Merry-go-Round Partnership Building Activity
The methods presented in this brochure have been collected and adapted during a Partnership Building Activity. The project was financed within the Programme Youth in Action, under action 3.1 and implemented by Team for Youth Association in Vișeu de Sus, between 12 – 16 April 2013.
Catch the Apple All the participants stand up and form a circle. The facilitator has an apple which he/she throws to one of the participants, calling his/her name (or country, city etc). Then the participant throws the apple to somebody else, and the games goes one until all the participants have received the apple. Objectives The game is used to find out specific information about the participants: name, country, city etc.
Secondry objective To create a frame for people without disabilities to empathise with the ones with disabilities.
Specific target groups Youngsters that cannot use their hands.
Materials some apples, one bowl, water, one table, one facilitator :)
Adaptability The facilitator will place a bowl with water on the table and some apples floating in, in the middle of the circle. Using specific criteria, the facilitator will call the participants to “catch� the apple, using their mouth. The game will be used for mixed groups, with and without disabilities; the people without disabilities will keep their hands at the back.
The Council The Council is a plenary facilitated discussion but in a context of introspection and spiritual visions. The working frame is designed in the shape of a meeting around the fire. A candle is in the middle and pillows or blankets around it in the shape of a circle. The participants sit on the pillows. The leader of the council opens the meeting by explaining the rules of the Council: everyone that is in the Council is the right person. People should speak from their heart, believing strongly in what they say. The stories told in the Council should be spontaneous and sincere.Everything that is said in the Council stays inside the Council and is not to be discussed outside of this frame. The people that listen should listen with their hearts. With the rules being stated, the leader of the Council introduces the talking stick and, to open the Council, one participant should state and intention (a value that leads the Council) and light the candle in the middle. After this, the Council starts with a question addressed by the leader. The talking stick goes in the middle and those that have an answer to the question can take it and start talking. There is no particular order of speakers. Objectives It all should happen in a spontaneous way. To create a special frame for the participants in order to give them the opportunity to share Adaptability For the people that cannot see, at the beginning, the facilitator will extensively describe their experiences with all the the surroundings. When they will want to talk, they will just raise the hand and the participants. facilitator will take the Talking Stick from one participant to the other.
Specific target groups For the people that cannot hear, there will be a special portable candle, that will be placed youngsters that cannot see/ in front of the persons “speaking� so that everyone will see the signs. The circle will be youngsters that cannot hear wider, so they can see each other better.
Materials candles, talking stick, light music in the background (visual representation of the music, projected on a screens), a costume for the leader of the council.
The Carousel The participants will be divided into groups; each group will have a resource person and different topics. Each group will form a circle, with a table in the middle. On the table there will be a flipchart paper, where the resource person will write important ideas that came up in the discussion. After a given period of time, the facilitator will blow the whistle, and the groups will rotate clockwise; the resource persons will remain at the same tables. Objectives To create the proper environment for the participants to discuss in depth certain topics. The small size of the group allows the participants to talk more detailed about different theme. Adaptability for the participants with mobility problems (in wheelchairs, with crooks, etc) there will be tables with wheels, and at the end of each period, the resource person will move to the next group, with the table. In this way, a lot of time will be saved and the will be order kept.
Specific target groups youngsters with mobility problems
Materials flipchart papers, markers, special tables with wheels, one whistle.
Mission Impossible The group, as a team, will receive a piece of period of time, they will have to complete all the tasks. Generally, the tasks are very demanding and challenging.
Objectives
Specific target groups
establishing the team roles, developing out of the box thinking, consolidating the team.
youngsters with anxiety problems
Adaptability
Materials
The tasks from the mission will be easier and the youngsters’ anxieties will be taken into account when designing the “mission�. For example, the people that have problems socializing with complete strangers will be given tasks inside the group.
the envelop with the tasks, a laptop, soundtrack of Mission Impossible, sun glasses for the facilitators.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This material reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.