The Family Group Conference is a restorative approach to decision making which is used mainly with families in child protection. It is an empowering process aimed at strengthening the family members and children' right to have a say in matters that concern them, an issue stressed by the UN's Convention on the Rights of the Child. FGCs are therefore used to help families in finding their own solutions in difficult situations. This thesis investigates the strategies used by families and relatives within FGC in order to solve complex family situations, and compares the specifics of this approach with more common problem-solving method used in this field. In addition, it examines how the family conference is perceived by its actors. The theoretical part introduces the principles and the main ideas of this approach and describes the process and the roles of its actors. Firstly, FGCs are briefly presented within the international context and then the process of their recent implementation in the Czech Republic is described in more detail. The data are collected through the participant observation of two family conferences. In addition, semi-structured interviews with the involved actors were used to discover the participants' view of the conference, and to compare this particular approach of decision...

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This is an arts-informed qualitative research study looking at violence against women and how it affects their educational outcomes. It uses an art installation in which the narratives of the women involved are combined with photographs and real world objects in which viewers take on a ‘walking meditation’ as well as the use of participation stations for viewer feedback and further sharing of stories anonymously. This project is based on the belief that through a feminist research lens, participatory practice with the use of storytelling can be a form of transformation in community development.

This is an arts-informed qualitative research study looking at violence against women and how it affects their educational outcomes. It uses an art installation in which the narratives of the women involved are combined with photographs and real world objects in which viewers take on a ‘walking meditation’ as well as the use of participation stations for viewer feedback and further sharing of stories anonymously. This project is based on the belief that through a feminist research lens, participatory practice with the use of storytelling can be a form of transformation in community development.

No description available.