Progress report on Jalaris Kids Garden 2010 Movie

For more about Brad’s project check out his film-making blog by clicking here.

Click on the following link to download a high resolution version of the 2009 Jalaris Aboriginal Corporation’s Kid’s Futures Club Evaluation Report (8.3mb).

For more information on this project please contact Jalaris Aboriginal Corporation at jalaris@westnet.com.au or phone (Australia  + 61) 08 9193 2200.

Singing Out Book cover image

In June and July 2008, Side by Side Community Project Consulting and Jalaris Aboriginal Corporation partnered with The Neighborhood Story Project in running a book-making workshop for Aboriginal ladies from Derby. The project was to put together a book of stories about women’s experiences of education and learning using writing, interviewing and photography, and forms part of the community-based research on issues for Indigenous kids and families in Derby on which Jalaris and Side by Side are collaborating. The hope was that the stories would contribute to better understanding and knowledge of the diverse influences on Indigenous educational experiences in the Derby region today.

The project drew on the Neighborhood Story Projects model of community writing and interviewing, and the methods of participatory photography and story telling of Side by Side and Jalaris. Over an intensive month 7 women ranging in age from 21 to 60 years old wrote stories about themselves and their lives and took photographs to accompany their stories. The 7 writers selected, interviewed & photographed 7 other women in the Derby community who’s stories of education and learning they felt should be included in the book.

The final product was launched in November 2008 in Derby, Western Australia. Follow this link to hear a radio interview from local Derby station 6DBY about the Singing Out book launch, which includes readings from some of the writers.  The book is not for sale, however limited copies are available through Jalaris Aboriginal Corporation, Side by Side Community Project Consulting & the Neighborhood Story Project.

You can see selected pages from Carlene Wises story below:

singingout pg 68

singingout pg 69

singingout pg 74

singingout pg 75

Jalaris Kids Future Club Evaluation 2008 - front cover

To download a PDF copy of the 2008 report click on the following link : Jalaris Kids Future Club Evaluation Report 2008 (PDF 9mb approx)

For more information on this project please contact Jalaris Aboriginal Corporation at jalaris@westnet.com.au or phone (Australia  + 61) 08 9193 2200.

For info on this project check out the profile in the Regional Arts Australia publication “Big Story Country” (click here to find out how to download it…), or check out the video about the 2007 Marsh Art event on utube (click here to go to the utube site).

Side by Side is committed to a participatory approach to evaluation. The focus of participatory evaluation is to actively engage those who the project is for in all aspects of the evaluation process. This helps them build skills and knowledge that empowers them to effect sustainable change. Rather than simply giving a report card at the end of a project, participatory evaluation runs in parallel to a community project. It not only accounts for what happens, it also makes use of the insider knowledge of participants to inform the development and implementation of the project.

Participatory evaluation:

• Builds capacities (motivation, knowledge, skills, resources and opportunities) for all of those involved.
•  Describes not only what happened, but also how the project’s aims and objectives were enacted. It values the project process as much as the outcome.
•  Communicates with the project participants as well as external stakeholders, to support timely action on learning and conclusions.
•  Provides direct feedback about how initiatives are building capacities and changing the environment.
• Builds on what people already know and do. Participatory evaluation uses communication processes that are readily understandable to the local context and allow the participants to build on their own ways of doing things.
• Helps people understand the processes by which change actually happens in the specific cultural and local context of a project.
•  Directly involves the project participants in the creation of knowledge and its ongoing application in project action. This ensures that a project is closely aligned with local cultural conditions.
•  Builds a sense of collective responsibility and ownership of the project and its future.
• Is an integral project strategy as it builds capacities and facilitates local solutions to local issues.
•  Encourages the participants to document what they are doing, allowing them to see the story of change unfolding, and reinforcing their capacity to solve problems and successfully plan and undertake initiatives in the future.

1.     To improve and develop a project.

2.     To communicate about a project.

3.     To account for a project by showing how it is working and what is happening as a result.

Participatory Action Research has been defined as:

“…inquiry by ordinary people acting as researchers to explore questions in their lives, recognise their resources, and produce knowledge, and take action to overcome inequalities often in solidarity with external supporters”

(Dickson, G 2000. Aboriginal Mothers’ experience with health promotion and participatory action research, Qualitative Health Research, 10(2):1888-213)

 Another definition of Action Research is:

“A way for people to participate in a reflective practice that allows change and understanding to occur at the same time. It aims to improve practice, address problems and promote ongoing learning. Action research moves through cycles of Planning, Acting, Observing and Reflecting. The aim is for understanding of the local situation to increase over time and for action to be improved and adapted through applying this learning. Action research is collaborative and participatory, usually including everybody who has a stake in the action.”

Side by Side supports social research through:

• Training and support in research methods and processes such as qualitative research, action research, participatory evaluation.
• Undertaking collaborative social research on issues of significance to communities and organisations.
• Undertaking evaluation with communities, projects and programs, including for government, NGO’s and philanthropic organisations.
• Mentoring and supporting community workers and organisations to undertake their own research.
• Collaborating with community organisations in the communication and dissemination of local research.

Side by Side has particular experience and expertise in Participatory Action Research, Participatory Evaluation and qualitative research methods.

• Strategic planning processes.
• Workforce development strategies.
• Support in developing and negotiating funding applications and project proposals.
• Support in developing social enterprises.
• Support in developing appropriate organisational governance systems.