Frame my World - Participatory Photography as a tool for Community development

Participatory Photography is a participatory method used in communities to give them an opportunity to share live experiences and present a world as they see it. This method can used by community developers and photographers as a tool for engagement, advocacy, skill building and social innovation in in their work with disadvantaged and marginalized communities. On one hand participants are stimulated to be creative and express themselves through photos, on the other hand, participants develop communication tools which can be empowering. Moving beyond stereotypes, it helps to convey a fuller picture of the issues, challenges, opportunities, aspirations and what it means to live in their community. The proposed Training Course aims to gather 24 youth workers and young leaders who are working directly with deprived communities and to teach them new digital skills in the form of photography and how to apply this method in their work with the community. The participants will have a better understanding of method and all the necessary tools that, after returning to their respective communities, will enable them create projects that are based on will help them giving a voice to the minority groups they work with. The problem of lack of possibilities for young people in deprived communities exists across Europe, therefore we find it crucial to gather representatives of both the Program Countries and the Eastern Partnership and to provide them with a space for exchanging experience and ideas for solutions that can be implemented in different European local communities. Objectives:  To provide participants with knowledge about participatory photography methods and the benefits of promoting the concept as way for enhancing young people's involvement, especially in the deprived communities  To enhance participants ICT skills and encourage them to use open source technologies in their work  To raise the professional capacities of NGO workers and young leaders working in deprived areas, equipping them with skills and knowledge on mapping the community needs and designing projects that are in accordance with their beneficiaries' expectations Participants Profile:  Youth workers and youth leaders working in NGOs in rural/deprived urban communities  Interested in investigating the topic of Participatory Photography, its connection to youth work and possible benefits of using it as a way for increasing youth participation  Ready to share their own work rural or deprived areas  Interested in setting further co-operation with similar organizations from other European countries  Being able to communicate in English fluently Hope to see you in Armenia