Practical guide to photovoice

The guide proposes photovoice, a research and social action methodology that aims to investigate the problems of a community, and stimulate participation and activate change by involving the participants themselves, as well as stakeholders, political and institutional decision makers. A tool to make people reflect on their emotions, stories, and ideas about a specific social context or community.

The protagonists of the photovoice programme are precisely the participating people who, through the taking of photographs, represent limits and resources of the context in which they live to reflect on it together to improve it: one or more photographs become focal points, a shared reference map, a place where it is possible to share their respective observations and listen to each other and dialogue.

Theoretical reflections and practical indications
The main objective of this guide is to present the methodology through a series of theoretical and historical reflections, in particular the “why” behind the use of photography to promote awareness and participation, also providing practical indications on how to organize and implement a photovoice programme with worksheets, exercises and examples.