Dyddiadau: 2023 ac yn parhau
Tîm ymchwil: Yr Athro Michael Brown (PDC), Mary-Jane O'Leary (Prifysgol John Moores Lerpwl), Ms Anjaly Tamang (Llysgenhadaeth Nepal Prydain) a Mr Deepak Toolange (Nepal).
Cyllidwyr: Cronfa Dreigl PDC
Cefndir
Ym 1994-95, archwiliodd yr Athro Michael Brown adrodd straeon cymunedol ar gyfer newid cymdeithasol trwy brosiect ymchwil gweithredu cyfathrebu cyfranogol ym mwrdeistref Lalitpur yn Nepal, gan ymgysylltu â phobl ifanc mewn dwy gymuned wahanol; Gujibahal a Nagbahal. Roedd y fethodoleg yn tynnu ar ddamcaniaeth Paulo Freire o 'ymwybyddiaeth feirniadol'. Gan ddefnyddio ffotograffiaeth, treuliodd y cyfranogwyr nifer o wythnosau yn recordio delweddau o’u cymuned eu hunain, a ddefnyddiwyd ganddynt fel deunydd trafod ymysg ei gilydd. Yn raddol, dechreuodd y materion pwysicaf ddod i'r amlwg trwy'r trafodaethau hyn, nes i dir cyffredin gael ei sefydlu o'r materion pwysicaf a oedd yn eu hwynebu o fewn eu cymuned eu hunain. Fe wnaeth grŵp ieuenctid Gujibahal hunan-nodi problemau gwahaniaethu ar sail rhyw, yn enwedig yn erbyn merched-yng-nghyfraith o fewn teuluoedd traddodiadol. Nododd y grŵp Nagbahal yfed rhieni a thrais domestig.
Dros y tri mis nesaf, ymchwiliodd y bobl ifanc i'w materion dethol ac esblygodd canlyniadau drama a ffilm cyfranogol i'w cyflwyno yn ôl i'w cymunedau. Defnyddiodd cyfranogwyr Gujibahal ddrama stryd i sefydlu deialog o fewn eu cymuned gan obeithio gwireddu newid yn yr agweddau ac ymddygiad cyffredinol tuag at ferched-yng-nghyfraith yn arbennig. Cynhyrchodd grŵp Nagbahal ddrama ffilm i adlewyrchu’r cam-drin cyffuriau ac alcohol hunan-amlwg o fewn y gymuned, er mwyn hyrwyddo trafodaeth agored gan arwain at newid cadarnhaol. Dilynwyd y perfformiad drama a'r dangosiadau ffilm gan drafodaethau grŵp ffocws helaeth wedi'u hwyluso o fewn y cymunedau ehangach priodol.
Nod prosiect gwreiddiol yr ymchwil gweithredu oedd;
Nod Gwreiddiol
Cyfrannu at wybodaeth a dealltwriaeth am y Broses Cyfathrebu Datblygiad Cyfranogol trwy gynnal menter cyfathrebu datblygiad cyfranogol mewn sefyllfa bywyd go iawn o fewn cymunedau trefol Nepal, gan helpu i wireddu nodau datblygu lleol.
Gwerthusiad Effaith Tymor Byr
Ym 1995, gweithredwyd proses werthuso cyfranogol helaeth fel rhan annatod o fethodoleg y prosiect. Roedd y gwerthusiad yn cynnwys grwpiau ffocws a chyfweliadau gyda nifer o randdeiliaid gan gynnwys cyfranogwyr ieuenctid, aelodau cymuned y cyfranogwyr ifanc, hwyluswyr prosiect a phobl adnoddau prosiect. I grynhoi, teimlai cyfranogwyr y ddau grŵp ieuenctid, ac aelodau o'u teuluoedd a'u cymunedau, fod y bobl ifanc wedi amlygu problemau yn y gymuned a oedd yn ddilys ac yn peri pryder. Roedd cyfranogwyr ieuenctid ac aelodau o'u teuluoedd a'u cymunedau hefyd yn cytuno bod y rhaglen wedi cael effaith sylweddol ar y cyfranogwyr ifanc yn enwedig, ac i ryw raddau y gymuned ehangach hefyd. Teimlai’r cyfranogwyr fod y rhaglen wedi’u helpu i fagu mwy o hunanhyder ac roeddent yn teimlo eu bod yn gallu deall yn well beth mae’n ei olygu i fod yn aelodau cyfrifol o gymuned. Dywedodd yr ieuenctid hefyd eu bod yn cydnabod eu hunain i fod yn aelodau pwysig o'r gymuned allai sbarduno newid cymdeithasol.
Gwerthusiad Effaith Hirdymor
Ym mis Gorffennaf 2023, ymwelodd yr Athro Michael Brown â Nepal ac ailgysylltu â nifer o gyfranogwyr gwreiddiol y prosiect yn Nagbahal a Gujibahal, a hefyd gyda hwyluswyr gwreiddiol a phobl adnoddau. Gwnaed cynlluniau i ailymweld â chyfranogwyr gwreiddiol y prosiect, yr hwyluswyr a'r bobl adnoddau i gynnal asesiad effaith a allai gynnig cipolwg ar effeithiau hirdymor yr ymchwil gweithredu gwreiddiol. Y bwriad oedd caniatáu i gyfranogwyr, hwyluswyr a phobl adnoddau fyfyrio ar eu hadborth gwreiddiol wrth edrych yn ôl ac i gynnig arsylwadau newydd o safbwynt hirdymor. Daeth hyn i ben, ym mis Rhagfyr 2023, gyda chinio aduniad a gweithdy dilynol, yn archwilio effeithiau hirdymor y prosiect gwreiddiol.
Gofynnwyd i gyfranogwyr ystyried:
Defnyddiwyd offeryn llinell amser i helpu cyfranogwyr yn y drafodaeth.
Crynodeb Canlyniad
Mae'r ymchwil newydd hon yn cael ei choladu a'i ddadansoddi ar hyn o bryd, fel y gellir myfyrio ar nod gwreiddiol y prosiect o bron i 30 mlynedd ynghynt. Y bwriad o hyd yw cyfrannu at wybodaeth a dealltwriaeth am y Broses Cyfathrebu Datblygiad Cyfranogol (Adrodd Storïau), gyda thystiolaeth sy'n pwyntio at effaith gymdeithasol hirdymor. Bwriedir cyhoeddi’r canfyddiadau yn y Visual Studies Journal yn 2024.
Dates: 2023 and ongoing
Research team: Professor Michael Brown (USW), Mary-Jane O'Leary (Liverpool John Moores University), Ms Anjaly Tamang (British Embassy Nepal) and Mr Deepak Toolange (Nepal).
Funders: USW Rolling Fund
Background
In 1994-95, Professor Michael Brown explored community storytelling for social change through a participatory communication action research project in the Lalitpur municipality of Nepal, engaging youth in two distinct communities; Gujibahal and Nagbahal. The methodology drew on Paulo Freire's theory of 'critical consciousness'. Using photography, the participants spent a number of weeks recording images of their own community, which they used as discussion material amongst themselves. Gradually, the most important issues started to emerge through these discussions, until common ground was established of the most important issues facing them within their own community. The Gujibahal youth group self-identified problems of gender discrimination, especially against daughters-in-law within traditional families. The Nagbahal group identified parental drinking and domestic violence.
Over the next three months, the youth investigated their selected issues and evolved participatory drama and film outcomes to present back to their communities. Gujibahal participants used a street drama to establish dialogue within their community hoping to realise change in the prevailing attitudes and behaviour towards daughters-in-law especially. The Nagbahal group produced a film drama to reflect the self-identified prevailing drug and alcohol-abuse within the community, in order to promote open discussion leading to positive change. The drama performance and film screenings were followed up with extensive facilitated focus group discussions within the respective wider communities.
The original project aim of the action research was;
Original Aim
To contribute to knowledge and understanding about the Participatory Development Communication Process by conducting a participatory development communication initiative in a real-life situation within Nepal's urban communities, helping to realise local development goals.
Short-Term Impact Evaluation
In 1995, an extensive participatory evaluation process was implemented as an integral part of the project methodology. The evaluation involved focus groups and interviews with multiple stakeholders including youth participants, youth participant's community members, project facilitators and project resource people. In summary, participants of both youth groups, and members of their families and communities, felt that the youth had highlighted problems in the community that were valid and of concern. Youth participants and members of their families and communities also agreed that the programme had made a considerable impact upon the youth participants especially, and to some extent the wider community also. Participants felt the programme had helped them gain greater self-confidence and they felt better able to understand what it means to be responsible members of a community. The youth also said that they recognised themselves to be important members of the community who could spark social change.
Long-Term Impact Evaluation
In July 2023, Professor Michael Brown visited Nepal and reconnected with a number of the original project participants in Nagbahal and Gujibahal, and also with original facilitators and resource people. Plans were made to revisit the original project participants, facilitators and resource people to conduct an impact assessment that might offer insight into the long-term impacts of the original action-research. The intention was to allow participants, facilitators and resource people to reflect on their original feedback with hindsight and to offer new observations from a long-term perspective. This culminated, in December 2023, with a reunion dinner and subsequent workshop, exploring the long-term impacts of the original project.
Participants were asked to consider:
A timeline tool was used to help participants in the discussion.
Outcome Summary
This new research is currently being collated and analysed, so that reflection can be made against the original project aim from nearly 30 years before. The intention remains to contribute to knowledge and understanding about the Participatory Development Communication (Storytelling) Process, with evidence that points to long-term social impact. Publication of findings is planned in Visual Studies Journal in 2024.