Visual methodology to build a resilient ‘communitas’

Abstract

‘Resilient Educators’ (REds) is a group intervention programme designed to empower teachers affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and is research in progress. In 2007, 99 participants from various primary and high schools from three South African provinces were involved in a community-based intervention. A one-group pre-test, post-test design was utilised to explore participant associations of HIV/AIDS. Visual data were collected in the form of drawings: participants drew symbols of their perception of the pandemic and explained the meaning of their artefacts either in writing, or by speaking about them. A qualitative comparison of these visual data suggested that most participants had altered their associations. Prior to participation in REds, most participants projected disempowering associations. Following their participation, most participant projections suggested some self-empowerment and community-mindedness, although some participants still made associations with death and grief. We conclude that there are signs of the establishment of ‘communitas’.

Keywords:

• Community
• HIV/AIDS pandemic
• resilience
• symbolic drawings
• visual data