Evaluating Capacity Building and Empowerment in Public Participation in Planning: A Case Study of a Participatory Action Research Project on Housing in Richmond, BC
department or school: Applied Science, Faculty of
department or school: Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
data provider: DSpace
rights copyright: Theresa J. Harding
creator: Harding, Theresa J.
issued: 2008-02-05T19:00:38Z
issued: 2004-08-23
description: Planners and researchers who involve the public in decision-making processes need a clear idea as to what the public gains through participating. The body of research into the public’s experience in public participatory processes is very limited. There is much to learn still, and yet, the public is increasingly invited to give freely of their time, effort, and knowledge to planning and research projects affecting their region, city, community, neighbourhood, or household. At the same time, a growing number of community members view participation as a democratic right, and expect their participation to be direct, meaningful, and of consequence. Participatory planning and research is also being recognized as an effective method of revitalizing citizenship and democracy. However, not enough is known about what motivates the public to participate, what supports participation, what undermines it, and which structures and processes are most likely to support participation? This report presents an evaluation of volunteer community members’ experience in a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project on housing. The goal of this evaluation project is to identify the value of participatory processes for capacity building themes and empowerment indicators for planners and researchers as a guide in facilitating participatory processes.
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/326
extent: 560128 bytes
format: application/msword
note: 1 Evaluating Capacity Building and Empowerment In Public Participation in Planning: A Case Study of a Participatory Action Research Project on Housing in Richmond, B.C. Theresa J. Harding Masters Candidate School of Community and Regional Planning August 23, 2004 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have made it possible for me to earn my undergraduate and graduate degrees. My mother and father, Roberta and Frank Boutilier, gave generously in every way that was needed and asked for, and if not for them, I would have surrendered the dream. My children, Anatta, Sareen, and Gesar Harding, have been my inspiration, the spurs in my sides, and the joy in my life. With humour and cooperation each of you rose above the many challenges that came with my education, and we are a more wondrous family thanks to you. My incomparable friends, Juanita and Martin Evans, Colleen and John Fox, and Deborah Harlow – evergreen caretakers for the seasons of my mind – have always been my sacred east. Over these eight years, I have drawn on the wisdom of Helen Francis, Nell Toegel, Alan Stamp, and Kathleen Whipp, and with profound gratitude I thank each of you. At the end of it all, three people rallied to my deadline, contributing immensely to this document and to my confidence in it: Christopher Boutilier, my brother and personal trainer on all things hi-tech; my editor, Karen Martin; and my Second Reader, Kari Huhtala, Senior Planner, City of Richmond. Students’ Financial Aid Services, at the University of British Columbia, made up the difference between fulltime and part-time work so I could stay in school. I am proud to become a contributor to this service for other students. University has been a journey of re-education, as much as it has been curricular. To those professors who taught beyond the books – Professor Brian D. MacLean, Dr. Dawn H. Currie, Dr. William Rees, and Dr. Leonora C. Angeles – I am most grateful. The wealth of my re-education will be for the benefit of others, Earth and…
has type: Graduating Project
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0102498
language: eng
peer review status: Unreviewed
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
rights: All rights reserved
scholar level: Graduate
is part of: University of British Columbia. SCARP Graduating Projects
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/326