I've been in Nepal for 4 days and was going to do a video blog while I was here but the sight of the bags under my eyes and the serious difficulties in communication (14 hour electricity black outs every day) have prevented me.
So, a traditional blog instead...I was here 10 months ago with Jonathan investigating whether Children Unite could work in partnership with a local NGO here that works with child domestic workers - called CWISH. And here I am now setting up a one year research project with CWISH on the concept of 'resilience' and child domestic workers. Today we piloted the research methods (life-story interviews and focus group discussions). It's been a bit of a logistical challenge because of the electricity black outs, the cold (and no heating) and also the strikes - there is a national strike tomorrow by students (due to a massive hike in fuel prices which affects the cost of pretty much everything in Nepal). But the academic challenges we're facing are, to be frank, more interesting. We've been training 6 adult researchers (teachers who are also counsellors) and two young researchers (one is currently working as a domestic worker and one is a former child domestic worker) and they are all used to the concept of child domestic workers facing difficulties (abuse, isolation, discrimination, violence etc.) but are struggling with the idea that in the face of these difficulties, something 'positive' can emerge.
This is resilience - it is a new concept and is particularly challenging for those who work with children 'in need' (such as child domestic workers) - as you have to shift your thinking about children from the welfare perspective (where children are often seen as victims and vulnerable) to a more 'positive' view of children. Resilience is the ability to 'bounce back' in the face of adversity and we have been trying to find a hundred different ways of explaining this concept to the researchers, who, in turn have to explain resilience to the child participants in the research. So far, we've come up with 'coping with or overcoming your problems'.
The other challenge the researchers are facing is NOT helping the children they are researching. As counsellors their natural reaction, when a child tells them about an abusive situation they are facing, is to offer solutions. As researchers, today, they found they had to stop themselves from doing this, distance themselves from the child and focus on getting the child's story (the data), not judging or analysing what the child was saying. They said they found this hard. But it was helped when we explained that we are undertaking 'action research' and that the findings will, we hope, help child domestic workers in the long term.
So, the challenges continue - mine are rather less severe - can I cope with curry for breakfast tomorrow!? (Ah ha but I am prepared for this one and have brought my marmite with me!!)
So, a traditional blog instead...I was here 10 months ago with Jonathan investigating whether Children Unite could work in partnership with a local NGO here that works with child domestic workers - called CWISH. And here I am now setting up a one year research project with CWISH on the concept of 'resilience' and child domestic workers. Today we piloted the research methods (life-story interviews and focus group discussions). It's been a bit of a logistical challenge because of the electricity black outs, the cold (and no heating) and also the strikes - there is a national strike tomorrow by students (due to a massive hike in fuel prices which affects the cost of pretty much everything in Nepal). But the academic challenges we're facing are, to be frank, more interesting. We've been training 6 adult researchers (teachers who are also counsellors) and two young researchers (one is currently working as a domestic worker and one is a former child domestic worker) and they are all used to the concept of child domestic workers facing difficulties (abuse, isolation, discrimination, violence etc.) but are struggling with the idea that in the face of these difficulties, something 'positive' can emerge.
This is resilience - it is a new concept and is particularly challenging for those who work with children 'in need' (such as child domestic workers) - as you have to shift your thinking about children from the welfare perspective (where children are often seen as victims and vulnerable) to a more 'positive' view of children. Resilience is the ability to 'bounce back' in the face of adversity and we have been trying to find a hundred different ways of explaining this concept to the researchers, who, in turn have to explain resilience to the child participants in the research. So far, we've come up with 'coping with or overcoming your problems'.
The other challenge the researchers are facing is NOT helping the children they are researching. As counsellors their natural reaction, when a child tells them about an abusive situation they are facing, is to offer solutions. As researchers, today, they found they had to stop themselves from doing this, distance themselves from the child and focus on getting the child's story (the data), not judging or analysing what the child was saying. They said they found this hard. But it was helped when we explained that we are undertaking 'action research' and that the findings will, we hope, help child domestic workers in the long term.
So, the challenges continue - mine are rather less severe - can I cope with curry for breakfast tomorrow!? (Ah ha but I am prepared for this one and have brought my marmite with me!!)
Well, forgetting the problem does not certainly make it disappear! But if you temporarily take your mind off the problem you would save yourself from unwanted anxiety.
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Faye of Bags Under Eyes