Communities possess a wealth of wisdom and experience in managing their resources and planning for the future. The LEAD approach embraces participatory research methods and information-sharing activities to build community awareness of their knowledge and power. EarthRights did not invent these methods and activities, but it has taught and used them for years in support of community-led campaigns.
We have collected these resources to share various ways to do participatory research. They will grow as we continue to work alongside communities and create and identify additional useful materials. If you have a useful resource to share, please let us know.
Resources on Facilitation Techniques
SessionLab
A web-based library of facilitation exercises.
Published by: SessionLab, 2023
How to Improve Your Facilitation Skills (and Be a Great Facilitator)
A compilation of tools for working in groups and facilitating meetings.
Published by: SessionLab, 2019
Forum Theatre: Learning Through Participation and Entertainment
Blog post describing forum theatre performances in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand
Published by: Oxfam, 2019
Forum Theatre: Strengthening Community Understanding of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Video of a forum theatre workshop on FPIC that took place at the EarthRights School.
Published by: EarthRights, 2014
Surveillance Self-Defense: Tips, Tools, and How-Tos for Safer Online Communications
A compilation of tools for working in groups and facilitating meetings.
Published by: Seeds for Change
Resources on Participatory Research Methods
How To: Design and Implement a Gender-Transformative Action Research Project
This guide shares practical recommendations for implementing participatory action research that seeks to transform gender power imbalances.
Published by: Grassroots Justice Network, 2024
Community Action Guide on Community-Led Research
This guide contains activities to plan and conduct community-led research, including tips on data collection, analysis, and using the results.
Published by: International Accountability Project, 2019
Resources on Natural Resource Mapping and Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Monitoring Toolkit: A Guide for Communities and Civil Society Organizations
This guide provides a set of easy-to-follow tools or methods to document locally occurring environmental and land-based issues in Myanmar.
Published by: EarthRights, 2024
Available in: English and Burmese
Community Guide to Legal Issues in Natural Resources Management Manual
This guide empowers local communities and Indigenous peoples to engage in decision-making by using land use impact assessments.
Published by: Community Empowerment and Development Team, 2019
Community Land Protection Facilitators Guide
A guide on various strategies and practices that facilitators can use as they support communities to protect their land claims.
Published by: Namati, 2017
Participatory Mapping
This document describes participatory mapping based on insights from previous projects
Published by: Forest People’s Program, 2017
Transect Walk
A how-to guide on a transect walk, a tool for describing the distribution of natural resources and main land uses along a given transect.
Published by: Fauna & Flora, 2013
Participatory Rural Appraisal Tool Box
An introduction to Participatory Rural Appraisal (PAR) and a how-to guide on its tools.
Published by: United Nations Food and Agriculture Association, 1999
Community Natural Resource Mapping Manual
This manual outlines steps taken in Community Natural Resource Mapping.
Published by: EarthRights
Available in: Burmese
Resources on Biocultural Community Protocols
Community Protocols Toolbox
This toolbox provides the elements of community protocols and information on what developing a protocol will involve in a particular context.
Published by: Natural Justice, 2016
Biocultural Community Protocols: A Toolkit for Community Facilitators
This toolkit explains how to support a community in developing community protocols and demanding respect for customary laws, values, and decision processes
Published by: Natural Justice, 2012