Over the past few months, the video4change network has been busy starting the ‘video4change Impact Research’. Through this research, we are looking to come up with a preliminary set of impact indicators by conducting a literature review, and interviewing video4change network members on how they assess the impact of their work.

At the end of this of this prelimary research, we expect to have the following results and output:

  • a literature review that focuses on different ways video has been used for advocacy and social change initiatives
  • a greater understanding of what impact assessment and evaluation methodologies are appropriate for video4change initiatives
  • case studies on the work of the video4change members and donors who fund video advocacy
  • an initial set of video4change impact indicators
  • ideas and directions on how to expand the research beyond the current video4change members towards coming up with impact assessment methodologies for video activism

Ultimately, we see this current research as an initial step towards understanding and measuring the impact of video4change.

Through the support of Hivos, we are working with highly-qualified researchers in this prelimary stage: Tanya Notley from the University of Western Sydney, and Julie Lynn Fischer from the MIT OpenDoc Lab. This research initiative is being through a joint effort by EngageMedia, MIT Centre for Civic Media, and the MIT Open Documentary Lab. The Research Advisory Team guides the research by providing feedback on the processes and output. It is compromised of volunteer members of the video4change network:  WITNESS, Video Volunteers, and the Organisation for Visual Progression.

In the next few weeks and througout the rest of the research process, the researchers will be blogging about their initial findings, and their reflections on what they are learning.