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Introduction to version 1b of the translation of the basic ideas – the Concept - for the
Network for Participatory Action Methods (NDA) in Norway.

The group behind the original docu,emt included Kirsten (leader), Eva, Susan, Karstein, Farhad, Truls, and John. It was amended and approved at a greater meeting 25. april 2008.

The Foundation For Local Health trials (FFLH) is responsible for the translation (archive no. S6236eng)

In May 2008 about 40 - 60 persons from all over Norway were listed as members in NDA. We suppose members will contribute more or less. But as we understand others may be very interested in the idea but can’t be active we may give them an opportunity to list as passive members?

Thanks to dr. med. William Howlett, Tanzania for urging us to have some of documents published in English – in order to facilitate your remarks and correctives from abroad.

In addition to the references in the Norwegian original and its translated version below links to the concepts of other organisations with similar aims and methods. Thanks to any possible readers for informing NDA about such links. See Home Page for who is responsible for receiving mails when you want to send such info.

PLA-GIS: www.iapad.org
SOLAR: www.uwe.ac.uk/solar/Principles.htm


Examples from other organisations not so close but they may have items to learn from or discuss and may indicate different goals and not at least different evaluation methods.
www.nokut.no/sw4169.asp ;
Innovasjon Norge ;


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Concept approved 25th of April 2008 in the Network for Participatory Action Methods (NDA)

The NDA CONCEPT

We are people interested in, and practicing, empowering methods aimed at facilitating people’s active participation in shaping their everyday life, condition at work and engagement with the public sphere. Participating action methods hold great possibilities for application among non-governmental organizations, public management, private sector, as well as in areas like health, research, peace making, education and social work. We will work to improve the development of - and options for using - such methods.

We represents a range of occupations, from social workers, doctors, agronomists and researchers to political activist, consultants, company managers, union representatives, artists, teachers and dedicated citizens, all sharing a common vision.


Vision
The network wants effectively contributing to:
- the life long development of the members’ competencies as facilitators.
- the methodology become well-known by active informing all decision-making groups and persons in our society.
- the methods to be tested and recognized as a basis for improving ways of cooperation between people all over Norway.


Values
- Consider all humans as of equal value.
- An understanding of knowledge that includes all kinds of true and relevant knowledge. This includes knowledge that is experience based, silent and contextually grounded. We stress the importance of knowledge being shaped through praxis, as well as making it available and free to use for all.
- A vision of society inviting a holistic approach to old and new challenges, using generative planning (formative evaluation). We are open and willing to accept and explore any option arrived at by relevant stakeholders in such processes.


Main concerns
- Updating facilitator skills by exchanges of experiences and mutual inspiration
- Create possibilities for common projects
- Disseminate information about participatory methods through the outcomes of our efforts
- Further development of the utilization of participatory methods


Possible tasks/projects
Activities might be conducted internally (NDA) or with others.
Here are some cues:
- Member meetings, A relevant web page, Resiprocal praxis assistance
- Experiences with meeting contracts, Courses and education, Process documentation
- Post articles on Wikipedia


The participatory action methods
The participatory action methods have different names, consist of different techniques and compromise diverse vocabularies. Still, they embrace a common vision and set of values, making it easy to combine elements of the different methods. Below are links to descriptions in Norwegian of some approaches. These will be supplemented, revised or exchanged later on (under the same links).

PLA – “Participatory Learning and Action”

Aksjonsforskning - AR: “Action Research”, or PAR: “Participatory Action Research”

Fremtidsverksted “Future workshop”

Raadsmetodikk

CO - "Community organizing" and other more spontaneously developed methods

Andre - Various related methods and vocabulary


Practical examples
A. John Hille (ed.), 2006. Det tar dobbelt så lang tid på butikken – men kanskje kommer storken. Mulighetsrommet, Stiftelsen Idebanken. Årbok 2006. In Norwegian, click “Dettardobbelt” on the HomePage

B. Tove Nagel. Empowering teachers through action research. Manuscript submitted for publication assessment at The Norwegian Programme for Development, Research and Education (NUFU).
In English: www.fflh.no/dialog/S6246h-empowering teachers.doc . Results of teachers empowerment are also available as a PowerPoint-presentation: www.lins.no/NGO/Documenting QEP results.ppt
C. Nina Foss. “Vi får vel evaluer´oss framover” – PLA i prosessevaluering i rus- og psykiatriprosjekt i Øksnes.
In English about the same project: Nina Foss & Liv Aune. PLA as a tool in participant process-oriented evaluation in the field of drug prevention psychiatry in Norway. PLA notes 38, p32-36.

D. Endre Kanestrøm et al. Will come later in Norwegian, then click ”Stormoeter” on the HomePage. About short participatory processes with large (community) groups

Examples of Web sites and manuals with more practical examples, just a little in English
Idebanken : www.idebanken.no
AFI : www.afi-wri.no
Sareptas : www.sareptas.no
Forandringsfabrikken : www.forandringsfabrikken.no
Fondet for Lokal Helseforsøk : www.fflh.no


Eva Dønnestad, Marit Sanner. håndbok for forandrere – om verdighet i møte med de som vokser opp og de som vil vokse. Forandringsfabrikken Forlag 2006

Asle Farner. Verksted som verktøy – Å planlegge og lede workshops. Kommuneforlaget 2008. 239 sider. (Tidligere utgave 2003) (Tittelen justert i oversettelsen her)

Liv Aune, Nina Foss & Bjørg Skåra. Fellesskap for utvikling. PLA - medvirkning i praksis. Kommuneforlaget, Oslo 2001

Bjørn Hauger, H. Kongsbak, T. Gedde Højland. Organisasjoner som begeistrer Appreciative Inquiry Kommuneforlaget.no 2008

Marit Sanner & Hildegunn Brattvåg. Vi sa Vi. Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) et metodesett for medvirkning fra barn og unge. PRESS, Redd Barna ungdom, Oslo nov 1998.

Gro Johnsrud Langslet. LØFT for ledere. Løsningsfokusert tilnærming til typiske ledelsesutfordringer. Gyldendal Akademisk

NDA members and others have produced more academic and disciplinary literature in Norwegian, but not often as the mentioned manuals.

End notes
1. A key concern is that the individual participant intuitively and rationally through praxis feels that this concept is right, and furthermore that it can be formulated in different ways. This concept can also be understood as meeting contract for NDAmembers.

2. By facilitators we refer to impartial process oriented and competent supervisors that assist in bringing forth all relevant aspects and in inspireing the participants to behave according to our values. Similar titles may be moderators, agents of change, coaches, chaos pilots, etc.

3. The word ‘action’ indicates that the methods stress a comprehensive action alternative, such as is inherent in Action Research and PLA (see ‘the participatory action methods’). ‘Action’ is not to be directly associated with ‘actionism’ and ‘demonstration.’ ((The action component in these methods is a good but indirect way of securing that an intended dialogue will be of good quality)).

4. The development of the methods that so far has been documented has been based on different praxis traditions, and happened at different locations and points in time. Since the ability to peaceful cooperation often have given advantages down the line of human interaction (however at times combined with non-peaceful motives), we assume that there throughout history have been created many good ways of teaching and cooperating, which today could have been classified as participatory action methods or closely related. However, such knowledge, or its remnants, might still be found in literature, together with new ideas and interpretations. Thus, some of the literature used in the discipline has become important partly due to its textual qualities, and partly due to being confirmation of the development of methods already being applied, but not sufficiently documented, as participatory action methods.