Intro to PACA
Fill in the blank: PACA is a participatory methodology that facilitates community-led action to address community _________.
Priorities or Needs
PACA is a process that moves through different stages. What are the 5 phases in order?
Develop Relationships, Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver
Name 3 of the 5 PACA lenses.
Behavior Change, Facilitation, Intercultural Engagement, Language, Power
A Volunteer wants to better understand what daily life is like for a community member. They spend time alongside that person, observing and participating in their everyday activities while learning from their experiences.
Which PACA tool are they using- Community Walk, People Shadowing, or Social Network Mapping?
People Shadowing
“I already know what this community needs, so I don’t need to ask them.”
What’s the red flag?
Making assumptions/ not involving the community
What does the “P” in PACA stand for?
Participatory
- Community partners are actively involved, no project is done alone, recognizing there will be many viewpoints and that it is important to include all inputs and perspectives
What phase helps us gather information and gain key insights by observing, learning from, and engaging community members?
Discover
This PACA lens encourages us to look beyond what people do and explore the factors that influence why they behave that way. Which lens is it?
Behavior Change Lens
During the Discover phase, a Volunteer wants to learn directly from community members about their experiences, perspectives, and ideas.
Which PACA tool could they use- Collage, Personas, Conducting Interviews?
Conducting Interviews
“My counterpart and I came up with a great project idea. Now we just need to get the students to participate.”
What’s the red flag?
The project isn’t community-led/ the Volunteer and counterpart are trying to get students to buy into an idea that was already decided
What are the 3 main components of PACA?
Phases, lenses and tools
What phase helps us test, refine, prototype, and continue to improve project ideas?
Design
This PACA lens encourages us to consider who has influence, who makes decisions, whose voices are heard, and whose voices may be missing. Which lens is it?
Power Lens
During the Dream phase, a Volunteer brings community members together to think of possibilities and imagine what could be possible for their community.
Which PACA tool could they use- Group Brainstorming, Problem Tree, Decision Dots?
Group Brainstorming
“I interviewed the English teacher, and she told me students need more speaking practice. Now I know what the students need to work on.”
What’s the red flag?
Relying on one perspective/ not seeking multiple perspectives
Which PACA component challenges us to examine our own assumptions, consider different perspectives, and better understand the lives and realities of others?
Lenses
What phase helps us make sense of observations, insights, and discoveries to generate or improve ideas?
Dream
This PACA lens encourages us to examine our own culture, experiences, values, and assumptions while also recognizing those of others in order to bridge differences and build stronger participation. Which lens is it?
Intercultural Engagement Lens
A project idea sounds great on paper, but the Volunteer and community members want to determine whether it can realistically be put into practice. They examine the plan and identify aspects that may need to be changed before moving forward.
Which PACA tool could help them do this- Resource Assessment, Budget Worksheets, Roadmap?
Resource Assessment
“I observed 3 classes, and none of the students participated. To me, this shows that the students aren’t interested in learning English.”
What’s the red flag?
Turning an observation into an assumption or conclusion without exploring why they students aren’t participating
Which PACA component is a practical activity, exercise or technique that helps uncover the meaningful information needed to dream, design, and deliver participatory, sustainable, community-led projects?
Tools
Scenario: You have been at your school for several months. You notice that students rarely use English outside of class. Before deciding what to do, you begin talking with students, teachers, and parents to better understand their experiences and perspectives. What phase are you implementing?
Discover
A Volunteer is leading a community discussion but notices that a few people are doing most of the talking while others are staying quiet. The Volunteer adjusts the activity, asks open-ended questions, and creates opportunities for everyone to participate. Which PACA lens are they using?
Facilitation Lens
A Volunteer and community members have been working on a project for some time. They want to reflect on what the community was like before the project and compare it with the current situation to identify changes, progress, or areas that still need attention.
Which PACA tool are they using- Action Plan Worksheet, Before-and-Now Diagram, Stories of Change?
Before-and-Now Diagram
“I asked the students what they wanted to make learning English more fun, and they said they wanted an English club. So, my counterpart and I will be starting one next week.”
What’s the red flag?
Even though the volunteer listened to the community, they’re treating one response as the final answer instead of continuing to explore, understand feasibility and what resources are availability to them, does the school of the space, who can participate, when will the club be hosted, and consider different perspectives.