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CASE STUDIES
The main objective of the briefed about the do’s and don’ts narrate their visualisation of
drawing workshop was to of the exercise. The students were their “dream home” to the
explore women’s understanding strictly asked to not interrupt assistant.
and perceptions on what the thoughts of the participants Each participant was given a
constitutes adequate housing. by asking too many questions workshop kit which contained a
The workshop was conducted or by directly or indirectly pack of colour sketching pens, a
at Anna University with the providing them with ideas. They pack of colour wax crayons (oil
participation of 18 women from were asked to just follow the pastels), a pencil, an eraser, a blue
the Perumbakkam Resettlement instructions given by the female pen, and a notepad. Instructions
site, 25 students of the participants and facilitate the were given to the assistants not
Department of Media Sciences process rather than incorporate to intervene or suggest anything
(DMS) and researchers from DMS their ideas in the drawings. to the participants. They should
and IHS. The participants were The two-days workshop started just draw what the participants
selected through the help of a with an introductory talk on the verbally told them to draw.
Community Based Organisation purpose of the workshop. The From objects to colour selection,
from Perumbakkam. researchers gave the participants the resulting drawings were
Preparations, procedures one main instruction, namely based on the instructions given
and implementation of the to imagine and draw, with the by women to assistants or the
Workshop help of a student, their “dream participants’ own works.
home”, bearing in mind what
It was expected that the female was lacking in the resettlement Even though the participants
participants from Perumbakkam site. This guidance gave a focus were given the opportunity
would not be used to this type to women on what to represent to draw themselves, most of
of participatory exercise and in their drawings and at the them opted for the help of the
might not be comfortable in same time keeping it sufficiently assistant. Only one participant
participating in a drawing open to include all they wanted. opted to colour her drawing
workshop within a formal herself. Although she was aided
educational setting. Therefore After five minutes of meditation, by an assistant to do the basic
prior to the workshop a group the student assistants were called sketch and then she coloured it
of DMS students were trained upon to join the women for the herself. The drawing exercise
to help in the workshop. The drawing exercise. The student lasted 45 minutes.
students were given a drawing assistants were introduced as Woodhouse (2012) argued that
exercise the previous day to a group, and their roles were in order to promote validity
prepare themselves for the explained to the participants. and reliability of the drawing
workshop. They were made to Student assistants were not methodology, semi-structured
draw possible types of buildings assigned a specific participant, interviews could be used to
(houses, hospitals, shops, etc.), they just went around randomly complement the information
common household items and the participants were able from the drawings. This did not
(fridge, washing machine, TV, to choose their assistant. The take place, instead at the end of
etc.), transport vehicles (bicycle, participant and their drawing the workshop the women were
motorcycle, car, bus, etc.) and assistant introduced themselves given the opportunity to explain
community places (schools, to each other, and then seated their drawings. A few women
playground, restaurant, police themselves comfortably. The came forward to discuss their
station, etc.). They were also participants were asked to drawings with the group. They
October 2020 Volume 21 No. 2-SHELTER 69
