May 23rd, 2023
 

Only four people showed up today. A week ago, this was a “popular” project, with multiple sign-ups and plenty of interest. But now? No-shows, with no explanation and no clear reason.

The participants who did attend signed the confidentiality and consent forms immediately, before we had even discussed them. It felt odd — almost as if this was just another bureaucratic exercise, rather than an invitation to take part in something meaningful. Perhaps they were sceptical from the start.

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That small detail seemed to set the tone for the day: this was not the kind of engagement I had imagined. One participant changed their mind about being filmed, despite having read the information sheet, which clearly stated that the workshop would be recorded but anonymised. The atmosphere felt guarded. When I explained the exercises, the idea of completing them unaccompanied came as a surprise. They had expected a guide to walk the route with them. Where had this expectation come from? Had I miscommunicated in my conversations with Community Organisation X? Or was it simply an ingrained assumption that activities there are always facilitated?

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I could not help but feel frustrated. Was participation only possible when it was structured and supervised? I had hoped for something self-led, organic, and independent.

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After the first workshop, I left the remaining clipboards with participation sheets at Community Organisation X, hoping they might still be picked up and used during the week. But I left feeling uncertain. What now? If only four people return next week, should I shorten the session? If more come, do I keep the original structure, even though not everyone will have completed the activities?

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These doubts led to bigger questions. Should I adjust my approach? Should I reach out to another organisation?

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One of the community leaders, visibly frustrated, assured me she would help recruit more participants and promised to email me.

 

Let’s see what happens next week...