Capturing the Theory of Change in Action
By Lucille
Students going through [the Collaborative Center] are encouraged to invite change into their communities and personal lives.
Students may enter this program thinking that the material won't affect them; however, once they begin to learn how the issues they are working to solve connect to their own personal lives and their peers, it builds community and encourages active participation. While working to enact this change, students in this program learn skills that will stick with them and positively impact their lives in the long-term.
Photography helps to illustrate this transformation because it provides the chance to look back in time and compare and reflect. The best way to showcase the short term outcomes like building confidence and positive work ethic, is to look for moments where the students are fully engaged in their projects. I tend to look for the concentrated expressions and progress and moments of team work to visually represent this. Another great way I like to represent these positive outcomes is by focusing on moments where you can feel the students enjoying their time. Whether it be laughing with friends or even simply just being excited to help others.
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