Doctoral Research Project – Supervised at Royal Roads University
Images Into Action is a qualitative, youth-participatory visual storytelling study that explores how youth frame climate change and climate action, and uses visual storytelling to support engagement and critical consciousness. Youth collaborators co-design research activities, help thematically analyze images, and shape visual story decks, collections of photos with stories about climate issues, solutions, and actions. The project is youth centered and participatory through shaping the research, contribute ideas, analysing and sharing images for use in the study’s evolving set of visual stories.
What is Images Into Action?
Images Into Action is a youth-centered participatory research project exploring how visual storytelling can support climate engagement, empowerment, and communication. Youth define image categories, collect and analyze images, and create visual stories that reflect what matters to them. The research is guided by Mark Altermann, a graduate student at Royal Roads University and the Youth Research Advisory Group, volunteer youth between 15 and 25 years of age recruited to shape the research and its results.
Key aspects of the project are:
Co-created Knowledge
Youth decide on the image themes, outreach strategy, analysis, and criteria for curation.
Make sense
Learn visual analysis methods; connect images to climate actions.
Tell stories
Through storytelling help to create image captions and short narratives for selected images.
Share impact
Help create a visual story deck that can be used to explore and discuss climate issues, solutions, and action.