Participatory Action Research (PAR)
Unlocking the power of knowledge for good.
Participatory Action Research is a way of collecting information that honors, centers, and reflects the experiences of people most directly affected by issues. It is not so much a set of procedures as it is a philosophy and approach to gathering, sharing and using information. It is also a way to strengthen community and our understanding of each other, our relationships, and ourselves.
It is a powerful tool for outreach, base building and organizing, helping to bring people together to build awareness and movements for change.
Threshold uses a variety of participatory practices to tap the wisdom of your community.
In order to build knowledge, assess impact and support justice. We have developed an
array of strategies that tap the experiences and insights of those who are most directly affected by issues within our organizations and communities.
Some of the ways we do this are through:
- Polling and Surveying
- Asset Mapping
- Story Gathering, Story Circles and Story Swaps
- Speak Outs, Tribunals and Public Hearings
- Door to Door or Public Space Information Gathering
- Facilitated Conversations
- Public Sharing of Institutional Data, such as police, health and educational statistics.
