Nick Lunch – Director of InsightShare, Oxford, UK

He is a pioneer of participatory video (PV) methodology, a process that places video cameras in the hands of marginalised groups and enables them to reflect on, communicate and transform their own reality. PV is a great mobiliser for communities because it is a fun and inspiring process and it can amplify those unheard voices. Also it has been an effective way to build bridges and resolve conflict between diverse stakeholders. InsightShare’s methods value local knowledge and seek to enable people to develop greater control over their own development and the decisions affecting their lives.

Nick studied English at the University of Leeds and has worked on international Participatory Video projects since 1996, founding RAP Community Action. RAP was a local grassroots media centre for disadvantaged youth in Oxford. His work aimed to put into practice Agenda 21 "act local think global" through providing young people of disadvantaged backgrounds across the globe with the opportunity to exchange videos and other forms of art. Video became a catalyst for local action as youth found they could play an active role as change makers in their communities. The project involved young people from Nepal, UK, Cuba, Zimbabwe and Mali. After his work with RAP, he facilitated therapeutic PV for mental health service users, refugees and asylum seekers.

In 2003, he co-founded Insight with his brother Chris. Since then, he has been working in projects in Turkmenistan, India, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Peru, Mexico, Borneo, USA and Europe. Lately, he has largely been working on biocultural diversity PV projects with indigenous custodians, as a co-founder of Conversations with the Earth. This is a multimedia collaboration to document the impacts of climate change on indigenous communities. The communities create their own video stories, featuring their perspective on the topic and sharing their skills with other communities to develop a global network of indigenous groups and media hubs focusing on these issues.