New approaches to facilitate learning from youth: Exploring the use of Photovoice in identifying local watershed issues

ABSTRACT

In urbanized areas, incorporating residents’ concerns and priorities into the stormwater management debate has focused on adults rather than youth. This study used Photovoice, a tool that includes photographs taken by youth, to uncover youth concerns and perceptions about their local watersheds. This study consisted of a comparative study of two watersheds. Twenty students produced 468 photographs. Although both groups of students shared common themes regarding stormwater and pollution, these themes differed in level of concerns over local environmental issues, sentiments with particular features in their local watersheds, and concerns about local watersheds. From a methodological perspective, Photovoice provided a way of capturing youth perspectives and to identify important features and issues in their respective local watersheds.

Keywords:

• participatory research
• Photovoice
• visual methodologies
• watershed
• youth

Note

Notes

1. As per our university's Institutional Review Board regulations, the list of names with the identifying numbers was kept in a locked file to which only the one researcher had access. This was done to protect the confidentiality of the youth participants.