to the group involved and should remain available to participants once the workshop is over. We often chose to use free, open-source technology to ensure that participants could access the software programs at any time after the sessions (visit our website for tips and tools).
A collaborative creative process, regardless of the technology utilized (still cameras, video, audio, digital mapping technologies, etc.), provides an opportunity for individuals to reflect on how their personal narratives are connected to larger social concerns.

A participatory process also offers participants a say in how the work is presented and distributed. We believe that participation should take place at every phase of the project – from initial planning, to recruitment, to the development of goals, to production, and dissemination. This form of shared authority and involvement is key to building relationships founded on trust and mutual respect.