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Toolkit / Part 02 / Chapter 06

GET READY, SET , GO!

●  6.1. Implementing the workshops with young people[1]

The workshops on SGBV outlined this toolkit were designed to be implemented within the context of comprehensive sex education (CSE). In this respect, every model on this toolkit can act as a stand-alone model in order to focus on the specific needs of the target group. For instance, do we need to focus more on how young people can protect themselves from sexual violence online? Are we dealing with groups with a high incidence of intimate partner violence or domestic violence and thus more focus needs to be placed in these topics? Or have we been called to make an intervention on helping young people protect themselves from school-related gender-based violence? The toolkit provides the flexibility of concentrating on either one module alone or combining various modules with each other, according to the needs of the specific target group and what we are aiming to address. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prior to implementing the different Modules on gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence or sex in the digital world, it is important that the target group has already had some introductory training sessions on gender and gender equality; gender identities and sexual identities; hierarchies of power; male privilege; human and sexual rights. These introductory sessions will provide the foundation on which the following discussions on SGBV can be built upon. They will also help to bring a common framework in the discussion and bring the different members of the target group on the same page. In this respect, the introductory Module 1 provides the space for deconstructing social norms and stereotypical perceptions that are the root causes of SGBV and encourages a common understanding of gender, identity, sexuality, sex positivity, healthy and fulfilling relationships and respect for human rights so that fruitful and impactful exchanges about SGBV can take place.

Starting off sessions on SGBV without this necessary ‘grounding’ runs the risk of having many different and divergent approaches within the target group, which will be difficult to bring together and thus significantly diluting the impact of the educational intervention. Quite importantly, starting off discussions on SGBV right off the bat and without first setting a common framework, may also run the risk of participants who have already experienced SGBV or are at a higher risk of experiencing SGBV, feeling more vulnerable, stigmatized and left hanging. 

Moreover, part of this ‘grounding’ is the need to create a comfortable, inclusive and safe space in the group for participants to be able to openly engage in the discussion without feeling exposed or vulnerable. An integral part of the creation of a safe space also involves already having mapped the required support services, hotlines, chat-lines, online resources, shelters, health clinics, youth services and organizations where young people can be referred to in your local context for additional information, support or protection should the need arise.

Given time limitations that are present in every training event, facilitators might want to choose some activities over others depending on the subject they are addressing. Nonetheless, the toolkit can also be implemented as a complete training program on gender norms and SGBV. If there is availability to implement various sessions, it would be best if the sessions are delivered on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to help keep participants’ learning fresh and their enthusiasm alive. Usually, trying to ‘cram’ the entire training program over a one-week period, or over a weekend, ends up being an intense experience for participants and does not give them adequate time to fully absorb and reflect on the things they are learning.

Implementation of this toolkit can take place either in formal settings (incorporated for instance as part of the curriculum in schools/universities) or informal settings such as in schools but outside the school curriculum; through youth or community centres; in cooperation with organizations who work with the specific target groups or as part of  wider interventions with specific target groups. No matter the setting, because of the interactive and experiential nature of the activities, the modules will work best if they are delivered in relatively small groups of around 20 young people, enabling everyone in the group to have an equal say and equal involvement. While it is often hard to achieve,  it is also preferable to have a balance of mixed genders present in the target group in order to instigate a more balanced interaction and cross learning between them. Moreover, in light of the participatory nature of the activities, if you are running this training face to face,  it is best if participants can sit in a circle without tables in front of them and that there is adequate space in the venue to enable movement, theatrical improvisations, creative/artistic activities and working in small groups.

Moreover, though it may not always be possible, having two facilitators provides the space for different facilitation styles to be incorporated and increases the likelihood that activities will engage a wider number of participants. It also ensures there is always someone ‘extra’ who can, if necessary, take time out of the group to support young participants who may need space to talk about personal experiences of SGBV. Furthermore, having facilitators of mixed genders helps build rapport with all members of the group and embodies the recognition that everyone has an equal role and responsibility in helping to end gender inequality and SGBV.

In certain cases, for certain activities/groups you may also opt that these are facilitated by facilitators who share a similar profile of the target groups themselves (for instance, facilitators from the same age group, facilitators who identify as LGBTIQ+, facilitators from the Roma community or from similar ethnic backgrounds as the group etc). Coming from a similar background, facilitators can directly relate to the contexts/experiences of the target group and can provide more tangible insights about these contexts/experiences. Unquestionably, all facilitators could (and should be able) to approach all groups with the same sensitivity, empathy and sensitization regardless of whether they come from the marginalized group themselves or whether they had similar experiences. The consideration to use facilitators who share the group’s characteristics, if such an option is possible of course, always needs to aim to benefit the group and enhance its comfort in participating.

●  6.2. Planning for implementation

Planning for implementation of the training requires that you pay attention to a range of educational and programmatic factors that include ease of access to the target group, time availability, the specific needs of the target group, permissions required, type of setting (in or out of school for instance), trainers’ skills,  community values and extent of external support to name a few. The questions below are intended to guide you in considering these issues as you develop your training program:

  • How can you obtain access to the target group? Where can you reach them? Are there local expert organizations that you can collaborate with  in order to obtain access to the target group and be able to deliver the training?
  • Are you delivering the training online or face to face? How will these different modes of implementation affect your recruitment process?
  • Would you have direct access to the target group to inform them about this training and its objectives or do you need to depend on others (such as educators, school management, other youth workers, community workers, activists etc.) to provide this information on your behalf? If so, can you provide some information to the people you will collaborate with beforehand, so they know what to communicate to young people?
  • Will you invite young people to participate on a voluntary basis or will you target a specific class or a very specific youth group? 
  • How will you invite young people to take part in the training? How can you send information out?
  • Do you need permission from the school/university or youth organizations to deliver the training activities? How time consuming or bureaucratic can the process of obtaining permission be? Are there any people who you may have cooperated in the past and who are aware of the work you do, who can help you get this permission?
  • What can help build credibility for your training program so that it will be easier for you to secure the relevant permissions easily and promptly?  Would for instance proof of your existing track record help build this credibility? Would an endorsement of a local/ regional/European institution you cooperate with help open doors for you?
  • Do you need to secure parental consent to enable young people to participate, if they are under 18? What information needs to go out to the parents? Is there any language/terminologies you need to be mindful of?
  • Does the school or organisation you will work with have specific guidelines or procedures on how you are expected to deal with possible disclosures of bullying or  abuse? Are young people aware of these guidelines? 
  • Are there specific donor requirements you need to fulfil?
  • Are there any requirements or limitations posed by the institutions you will collaborate with that you need to take into account when implementing the training (for instance limitations within the curriculum, limitations posed by the program or the wider intervention with the target group, parental concerns,  community values, resistance by certain stakeholders etc.)?  Is it possible to find a win-win situation that can satisfy the different parties involved?
  • Are you aware of available resources such as people (i.e. school counsellors, school nurses, school psychologists etc.), organisations, phone-lines or online/offline support services where young people can turn to for support if they have experiences of bullying or abuse? 
  • If you are delivering the sessions face to face, do you have access to materials and resources that are needed to deliver the various activities (e.g. consumables, photocopying or printing facilities to prepare the worksheets)? Do you have a small budget  available in order to obtain these materials or resources?
  • Do you need to provide some acknowledgement or reward for young people’s participation in the training (e.g. certificates of participation, provision of credits for thematically relevant lessons)? 
  • How will you carry an evaluation of your training? Are there any donor requirements about evaluation that you need to consider? Do you need to conduct for instance pre and post questionnaires? Or will you be able to incorporate more creative methods of evaluation?

●  6.3. Facilitators self-preparation

When compiling the workshop’s program it is important that you first take into account your own experience and interests, the needs of the specific target group and the time availability you have at hand, in order to select the most appropriate activities. If you are not very experienced in conducting trainings in issues related to SGBV, take time to adequately prepare yourself beforehand by thoroughly going through the theoretical information of the module and the step-by-step implementation of the activities. Pay particular attention to the debriefing, the take home messages and any tips provided, as these will provide the general frame in which you’ll need to guide the discussion. Plan in your mind how you will link the discussion to the ‘theory’, to make sure that young people walk out with the necessary knowledge and skills in challenging norms and unhealthy attitudes/behaviours.  If you have the opportunity, try to facilitate the module(s) with a co-facilitator or co-facilitator(s). This is particularly important especially in the case of online implementation, where logistics can get too overwhelming for only one facilitator. Facilitating with other peers, both in online and offline contexts, provides a framework of safety and support, especially in parts of the training where you may not be feeling too confident to implement on your own.

Implementation of the selected activities needs to also be adapted to your own personal style; the instructions, debriefing and process of each activity in this toolkit are suggestive of one possible way the activity can be implemented. To feel confident to train a group of young people you need to feel free to be yourself and use words or language that better fit your own personal style. Quite importantly, activities also need to be adapted according to the local context of each target group, but without changing the objectives of the activities.

Another important adaptation also concerns the dynamics of each group; even though a first adaptation can be made beforehand according to your presumed understanding of your target group and their needs, later adaptations may also need to take place during the actual implementation of the workshop. Consequently, the possibility to adapt an activity on the spot, heavily depends upon the facilitator’s flexibility and experience to do so. One solution to overcome this problem, if it emerges, is to be prepared to use additional activities to the ones planned  (“backup activities”) so that you will have the opportunity to quickly wrap up an activity that obviously doesn’t seem to ‘work’ for the group (or that young people don’t seem to be interested in), and proceed with a different one on the same topic or on a new topic. 

Furthermore, although the activities in this toolkit do not directly ask young people to share personal experiences of violence, you need to be prepared for the possibility that a young person might disclose that they are experiencing SGBV. Specific information on dealing with disclosures of SGBV, is included in section  5.8 -How to respond to disclosure of violence and abuse.

●  6.4. Develop the group agreement

Before you begin with ANY activity it is important to create a group agreement with the group in relation to their needs, desires, wishes and requirements in being able to  engage in the activities with comfort and ease and feeling safe and included. The aim of the group agreement is to ensure that all conversations in the group remain productive, meaningful and inclusive for all young people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. 

If you will be conducting a series of sessions with a particular group, you can introduce this activity at the very beginning of the first session and then remind the group of the agreement and revisit it as you move on with subsequent sessions.

Prompt young people to use words that make the most sense for them. For instance, despite  the very best intentions, for some young people, safer spaces may not feel realistic.  Therefore, they may decide to use  ‘comfortable space’,  ‘brave space’, ‘inclusive space’, ‘supportive space’ etc., according to what language best resonates with them.

Activity- Let’s sail in comfort and safety

  1. Start by putting up the picture of a boat on the screen.
  2. We are about to embark on a journey together where we will explore various issues that affect young people’s lives. Before we go on with our activities,  it is important that we  ensure that we all sail together  in safety and comfort. Today, I’d like us to create a positive environment for our group where everyone feels at ease, safe, included and supported.
  3. In order to do so, we will brainstorm on some guidelines that will help us have meaningful, productive  and respectful conversations, even when we are discussing challenging, sensitive or difficult topics. 
  4. Before we go into our guidelines, let’s first give a name to this list of agreements. Some groups choose to call it a safe space or a brave space– but it is up to you decide what name fits our group best . So, what would you like to call this list of guidelines?
  5. Once the title has been found, ask young people to mention what they need from the rest of the group in order to feel safe and comfortable. 
  6. Confirm that the whole group is onboard and that they are willing to respect the group agreement. 
  7. Let’s discuss now what happens if these agreements and guidelines we developed together are not respected.  For instance how could you react if you feel offended? What may feel offensive to someone else? 
  8. What should happen if someone breaks the safer space? What kinds of responses do we want to have if that happens? (steer your discussion toward encouraging a dialogue between youth, and away from creating punishments or discipline.)

●  6.5. Using energizers to shift the energy in the room and to build group cohesion

Energizers that can be used face to face

Walk the Space

Ask the group to walk the space.  They must not walk in circles, but walk with a purpose as if they have a target in mind as to where they’re going. As they are walking tell them that at the moment they are at speed 5 out of a speed of 10.  Now ask the group to walk according to the number that you call out, with 10 been the fastest and 1 the slowest. Please remind them NOT to run! 

Variations: 

  • Walk the space shake hands, can’t let go of the other person’s hand till you find another. 
  • Walk the space and make eye contact with another person for as long as possible
  • Walk the space and give a high-five with people you meet! 
  • Walk the space and greet the other people you meet as if they are your long-lost friend
  • Walk around space, greet each other firstly in your own language/culture.  Now try different cultural greetings. 
  • Now make up your own greetings in pairs, the greeting must incorporate three elements, for example, sound, movement etc. The rest of the group looks at the greetings

Spy catcher

  • Have the group stand in a circle, including the facilitator. Tell them that each one of them is a spy and a spy-catcher is there to arrest them.
  • Tell them the good news: there’s a bodyguard in the group as well, protecting them.
  • Ask every member of the group to select a group member which they suspect to be the spy catcher, WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE
  • Then ask them to select another member of the group which they think is their bodyguard, again without telling anyone.
  • Now ask the group to position themselves in such a way that their bodyguard is between them and the spy-catcher. 

Earthquake and the squirrels

  • Divide the group into three equal groups. One group will be house 1, the other group will be house 2 and the last group will be the squirrels
  •  All of the participants from House 1 find a partner from House 2, face one another, raise their arms and place their palms together forming a “house”.
  • Each of the participants from the squirrel group choose a “house” and “hide” underneath it.
  • Once this is done, explain that there will soon be an earthquake. When this happens the groups need to change. So a squirrel who was hiding under the house must find another squirrel and create a house with them.
  • At the same time the houses need to scramble and now become squirrels so they need to find a newly formed house to hide underneath. They need to run fast because there are not many houses for them. A squirrel who doesn’t manage to hide under a house needs to leave the game.
  • Yell “EARTHQUAKE!!” . The participants run around, try to form new houses and hide underneath them. The roles keep changing every time you call ‘EARTHQUAKE’- squirrels become houses and then houses become squirrels and so on.
  • Each time this is done 1/3 of the participants are left without a house in which to hide and they are eliminated from the game.
  •  Continue until there are only three participants left — two forming a house and one participant hiding underneath.

Mosquito hunter

Start with a group standing in a circle. The aim of the game is to kill the mosquito which flies above a person’s head. When you call mosquito and point to one of the people in the group, the two people next to  that person (on their left and on their right) must kill the mosquito by trying to clap their hands around it. The person in the middle  ducks down to avoid being hit. The person who had the mosquito on their head now passes the ‘mosquito’ to another person’s head. The two people next to this person try to kill it and so on and so on. 

Wink murder:  Everyone closes their eyes.  The facilitator taps one person on the shoulder and then this person becomes the murderer. In a loud voice the facilitator announces that the group has a murderer. Ask the group not to open their eyes yet. Then tap another person on the shoulder, saying ‘we now also have a police officer’ too.  Everyone opens their eyes and walks the space. If the murderer winks at someone, that person needs to wait 5 seconds and then they must die a horrible death.  The objective of the game is to guess the murderer, but if you guess wrong you are out of the game. If the murder winks at the police officer, then the murder is arrested and the game ends.

Colombian hypnosis[2]

One person holds her hand palm forward, fingers upright, approximately 20 to 40 centimetres away from the face of another person. The second person looks at the hand and then as if hypnotized, must keep their face constantly the same distance from the hand of the hypnotizer. The hypnotizer starts a series of movements with their hand, up and down, right and left, backwards and forwards, their hand vertical in relation to the ground, then horizontal, then diagonal, etc. – The person who is hypnotized must contort their body in every way possible to follow the hypnotizer’s hand. If necessary, the hypnotic hand can be swapped; for instance, to force the hypnotized to go between the legs of the hypnotizer. Watch your speed so it is too rapid that it cannot be followed, nor  too slow or come to a complete halt. After a few minutes, the two partners change, the follower becomes the leader and vice versa.

Back to back dancing

Ask the group to get into pars and  set themselves back to back. Ask the pair to lock their arms so they can support each other. While you’re playing some music ask the pairs to perform various tasks such as walk forward, backwards, side to side, sit, stand, jump etc. They need to hold on tight to each other and back to back contact cannot be broken. Finish the activity by asking the pairs to dance to the music. Each person in the pair must try to intuitively sense what the other person wants to do, and where they want to go. 

This is not a spoon

With the group standing in a circle, place an object on a chair in the middle of the group, for instance a spoon. Ask the first person to pick up the spoon and say ‘This is not a spoon, it is…’ and without saying anything, the person acts out what else the spoon can be (for instance a flute, a shovel, a mirror, a comb, a toothbrush etc.). The group tries to guess the new use of the object. People in the group go one by one, acting out different uses of the spoon.

Balloons

Ask the group to split into two groups of equal side. The people in each group stand one behind the other so the groups form two lines, so each line is next to each other. Give each group some balloons (already filled out), according to the number of people in each group, so that each person gets one balloon. 

Explain that during this activity we will have a race of balloons. The first two people from each group will walk to a designated space in the room (not too far away from the groups), holding the balloon between them but they can only hold the balloon with their body. They cannot use their hands. This way, the balloon will be essentially held between the back of the first person and the tummy/chest of the second person. The pairs walk to the designated space and then walk back to their group to ‘pick up’ the third person. The third person now joins in, holding their balloon between themselves and the back of the second person. The triads walk to the designated spot and then back to the group, to pick up the 4th person and so on, until all people in the group are walking in the line with balloons between them.

The line (group) which manages to pick up the last person first, walk to designated spot and back, wins the game.

Bear Ninja Hunter

This game is played out as rock-paper-scissors, but instead of rock-paper-scissors it is Bear- Ninja-Hunter: The bear eats the ninja (with claws up and mouth open). The ninja kills the hunter (with karate hands and up). The hunter shoots the bear (with an imaginary rifle). The participants form two separate groups and stand in lines one next to each other. Two lines will be formed, facing each other. Now, ask the groups to turn around so they are  back-to-back. Together,  the whole group has to decide if they will do a bear, hunter or ninja. When you yell out ‘bear, ninja, hunter, go!’ the two groups have to do a turn-in-the-air jump and land in the position of whatever character they have chosen. The entire group has to do the same character. The groups can have up to 5 goes, to see which one wins. The winner group needs to do a happy dance and a happy song.

An Energizer to open up the discussion on gender stereotypes: “The fairy of transformation”

The following energizer can be used to open up the discussion on norms that surround gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics, in a fun way. 

  • We invite the group to stand and start walking in the open space in the room. 
  • As they are walking, we mention that the weather is changing and it started to rain heavily. Ask them to run to take cover to protect themselves from the rain
  • The weather now changed again, it is very hot. They need to put on their swimsuit and go swimming. After they go swimming, we ask them to keep walking again
  • A fairy comes and now transforms them into children playing in the park. Once they are done ‘playing in the park’,  we ask them to start walking again
  • The fairy now transformed them into men. Ask the group to start walking and behaving like men
  • They are now transformed into women. Ask the group to start walking and behaving like women
  • The fairy now decides to transform them into straight (heterosexual) people who want to flirt with a potential partner
  • And they are now transformed into gay/lesbians/ people who are not straight
  • And finally, they are transformed into themselves again
  • We ask the group to take their seats and quickly reflect on what happened. The aim here is not to hold an in-depth discussion, but instead to start the group thinking about norms and stereotypes. 
    • What did you when you were transformed into men?
    • What did you when you were transformed into  women?
    • How did you behave when you were transformed into straight people?
    • How did you behave when you were transformed into non-heterosexual people?
    • Do you think that what we saw here, the images we created in the energizer game, represents reality? Do men really act like that? Do women really act/walk/behave like that? How about straight persons and people who are not straight?
    • What do we call these generalized depictions of people? (stereotypes)
    • Are stereotypes the ‘norm’? Are they true for all people?

Energizers to divide young people into groups:

‘The sun shines on….’

  • Place  4-5 chairs in the middle of the room (according to the number of people in one group)
  • Explain that you will read out a statement and people who agree with statement need to rush to sit on the chairs
  • Read the 1st statement, for instance ‘The sun shines on people who love pizza’ . 
  • The people who managed to sit on the chairs form the 1st group
  • Then read out the 2nd statement ‘ The sun shines on people who prefer Instagram than Facebook’ etc.
  • Continue with other statements until all the groups are formed.

Find your animal

Cut up some pictures of animals, as many as the number of groups you’d want to create and the number of participants in your group. For instance if you want to create 5 groups, you’ll need pictures of 5 different animals. If you’re working with a group of 20, you’ll need 4 pictures of each animal (5×4=20). Roll up the pictures so they can’t be seen and put them in a hat. Give them a couple of stirs. Pass the hat around and ask the participants to pick a picture at random. Without talking and without making a sound, they need to act like this animal (i.e. pretend to howl like a wolf, or crawl like a snake etc.) so they can find the rest of their group.

Different shapes

Draw different shapes on post its (as many different shapes as the number of the groups you’d need) and place them on the participants’ back. The participants need to get themselves into groups without talking.

Playing with words:

Give out cards with words on and ask people to form a group using the words. Could be fruits, veg, films, characters, anything. You could even use matching words such as Fish and Chips, Burger and Fries , Batman and Robin etc.

Colour Sort

Put some coloured objects on the floor (the objects can be different but the colours should be the same, for instance you can put a green pencil, a green post it, a green paper clip etc.). The number of colours need to be the same as the number of groups. Lay these items on the floor or on a table. Invite the participants to grab something they like. Group up by colour.

Grab something red

Similarly as before, place different coloured objects on the floor. Start by yelling some instructions : ‘Grab something red’. The participants rush to pick up something red, but there are limited objects which are red. The participants who picked up something red form a group. Then go with ‘Grab a paper clip’ . All participants who manage to grab the paper clips first, form another group etc.

Online energizers for virtual teams

Count up

In this short virtual energizer, the group needs to count up to a number (usually twenty), taking turns at random, with no two people speaking at the same time. If two people speak at the same time, even for a second, the group must start over again from number 1. The group has succeeded when they have counted up to the set number. 

Bring something blue

  • Pick a physical or visual attribute of an object (for example: “Bring something made of wood” or “Bring something soft” etc)
  • Everyone the group has to find something with that attribute and show it to the others in front of the camera.
  • The last to bring the chosen object chooses the next attribute to touch.

Learning and unlearning 

Explain to participants that in this energizer , they have to unlearn something old in order to learn something new. 

Explain the details. When you say, “Up”, the participants should tilt their head and look at the ceiling (or the sky). When you say, “Down”, the participants should lower their head and look at the floor (or their feet). When you say, “Left”, the participants should turn their head to their left. When you say, “Right”, the participants should turn their head to the right. When you say ‘clap’ , participants clap and when you say ‘cover’ participants cover their face with their hands.

Start by giving directions. Say the words up, down, left, right, clap and cover in a random order and encourage the participants to follow your instructions. Keep giving directions at a fairly rapid pace.

After a few rounds, explain that you will now change the meaning of the words. From now on, up will mean down and vice versa. So when you say “Down”, the participants should look up at the ceiling. Similarly, when you say “Up”, the participants should look down at their feet. The same goes for left and right (on ‘right’ participants look left and on ‘left’ participants look right) . Lastly, when you say ‘cover’ participants should clap and when you say ‘clap’ participants should cover their face. Call out the different directions in a random order and ask the participants to follow instructions. Remind them, however, that they have to remember the new meaning of the words. You will see many “mistakes” and lots of embarrassed laughter.

Musical Statues

Explain that you will play a game similar to musical chairs. Participants are invited to dance to a piece of music and when you stop the music they need to ‘freeze’ like statues. The person who doesn’t freeze on time, gets out of the game. You resume with playing the music and the next ‘statues’ are formed and so on.

If you ….

Explain that you will give some very simple instructions that all participants need to follow at the same time, according to whether these statements hold true for them

  • If you’re a coffee drinker raise your hands up
  • If you like chocolate stand up
  • If you’re in love touch your heart
  • If you’re more of a rational person rather than a spontaneous person touch your head
  • If you have a pet give yourself a hug
  • Show us your best dance move
  • Make a gesture to say something to the group

Scavenger hunt

Invite participants to engage in a scavenger hunt in their home or the space where they are participating from. You will give them a list of objects that they need to find in two minutes. Show the list in your screen and start a count-down timer. Whoever finishes first wins! When you have a winner you can invite participants to share their items simultaneously on their screen, as you’re calling the items one by one  

  • a spoon
  • a pillow
  • something fluffy
  • something cold
  • something blue
  • something metallic
  • something to write with 
  • something you love very much or is important to you

Shape Up

  • Call out a shape (for example: triangle, heart, square, the letter “A”, tree, house, etc)
  • Ask people to move their arms and hands or bodies  to recreate this shape.
  • Then ask the group to try to do another shape, progressively making them more complicated as you move along.

Charades

  • Choose a title of a book, movie, TV show or song  and ask a volunteer to try to imitate it in front of the camera for the rest of the group to guess (send the title by private message to the volunteer so the other group members won’t be aware of it). Go for 5-6 rounds so at least 6 people have a go.
  • Alternative: Play emoji charades. Choose an emoji and ask a volunteer to act it out in front of the webcam. Everyone else has to guess which emoji it is. Go for 5-6 rounds so at least 6 people have a go.

A pipe is not a pipe

  • This is an improvisation game. Begin by showing an object on camera, for instance a pipe. Invite participants to think ‘outside the box’ and think of something different that  this object could represent. 
  • Start by saying ‘This is not a pipe, it is a……’. Invite the first participant to mime an action in front of their webcam screen (combing hair, digging, flaying the trumpet etc) to represent another object (so, it is a hair brush, a shovel, a trumpet etc…). The rest of the group try to guess what the new object is.
  • The next person then has a go miming a different object (always that the pipe could be turned into) and so on, till all had a go.

Resources for more icebreakers and energizers:

●  6.6. How to select activities and develop your educational program

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

As already stated above it is important before you implement any of the modules of the educational program that you begin with at least one activity from Module 1 to provide some introductory background on gender and gender equality; gender identities/expressions and sexual identities; hierarchies of power; patriarchy/male privilege; human and sexual rights. 

Similarly, it is equally important that irrespective of the type of the main activity you decide to use (be it an awareness-building one or one that challenges attitudes about SGBV for instance) it is very important that you allow some time in the end of the activity to discuss how young people can protect themselves from SGBV and to provide appropriate referrals and information regarding where young people can get further support. 

Keep in mind that we never know ‘who is in the room’ when we conduct a training and chances are that there are people in our target group who may have already experienced or are currently experiencing SGBV. It is important not to leave these people exposed or feeling vulnerable. When we open up discussions on sensitive issues such as SGBV, it is crucial that we provide some space for ‘closure’. Towards this end, it is important that we provide the space for empowering young people to find ways towards safety and prevention. 

Some information on  strategies of safety and protection that young people can use in order to protect themselves or others (peers, family members, friends, partners etc.) is provided in Module 7 (Breaking the cycle of SGBV), including some activities which, if there is adequate time within the training program, could be implemented as follow up activities to further enhance young people’s capacities for protection. Moreover, section 11.1 (Theoretical background to IPV) and activity 11.4 include some useful information on young people’s rights in their relationships. The latter can be printed out as a handout and given out to young people after any activity, as a resource.

In general you can follow the diagram below when designing your educational intervention . This applies to both approaches : whether the educational intervention  will consist of consecutive sessions or only of a single, ad-hoc session

Planning an Ad-hoc session

Estimated total duration: 110-120’

Planning a more complete educational intervention

When preparing a more complete educational intervention, estimate that this needs to comprise of a minimum of  3 sessions, proposed as follows:

  • At least 1 session needs to be devoted to building a safe space and providing some background information on gender and gender equality; gender identities/expressions and sexual identities; human/sexual rights; hierarchies of power; patriarchy and privilege. For this session, you can choose from activities outlined in the blue section(s) of the table below. 
  • At least 1 session needs to be devoted to implementing an activity on sexual and gender-based violence.  The activity can either be an awareness-raising activity (i.e. about the different manifestations of SGBV and their impact) or an activity that challenges harmful attitudes/stances/belief systems and behaviours related to  SGBV. For this session, you can choose from activities outlined in the green section of the table below. 
  • Lastly, at least 1 session needs to be devoted to activities that build capacities in standing up to SGBV and exploring avenues to safety. For this session you can choose from activities outlined in the orange section of the table below.

While 3 sessions are the minimum for making a minimum impact on your target group, if you have more time availability, you can opt for extra sessions. In that case, you can decide which additional activities you will opt for, depending on whether you want to focus more on sensitisation on SOGIESC diversity (i.e. more activities from module 1) or on exploring different manifestations of SGBV (i.e. implementing activities in both intimate partner violence and online sexual violence for instance or any other combinations that are more relevant to your specific target group).

Quite importantly, select activities on the basis of what is more applicable to your  target group, their specific profiles, awareness-levels and needs and also activities that are most relevant to your specific context. You may need to adapt some activities so they are more directly relevant to your context or in order to respond better to the needs of the young people you are working with. Additionally, you may choose to adapt activities so they better fit your own personal style or so that you feel more comfortable to implement. Don’t disregard your own comfort level and personal motivation and interest; these are also important parameters to take into consideration.

A  good strategy when selecting activities is to also select a few additional ones as ‘backup activities’. These could come in handy in the event that a certain activity does not seem to ‘work’ or when participants are losing interest in a certain activity and there is an evident need to shift the energy in the room. Having a backup activity on which to fall upon could help you more effectively respond to the needs of the group. Activities can also be combined, i.e. you can ‘mix and match’ case studies from different modules (i.e. cases of IPV, sexual violence, online sexual violence etc) in the event that, in lieu of time pressures, you want to capture all the different manifestations of SGBV in one session. In this case, allow for additional time for the discussion and ensure that you devote enough time to explore the different manifestations equally.

The table below summarizes how you can synthesize a sample educational program for your target group. 

Creating a safe space in the groupMANDATORY: -Icebreakers, Developing the group agreement (section 6.4)
2. BACKGROUND ACTIVITY on gender and gender equality; gender identities/expressions and sexual identities; hierarchies of power; patriarchy/male privilege; human and sexual rights.MANDATORY: CHOOSE ONE FROM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:
Activity 8.1: Sex, Gender, Gender Identity and Expression, Emotional/Sexual Attraction: How it all blends in together
Activity 8.2: Challenging the norms- Aliens visiting earth
Activity 8.4: The carousel of our perceptions : exploring and understanding diversity
Activity 8.7:  Take a step forward
Activity 10.1: Male privilege and power
OPTIONAL BACKGROUND ACTIVITIES on sex positivity and sexual agencyActivity 9.1: Reclaiming Sexuality
Activity 9.2:  The debate about sex positivity
3. CORE ACTIVITIES ON SGBVMANDATORY: CHOOSE ONE OR MORE ACTIVITIES FROM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES
Activity 10.3: Do you agree or disagree? Myths and realities about gender-based violence
Activity 10.5: Is it Gender-based Violence?
Activity 10.7: Stories of gender-based violence
Activity 11.2: Green light, red light: recognizing the warning signs of intimate partner abuse
Activity 11.4: Continue the story
Activity 11.5: The wheel of abuse and the wheel of equality
Activity 12.1: To consent or not to consent? 
Activity 12.3:  Forum theatre – Lisa’s story
Activity 13.1: Online sexual violence
Activity 13.2: Megan and the Gorilla
4. TAKING A STAND AGAINST SGBVMANDATORY: CHOOSE ONE OR MORE ACTIVITIES FROM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES
Activity 10.6: Vote with your feet. Taking a stand against gender-based violence  (links well with 10.5 if you chose it)
Activity 12.3:  Forum theatre – Lisa’s story
Activity 14.1 – Voice (it)! 
Activity 14.3: Would you step in? 
Activity 14.4:  Just do it! Standing up to sexual violence

●  6.7 Trainer’s checklist prior to implementation

☑ Have you familiarized yourself with the necessary terminology and definitions? (theoretical background 8.1 to Module 1 and chapter 3 on gender-based violence may be useful). 

☑ Have you familiarized yourself with the theoretical background of the module you’re implementing? Remember you don’t need to be an expert to run these workshops. If you prepare well, then you have prepared to succeed. This is also a learning process for you too and you are there to learn from your participants as well. It is also always okay to say you don’t know something and come back to it when you’ve had the opportunity to check some additional information on it.

☑ Have you gathered important statistics on SGBV from your local context which can potentially be useful during your workshops in order to support an argument? (Some international and European statistics are outlined in section 3.5, Incidence and Extent of SGBV, and may come in handy)

☑ Have you read the ‘key messages’ section and the ‘tips for facilitator’ sections of the activities you will conduct so you can be more targeted and focused on how to guide the discussion? 

☑ Have you prepared summary slides/material with the key messages/learnings which can be presented to participants towards the end of the session, to wrap up the activity and also to help young people consolidate learning?

☑ Are you clear about your role as a facilitator and how you can create an interactive, participatory and experiential space for your group through non-formal education activities (sections 5.1 and 5.3 can provide additional guidance on this)?

☑ Have you brainstormed with your co-facilitator (s) about the roles each one(s) of you will take, who will take the lead and where, how you can best complement each other and support each other, who will handle which logistics, and how you can react to certain challenging moments during the workshops?

☑ Have you developed a plan B with your co-facilitator(s) in case the activity does not seem to be working, participants are not engaging or in case you are encountering awkward silences in the group? (section 7.4 can provide a few ideas)

☑ Are you clear on how you can create a safe and inclusive space for your group? (section 5.4, 5.5 and 6.4 can provide more information)

☑ Are you prepared to let go of your own personal biases? Remember that it is important to react to your participants’ feelings, ideas or experiences by remaining calm, avoiding judgement, not getting involved in young’s people’s situation and refraining from offering advice (section 5.2 can provide additional information)

☑ Do you feel prepared to counteract participants’ stereotypes and biases? Besides the ‘expected’ biases that have to do with diversity in relation to SOGIESC and normalized beliefs about SGBV, it is often the case that participants may develop a perception of pity towards people who have experienced SGBV, which further perpetuates the stigma against them. To counteract these perceptions, discuss the resilience of survivors and the fact that people who have experienced SGBV do overcome it and can, and often do, have fulfilling lives. Acknowledgement of people’s diversity and diverse experiences of violence invites us to remain mindful of  different experiences so that we react with respect, acceptance and inclusion, and safeguarding everyone’s human rights.

☑ Do you feel prepared to handle controversial issues in the discussion or respond to conflict if it arises? (sections 5.6 and 5.7 can provide more information which may come in handy)

☑ Do you feel prepared to handle any possible disclosures of abuse and know the steps to take in order to guide the participants towards receiving additional support? (section 5.8 is really important to read)

☑ Have you prepared a toolkit of referrals and resources which you can provide to participants? (5.9 can provide some guidance on which types of referrals/resources to include)

☑ Are you embarking in this process with full trust on your abilities, knowledge and intentions? Don’t lose sight of the things you already know and what you can potentially offer to participants. Most importantly stay, connected to your passion and desire to help young people live more equal, just, safe, happy and fulfilling lives. What you’re doing is important and it does touch people’s lives in many ways. Honour that.

  1. Adapted from ‘Youth 4 Youth: A manual for empowering young people in preventing gender-based violence through peer education’ MIGS (2012)
  2. Adapted from Augusto Boal’s ‘Games for actors and non-actors’.