Roundtrip Booklet Collection of methods to realize non-‐formal education workshops about cultural differences This materials has been collected and elaborated by the participants, youth workers and NGO staff, of the European project Link 2 Continents realized during 2016 and 2018 between Europe and Asia. Italy, Spain and Slovakia on one side of the globe and Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia on the other side. The main aim of the project Link 2 Continent was to increase mutual knowledge and understanding, through sharing of best practices in youth work between Europe and Asia. The outcome is the creation of this collection of activities to realize workshops to face with young people (but not only) topics such as cultural differences, mutual understanding, cooperation between person of different costumes and habits, improve communication and share points of views and more which can support youth projects which see involved participants from different continents, but also multicultural class rooms of nowadays. The project involved actively 32 youth workers and 12 volunteers from 6 different countries who tested and used this activities in more than 100 workshops kept all over the globe.
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The Roundtrip booklet contains Page 3 -‐ 4 Page 5 Page 6-‐8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11
Warm ups, energizers, get to know each other Fears and expectations Getting into the topic of cultural differences Evaluation moment Keep in mind Thanks to Erasmus+ and Contact
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Warm ups, energizers, get to know each other This short activities help to create a cooperative atmosphere, helps participants to get more near, learn more about each other, have some fun. The activities are simple to permit everybody to enter in a relaxed mood, overcome borders between person who don’t know each other and start a good cooperation for the following activities.
Faces Each participant needs to receive a paper and a pencil or color. Everybody writes on the bottom of the paper the name in big letters. All papers go in the middle of the circle on the floor. With some music in background everybody walks around in circle and when the music stops each person takes one paper from the floor (not his own paper). The trainer speaks out loud one of the face (“eyes”, “mouth”, “lips”, etc.), and the participant needs to draw one part of the face of the person named on the sheet. Then again the paper on the floor. Music and walking. Another part of the face . At the end every person receives back his own paper and can have a look on the funny portrait. Debriefing: Are there differences between us? What kind of differences and why? What do we notice and what to others who see us the first time notice? How do you feel to be looked at and drawn by somebody. Give me your hand Each person needs one paper and a pencil and needs to retrace the form of his/her hand (can be done in couples to improve collaboration). Each finger has a signification of personal information, for example: my best competence is …, what I don’t like is … , my best day of the life was …, my family is made of …, I am afraid of…, ect. Each person completes his own hand, cut it out and stick it on a common big sheet where all hands together can form a sun, or the top of a tree. Mind: This activity can be used as activity of get to know each other, but also as evaluation. The circle of knowledge Participants form a circle. The aim of the game is everyone has to say a word connected with a topic and through a ball to next person. Who does not know any answer within 5 seconds or repeats one word already said, gets out of the circle. Until only one person gets left out. Topic can be connected to the workshop or also just simple for fun: a countries, the nature, a religion, animals, summer, etc.
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The Pizza massage Get everyone in a circle, so near that each person has in front of him/her the back of another person. The trainer gives the indication and starts to “draw” on the back of the person in front. Everybody should draw in front on what he feels on his/her back. “prepare the dough, roll it out, put the tomatoes, cut it,” Mind: Can be changed to other dishes involving the cultures present in the group. Profile Poster Items Needed: A3 sheets of paper for each participant, many glue, many magazines, newspapers, pictures; Participants can also be asked before to bring some printed out pictures of their life to make the poster more personal; music for background Each participant should prepare a profile poster which reflects them, their life and their culture. Thanks to the materials they find each person can freely prepare their poster which should identify them. At the end everybody needs to hang his poster and describe it in front of all others. Silence This game is good for mixed groups who might have also communication difficulties since talking is not necessary. In Silence students must arrange themselves in order without uttering a peep! For example, challenge participants to silently sequence themselves according to height. The game can be adapted with very little preparation to fit almost any theme. Options: Participants can create their own tags. They might write their birthdays on tags and arrange themselves in order from January 1 to December 31. They might write their seven-‐digit phone numbers as a seven-‐digit number and arrange themselves in numerical sequence. Greeting The trainer needs to prepare small papers where to write the way of greeting to the others. No explanation before the start so to surprise the participants with what will happen. On the paper can be written: “Greet like a French with 3 kisses on the cheeks” “Greet like a Thai with folding your hands in front of the chest and bonding down wards” “Greet like an Austria with shaking hands standing 1 meter of distance” “Greet like an Italian with giving a hug” Then the participants need to wonder around in the room and greet each person one time. A big confusion will happen. Once everybody greeted everybody standing in a circle the participants need to confront their feelings on how they felt, what was different in the ways of greeting, what is the impact on you when somebody greets you with a lot of distance or being very near.
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Fears and expectations The objectives of the workshop set by the trainer needs to be shared before this moment. This activities help to create an open atmosphere, to show the participants that they are the main protagonist of the workshop and that it depends on their expectations and their limits on how the outcome of the training / workshop will be. This activities can get supported by a calm background music which helps to relax and deepen the thoughts. Post-‐it 2 different colored post-‐its go around in the circle and each participant gets 2 of each color. On this papers they should write 2 of their fears and 2 expectations. This papers get sticked on some big space (a board, on the floor, on a big drawing ect) After in the circle who wants can read out load some of the expectations and some of the fears. Little puppets Papers of two different colors. One color represents the fear and one the expectation. This two colors needs to get shaped, for example in trousers and T-‐shirt, hand and boot, sun and moon or else. The participant writes on the papers their thoughts and what they want to share. (10 min) then they get sticked on a rope or a big paper. Letter to yourself A good activity especially when the training lasts longer then one day. The participant writes a private letter to themselves and only they will read it after the end of the workshop. They should focus on a free expression to themselves of what they want to learn, what are their fears, which goals they want to reach thanks to this training, what are their questions ect., here they will provide goals and targets, as well as their fears. They will open this on the last day to see if they meet their targets or even bettered them.
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Getting into the topic of cultural differences When mixing with people from different cultures we should be aware that all their actions, values and attitudes are not necessarily defined by their culture. With the following exercises and activities the trainer can give to the participants the experience of feeling on how similar people can think differently, how they have different moral values and different ways of seeing reality. Each activity always needs a briefing after the end, so to come out with conclusions and give the participants the time to re-‐think of what just happened, clear doubts and miss-‐understandings, avoid negative feelings later on and get positive confrontation with their neighbors. Traffic light Three corners marked with colored paper: Red = I don’t know + I don’t agree / Orange = I have some knowledge + I have no clear opinion / Green = I know + I agree The trainer need to prepare the statements, and then speak out loud, connected to the participants, depending on where they come from, what makes them “different” to each other. There can be clear and simple statements but also provocateur and wrong statements. The trainer needs to evaluate if the group is ready for this exercise. For example: If the group is made of different nationalities the statement can be regarding their countries, culture, facts and habits. “In Thailand there are officially 3 different genders.” “Italy has the shape of a boot.” “In Spain everybody speaks Spanish.” “Everybody in Asia has the eyes in form of nuts.” “In America everybody likes Trump.” Each person goes to the color connected to their knowledge and opinion, and after each statement somebody of the nationality regarding the statement or the trainer can explain more, give information to the others, participants can discuss their opinion and if the statement is true or not. Common definition of … Participants get divided into 3 groups and each group needs to come up with their own definition of “culture”, “identity”, “citizenship”. The definition should be written or drawn on a big paper. After 15-‐20 minutes all participants gather and show their poster and shared their results with the whole group. After each presentation everybody is asked if they agree with the definition. Iceberg theory In this activity , culture is compared with an iceberg, which partly float above the water and the most part is submerged. Divide the participants in groups of 3-‐5 person and give them the drawing of an empty iceberg. Ask them in 5 min of time to complete the parts answering to the two questions: # what is the visible part of a culture? # what is the invisible part of a culture?
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If the group is more than 20 people, put the small groups together in 6-‐10 people and make them share their results and come up with one common definition. Share the different ideas in the group. After the discussion the trainer shows the picture of the “iceberg concept of culture” where the theory is worked out very preciously (get the picture on google images) and print it out or project it. Debrief using the questions: How to connect this theory with the daily life? Were you aware of this differences on visible and invisible parts of culture? Does it help to understand on how conflict moments are born? Abigail's Tale Abigail's Tale is a story that shows how people view the world from different perspectives, have different values and reach different conclusions out of the same information. 1. Give the participants a printed version of the story or tell the story. You can support the talking with drawing the characters on a flipchart or a board. 2. Give them 3 min alone to establish the guilty parties from the guiltiest to the less guilty. 3. Split them in pairs and give them 5 min to make the list (guiltiest to less guilty). 4. Put them in groups of 5 to create one common list. (15-‐25 min) 5. Do a group discussion (15 min) 6. Debrief (15 min) Variations which depend on the type of group and objective of the workshop -‐ Modify the story to have unisex names and ask at the end what would happen if that character was a woman (or a man); e.g.: Sinbad could be a woman and Abigail a boy. Or they could be gay. -‐ Modify the story to say "Abigail loved Tom" (instead of "they were in love") and ask the question: "what would you say if Abigail was actually a stalker?" <-‐-‐ we don't always have all the information and just reading some words on paper doesn't mean we have the whole picture -‐ Ask lateral thinking questions like "would you reorder your list if Abigail was 13? How?" -‐ When splitting them into pairs you can try pairs of different sex -‐ In a training touching political subjects you can consider the story as a metaphor of how EU countries try to reach a common ground (though they have different values) -‐ Different views/perspectives to be explored: culture, family ties, violence, friendship, loyalty, attitudes towards sexual activities The story to read out loud is on the next page so you can print it out more easily
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Once upon a time there was a pretty girl called Abigail who lived in a house with her mother. Every day she would walk across her town, over the only bridge crossing the river to river to see her boyfriend, Tom. Abi thought Tom was lovely! She would skip and sing on her way to see her boyfriend, and they were very much in love. Of course Tom also thought Abi was lovely. He too would cross the town and the only bridge across the river to go and see Abi, but he didn't skip and sing, at least when the other boys were looking he didn't! They were so in love and would walk around holding hands to show everyone how much they loved each other. Aww One night a great storm flooded the river and swept away the bridge, the only bridge so the next morning they could only stand on opposite banks of the river and wave to each other, both very sad that they couldn't hold hands. Abigail cried. She cried and cried and cried and wanted to see her Tom, but it would be months before a new bridge would be built, and there was no other way to cross the river. Then after a few days Abigail saw a little rowing boat tied up on the river, and went to speak to the man who owned it. "Please" Abi begged "Please row me across the river so I can see my Tom". The man who owned the boat was called Sinbad. Not many people spoke to him, and very little was known about him. Sinbad thought about Abigail's problem and offered to help. "I will row you across the river" Sinbad said, and Abi smiled, but she was happy to quickly. Sinbad continued "I will row you across the river, if you sleep with me." Abigail's smile turned into a frightful scream and she ran off crying. She couldn't decide what to do. She wanted to see Tom so badly, but didn't want to sleep with Sinbad. She felt torn between seeing her boyfriend and cheating on him with Sinbad, and she felt she needed to ask someone for advice, so sat down with mother and explained the whole story. Abigail's mother listened to her story and when Abi had finished she looked at her mother, waiting for her advice. "well" her mother started "you need to sort this one out for yourself". Abigail's mother offered no advice as she wanted Abi to make the decision for herself. Abi was now more confused than ever and sat in her park thinking over her options. She decided she wanted to see Tom more than ever... he would know what to do, so she jumped up and went to Sinbad. After she slept with him, Sinbad kept his word and took her on his boat across the river. Abi ran as soon as she arrived on shore to Tom. Tears running her face, she banged on his door and he was very shocked to see Abi, and to see that she was so upset. Abi explained everything that happened to her, and when she told Tom she had to sleep with Sinbad to see her, he went crazy. "WHAT!" he shouted "you cheated on me... with Sinbad!" Abi tried to explain why she did it, but Tom was so angry he slammed the door shut and didn't want to speak to Abi again. Abi cried some more, and now was on the wrong side of the river to ask her mother for advice, but she knew where Tom's best friend, Bob, lived. She went around to Bob's house and explained everything to him. Bob let her into his house and gave her a nice cup of tea to try and help things. As Abi explained what had happened today, Bob was disgusted with how Tom had acted. So disgusted in fact that he went around to Tom's house and beat him up for treating Abi so badly. Then Bob left with Abigail. And this is where our story ends.
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Evaluation moment Each workshop needs to be closed with a moment of reflection, helping the participants to think of what they have just lived, what experience they do bring home, what they learned and how they can change their future actions improving themselves and maybe help people around them do the same. Create the right atmosphere before to evaluate Ask the participants to sit down / stand / lie down as they feel like and as the place it permits. The trainer takes elements which helps to think of each step of the workshop / training (written program, elements such as a ball used for a game, ect) and reconstruct what happened. The empty luggage Version 1: Each participant receives a paper A4 with a big drawing of an empty luggage on it. They are invited to write inside the drawing everything they “take home” and what they learned. Outside the luggage they should write on what they think was missing in the training / workshop. Version 2: Each participant gets small strips of paper and in the middle of the circle they can find a big real luggage. They are invited to write on the everything they “take home” and what they learned and put the paper inside the luggage. Outside the luggage they should put the paper where they write on what they think was missing in the training / workshop. Then the papers get read out load. “Speak out” evaluation circle In a circle, each participant has 1 min to shares his/her feelings after the training. If there are person from different language groups and somebody has difficulties to express themselves in the common language, this person can choose to speak out loud in their own language first and then gets translated (by themselves or by somebody else). Blob On google images you can find many different Blob pictures, search for “Blob Evaluation”. Choose one of the papers, print it out and give one paper to each participant. Ask them to select and color two characters who rapresent them: one before the start, one after. If there were different steps of the training, happend difficult discussion or other important moments, you can also choose more moments which they should connect to a character. Then each person in the circle should stand up and describe why they choose which character. Energy circle At the end of the spoken or written evaluation as a sign of belonging all participants stand in circle keeping hands, closing the eyes, the trainer gives an “energy push” with his hand. The goal is that the “energy” comes back to the trainer without any explanation beforehand.
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Keep in mind When you realize a workshop always get the information regarding the following answers, on this questions before you decide which activities to realize with the group and adapt the activities regarding the information you receive. • Who are the participants (age, gender) and do they know each other (class, friends, colleagues of work) or is it the first time they meet? • What is the background of the participants (nationalities, religion, abilities ect)? • How is the space made where the workshop will be? Outside, inside, chairs, projector, ect • How big is the group and what limitations or possibilities gives this to the activities? • What materials do I need for each activity and how much? • How many trainers do we need to be to manage the activities well? Do we need extra help? • Is there an issue which is already present in the group? Especially when it is classes get information before you do the workshop. Timing One side: Be punctual on the preparation, start and set clear time limits. Other side: Give the participants the time to express themselves. Set clear rules before the workshop starts. You can also ask the participants if there are specific rules they want to add, and add rules regarding the use of the space For example: No food No phone No smoke Participate from beginning to the end Keep SMILING Put off shoes Keep materials in order Say STOP = when you don’t understand say stop and the trainer will repeat Say BORABORA = when there are mixed languages there should be agreed to talk only in one common language so that everybody understand.
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The partnership of Link 2 Continents wants to thank Erasmus+, European Union Funding’s, to the amazing opportunity given on daily basis to organizations in all the world, to meet each other and work for creating a more “linked” future for the next generations. 11
For more information contact the Project Leader of Link 2 Continents project Associazione Culturale Link -‐ Italy Contacts: +39 0803148080 -‐ Address: Via Santa Croce 3, 70022 Altamura, Italy www.linkyouth.org – link@linkyouth.org -‐ facebook: Associazione Link This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication 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.