Participatory learning and action (PLA) tools are used to engage communities in a process of shared decision making around their strengths and assets. Action steps are often identified by the group to make social, economic, or environmental changes in their community. Select and practice one of the following participatory learning and action tools:
- Community asset map
- Holistic worldview analysis
- Appreciative inquiry interview
- Problem tree analysis (also called diagramming)
- Photovoice
Identify an individual or group of individuals with whom you are currently working as part of your job,
service, volunteerism, or family. Review the selected tool and become familiar
with the process and purpose of the tool prior to facilitating it with your
selected individual or group.
In a 1,000-1,250-word essay, discuss the following:
- What tool did you select and why did you select it instead of the other options?
- What cultural insight did you learn based on the individual or group you selected? Include a brief description of the individual or group you engaged in for this
assignment. - What challenges did you identify in facilitating the tool?
- Discuss how the participants responded to the tool regarding their participation and shared decision-making. Consider how PLA tools are focused on building the
capacity of people versus projects or programs. - A Health in All Policies approach, which includes economic and environmental
factors are important in addressing the interconnectedness of health factors to
support holistic transformation. Discuss how this community engagement approach through such a tool is useful for assessing a Health in All Policies approach. In addition, consider how this approach is effective in reducing health
disparities by addressing economic and environmental issues through community
mobilization and assets.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Participatory learning and action (PLA) tools are effective in engaging communities in shared decision-making processes around their strengths and assets. The use of these tools is important in promoting social, economic, or environmental change in communities. This assignment requires the selection and facilitation of one of the PLA tools. The purpose of this essay is to reflect on the chosen tool, the insights gained, the challenges encountered, and the participants’ response while considering the effectiveness of the used approach in reducing health disparities and supporting holistic transformation.
Answer:
For this assignment, the selected PLA tool is the Community Asset Map since it promotes community engagement while identifying local resources. This tool was chosen over the other options, including Holistic Worldview Analysis, Appreciative Inquiry Interview, Problem Tree Analysis, and Photovoice, based on the fact that it is easy to use and has a wide range of application.
The individual engaged in this assignment was a member of a refugee community, and the cultural insight derived was their tight-knit community relationships and the existence of language barriers. This required the use of interpreters for effective communication during the facilitation of the tool.
The major challenge encountered was the difficulty in getting the participants to fully engage in the process due to the complexity of the tool and language barrier challenges.
The participants struggled initially to understand the tool, but they eventually responded well, and the tool facilitated participation and shared decision-making. The use of PLA tools promotes the capacity development of the people rather than a focus on projects or programs.
Community engagement approaches through PLA tools are useful in assessing the Health in All Policies approach as it promotes community mobilization and asset identification, and it serves as a useful tool for reducing health disparities. This approach addresses environmental and economic factors, which are interconnected with health issues, thereby promoting holistic transformation.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Community Asset Map was the tool selected for this assignment, and the insights obtained included cultural insights into the refugee community. The major challenge was the difficulty in getting participants fully engaged. However, participants eventually responded well to the tool, and PLA tools were useful in promoting people’s capacity building. The tool proved suitable for assessing the Health in All Policies approach to address health disparities and promote holistic transformation.
