Building a Stronger Community: A Child's Perspective

This study explores how communities become stronger when all citizens are civically engaged. This project helped children develop a sense of agency and critical consciousness that is needed in order to bring about changes to their community. The method that was used to collect data was digital storytelling. A seventeen session digital storytelling workshop led children through the process of combining a narrative, photographs, and music into a mini-movie. By creating a digital story, the children now have an instrument to use to have their voice heard as they engage in conversations with community leaders. Additionally, the children who participated in this project had an opportunity to become empowered to advocate for people in their community about social issues related to everyday living patterns found in their community