Section-2
Note for Facilitator:
Keep aim and required connection in mind as you progress through the section.
Aim: Recognising commonalities and differences in the group, also honouring the participants’ place of origin, their journey and their current home at the time of the workshop.
Required connection: Participants should recognise that Human Rights should be in every place, regardless of ethnicity, religion, etc. We all have differences, as the following maps and human lines show but we all have commonalities in that we all are entitled to our Human Rights. Where Human Rights are violated, there is more of a need for advocacy. It’s why the participants are involved today.
Exercise
human lines
Ask the participants to organise themselves in a line according to their:
- Height - with the tallest at the top of the line, shortest at the other end. Once achieved and verified, tell them to remember the order
- Hair Colour - from darkest to lightest. Remember the order
- Name - in A-Z alphabetical order. Remember the order
- Date of Birth - from oldest to youngest. Remember the order
The Facilitator can now call out Name / Date of Birth / Height / Hair Colour and each time the participants must get into the appropriate line as quickly as possible. Give a time limit, e.g. 5 - 10 seconds!
WORKSHOP 1
Exercise
room map
a sense of place
The Facilitator asks questions and the group position themselves accordingly in the room:
- Where did you come from today? Indicate North/South/East/West of the country. Participants place themselves somewhere in the room according to geography / location. If a lot are from the same city, break down the city geography too.
- Where did you come from before this? Create Country / World Map. Participants place themselves in different spots.
- Name - in A-Z alphabetical order. Remember the order
- Where did you come from originally? Use world map as above.
Each time participants place themselves in the room, ask each participant where they “are” in the room, e.g. Dublin, Turkey, Iran, etc.
Have brief group discussions acknowledging their current place and place of origin.
Briefly acknowledge and discuss having a Sense of Place.
WORKSHOP 1
GROUP DISCUSSION
Question: Where is the place for Human Rights
Definitive Answer: They are in the place of origin, in transit and the place where you
are now.
Connection: Human Rights should be in every place, regardless of ethnicity, religion, etc. We all have differences, as the above maps and human lines show but we all have commonalities in that we all are entitled to our human rights.
Question: Are there violations?
Definitive Answer: Yes! Therefore we need more advocacy. It’s why we are here today.
Exercise
conversation carousel
Ask participants to form 2 standing circles: one circle of participants is inside a larger circle of participants.
Pairs from either circle face each other.
When the Facilitator says CHANGE! the participants in the outside circle move one step to the left to face another inside-circle person.
The Facilitator suggests a different topic of conversation each time - See next page in 'Mingle! Mingle! Mingle!' exercise.
The new pairs introduce themselves at each new pairing and say goodbye as they leave it.
WORKSHOP 1
ALTERNATIVE Exercise
MINGLE! mINGLE! mINGLE!
Tell the group they are going to “mingle” and explain the meaning of the word if you need to, i.e. having chats to get to know one another.
Demonstrate that they are all going to skip around the room and sing 'Mingle! Mingle! Mingle!'. They will do this with lots of energy and the more ridiculous the better!
When the Facilitator says STOP! they will quickly get into pairs and wait for the topic of conversation that the Facilitator will suggest.
After introducing themselves, they will chat until the Facilitator says STOP!
Time permitting, the Facilitator can then initiate a larger group conversation, asking the different pairs what they talked about.
Repeat the 'Mingle! Mingle! Mingle!' until you have achieved different pairings and chats.
Possible topics of conversations:
Hobbies / Pastimes - Music - Food - TV / Films / TV Series etc - Animals you like - Superpower you would like - Hero or someone that has influenced you / you admire...
For the last pairing / conversation, see exercise on next page.
WORKSHOP 1
Exercise
communal greeting
Find a new partner, create a new pair.
Tell participants they will create a “greeting“ using 3 gestures/actions. They can add a sound if they wish. The Facilitator demonstrates: it is not a regular handshake/greeting, it will be more elaborate and unique.
Partners share moves/ideas with each other to create the sequence. They practice it.
One pair joins another pair, creating a group of 4.
Both pairs show their “greeting” to each other.
The group of 4 chooses one of the greetings, consisting of 3 moves, and practice it together.
One group of 4 joins another group of 4, now forming a group of 8.
As above, both groups show their greetings, pick one and practice it.
Do the above, joining all groups until there is 1 full group with one greeting consisting of 3 gestures/actions and sounds.
The greeting has gone from being individual to communal to universal: everyone has negotiated, accepted it, continued it and embraced it.
It is now the group’s communal greeting.
WORKSHOP 1
Exercise
symbol exercise
- Divide full group into smaller groups. For instance, 3 groups of 4
- One of the gestures/actions of the greeting above is designated to each group
- Each group must draw/paint a symbol together to represent the gesture they have been given. It now becomes a concrete representation, a symbol
- Place the new symbols in the middle of the floor
- Everyone looks at the various symbols which have been created
