Turkey: Photovoice Project

• In Event: Uplifting Young Children’s Voices for Social Change

Proposal

While there was significant coverage worldwide about the 2023 earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye, and numerous partners launched an immediate response, the perspectives of young children were largely missing. To address this, a project by Save the Children Turkey, the University of Virginia Humanitarian Collaborative, ChildArise, and Uskudar University used a participatory photovoice approach to engage young children to share their experiences and recommendations. The photovoice approach has proven effective in empowering adults and young people to express their concerns and aspirations, and to shape policies and programs that affect them. Discussions about the images and audio facilitated by local partners can raise awareness about children’s experiences and the challenges they face and provide an opportunity to develop community-based solutions (Pfeiffer, 2013; Strack et. al, 2004).

The presentation will share learning about the process and the impacts. In terms of process, it will comment on preparation, including defining the objectives, orienting communities, gaining consent, etc. Lessons on implementation will focus on challenges and strategies for working with very young children and also using different types of technology – in this case disposable and digital cameras, audio recording with phones, and video and slide projection. The presentation will also comment on dissemination and debriefing with families, communities, donors, and policymakers and partners and possible ways this work may influence conditions for young children.

Author

• Lucy Bassett, University of Virginia