Culture, Arts and Refugees

Project Focus:

Transparency worked with unaccompanied young refugees to provide refugees with a channel for expression, develop confidence and skills, and enable them to represent their views to the public through photography.

Background:

Photovoice is a participatory photography organisation based in London. It worked with Trinity Community Centre and the Refugee Council to identify participants. The aim of the project was to develop a platform for expression and for selfadvocacy, so that participants’work could be used to raise awareness of the needs and experiences of refugee youth and challenge the negative and dehumanizing portrayal of refugees in the media. Photovoice also aimed to provide long-term pro-active support for the young people and help them develop their training and careers.

Participants:

13 unaccompanied young refugees

Activities:

They started working with the group in 2002 running twice weekly workshops in photography, and sending young people out around London with cameras over the course of four months.The activities resulted in an exhibition that went on to tour 12 locations in UK and Europe and was shown in local libraries and community centres.
Participants were involved in implementation and in choosing what they wanted to communicate, through brainstorming the important messages. The content of the exhibition was entirely the work of participants. Images presented often unusual messages: a picture of a mobile phone was, to a refugee, the picture of a lifeline, rather than a luxury item. Participants were introduced to media interviews and to presentation and public speaking to develop their confidence and ability to represent themselves. This sometimes presented challenges: one refugee had a traumatic interview with a journalist and was put off further advocacy. The exhibition and project received considerable press coverage and went on to win the arts, culture and heritage category at the Charity Awards 2003. Participants have remained involved with Photovoice and have contributed as facilitators in other projects by the organisation.

Outcomes:

• Communications and advocacy skills were developed among participants.
• Participants gained confidence and social skills.
• Skills development included journalism and writing, photography and project planning.
• Participants improved their English language skills.
• 10 out of 13 participants remain involved with the work of Photovoice.
• Photovoice have provided ongoing support for participants to continue work, study and interest in photography, film,web development and advocacy/child rights activity.
• One participant has gone on to complete a 2-year BTEC course in photography at Westminster University and has earned money working as a photographer.
• Three participants served as cofacilitators of photography workshops for other young refugees.
  

Sources:

Research interview with project coordinator. Internal evaluation materials. Project video.
Video interview with project team.

Contact details:

Photovoice

Unit 304 The Colourworks
2Abbot Street
London E8 3DP
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7254 4087
E: info@photovoice.org
www.photovoice.org