“Life could be like a caged bird if you let it.  How would that bird feel?  It can’t get out of that cage.  Every now and again I get that feeling, like I’m caged in… and, if you caged a bird up long enough, that bird is going to die, see?… just from heart trouble, you know.  They need to get out from those four box walls, get out to the beach, get out to the shopping center, and get out and smell the roses, you know… these things here make me feel like I’m out of the cage.  So you can kind of see how important it is.”

Gene

 

“Our Photovoice project provided me with a unique method to express my frustrations in a manner that people might understand.  I believe that the most important thing a wheelchair user can do to overcome the barriers we face is to educate the public --  not only those close around you, but also the decision makers and the politicians.”

“I’m extremely happy that I agreed to participate in this project.  I would encourage anyone with a spinal cord injury or any wheelchair user to say “yes” if you are ever asked to become a part of a Photovoice term.”

Doug

Community Participation after Spinal Cord Injury

Using Photovoice to Identify

Barriers and Supports in Our Community

Alex with adapted camera
 
 

Photovoice is a participatory research method that uses photography to record, discuss, and communicate to others, the realities of our lives as seen through our
eyes. We are a group of ten people with spinal cord injury who took our cameras into the community around Charleston,SC to photograph things that affect our ability to participate in the community. We plan to share our photographs and stories with the public and community leaders. We hope that by educating others, we can change the things that get in our way and improve the things that are already in place that help
us to participate in the community.


The aims of this study were to:

  • Engage individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) in community based participatory research (CBPR)using the Photovoice method to gather and analyze data on environmental barriers and facilitators to community participation.
     
  • Create an evidence base of environmental barriers and facilitators to community participation of individuals with SCI in the Charleston SC area.
     
  • Utilize the findings of this research as a foundation for evidence based advocacy as determined by the project participants.

    • Through our partnership with the Charleston Post and Courier, the Photovoice team learned of a proposed bill to strengthen accessible parking laws and limit placard misuse in South Carolina.  This bill had stalled in the S.C. House twice before and was again introduced in 2009 by Senators.  Photovoice team member, Ruth Jones (dRC Board Member), was determined that this bill would not fail to pass a third time.  Armed with the pictures and stories from her Photovoice partners, and accompanied by a Post and Courier reporter and photographer, Ruth traveled to Columbia, S.C. to present her testimony to members of the Senate and House. She met with representatives from other disability advocacy organizations who had also come to support the bill.  The bill was passed and signed into law by the governor on June 2, 2009.  On January 1, 2010, the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles began issuing new placards and license plates for people with disabilities.