Editing Finding the Youth-Elder Cabin (section)

=Program and procedures=

The (pre-)workshop takes two days. However, I had designed the pre-workshop to consist only of formal moment that are recorded as part of the research, at the beginning and the ending of each day consist. In-between we’re just "hanging out". Maybe we cook something, or take pictures, play a card games, listen to the radio, or drink tea.

This design was adapted from an earlier iteration I came up with in which no researcher would be present in the cabin at all, and would only come in the morning to discuss the questions they had, and in the evening to discuss the outcomes that group had decided on. This design was to build upon my observations from community filmmaking in which it became clear how valuable in terms of knowledge renewal it was for elders and youth to spend time together, and how research could make such regenerative moments possible. However, once we had formed the group, multiple elders indicated that I should spend the full days with them.

As such, I started each day by collecting informed consent, agreeing on the payment, and by explaining why we are coming together, what I was hoping to get out of the pre-workshop. I also explained how I had prepared that particular day and the questions that I wanted to discuss.  I finally informed everyone that I would be making notes, and record the formal conversations, and that there was a camera and a piece of paper, on the wall, for them to use if they think of something, or wanted to draw something.