Kato, Y., Benjumea, D., Chong, KH. (2020, June). Fostering Activism and Well-being through Nature-Place-making: A Mixed Methods Approach. Paper presented at the virtual annual meeting of IAPS (International Association People-Environment Studies) 2020.

In urban environmental research, it has been widely discussed the positive impact of green spaces on health and well-being. Relevant studies in the field have demonstrated a substantial reduction in stress levels and feelings of subjective restoration for individuals spending time in green spaces. The results of such studies led to the integration of urban policies that promote the preservation or incorporation of more greenery in cities. Nevertheless, a distinction between passive and active interaction with the green spaces has been posed since the effects on health and well-being might vary according to the strategy of development (i.e., top-down and bottom-up).

In recognition of this distinction, this study was structured to investigate the sense of restoration and well-being enhanced by the active interaction of individuals with green spaces in what has been recognized as ‘place-making’ or direct engagement of individuals in the creation or preservation of the green space. To investigate this, the non-profit organization ‘the Ground-Up Initiative’ (GUI) in Singapore was selected as the main case study since this organization has for a decade conducted place-making activities that aim to enhance the connection of people with the natural environment.

This study followed a sequential mixed-methods design, integrating 1) focus group discussion with GUI members and volunteers, 2) perception survey with GUI members and the general public, and 3) quasi-experimental assessment on people attending GUI’s programs.

The study identified the long-term and short-term effects of engaging in the nature place-making activities at GUI, including enhanced sense of community, restorative experience, and positive emotions. It’s also found that facilitators and natural environment play a significant role in the nature place-making by sharing core values and encouraging long-term engagement.

Data visualization and Web design.

Social Architecture: socialarchi.github.io

Chapter 17: How to integrate Photovoice and multiple participatory methods: Lessons learned from collaborating with tribal youth in India to explore their surrounding environment By Kato, Y. & Charania, A.  

Year in Review 2019

Tan Tay Kindergarten:

Supported designing and conducting a community engagement workshop for Tan Tay Kindergarten Project

Year in Review 2018

My portfolio in 500px

Year in Review 2017

PhotoVoice 2.0 in West Bengal, India.

Integrating Photovoice with multiple visual methods, tribal youth explored their surrounding environment and shared assets and issues in their community.

Opening title for Kalapana, a specially curated festival featuring lead performing artists and craftsmen.

Master Thesis “When Youth Collaborate: Testing and Building Youth-Friendly Evaluation Methods” ― Sacramento, CA

Youth participatory evaluation (YPE) is a type of assessment that involves young people in analyzing the effectiveness of the programs designed to serve them. The main purpose of this pilot study is to examine YPE methods from perspectives of the youth. A series of participatory workshops was conducted with 15 high school students at Grant Union High School in Sacramento. Through testing three different methods—including visual, written, and combined methods—this study uncovered that these three methods contributed to youth reflecting on their experiences individually and collectively. Youth learned the process of conducting participatory evaluation and YPE methods and applied these skills to lead a youth-led workshop. Adult presence and working with peers in the research processes facilitated discussion and group interaction, provided resources, guidance, and support for youth to increase their agency and overcome challenges. This study also identified seven different elements comprising methods that lead to conducting more effective YPE and developed a future curriculum and guidelines that support further implementation of YPE.

Full text thesis is available here http://gradworks.umi.com/15/99/1599479.html

Photovoice Project ― Santiniketan, West Bengal, India

Tata Trusts Diary 2017

Year in Review 2016

Evolution of Participatory Practices: 5 Disciplines, 50 Years ― USA

The Participatory Practices timeline project is a joint effort between researchers, design practitioners, and students to explore the evolution of participatory practices across disciplines, beginning around the time of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In a participatory approach, everyone with a stake in the design intervention can influence the outcome through collaboration with practitioners and researchers. This project examines key individuals, organizations, projects, writings, and social/cultural events across five decades and disciplines — community design, youth development, international development, public health, and technology development — to reveal key connections as well as the changing historical context of the work.

My main roles include conducting literature review, synthesizing findings, and designing the timeline of evolution of participatory practices.

Website

Directed and designed

Ideathon: Information Technology for Community Empowerment ― Japan

“Ideathon” was a three-day intensive collaborative program in which computer programmers, local government officers, and graphic designers collaborated intensively to come up with ideas that would utilize Information Technology to solve issues in underrepresented rural communities in Japan. My roles included designing programs and materials that facilitated participants to collaborate with one another, and organizing a variety of participatory activities through a three-day “Ideathon” with 50 participants.