Los Inestables Radio seeks to promote the appropriation of digital technology tools by participants, with the aim to promote self-management and the collective participation in each of the stages of radio production. For this purpose, we will conduct training workshops in live broadcasting, recording and editing of podcasts, and the use of social networking so they can share their content with the global community. There will also be biweekly tutorials and sessions to share experiences with other local community organizations.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Córdoba
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
This project is aimed at a group of people hospitalized and/or in outpatient treatment at a public psychiatric hospital in Córdoba, Argentina. They are an underrepresented community because the voice of the “crazy” has traditionally been censored and undervalued, considering them to be disruptive to the social order. In addition, the majority of these people come from poor or socially vulnerable backgrounds, compounded by their situation of confinement. This hinders the possibility for access and use of digital and virtual media, as well as the right to communication and expression. None of the participants own computers or have access to the internet, and the majority are not familiar with these tools.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
The created content will consist of audio podcasts with discussions about issues affecting the participants (mental health, poverty, discrimination, a lack of access to culture and communication); radio dramas about everyday situations; poems; songs; community news accompanied by reflections from their point of view. These productions, recorded during open radio (with the participation of approximately 35 people), will be edited to be shared with the local and global community through the production of CDs and diffusion in social networking sites. This will help demystify the notion that they are “incapable,” providing visibility to their creative capacity and promoting the problematization of a stigmatizing discourse about mental health that makes their voices invisible.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.
The established connections that will contribute to the projects’ success are with the community radio stations Radio Sur and La Quinta Pata Radio, and with the university radio Revés Radio, which has already advised and trained the coordinators of the radio in the skills of recording and editing of programs, and will now provide support to train the rest of the participants. There is also support from the hospital's Informatics Workshop, which will guarantee access to the computers and provide advice in the social networking training. We will also make contacts with other community radio stations and social organizations to share experiences and lessons learned, so that more people can learn about Rising Voices and join this global communication network.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
Of the 35 radio participants, we will train a group of 15 people that have had active participation for the past three years, and have requested training in technical skills to operate and record programs, edit podcasts, and have access to social networking sites to share their radio content. It is anticipated that in the future that they can take on the role of trainers, multiplying the impact of this proposal. To promote the participation, we will utilize fun and creative techniques adapted to the local context, as well as a personalized follow-up with those that have more difficulties. In turn, an incentive will be the possibility for personal and collective growth, and this training can help with future work possibilities for each participant.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
The participants will learn the basic use of computers (focusing on the use of Windows and the Internet), digital audio recorders and a soundboard. They will also learn about the use of social networking sites Facebook and MySpace; virtual platforms of Rising Voices and radioteca.net, Zara Radio software for live broadcasting, and Adobe Audition software for recording and editing. We will promote collective learning that allows for mutual enrichment between participants and coordinators. The coordination team will provide their contributions with the coordination of groups, use of participatory and interactive techniques for popular education, support tutorials, and follow-up during the entire process, as well as the management of individual therapeutic support for emerging situations.
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
Los Inestables Radio currently has one computer, two microphones, and a mini-component with two small speakers as their own equipment. There are three enclosed physical spaces, and one open-air space where the radio program is normally held. In each of these spaces, there are benches and chairs for approximately 20 people. The planned activities will take place in these spaces within the hospital grounds, which includes the computer lab (with 5 computers with wi-fi internet connection); and in other organizations/radio stations such as Radio Sur, La Quinta Pata Radio, and Radio Revés, they will provide us with physical space, furniture, sound equipment and computers (between 5-15 computers with a wi-fi internet connection).
What is your current relationship with the community with whom you plan to work? What makes you the most appropriate individual or organization to implement this project?
Those who will take on the coordinating roles are four young professions from different careers (social communication, social work, psychology, therapeutic support) that form an interdisciplinary team working on a pro-bono basis at the hospital for the past four years. This team has established a link with the participants of Los Inestables Radio, which was created in 2010 and continues to this day, constantly seeking to promote the participation of different stakeholders, expanding their experience in the radio field, and increasing the commitment with mental health, communication, and human rights from different places, with ongoing training in these areas.
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
Depending on the target population, it is likely that there may be a deterioration or change related to the mental health of the participants. To address this situation, we will include a psychologist and a therapeutic companion to ensure the welfare of the participants through individual and group approaches. Due to the lack of access to their own computers, there may be difficulty in consolidating learning. We will make arrangements with the informatics workshop to provide access to the computers during additional hours. Faced with the difficulties that some people may have in understanding the explanations or lacking certain prior knowledge, we will provide a technical tutor to accompany these individual processes.
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
At least 12 participants will attend 80% of workshops and tutorials.
At least 10 participants will learn how to operate a live radio program.
At least 10 participants will learn how to record and edit an audio podcast.
At least 12 participants will share and disseminate five radio podcasts in different social networks.
Burn a CD with podcasts from at least 10 participants in order to spread with organizations and members of the local community without Internet access.
Organize 2 sessions to exchange experiences with the participation of at least two community organizations.
Exchange podcasts with at least 5 projects that are part of the network of Rising Voices and hear other underrepresented voices in the global community.
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2013?
- Digital Media Tools Training Workshops
2 workshops basic use of PC (May)
2 workshops use of social networking (June)
6 workshops live broadcast, recording and editing (August, September, October)
2 workshops integration of learning (November)
– follow-up and strengthening tutorials
12 tutorial sessions with a reduced number of participants. Biweekly frequency (May to December)
– socialization sessions
2 sessions of socialization with the experiences of other radial and community organizations (July and December)
– practice
8 practical applications of learned skills in the weekly radio programs (March and April 2014)
Detail a specific budget of up to $4,000 USD for operating costs.
Item Quantity Price Subtotal ARS Subtotal US$
Notebooks 20 7.78 155.60 30.63
Pens 20 2.27 45.40 8.94
Pencils 20 1.24 24.80 4.88
Erasers 20 1.28 25,60 5.04
Markers 10 5.92 59.20 11.65
Poster paper 30 1.50 45 8.86
Paper 2 34.97 69.94 13.77
Scotch tape 5 7 35 6.89
Printer cartridge 2 161.57 323.14 63.61
CD cases 100 2.50 250 49.21
Blank CDR 100 2.30 230 45.28
Transportation costs 240 4.10 984 193.70
Digital Audio Recorder 2 599 1198 235.83
External Hard Drive 1 TB 1 949 949 186.81
Console potenc 8 ch 1 2584.70 2584.70 508.80
Bafle 8¨ 100W 2 679 1358 267.32
Honoraria
Technical Coordinator 44hs 50 2200 433.07
Therapeutic Coordinator 44hs 50 2200 433.07
Individual Therapeutic Companion 28 hs 50 1400 275.60
Follow-up Tutors 48 hs 50 2400 472.44
TOTAL $ARS 16,537.38 US$ 3,255.40
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
Rising Voices can help ensure that the project's productions are spread through its networks to achieve a greater reach in the global community. This would allow for different groups around the world to learn about the experiences of the struggle for a fair and equal access to communication and free expression, as well as the situation regarding Mental Health and Human Rights in general, in the voice of the primary actors. The sharing of experiences with groups with similar interests or concerns help enable mutual enrichment and reinforcement. Rising Voices can also provide guides to help our own use of digital citizen media and ensure access to innovative, online, inclusive, and diverse spaces.
Contact name
Sol Victoria Del Carpio
Organization
Radio Los Inestables