Canoa Externalisation workshop
Participatory practices for social change
Effective participatory processes should empower both citizens and people that implement projects. It is about fostering a sense of ownership in the one hand and social responsibility on the other
THE PLACE
Canoa is a rural settlement located in the northern coastal part of Ecuador with a population of approximately 7.000 residents. Due to its geography, nature, gastronomy and hospitality, during the past 20 years, it has become a place that attracts tourists from different parts of the globe. However, by being located in the Pacific Coast and therefore in the Ring of Fire of the Pacific Ocean, Canoa is also a place vulnerable to natural disasters, which means that its population is at constant risk. Proof of that are the consequences of the earthquake that occurred in 2016 that destroyed more than 60% of its infrastructure.
The Latin American Social Workshop (TSL) is annually organised by the Latin American Coordinator of Architecture Students with the aim of addressing issues related to urban planning, design and landscaping while training architects committed to social work. In 2017, the event was held in Ecuador with the purpose of contributing to the reconstruction process of communities hit by the earthquake that struck the coastal region of the country in April 2016.
In contrast to previous years, due to the post-disaster context of the site, special considerations regarding resident´s openness to physical interventions and their expectations of the workshop needed to be done before shaping any space. Hence, a participatory process that collects people's opinions and desires before the intervention were accurate. Based on successful experiences and lessons learned from the joint work done by TSL and Huasipichanga in previous years, in 2017 our team was invited to contribute as an agent of participatory practices in the PRE-TSL phase.
This time, Huasipichanga focused its efforts on paving the way to build effective links between residents of Canoa and participants. The main objectives were:
1.- To collaborate with the socialisation process of the TSL workshop among residents so they could get involved in the project from its early stages.
2.- To acknowledge children as active agents of social change and network developers by placing them at the core of the participatory process.
3.- To highlight the importance of a pivotal effect in participatory practices that can show the relevance of empowering both residents and participants as a way to foster long-lasting changes.
METHODOLOGY
SCREENING
Understanding the context. After the earthquake destroyed more than 60% of the infrastructure in the town, many reconstruction programs to solve housing issues were held. However, one year after the disaster happened, many shared spaces in the town centre were not yet intervened. Therefore the importance of getting people's desires, hopes, and expectations on how they would like to see and enjoy their communal areas, understanding that in Canoa´s town centre live happens outside, in squares, fields, at the beach or in the streets.
PICTURING
Looking at the big picture. Since the quake struck Canoa, many organisations and volunteer groups were constantly engaging with residents in a variety of development-related projects. However, TSL workshop stood apart from other interventions. It brought 150 students from 16 countries to build five different structures in shared spaces of the town centre within ten days. Shaping places and influencing social dynamics among residents while doing it. Consequently, legitimation became essential to foster positive outcomes in the one hand and, a sense of responsibility among participants on the other. Hence, to promote good practices that can strengthen the twofold impact of an effective participatory process in which participants, just like residents, get empowered with the project.
ZOOMING IN
It is common to target youth and adult population in participatory processes of reconstruction after disasters. However, to what extent can children also get involved and how can they support such initiatives? While doing placemaking interventions and building communities of participation, we have learned how children creativity provides meaningful value to participatory processes. Children can portray reality in simple ways while exteriorising their hopes and desires for change.
CAPTURING
In line with this, Huasipichanga proposed to organize an art workshop at the public library of Canoa as part of the set of activities aimed at engaging with the community and socialising the workshop before the interventions took place. The proposed art workshop attempted to develop several games and craft activities through which children could exteriorize their thoughts, feelings and hopes after the earthquake. It must be emphasized that, due to the cohort with which we aimed to work and the particular context, the art workshop was developed and led by our team specialist in innovative childhood education and supported by the rest of the staff and volunteers.
The intended outcomes were, firstly, support children to exteriorize their feelings as a way to help them overcome emotional impacts caused by the earthquake. Secondly, capture ideas on how they would like to see Canoa in the future to inspire TSL participants. Thirdly, get insights about residents expectations linked to the TSL workshop, since children may also reflect the thoughts and concerns of their surrounding social environment. Finally, foster a link between TSL participants and residents in a manner in which the first group could be fully aware of the context where they would be working, understanding the social responsibility behind the interventions and the importance of involving residents in the process. The art workshop was intended to finish with the graphic portrayal of experiences and desires reflected in drawings captured in recycled canvas bags to be given to 230 participants.
Our proposal was endorsed by the TSL organisation team and by local authorities in charge of the public library in Canoa. Thus, the next step was to announce the event in posters around the town and mobilise the team and volunteer group to Canoa. The art workshop lasted four days in total were children developed the following activities:
Games to start the day and call more friends to join the workshop.
Dance therapy.
Exercises to externalise emotions through popular games.
Capture their dreams on canvas bags.
The last day, together with the children that participated and the library staff, Huasipichanga organised an exhibition of art were the authors of every paint could show their family and friends their work.
REVEALING
During the TSL opening ceremony, Husipichanga unveiled the outcomes of the art workshop. Our team presented the project and explained the logic behind the whole process so that participants could be aware of the social significance immerse in every piece of art portrayed in the bags. The presentation concluded with the display of a video that captured the art workshop process, followed by the distribution of art pieces (bags) to all participants. Additionally, a final reflection was done with the aim of creating bonds between participants and Canoa residents since the act of receiving the bags symbolised the moment in which every participant committed to foster the social and physical reconstruction of Canoa.
ZOOMING OUT
Looking at the initial objectives of the project, by conducting the art workshop, Huasipichanga managed to:
Support the socialisation process of the TSL workshop by informing residents in Canoa about how the workshop would happen.
Involve children in the reconstruction process by recognising their agency and capabilities to foster change.
Promote extracurricular activities that could keep children active after school.
Help children to externalise emotions after having experienced a socio-environmental disaster as a way to support them overcoming such experience and its consequences.
Encourage the library staff to continue developing art-related activities with children as a way to support them in their personal development and, in some cases, help them to release stress and exteriorise emotions.
Empower children and their families to own their shared spaces and become their guardians.
Foster a sense of belonging among residents in Canoa.
Create strong bonds between participants and residents of Canoa based on empathy, respect and a sense of responsibility.
Empower both children and residents as well as TSL participants.