Comments on: Participatory mapping in case study areas http://pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/2010/02/participatory-mapping-in-case-study-areas/ What creates and sustains active citizenship? Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:30:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sarah Miller http://pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/2010/02/participatory-mapping-in-case-study-areas/comment-page-1/#comment-540 Sarah Miller Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:29:13 +0000 http://pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/?p=428#comment-540 I'm looking forward to facilitating the local area mapping sessions in Suffolk next month. Although I joined the project shortly after the initial session with the local stakeholder group, I have used mapping exercises in previous work. What I like about the map format is its flexibility: maps can be literal or metaphoric; they can document geographic locations, people’s experience of places, and people’s feelings about places; they can use existing maps, be created from scratch on paper or the ground, or involve people moving around a room. Once created, maps can prompt conversations that shift between the tangible and the conceptual, and between the actual and the possible. This can be really useful in projects seeking to both understand a current situation and explore how that situation might be improved. I’m looking forward to facilitating the local area mapping sessions in Suffolk next month. Although I joined the project shortly after the initial session with the local stakeholder group, I have used mapping exercises in previous work.

What I like about the map format is its flexibility: maps can be literal or metaphoric; they can document geographic locations, people’s experience of places, and people’s feelings about places; they can use existing maps, be created from scratch on paper or the ground, or involve people moving around a room. Once created, maps can prompt conversations that shift between the tangible and the conceptual, and between the actual and the possible. This can be really useful in projects seeking to both understand a current situation and explore how that situation might be improved.

]]> By: Eddie Cowling http://pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/2010/02/participatory-mapping-in-case-study-areas/comment-page-1/#comment-539 Eddie Cowling Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:59:55 +0000 http://pathwaysthroughparticipation.org.uk/?p=428#comment-539 The mapping sessions in Leeds provided a really interesting insight to the variety of activity going on across the city. As well as the maps themselves illustrating the breadth of activity, the discussion between participants whilst creating the maps has really helped us understand stakeholders’ perspectives of what participation is, and what it isn’t. The research team now has a greater awareness of the range of local initiatives at neighbourhood level, as well as ongoing city-wide initiatives, many of which will be a part of the Leeds Year of Volunteering 2010. It was always going to be a challenge for the group to map an area as physically great as Leeds, and I think the local neighbourhood mapping sessions which we will be conducting soon will offer a really interesting contrast. The mapping sessions in Leeds provided a really interesting insight to the variety of activity going on across the city. As well as the maps themselves illustrating the breadth of activity, the discussion between participants whilst creating the maps has really helped us understand stakeholders’ perspectives of what participation is, and what it isn’t.

The research team now has a greater awareness of the range of local initiatives at neighbourhood level, as well as ongoing city-wide initiatives, many of which will be a part of the Leeds Year of Volunteering 2010. It was always going to be a challenge for the group to map an area as physically great as Leeds, and I think the local neighbourhood mapping sessions which we will be conducting soon will offer a really interesting contrast.

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