Capitalising on Local Knowledge - Community knowledge exchange
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Here is a collection of exercises that might be useful in a community exchange process. Please check local traditions and customs and decide if an exercise might be appropriate or not.
Introductory Exercises
First name introductions
Objective
To start a workshop on an informal note
To introduce participants to each other
Time
5-10 minutes (depending on number of participants)
Process
1. Each participant is asked to introduce themselves in turn by simply adding an adjective before their name that begins with the same letter. For example: I am lucky Lucy! I am serious Sam! I am jolly Jenny! etc.
2. This can be done when seated, but is more fun and active if participants stand in a circle. Ask each person to accompany the name with a movement or gesture. When they step back it is the next persons turn.
Hints
There is no need to debrief after this exercise. Most importantly
an atmosphere of informality is established. The physical movement relaxes
participants and puts them at ease with others.
Source: Alan Margolis
Paired Interviewing
Objective
To discover what participants expect from a
session and learn about their personalities To help evaluate a session
at the end
To help
participants relax at the beginning of a workshop
Time
20-45 minutes (depending on number of participants)
Material
Paper, pens
Process
1. Split participants into pairs.
2. Ask each participant to interview their partner by focusing on questions such as: “What is your name? What is your background/ experience? Why are you attending this workshop? What do you hope to get from it?” etc. Write the questions on flip chart paper so that all can refer to them during the process.
3. After 5 minutes of interviewing each other, participants then report to plenary about their partner, summarizing the main information in one minute.
Hints
The important aspect in this exercise is that participants do not report
themselves – in this way the exercise is neutral to seniority: neighboring
participants interview each other.
If expectations or evaluations are discussed, the facilitator might write the points made on a flip chart.
If the groups are larger than 20 persons, it is important to emphasize that people should stick to 1 minute to report back the most important aspects. Otherwise this exercise might end up being too long and participants might get bored.
This exercise could also be used for evaluations and reflections.
For this purpose the questions should be change accordingly, for example: What did you find valuable? What was less valuable? What would you change next time?
Source: Participatory Learning & Action
The seed mixer
Objective
To introduce participants to one another
To get participants to talk to one another one-on-one.
To create a relaxed but animated atmosphere and to establish an informal
tone for the workshop
Time
10-25 minutes (depending on number of participants and how much they talk
to one another)
Material
Enough
different types of seeds, beans, pebbles or beads for each participant
to have the same number as there are participants (including facilitators).
A few plastic cups for people who do not have pockets.
Process
1. Give each person as many beans (or pebbles etc) of on ekind as there
are participant in the workshop (including facilitators).
2. Ask people to place their beans etc in one pocket and leave another pocket empty. Persons with no pockets can use 2 plastic cups.
3. The participants are given a set time (about 20 minutes) in which to introduce themselves to all of the other participants (this may include their name, their community and a few things about themselves).
4. During each introduction they should give the other person a bean and accept one from them. They should place the other person’s bean in the other pocket.
5. At the end of this exercise each person should be left with on bean in the first pocket (representing themselves) and a second pocket filled with a mix of beans/pebbles for the total of workshop participants minus one.
Hints
This exercise is good for groups from 10-50 participants. If there are
more than 30 participants ask persons to be very brief. It is a good idea
to warn people about two thirds through the way of the exercise that time
is getting short. There is no need for a debriefing for this exercise.
It is a very effective way for each person to have informal face to face
contact with everyone else. It also creates an atmosphere of informality
and conviviality.
Source: Robert Chambers
Something from home
Objective
To speed up the process of becoming acquainted
Time
Depending on number of participants
Material
None
Process
1. The facilitator explains the purpose of the exercise and introduces
it by saying something like: “Try to concentrate for a moment on your
home. It may help to shut your eyes. Then choose some item, whether it
is an object or a piece of furniture or something intangible (a view,
a smell, a taste, a feeling) that represents “home” for you. Think about
it and prepare to describe it to the group.”
2. Then participants and facilitators describe their chosen ‘items’. As the facilitator you might want to help people to express themselves clearly and help with questions.
Hints
This is a non-threatening exercise, creating a pleasant atmosphere. It
is especially suitable for participants who have just arrived from a long
journey, and who do not yet feel at home in the new surroundings. It should
be followed by exercises that draw participants’ attention to the present
situation.
If the group is large this can be a time-consuming exercise, so allocate a reasonable time. You could calculate 2-5 minutes for the feedback per participant.
Source: Frank Oomkes and Richard Thomas
Process exercises
Visioning exercise
Objective
To
develop a shared vision within a community
Time:
1 – 2 hours (depending on the size of the group)
Material:
Marker pens in different colours (one for every participant), flip chart
paper
Process:
1. Introduction to the exercise: Ask people to let their imagination
run free so that they can imagine a future in which their dreams for a
better life have come true. Explain that there are no right or wrong visions.
2. Group formation: Ask people to break up into homogenous subgroups, in other words groups in which people feel that they are with people who are similar, e.g. women, youth, old men, etc. The groups can be made up of between 5 and 10 persons.
3. Imagining the vision. Ask the participants to sit in a circle and close their eyes. The time is 5 years in the future. Each person should imagine that they are an eagle flying over the area in which they live. Ask them to imagine what the eagle would see as it looks down to the ground. In particular, ask them to imagine what the people are doing.
4. Drawing the visions: Ask people to use the marker pens to draw what they saw in the vision. Encourage them to be creative, and assure them that there is no “right way up”: everyone should draw from their own perspective. Specifically encourage people to include the people in the drawings, and to show what they are doing.
5. Sharing the visions in the group: Ask the groups to discuss the drawings, and to share their individual pictures. Each group should appoint a rapporteur
6. Reporting back to the plenary: The rapporteur from each group should share the group’s drawing with everyone. After the rapporteur has explained the picture, give members of the group an opportunity to contribute anything that has been left out. As each person presents, write up the key aspects on a flip chart. Again, ask them to explain what the people are doing, and why. Write up the actions that they describe.
7. Synthesis of the vision: Using the notes on the flip chart, synthesise a joint vision statement after all presentations. This task is often best done by a small task team appointed by the participants.
8. Presenting and endorsing the Vision Statement: Once a good working draft has been prepared, ask a spokesperson from the task team to present the Vision Statement to the plenary, and modify the Statement in response to feedback if there is general agreement about the changes.
Hints:
People who are not used to drawing will probably be shy to participate.
By making a simple drawing you can demonstrate that it is not too difficult
to draw something that is recognisable. Explain that this is not an art
competition, but a way of expressing complex ideas in a way that is easy
to share. Encourage people actively: the results will be very rewarding!
The joint vision statement is always challenging. Recruit a few members of the facilitation team and from the community to join the task team to play with the words in a small group while the rest of the community is involved in something else, or having a break. The vision statement can then be presented to the larger group, and modified in response to comments from the other participants.
Visioning of the youth
group (Suid Bokkeveld, South Africa)
Brainstorming ideas
Objective
To
collect ideas quickly and in a stimulating way
Time:
10-40 minutes (depending on topic and group size)
Material:
Marker pens in different colours, cards, masking tape
Process:
1. Agree upon a topic for discussion
2. Hand out cards and pens to each participant
3. Ask participants to reflect on the topic for a short time (set the time!), and to write one idea/ thought that they think is important per card.
4. Reconvene in plenary and ask participants to share their cards. As each participant presents their cards, the facilitator clusters them on a board, putting cards with similar ideas into the same cluster.
5. Once all ideas have been presented, discuss the clusters and what the information means for the process.
Hints:
Make sure that there is not more than one thought/ idea per card – otherwise
you will get into trouble clustering. Encourage participants to write
in large script so that their cards can be read from a distance. Suggest
that they should use only up to six words per card. If a cluster is getting
too large, and contains ideas that are too different, break it into two
or more clusters. Ensure that this process is well documented – so that
no ideas get lost.
Setting learning objectives
Objective
To
set learning objectives before embarking on a community exchange, so that
the group is focused on what they will learn about and can maximise learning
opportunities.
Time:
60-90 minutes (depending on the group’s size)
Material:
Marker pens in different colours, flip chart paper, cards, masking tape
Process:
1. Discuss the process of community exchange: where the idea came from,
and what people had expressed interest in.
2. Ask the group to brainstorm what they would like to gain more knowledge about (see the brainstorming exercise, above).
3. Ask the participants to present and (if necessary) explain their cards.
4. Cluster the cards so as to identify the key areas of enquiry. Label these areas clearly, using a card or pen of a different colour, size or shape.
5. For each area of enquiry, form an interest group to develop specific questions
6. Ask each group to appoint a rapporteur, and to brainstorm specific questions to be asked on the topic that they are addressing.
7. Ask the group rapporteur to present and (if necessary) explain the group’s cards
8. Cluster the cards, and formulate clear learning objectives from them. Write these up clearly.
9. Facilitate a final group discussion to ensure that everyone is in agreement with the objectives
10. Write up and circulate the learning objectives to all participants
Hints:
You can combine the 2 brainstorming processes, if the group is small and
well focused, and you feel confident that you will not loose important
detail.
The learning objectives will be useful to keep the group focused on why they have undertaken the knowledge exchange journey. It is good to remind the group members at regular intervals, such as during the daily reflection sessions.
Buzz groups
Objective
To
stimulate creative discussion and engage quiet participants (especially
when an issue needs discussion, and people are shy to share their opinions)
Time:
2-5 minutes
Material:
Flip chart, marker pen
Process:
1. Ask every participant to turn to his / her neighbour, and discuss a
specific question (buzz) with them for a certain time (specify). Explain
that the discussion should sound like the “buzzing” of bees
2. Once the buzzing has died down a bit and people seem ready to share their ideas, ask participants to share their opinions or thoughts on the topic. You can do this by asking each person in turn to share one idea, and once everyone has shared something give people a chance to share any further ideas that have not been mentioned.
3. If appropriate, write the ideas on a flip chart as they are shared
Hints:
This exercise can be an important generator of ideas. Make sure people
are really talking to their neighbours, listen to the buzz… If you choose
to write the ideas on the flip chart, instead of writing the same or similar
ideas more than once, you can place a tick next to an idea that is shared
by others.
Daily reflection
Objective
To
deepen & share learning experiences
Time:
20-60 minutes (depending on size of group)
Material:
Flip chart, marker pens, cards, masking tape
Process:
1. Ask participants to reflect individually for 5 minutes on:
—their common purpose (in other words, the objectives that they have been trying to learn about or achieve);
—any agreements that they made about how they would work together to achieve these (such as house rules, team contracts or group protocols); and
—the logistical arrangements.
2. Hand out cards, and ask participants to respond to three simple sets of questions:
—What went well? What did I like? What did I find interesting? (ask them to focus only on the positive aspects)
—What did not go so well? What did I not like so much? (this is the opportunity to express the negative things)
—What should we change next time we do something like this? (again in a more positive spirit, how can we improve things in the future?)
3. Ask participants to share their points by reading them out, and sticking them onto a board or wall. Allow each participant one point only before giving the next person a chance. Cluster the cards according to topic and sentiment.
4. Facilitate a discussion
Hints:
It is important to visualise the responses on cards, or on a board or
paper so that all of the participants can see their points being noted.
If some participants are not literate, ask people to draw a picture that
reflects their point (or do this on their behalf).
When people are responding to the first set of questions (“what went well, etc”) insist that they share only positive points, and assure them that they will have the opportunity to share negative points later.
Give each participant a chance to share one point before going to the next one. A subsequent round can gather outstanding points.
Team contract
Objective
To
develop a code of conduct for all members of a group or team that will
undertake a task, process or journey together, so that the group may avoid
distracting or destructive behaviour and support positive behaviour.
Time:
20 - 40 minutes
Material:
Flip chart, marker pens
Process:
1. In plenary, ask participants to sit in a circle and contribute one
idea each, going around in the circle.
2. Discuss each suggestion in the group, and make sure that everyone understands what is being proposed before asking the members to accept or reject the proposal. Once it is clear, and agreed to, write it up on a flip chart.
3. When all contributions have been recorded, give participants a chance to discuss the points and how they relate to one another before asking all to endorse the team contract.
4. When the team contract has been endorsed, discuss how it will be used by the group, and on what occasions they would like to refer to it (e.g. daily reflections, crises, etc.).
Hints
If a participant has nothing to contribute, make sure that she/he is satisfied
with what others have contributed before going on to the next person.
Once everyone has had a turn to contribute, ask if anyone would like to
contribute any further suggestions. Gather in any outstanding suggestions
from the group and write them up.
Identifying indicators
Objective
To
help participants to identify indicators that they can use to assess the
impact of actions, processes and projects.
Time:
20 - 40 minutes
Material:
Flip chart, marker pens
Process:
1. In plenary, present to participants the objectives for the exchange
visit or other activity that they will need to monitor. Ask them to think
about how they will know if the activity has been successful.
2. Introduce the idea of indicators: things that will show us (indicate) that something has taken place, or changed. An indicator should be something that we can observe. The indicator is not the same as the cause (e.g. a high temperature might indicate that someone is sick, or it might indicate that they have just run a long way)
3. Ask the participants to identlfy some indicators for something related to the workshop process, e.g. “How will we know if the participants are enjoying themselves?”. (smiling, laughing, no frowns, etc.)
4. Discuss the different ways in which indicators can be identified: · The quality of things (e.g. smiling, frowning, etc)
· The quantity of things (e.g. how many people are smiling)
· The groups into which things fit: classification and comparison
· We can also use stories to indicate the outcomes of our actions,
5. Introduce the idea that indicators are sometimes most useful if they are:
· Specific (not too vague)
· Measurable (how many/ how long/ how few/ etc. will there be?)
· Reliable (we should be sure that an indicator does not sometimes means something very different from what we understand it to mean)
· Observable in time (by when will we see something?)
· Simple to observe
6. Ask participants to identify indicators for their exchange visit process, focused on the learning objectives, and also on the vision for development that they have identified.
Energizers
Trust building
Objective
To
build trust among participants near the beginning of a process
Time:
30 – 40 minutes
Material:
Blindfolding cloth
Process:
1. Ask participants to form pairs
2. One person of each pair is blindfolded
3. The blindfolded participants are asked to rely on their partners (who have not been blindfolded). The partner will steer the blindfolded partner by tapping on the right shoulder to indicate that they should turn right, and tapping on the left shoulder for a left turn. A tap on the middle of the back means walk backwards, and a tap on the back of the head means go forward.
4. Ask all participants to start walking around, with each blindfolded person being guided by their partner.
5. After some time, ask the pairs to change roles and carry on walking about.
6. Ask participants to remove their blindfolds, sit down and reflect on the process. Encourage them to share their feelings and perceptions.
Hints:
Make sure that the exercise is fun for all. In the reflection session,
ask people how they felt while performing each of the roles… Did they
trust their partners, especially when blindfolded? What contributed to,
and what undermined the feeling of trust?
Source: Emmanuel Mutamba
The wind blows
Objective
To
enliven a group that is tired or unfocused, and to enhance interactive
learning.
Time:
30 – 40 minutes
Material:
Chairs (one chair per person)
Process:
1. Arrange chairs in a circle, and ask each participant to take a seat.
2. Ask for a volunteer. Remove the chair of the volunteer, and ask him/ her to stand in the centre of the circle.
3. The participant in the middle shouts an instruction to the participants, starting with “the wind blows …..” (e.g. “ the wind blows to participants wearing blue jeans”)
4. In this instance, all participants wearing blue jeans must leave their chair and try to find another chair. The participant who gave the command must also try to find a chair for him- or herself.
5. The participant who is left without a chair goes into the centre and gives the next command.
Hints:
Those who are not affected by the command should stay seated in their
chairs.
Source: Emmanuel Mutamba
Write "Coconut" with your body
Objective
To
release tension and energise a group
Time:
5 minutes
Material:
None
Process:
1. Invite participants
to stand up and stretch their bodies.
2. Ask the participants to write the word “coconut” in the air, using their hands (letter by letter).
3. Next, ask them to write the word using their heads.
4. Now ask them to use their hips to write the word
Hints:
At each stage the facilitator should demonstrate and lead the participants
through the word, letter by letter.
Source: Emmanuel Mutamba
The sinking ship
Objective
To
build a sense of belonging, and to split a group into sub-groups for group
work
Time:
10 minutes
Material:
None
Process:
1. As the captain of a ship, you invite participants to wander around
the ship, which is on a long journey
. 2. Then you warn the participants that the ship is about to sink. Tell them that they have to gather in groups of (pick a random number) to get into the lifeboats.
3. Now tell them to continue walking around the boat.
4. Once again, warn that the ship is about to sink and ask them to gather into groups for the lifeboats. Nominate a different size for the groups this time.
5. Repeat the process until you feel that people are sufficiently loosened up and ready to get back to work. The last time you ask them to form the groups, ensure that the groups are of the size that you want them to work in the next workshop process. Ask the participants to move as their “lifeboat crews” into the next exercise.
Hints:
The exercise also contributes to building trust and sense of security/
feeling secure in a new group.
Source: Lubinda Tafira
Deer, wall & gun
Objective
To re-energise participants
Time:
15 – 20 minutes
Material:
Flip chart, marker pens
Process:
1. Divide participants
into two groups
2. Deer, wall and gun are each respectively allocated a movement and a sound
3. Ask each group to secretly decide what they would want to be: either a deer, a wall or a gun (the other group MUST NOT know what has been decided)
4. Ask the two groups to face each other, and on the count of 1, 2, 3 the each group must make the sound and movement of what they chose to be (i.e. deer, wall or gun).
5. The winner gets a point if what they have chosen is successful: the gun will kill the deer, the deer will jump the wall, the wall will defeat the gun because the bullet will not get through the wall.
6. Repeat the exercise and keep score until everyone is warmed up and stimulated.
Hints:
The instructions must be clear. Once the process is explained, ask the
group if they have understood the instructions clearly. If misunderstandings
arise about what was meant, you could follow the session with a short
discussion about communication, and how to improve it as a two-way process
between the communicator and the audience.
Source:
Emmanuel Mutamba
Closure
Mental gifts
Objective
To show appreciation to the group using silence and creativity
to convey feelings
To conclude the workshop on a positive note
Time
10 minutes
Material
None
Process
1. Ask everyone to sit in a circle, with no chairs in the middle. Tell
participants that at the end of the workshop it is sometimes difficult
to break the group feeling. This exercise is a goodbye gift from everyone
that we can carry with us as we leave. Explain that the exercise requires
imagination and silence.
2. Start yourself, by holding your hands with the palms turned up. Using your hands mime the shape of an object (a box, a bottle, a ball). Pass this object to the person on your right. Explain that they now can give any present of their choosing to the next person.
3. Continue around the circle, until you receive the last gift. You can end with “Thank you” or “Bon Voyage”.
Hints
This is a very calming and sharing exercise in which people reveal themselves
to be amazingly creative. It does not require touching and is therefore
suitable to many cultural contexts. However you might feel more comfortable
making two circles, for women and men.
Source: Alan Margolis
