Example #1: Southern West Virginia Photovoice Project In September of 2008, the Southern West Virginia Photovoice Project gave digital cameras to 40 women from five different communities in Southern West Virginia and asked them to take pictures to “tell the story” of their communities, including the strengths and assets of their communities, the unique character of life in the region, and the problems and issues of concern in their areas. The communities that participated are: Big Coal River Area of Boone County, Pond Fork Area of Boone County, Lenore Area of Mingo County, Harts Area of Lincoln County, Upper Kanawha Valley of Kanawha County. The purpose of this project was to increase civic engagement in rural coalfield communities and give voice to residents’ concerns and ideas for change. Example #2: Photovoice - Kaiser Permanente Community Health Initiatives Kaiser Permanente’s Community Health Initiatives Photovoice project encouraged community residents to document the barriers to healthy eating and active living in their own communities. By creating a visual record of the environmental conditions in their neighborhoods, residents identified opportunities for community change, set priorities, and acted as advocates for change with city officials, policy makers, and legislators. The project was implemented in at least 18 communities across six states. Photovoice was implemented in Kaiser Permanente communities to lift up residents' voices and create change. Example #3: The Photovoice Process This video details the process used by the Photovoice Hamilton Youth Project in Hamilton, Ontario. The video examines the thoughts and reflections of students who participated and those who helped facilitate the project. Example #4: Young Care-giving in Western Kenya - A Photovoice Project by WVP Kenya WVP Kenya is a small non-profit organization operating in Nyanza and Western Provinces of Kenya. For this project, 48 children between the ages 11-17, who were caring for their sick parents or elderly guardians, were equipped with disposable cameras to capture and reflect upon their circumstances. This video shares their photos and reflections about them in their own words. Example #5: Use of Photovoice by the Roma Community in Seville, Spain Daniela Miranda from the Universidad de Sevilla shares about the use of Photovoice among a disenfranchised, marginalized group of Roma neighbors in Seville, Spain. The Roma community comprises the largest ethnic minority in Spain and Europe. They experience disproportionate social marginalization and discrimination manifested in high unemployment rates and poor health outcomes. The Roma neighbors used photos as a tool for action to help them communicate poor living conditions. Example #6: Use of Photovoice by Ch'orti' Maya Women in Guatemala A group of Ch'orti' Maya women in Guatemala used digital cameras to document health and environmental problems in their hamlets, and as a result, Engineers Without Borders is working on a water purifications solution for the community. Associate professor at the University of Kansas, Brent Metz, and former environmental engineering graduate student, Jody Gentry worked together to train Ch’orti’ women on using digital cameras and document conditions in their homes and neighborhoods. An article recently published in the journal Human Organization details their work in distributing the cameras to the Ch'orti' women and the conditions the women documented with the photos. Example #7: Using Photovoice as a Community-Building Tool Photovoice increased the level of psychological sense of community and the wish for future participation in a group of teenagers who live in a vulnerable, multicultural neighborhood in southern Spain. Read more. Example #8: Helping Housing First Clients Navigate Difficulties Conducting Community-Based Participatory Research Not every issue is photographable, and some issues may be harder to capture through photography than others. This issue may be especially relevant for vulnerable community researchers who often find themselves at the intersection of multiple complex social issues. In fact, the more clients explored the complexity of stigma, the harder it was to photograph it. Read more. Example #9: Participatory Action Research: An example from the Stand Up to Bullying Project Middle school students conducted a Photovoice project generating between five and 30 photos, selecting two, and writing a paragraph describing why the image was meaningful to them in terms of bullying at their school. Read more. Example #10: Prevention Gets Visual: A conversation about Photovoice On this podcast, Sally Laskey, Evaluation Coordinator at NSVRC, interviews partners from PhotoVoice Worldwide and local preventionists in Ohio who collaborated with the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence to create a culturally responsive, anti-violence-focused toolkit for using Photovoice in sexual violence prevention efforts. Example #11: AjA project: empowering youth through visual narratives . The AjA Project is a nonprofit organization based in City Heights, San Diego—the most diverse part of the city. The Mission of the AjA Project is “a compassionate space for young people, activists, visual artists, and educators to engage critically with issues that affect our community and realize our collective liberation through participatory storytelling and the documentary arts.” They work with immigrants, refugees, the transfronterizo community, incarcerated youth, and people going through the process of transformation. At the heart of their programs is participatory photography. They believe that by working with youth to help them create their own images and tell their own stories, they can play a role in fostering their sense of imagination and possibility, for themselves and their communities. With their many partners, they are moving toward collective liberation and a more just world. Example #12: Barefoot workshops: cultivating creativity and storytelling Barefoot Workshops is a New York City-based organization that teaches individuals and organizations how to use digital video, new media, and the arts to transform their communities and themselves. Each year, they teach traditional Documentary Workshops in the Mississippi Delta; Marfa, Texas, and Cape Town, South Africa, which are open to individuals with beginner through advanced levels of training. Barefoot Workshops also leads NGO workshops in partnership with government and nongovernmental organizations. Together, they build the capacity of organizations worldwide to achieve program goals in areas such as health (HIV/AIDS), conflict resolution, youth empowerment, civil rights, and democracy building. Example #13: storycenter: using personal narratives for healing, connection, and social change StoryCenter is an Oakland, California-based organization dedicated to empowering individuals and communities through digital storytelling and personal narrative. Rooted in the 1970s-80s cultural movement to make art accessible beyond professionals, StoryCenter utilizes media to amplify the voices of those often marginalized, fostering equity, wellness, and social action. They offer workshops worldwide that guide people of all backgrounds in crafting and sharing personal stories using digital tools. Since its founding in 1994, StoryCenter has trained over 15,000 people and partnered with nearly 1,000 organizations to harness storytelling as a tool for reflection, connection, and creativity. They also provide online certificate courses, podcast intensives, and much more to deepen personal and community narratives. Example #14: conversations with the earth: engaging indigenous communities in environmental storytelling and action Conversations with the Earth is an Indigenous-led multimedia project that amplifies the voices and perspectives of Indigenous peoples within the global conversation on climate change. CWE showcases the unique knowledge, lived experiences, and leadership of Indigenous communities as vital to addressing today’s climate crisis. Through photo essays, storytelling, and partnerships, CWE documents the diverse ways Indigenous peoples around the world–from Papua New Guinea fishermen to the Skolt Sámi of northern Europe and the Altai herders of Siberia–are confronting and adapting to the impacts of a changing climate. Working alongside communities and initiatives such as the United Nations University’s Traditional Knowledge Initiative, CWE elevates Indigenous solutions and resilience strategies as essential contributions to sustainable global climate action. Example #15: creative narrations: empowering voices through storytelling Creative Narrations is an organization that empowers individuals and organizations to capture, share, and amplify voices of change by combining narrative and technology. Creative Narrations is built on the belief that storytelling is a democratic act and an essential tool for civic engagement and social change. Through multimedia training and consulting, they help communities develop the skills to document, produce, and share their own stories. Their services include hands-on digital storytelling workshops, PhotoVoice projects, and strategic support to help different organizations take action. Grounded in the value of accessibility, Creative Narrations has worked with diverse communities locally and globally to ensure that people directly affected by critical issues can own and share their stories to inspire connection and meaningful action. example #16: critical exposure: amplifying youth voices through visual storytelling Critical Exposure is a Washington, DC–based organization that empowers Black and Brown youth to transform their schools and communities through documentary photography, storytelling, and youth organizing. By combining creative expression with grassroots action, Critical Exposure supports young people in advocating for equity, safety, and resources in public education. Through programs like Stories for Action, the Youth Organizing Collective, and School and Summer Partner Programs, Critical Exposure trains students to document their lives, challenge dominant narratives, and lead campaigns for real change. Example #17: the educational video center: empowering youth through filmmaking and media literacy The Educational Video Center is a New York City-based nonprofit that empowers youth to create documentary videos that drive social change. By teaching young people the craft of documentary filmmaking, EVC helps students build creativity, critical thinking, and real-world job skills, while inspiring civic engagement and leadership. Through projects like the Youth Documentary Workshop, Media Arts Apprenticeship, Professional Development Programs, and the We Are All Connected urban-rural exchange, students learn to film, edit, and produce powerful documentaries and multimedia projects that amplify voices and tackle pressing social justice issues. Youth gain access to internships, paid work, and mentorships that prepare them for future careers. example #18: focus on mentoring: inspiring youth through photojournalism and community collaboration Focus on Mentoring is a unique photojournalism program for Public Housing Authorities that engages and inspires students through digital media, mentoring, and community partnerships. By connecting youth with professional photographers, educators, and local media, the program uses photojournalism as an energetic tool to motivate learning and foster community involvement. Supported by the Tampa Housing Authority and funded through local energy conservation savings, Focus on Mentoring trains residents on photojournalism, helping participants build skills that promote self-sufficiency and economic opportunity in a field that favors freelance work. Through hands-on training and local partnerships, the program combines education, career pathways, and community-building to help students and families advance beyond dependency and toward sustainable futures. example #19: fotokids: developing youth leaders in central america through training Fotokids is a Central America-based program that inspires and empowers young people from communities affected by poverty and gang violence. By providing training in media, photography, creative writing, and IT arts—alongside traditional educational scholarships—Fotokids equips students with practical skills that open doors to new opportunities and help them compete in the job market.Through intensive, long-term mentoring and creative projects, Fotokids supports youth in using photography and digital tools to explore and express their lives, families, and communities. example #20: image magica: teaching documentary photography to youth and communities across brazil ImageMagica is a São Paulo-based organization that promotes social transformation through documentary photography and visual storytelling across Brazil. For over 30 years, ImageMagica has developed sociocultural projects in public institutions such as schools and hospitals, using photography as a universal language to break barriers, spark curiosity, and engage communities. Through programs like PhotoPower, PhotoBoat, and PhotoTruck, ImageMagica trains young people and community members to use photography as a tool for self-expression, cultural connection, and social change. By combining creative workshops with a unique educational approach, ImageMagica helps participants build socio-emotional skills and reimagine their futures with new perspectives. Example #21: In our village: empowering Tanzanian youth to share their stories through books and film What Kids Can Do is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that partners with youth in Kambi ya Simba, a rural village in Tanzania near Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti, to document and share their daily lives through photography, storytelling, and video. In a community where 5,000 residents live as farmers across 40 square kilometers, students at Awet Secondary School use digital cameras and tape recorders to capture the realities of village life. Through projects like In Our Village: Kambi ya Simba Through the Eyes of Its Youth, What Kids Can Do amplifies the voices of young people, providing them with tools to tell their own stories and invite the world to see their village through their eyes. example #22: in-sight photography project: providing brattleboro youth with tools to express themselves through visual storytelling The In-Sight Photography Project, based in Brattleboro, Vermont, provides youth with a creative space to explore photography as a visual language for self-expression and connection. Since 1992, In-Sight has offered a wide range of hands-on classes and experiences, from Film & Alternative Processes, Intro to Digital, and Videography to unique workshops like Sky to Sea, Night Photography, and Harnessing the Sun: Pinhole, Solargraphy & Cyanotype. In addition to its classes, In-Sight runs programs like the Youth Photo Team, a Whale Watching Excursion, and Youth Internships that give students opportunities to deepen their skills and explore real-world photography projects. Through community events like the Youth Pride Photo Contest, Youth Photo Contest & Fair, and public exhibitions, In-Sight empowers young people to share their stories, build confidence, and connect with their communities through the art of photography. example #23: photovoices international: training communities worldwide to document culture, environment, and social issues through photography Photovoices International is an Indonesian nonprofit that empowers underrepresented communities–especially women and youth–to use photography and storytelling to influence decisions that impact their lives. Their mission is to “engage with and train community members to use visuals and storytelling to influence people and policies, and advocate for positive change.” PVI helps participants document environmental changes, cultural traditions, and social challenges in their communities. Examples of their work include training community members to map natural resources for sustainable management, supporting indigenous groups to share their perspectives on land rights, and facilitating youth-led photo exhibits that highlight gender equality and climate change. example #24: silence speaks: creating safe spaces for untold stories through photovoice Silence Speaks is a global digital storytelling project that creates safe spaces by using hands-on workshops for people to share personal stories often left unheard. Through programs like Rainbow Dialogues (LGBTQIA+ voices in India), Voices to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, and Stories of Home (supporting refugees and immigrants in the U.S.), Silence Speaks amplifies marginalized voices facing stigma and violence. example #25: stories for change: a hub of digital storytelling resources and inspiring personal narratives Stories for Change is an online platform that offers a collection of digital storytelling resources and a diverse archive of personal narratives. Through videos and photos, Stories for Change shares moments of struggle, resilience, and transformation—like the efforts of NAMI volunteers supporting family mental health during COVID-19 shutdowns and a teacher’s reflections on isolation and growth while far from home in Peru. These stories highlight how unexpected experiences can teach us new perspectives and inspire change. example #26: through the eyes of children: empowering orphaned youth in rwanda to share their stories through photography Through the Eyes of Children is a nonprofit that teaches vulnerable children–especially orphans of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide–to express themselves through photography. Founded in 2000 at the Imbabazi Orphanage, the project began with 19 children known as the “Camera Kids” who documented their lives and communities over 11 years.Their powerful images have been exhibited worldwide, helping raise funds for their education and inspiring many to pursue college and careers in photography. Today, former Camera Kids lead workshops internationally, teaching photography to other vulnerable youth and continuing TTEC’s mission to amplify young voices through visual storytelling. example #27: video volunteers: amplifying marginalized communities worldwide through photovoice Video Volunteers is an international social media network empowering marginalized and underserved communities in India to create and share media addressing local issues and driving social change. Through IndiaUnheard, Video Volunteers trains community members living below the poverty line to produce authentic news from rural districts, giving voice to those often ignored by mainstream media.With over 4,000 videos produced, nearly 250 active participants, and engagement from 180,000 community members, Video Volunteers amplifies grassroots stories that inspire action, resulting in positive government responses and support for social movements. Example #28: born into brothels - a photovoice project by zana briski Born Into Brothels is a documentary about children living in poverty in Calcutta’s red-light district who discover hope through photography. Filmmaker and photographer Zana Briski, who taught the children to use cameras to tell their stories, created a non-profit called Kids with Cameras to support their education and empower marginalized youth worldwide through photography. example #29: using photovoice to explore barriers to heart health in lenoir county, north carolina In Lenoir County, North Carolina, teens and adults used photography to capture what hinders heart health in their community. The photos revealed key barriers like stress from racial prejudice and limited access to healthy food. These images sparked meaningful discussions, helping participants better understand community challenges related to heart health. Attached below is the research publication. At the bottom are some photos that were taken. example #30: photovoice and empowerment - exploring personal change among women in villaverde This study explored the personal experiences of women who participated in a previous Photovoice project in Villaverde, a low-income district in Madrid, Spain. Through interviews and field notes, researchers analyzed changes in empowerment. The findings showed that participants gained critical awareness of their community, experienced improved self-esteem through social recognition, and expanded their social networks. The study concludes that Photovoice can be a powerful tool for individual empowerment. example #31: lens of a child - exploring environment through photovoice This documentary shows a Photovoice project at an elementary school in Toronto, Canada, where young students used disposable cameras to capture their view of their environment. The children took the photos themselves and were interviewed to share their reflections, offering insight into their perspectives and daily experiences. example #32: empowering teens to document and discuss public health A Photovoice project from the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health involved teens from Detroit using photography to document public health concerns in their communities. Through this initiative, the teens captured images that reflect the challenges they observe in their surroundings. This offers a youth-driven perspective on community health and encourages dialogue for change. example #33: south park photovoice - visual stories strengthening community South Park PhotoVoice, a program run by Youth in Focus in Seattle, uses photography and writing to showcase the daily lives and needs of community members. The project aims to build community connections and spark conversations about local issues. example #34: a photovoice project on coal mining in west virginia The Southern West Virginia Photovoice Project empowered women in coal-mining communities to document their lives and the impacts of coal mining through photography and personal narratives. Using Photovoice, participants raised awareness and advocated for change. It led to real community improvements, such as addressing water contamination. example #35: using photovoice to understand cardiovascular health awareness in asian elders This Photovoice study by the University of Washington explored perceptions of cardiovascular health among Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean adults. Participants used disposable cameras to capture images of factors they felt hindered heart health. They expressed how cultural practices, diet, physical activity, and more affected their health. example #36: witness - empowering human rights through video Witness is a nonprofit that trains activists and human rights groups to use video to document human rights abuses. By capturing and sharing these stories, Witness aims to expose perpetrators, seek justice, and empower communities to share their own experiences.
