(Dec 2020) There is growing recognition that existing monitoring and evaluation models do not fully capture the complexity of work in international development. Such models can be especially limiting when it comes to evaluating arts-based methods and programmes. The Evaluating the Arts Workshop was co-hosted by the British Council and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) through its PRAXIS project. It brought together researchers from across the AHRC project portfolio, as well as representatives from the AHRC, the British Council, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and UNESCO. The outputs from these discussions have formed the basis of this paper.
Community Arts against Antimicrobial Resistance in Nepal is a a practice research project that took place 2017-19 in Nepal. The aim of the project was to explore how participatory approaches can help arts based research related policy both better inform and be informed by the people whom it seeks to affect. This manual shares activities that combine participatory video, participatory research methods and arts-based approaches.
In 2019, Changing the Story (CTS) launched a Mobility Fund, offering financial support of up to £1000 designed to enhance the mobility and professional development of CTS grantees based in the 13 project countries (researchers, practitioners and youth partners). The fund has proven hugely popular, providing excellent networking, knowledge exchange and additional research dissemination opportunities, beyond what grantees originally envisaged at the project application stage. This reports captures some of the opportunities and experiences made possible by the fund, which remains open until June 2021.
Article shares international research project led by UK and East African stakeholders. This was framed as a consolidation of learning in our analysis and evaluation of findings from four Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) projects.
- Mobile Arts for Peace (Rwanda)
- Young people’s interpretations of civic national values (Kenya)
- Connective Memories (Rwanda)
- Reanimating Contested Spaces (Rwanda).
These research projects emerge from a larger AHRC GCRF project known as Changing the Story which asks how arts, heritage and human rights education can support youth-centred approaches to civil society building in post-conflict settings across the world.
Featured in RESEARCH INTELLIGENCE | ISSUE 151, SPRING/ SUMMER 2022
This report explores key aspects of ‘what works’ in Arts and Humanities (A&H) research to address global challenges. The report draws on findings from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and Newton funded projects featuring in a series developed by PRAXIS: Arts and Humanities for Global Challenges.
The series explores four key areas: Heritage; Conflict and Displacement; Youth Engagement; and learning from impact of COVID-19. This report highlights some of the key strengths, characteristics, and opportunities of these projects, while also exploring why and how research projects and their funders could improve their approach
for future rounds of funding in this area.
Changing the Story has produced a series of short videos which address the various aspects of safeguarding in international development research.
• How do we make online spaces safe without intruding on personal lives at home?
• What support or alternatives are we offering for those researchers whose access to workspace, equipment, reliable electricity supply or internet at home may be limited, so that they can continue to work but do so safely?
• In the absence of face-to-face meetings, how are we acknowledging and catering for the different time zones in which researchers work?
Changing the Story has produced a series of short videos which address the various aspects of safeguarding in international development research. The aim of the series is to provide you with food for thought, and to help your project team reflect on safeguarding policies and procedures that are appropriate in your context.
An early-career researcher recounts a positive experience as a participant in a project using ‘playback theatre’ techniques, where safeguarding issues arise organically.
Changing the Story has produced a series of short videos which address the various aspects of safeguarding in international development research.
In this video you will hear Dr Jessica Mitchell reflect on the approach she took to safeguarding when building a network cluster.
- What are the most effective mechanisms for assessing safeguarding risks collaboratively with research partners?
- What is the best organisational safeguarding incident investigation process that can ensure knowledge is captured and lessons are learnt from past incidents?
- What is our agreed process for how safeguarding concerns will be reported and escalated across research partnerships?
- What might an effective ‘a risk level rating system’ look like, with a clear threshold for reporting to funders and regulatory bodies?
Changing the Story has produced a series of short videos which address the various aspects of safeguarding in international development research. The aim of the series is to provide you with food for thought, and to help your project team reflect on safeguarding policies and procedures that are appropriate in your context.
A colleague discusses his experience of conducting LGBTQI-related research in the Global South.
Safeguarding Project Development Officer, Tony Cegielka and Safeguarding Regional Leads Linda Hoxha, Helene Rousseau, Astrid Cañas, Chaste Uwihoreye and Rajib Timalsina discuss their roles on the CTS Safeguarding project..
Changing the Story has produced a series of short videos which address the various aspects of safeguarding in international development research. The aim of the series is to provide you with food for thought, and to help your project team reflect on safeguarding policies and procedures that are appropriate in your context.
Two researchers’ experience of living and working in local contexts.
Changing the Story has produced a series of short videos which address the various aspects of safeguarding in international development research.
In this video, Changing the Story colleagues discuss the issue of safeguarding the mental health of researchers.
• What channels exist for you to discuss your mental health and wellbeing?
• Are there any other channels that you would like created?
• What action could this instigate?
• When does a mental health concern become a safeguarding matter?
Setting the ambitious task of outlining what makes evidence compelling enough to drive policy change, Richard calls on his own personal experience having worked for MP’s and lobbying for policy change to provide sound advice around how to engage with the policy process. Richard considers whether (in his own words) evidence policy making is dead. Thankfully, he doesn’t think so and you can find out why by listening to Richard’s brilliant lecture.
This Scheme of Work document was devised as a framework for research and development by the Phase 2 project 'Interpreting Civic National Values' to allow young people in Kenya and Nepal to REFLECT individually on life experiences in their community and to DISCUSS these with each other - to RECORD their thoughts through shared writing and shared artwork - to bring these thoughts to life through PERFORMANCES of their choice such as: theatre, singing, poetry recital - to share their new ways of seeing community through CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGES in their interpretations of civic national values. We saw this Scheme of Work as facilitating a process of empowerment; for young people to advocate their communication of the peacebuilding process to policymakers in their post-conflict national contexts.
This Scheme of Work document was devised as a framework for research and development by the Phase 2 project 'Interpreting Civic National Values' to allow young people in Kenya and Nepal to REFLECT individually on life experiences in their community and to DISCUSS these with each other - to RECORD their thoughts through shared writing and shared artwork - to bring these thoughts to life through PERFORMANCES of their choice such as: theatre, singing, poetry recital - to share their new ways of seeing community through CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGES in their interpretations of civic national values. We saw this Scheme of Work as facilitating a process of empowerment; for young people to advocate their communication of the peacebuilding process to policymakers in their post-conflict national contexts.
This Scheme of Work document was devised as a framework for research and development by the Phase 2 project 'Interpreting Civic National Values' to allow young people in Kenya and Nepal to REFLECT individually on life experiences in their community and to DISCUSS these with each other - to RECORD their thoughts through shared writing and shared artwork - to bring these thoughts to life through PERFORMANCES of their choice such as: theatre, singing, poetry recital - to share their new ways of seeing community through CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGES in their interpretations of civic national values. We saw this Scheme of Work as facilitating a process of empowerment; for young people to advocate their communication of the peacebuilding process to policymakers in their post-conflict national contexts.
This Scheme of Work document was devised as a framework for research and development by the Phase 2 project 'Interpreting Civic National Values' to allow young people in Kenya and Nepal to REFLECT individually on life experiences in their community and to DISCUSS these with each other - to RECORD their thoughts through shared writing and shared artwork - to bring these thoughts to life through PERFORMANCES of their choice such as: theatre, singing, poetry recital - to share their new ways of seeing community through CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGES in their interpretations of civic national values. We saw this Scheme of Work as facilitating a process of empowerment; for young people to advocate their communication of the peacebuilding process to policymakers in their post-conflict national contexts.
Remodelling the intergenerational moringa industry to support local economic development in Binga, Zimbabwe Policy brief from Follow-on Fund project, Transnational and Intergenerational Exploration of Ecological Heritage.
The Emerging Moringa Economy: A ground-breaking opportunity to boost rural green economies and youth employment in South Africa (2022) Policy brief from Follow-on Fund project, Transnational and Intergenerational Exploration of Ecological Heritage.
A master in the field of heritage and policy, watch Hana’s digital lecture if you want concrete, practical guidance on how to engage with the policy process: the opportunities available, where to find them, and how to respond (hint presentation is everything!). Everything you need to know about engaging with the policy process in one bite size lecture!
