PART B: TOOLS FOR BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS SKILS AND ATTITUDES

Transcription

1 PART B: TOOLS FOR BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS SKILS AND ATTITUDES

2 This portion of the toolkit offers a range of handson, fun activities designed to build or strengthen the individual skills and attitudes required for a successful youth-adult partnership. Activities include role-plays to help the participants practice new behaviors and gain confidence. Combined with the learning activities in the previous part, these activities form the building blocks of training programs in youth-adult partnerships. You will also find shorter energizers and team-building activities or icebreakers to prepare the group to learn key concepts. 81

3 WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AT 15? Overview Effective youth-adult partnerships require both youth and adults to understand and relate to one another. In this activity, young people share stories about their lives while inviting adults to recall their own experiences from youth. When to Use This Activity This activity is most effective early in the training program. It can serve as an effective icebreaker. Or depending on the group, you may need to first do some other getting to know you activities to create an atmosphere of trust. Objectives to offer the participants an opportunity to share personal experiences of their youth and to help them identify common experiences of growing up to build within the participants an appreciation for the similarities and differences in experiences to enable the participants to connect their personal experiences to communit involvement efforts Time Required minutes Group Size 8-40 participants Needed Materials flip-chart paper copies of handout 6, What Were You Like at 15? found on page 84-85, one for every two participants a marker 82

4 Activity Steps SET THE CONTEXT: 2 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Ask the participants to think back to when they were 15 years old. If some of the participants are 15 or younger, ask them to think about their lives right now. Invite them to remember the clothes they wore, the people they hung out with, how they felt about the world, what they hoped to do when they got older. Ask them to think about good and difficult moments from that time period. LISTEN AND SHARE: MINUTES 3 Invite everyone to find a partner. If possible, the youth should pair up with an adult. Provide each pair a copy of handout 6, What Were You Like at 15? Invite the pairs to talk, using the questions on the handout as a guide. It is important that they get to the questions about how adults took part in their communities as young people. Remind the participants who are 15 years or younger to answer the questions based on their lives now. 4 Note that one way to encourage conversation is to ask one person to share for five minutes while the other listens, and then switch roles for five minutes, leaving a few extra minutes to talk together at the end. REFLECT AND DISCUSS: 10 MINUTES 5 Gather all the participants as a large group. Ask them the following questions, which are designed to spark discussion and understanding. You may want to record themes or major ideas on flip-chart paper for future reference. What did you have most in common with your partner? What was different? When you were young, how were adults involved in your community? When you were young, what kind of community service or community change were you involved in? What did you learn from the conversation? How can we carry these lessons forward in our work to build youth-adult partnerships? 6 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 83

5 HANDOUT 6 WHAT WERE YOU LIKE AT 15? What was it like being 15 years old? Where did you live? What did you look like? What made you different? What was important to you? What did you think about a lot? How did you feel? 84

6 Who were the young people who participated actively in the community? What were they like? What did they do? What, if anything, kept you from participating more actively in the community? What could you have done to participate more actively? Who were the adults who worked well with young people? What were their qualities or characteristics? What could adults have done to help you participate more actively? 85 Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc.

7 ACTIVITY WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? Overview In this activity, the participants practice listening and communication skills and discover shared expectations of youth-adult partnerships. The activity emphasizes the importance of valuing the perspectives of others and seeing the world from someone else s point of view. When to Use This Activity This activity is designed to be used early on in a training program on youth-adult partnerships. Objectives to help the participants appreciate differing views and perspectives to help the participants discover what they have in common to give the participants an opportunity to practice listening and communication skills Time Required minutes Group Size participants Needed Materials blank sheets of paper, one for each participant pens or pencils, one for each participant flip-chart paper, one sheet for each team of four markers, one for each team of four tape 86

8 Activity Steps SET THE CONTEXT: 2-3 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Introduce the activity by sharing the following points: Knowing what we expect of one another is important in setting a strong foundation for successful partnerships. In this activity, we will take a closer look at our personally held expectations and work to determine which of those are realistic. It is important during this activity that we all listen, are honest, and are open to expanding our thinking. WORK IN PAIRS: 10 MINUTES 3 Provide each participant with a blank sheet of paper and a pen or pencil. Invite everyone to spend a couple of minutes jotting down three expectations they have personally for a successful working relationship or partnership (e.g., trust, reliability, generosity, accountability). Encourage anyone who has been in a successful youth-adult partnership to draw from that experience. Otherwise, the participants can draw from other experiences as part of a working team. Offer some examples if need be. 4 Ask the participants to form youth-adult pairs. Invite the pairs to share the three expectations they wrote down. 5 After the pairs have shared, ask each to identify one expectation they have in common and talk for a minute or two about what it means. WORK IN TEAMS: 10 MINUTES 6 Ask each pair to join with another pair to create teams of four. Provide each team with a sheet of flip-chart paper and a marker. Ask them again to find commonalities among their expectations. Ask them to come up with a list of two to three shared expectations. They should write the expectations on the flip-chart paper. 7 Ask the teams to discuss what their expectations might look like in action. What are the specific behaviors that reflect each of these expectations? How do these look in practice? CREATE COMMONALITY: 10 MINUTES 8 Invite each team to share with the large group its common expectations along with its examples of what these expectations looks like in practice. Have them post their flip-chart sheets on the wall. 87

9 REFLECT AND DISCUSS: 10 MINUTES 9 Lead a large-group discussion using the following questions: How did it feel to work with your partner and then another pair to develop your list of shared expectations? What do you notice from the overall list we have? What surprises you? What concerns you? What new insights have you gained regarding expectations for effective partnerships? What helps an individual value someone else s perspective that is different from their own view? 10 Invite the participants to think about ways to check in with their team members to ensure that expectations are being met. Invite a sampling of ideas. 11 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 88

10 ACTIVITY APPRECIATION WALL Overview During the beginning phases of relationship building, it is important that the participants articulate exactly what they appreciate about one another. Of course, learning names, faces, and personal stories is important too. When group members feel they have bonded with their peers, relationships within the group grow; when group members become aware of the personal gifts and qualities that their peers appreciate, members more freely contribute these gifts to the group s work. In this activity, the participants have an opportunity to learn one another s names and faces, share stories about their lives, and identify what they appreciate about one another. In short, the participants get to know one another in a meaningful way. When to Use This Activity This activity is designed to be used in the early stages of developing a partnership, in establishing a core team, or at the beginning of a training course. It is useful in the first or second meeting because it helps to create a positive foundation for partnership building and helps the participants get to know one another s names and faces. Objectives to assist the participants in identifying commonalities among them to help the participants break down barriers to communication and engagement among them to empower the participants to experience each other as equal partners to provide the participants with opportunities to practice communicating across age differences Time Required minutes Group Size 8-60 participants For larger groups, you will need to modify, as there will not be enough time for everyone to share. 89

11 Needed Materials a digital camera a printer a stapler copies of handout 7, Appreciation and Getting to Know You, found on page 93, one for each participant pens or pencils, one for each participant tape Needed Preparation Take a photo of each participant prior to starting the activity. Print each photo and staple to a copy of handout 7, Appreciation and Getting to Know You. Set up chairs in a circular formation. Activity Steps SET THE CONTEXT: 5 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Invite the participants to take a seat in the circle. Explain that this activity is intended to help them get to know one another and appreciate the gifts each person brings to the group. 3 Provide each participant with the copy of their photograph (which should be stapled to the handout). Provide each of them with a pen or pencil as well. 4 Ask the participants look across the circle until they make eye contact with someone. Strongly encourage youth-adult pairs. Then note that this person will be their partner for the exercise. (If you have an odd number of participants, you will need to play the game. 5 Have each pair find a spot in the room where they can sit facing each other. They can do this by either moving their chairs or simply sitting on the floor. Then have the pairs greet one another and exchange their handout with their photo on it. LISTEN AND SHARE: 15 MINUTES 6 Tell the pairs to take turns interviewing each other, using the questions on the handout. They should also jot down on the handout a few key words from their partner s responses. REFLECT AND DISCUSS: 20 MINUTES 7 Invite the participants to gather back into the circle to share one thing they learned about their partners. Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to share. 90

12 8 Lead a large-group discussion using the following questions: What surprised you from this activity? What new insights do you have about your partner? What new insights do you have about the group? How does getting to know and appreciate each other contribute to our work together as partners? APPRECIATE: 10 MINUTES 9 Ask participants to write down something they appreciate about their partner in the Appreciation section of the handout. 10 Post the completed handouts on the walls in the training room so that the participants can learn names and faces. Invite them to walk around to view the photos and handouts. 11 Encourage the participants to continue writing appreciations as they get to know one another. 12 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 91

13 COURTESY LAU RA REINHARDT "Working alongside of adults is great, because the adults gain insight from a young person point of view." KENTERRIOUS MIMS (Albany, GA), youth participant

14 HANDOUT 7 APPRECIATION AND GETTING TO KNOW YOU NAME: What motivates you? Inspires you? Drives you to excel? STAPLE PHOTO HERE What is something most people do not know about you? What is the most fun you have ever had? APPRECIATIONS 93 Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc.

15 ACTIVITY COMFORT ZONE Overview Establishing youth-adult partnerships or engaging youth as leaders in a community transformation effort can be out of the comfort zone for many people. These partnerships require crossing boundaries and using skills that may be new or challenging for many people. In this activity, the participants explore the concept of personal comfort zones. They also discover how difficult it can be to stretch out of that zone. The activity also encourages the participants to persevere through the discomfort that can accompany being part of a partnership for community transformation. When to Use This Activity This activity can be used after the group has started learning about and experimenting with youth-adult partnerships. It can also be used at the beginning of a community transformation effort, but if so, the reflection questions will need to be adapted. This activity can also be used as an energizer if the group activity is eliminated. Objectives to enable the participants to understand the concept of a personal comfort zone to foster within the participants patience with self and others in moving out of their comfort zone to help the participants identify strategies for perseverance when shifting out of personal comfort zones Time Required minutes Group Size Any size Needed Materials flip-chart paper markers, one for each team of four to six tape 94

16 Needed Preparation You will need one chair for each participant. Arrange the chairs in small circles of four to six, depending on the number of participants in your group. Write the following questions on flip-chart paper, one per sheet, and post them on the walls around the training room: What are some examples of times when we may need to move out of our comfort zone? In those situations, what is one thing you can do to help yourself move out of your own comfort zone? In those situations, are there things others can do to help you move out of your comfort zone? Is there anything that is not particularly helpful to you? What are things we can do as a team and as individuals to help everyone build the trust and confidence needed to take risks and move out of our comfort zones? Activity Steps SET THE CONTEXT: 2 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Invite the participants to gather in teams of four to six in one of the sets of chairs you have arranged. Make sure there is a mix of youth and adults in all the groups. Do not provide any introduction to this activity. UNDERSTAND YOUR COMFORT ZONE: 5 MINUTES 3 Invite the participants to sit up tall with their arms straight down by their sides. Ask them to take a few breaths with their chest out and shoulders back, holding that position for a full 60 seconds. Let them know when the time is up. 4 Now ask them to cross their arms over their chest. Ask them to once again hold that position for a full 60 seconds. Ask them to take note of which arm is crossed on top. Again let them know when the time is up. 5 Ask them to switch arm positions and cross the other arm on top and once again hold that position for a full 60 seconds. Let them know when the time is up. 6 Ask the participants to think about which of the three positions was most comfortable to them. Which was least comfortable? Then share the following points: A comfort zone is a construct used by a person s mind to determine what that person feels comfortable and uncomfortable doing. 95

17 Anything outside the comfort zone is deemed as uncomfortable, and anything within is comfortable. A comfort zone is a place where everything comes easily; you feel no stress or anxiety; and you are not challenged, not stretched, not pushed. But just like the activity, we cannot always stay in a comfortable position or place. There is always another level past the level where you are now another level of skill, another level of experience, another level of intuition that comes with practicing what you know, and then trying new things. Every time you stretch yourself, you get comfortable at the new level and become more well-rounded, more complete. TEAM DISCUSSIONS: MINUTES 7 Provide each team with a sheet of flip-chart paper and a marker. Refer the participants to the questions you have posted on the flip-chart paper. Read each one aloud. Then ask the teams to discuss the questions. 8 After the teams have had time to discuss all the questions, ask them write their responses to the last question on the flip-chart paper and then post the flip-chart paper where all can see. REFLECT AND DISCUSS: MINUTES 9 Have each team share with the rest of the group highlights from its response to the last question. 10 Initiate a large-group discussion using the following questions. Process with the entire group: What surprised you from the reports? What struck you? What themes do you see emerging from the reports? What does this tell us about our work in building youth-adult partnerships? How can we apply what we have learned here to our work together? 11 Note the following: Everybody has a comfort zone. There is a certain temperature at which we feel the most comfortable. There is a way of life in which we feel at ease. There is a crowd of people with whom we feel most comfortable. When we find ourselves outside of our comfort zone, we can become a little nervous. There is nothing wrong with this; it just proves that we are interested in being comfortable. Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone in order to try something new, speak from the heart, or give honest feedback. It may take a bit of time to settle into a new pattern, or it may take a couple of tries to make the change. But it is well worth the effort. 12 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 96

18 ACTIVITY GIFTS I BRING Overview Everyone has strengths and gifts to contribute to youth-adult partnerships and to community transformation. The process of building partnerships can be a great way to discover your own gifts and talents and to help others discover theirs. In this activity, the participants learn the importance of valuing the gifts of everyone. When to Use This Activity This activity is best used early in a training session on youth-adult partnerships or early in a community transformation process. It is particularly useful for new teams and helps to establish the value of youth voices from the start. Objectives to encourage the participants to identify their God-given gifts to help participants connect the strengths of others to building partnerships for community transformation to promote appreciation among the participants for the equal voice and participation of all in a partnership and community transformation effort Group Size 8-25 participants Time Required 45 minutes Needed Materials flip-chart paper markers tape blank sheets of paper, one for each participant pen or pencils, one for each participant 97

19 Needed Preparation On a sheet of flip-chart paper, write the following: Effective leaders... know their skills and gifts can connect their skills to team needs can help others connect their skills to team needs Activity Steps SET THE CONTEXT: 10 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Introduce the activity by sharing the following points: We are all leaders in our work to build partnerships for community transformation. A key aspect of leadership is the ability to identify your own gifts or strengths (i.e., what you re good at and what you can offer the partnerships). Sometimes it is hard for us as individuals to name our own gifts and skills, but others can help us to do just that. This activity will help us practice those skills while we learn more about our own and others gifts. 3 Refer the participants to the statement you posted on the flip-chart paper. Read it aloud. Then ask: If someone is a talented artist, how could that skill be used in working in partnership with other youth or adults to help to transform our community? Encourage the participants to come up with at least five example of how the skills could be used. Here are a few examples if needed: make publicity posters, draw invitations to a Community Vision Day meeting, decorate trash cans for a service project, and help to design a T-shirt. 4 Then ask about someone who has great skills in basketball how those skills might be helpful to working in partnership? Again invite the participants to offer some ideas. Example might include teaching the importance of working as a team member, recruiting team members to efforts with service projects, or organizing a basketball fundraiser. IDENTIFY GIFTS: 10 MINUTES 5 Tell the participants that they are going to take some time to identify their own individual gifts and skills and think of ways these gifts and skills can be connected to and utilized for their work together for community transformation. Provide each participant with a sheet of blank paper and a pen or pencil. 6 Ask them to take a moment to think about something they really enjoy doing or are very good at. Invite a few participants to share a personal example. Then invite all of the participants to write their gift or skill in large letters on their sheet of paper. 98

20 SHARE: 15 MINUTES 7 Invite the participants to share their responses, allowing about one minute for each person. When each participant is done sharing, ask him or her to post their paper on the wall, and then ask the group: How could (name) s skills be useful? Ask for a couple of different examples from the group to help them realize that the same skills can be useful in a variety of ways. REFLECT AND DISCUSS: 10 MINUTES 8 Lead a large-group discussion using the following questions: How easy or difficult was it to figure out what your gifts are? How did you feel when I asked you to visualize your gifts and skills? How many of you were nervous about having to stand in front of the group? (Ask for a show of hands.) How did it feel to give feedback and connect skills to our team or community needs? How is this helpful? Why is it an important partnership skill? 9 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 99

21 "Youth and adult partnerships are a good thing because, it helps generations communicate and work together by getting input from the different experiences and adding it to our lives. i think when adults work with youth it makes youth feel like they are being heard and not being put down, I also think that when adults share with the students, it makes the adults feel like they are being heard while trying to understand the youth." HAZEL ANGELIS PIÑA (Washington Heights, NY), youth participant COURTESY ABBY METTY

22 ACTIVITY WHAT WILL I DO? Overview This activity will explore practical ways that young people and adults can personally contribute to successful youth-adult partnerships. It promotes an understanding of the use of self as the most fundamental tool and resource that participants can bring to community transformation and in particular, to building successful youth-adult partnerships. When to Use This Activity This activity is most effective at the early stages of a training program to build community members understanding of and appreciation for youth-adult partnerships. Objectives to help the participants understand the wide range of things they can do personally to nurture successful youth-adult partnerships to foster within the participants an appreciation for the use of self in building successful youth-adult partnerships to build participants sense of personal commitment to apply their knowledge and skills to strengthen their own youth-adult partnerships Time Required minutes Group Size 4 to 40 Needed Materials flip-chart paper copies of handout 8, What Can An Adult Do? found on page 104, one for every two participants copies of handout 9, What Can a Youth Do? found on page 105 one for every two participants pens or pencils, one for each participant markers copies of handout 10, What Will I Do? found on page 106, one for each participant 101

23 Activity Steps INTRODUCTION: 5 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Explain to the participants that the activity they will be doing invites them to reflect deeply on how they can personally approach the partnership in ways that nurture positive relationships and foster a supportive environment. The activity models collaboration between youth and adults and promotes shared understanding of the importance of self in building successful partnerships that can catalyze community transformation. WHAT IS YOUR STORY? 10 MINUTES 3 Divide the group into pairs, preferably one adult and one young person. Ask the participants to describe to their partners the most successful youth-adult partnership they have ever been a part of or witnessed. If they have never been a part of a successful youth-adult partnership (which may be the most common response), ask them to imagine what the most successful youth-adult partnership would be like. Tell them to describe to their partners what happened in their real (or imagined) scenario and to talk about what they think contributed to it being so successful. WHAT CAN BE DONE? 20 MINUTES 4 Ask the pairs to gather with two or three other pairs to create teams of six to eight people. Provide each participant on half of the teams with a copy of handout 8, What Can An Adult Do? Provide each participant on the other half of the teams with a copy of handout 9, What Can a Youth Do? Provide each participant with a pen or pencil as well. 5 Invite the participants to individually review their assigned handout, jotting down their thoughts and ideas. They should then share and discuss their ideas with their team members. Ask that someone serve as a recorder to capture the discussion. If there are any notable differences of opinion within the team, the recorder should capture these as well. Allow about 10 minutes for the teams to complete these tasks. 6 One by one, invite each team to share its report with the large group. You might consider capturing significant ideas from the reports on a of flip-chart paper, or you might simply encourage the participants to listen for themes from the various team reports. REFLECT AND DISCUSS: 10 MINUTES 7 Process the activity with the large group using the following questions. You may want to capture the answers from the final three questions on flip-chart flip-chart paper for future reference. What words or phrases caught your attention? Where did you feel excited by what you were hearing? Confused or troubled? 102

24 What themes did you notice across the reports? What new ideas did you hear? How do these ideas or information remind you of other relationships or youth-adult partnerships you have been a part of? What would you say to others who are not here about the major insights for you from this activity? APPLY LEARNING TO SELF: 10 MINUTES 8 Provide each participant with a copy of handout 10, What Will I Do? Ask them to take a few minutes to complete it on their own. 9 Invite a few individuals to share one thing from their handout with the entire group. 10 Encourage the participants to keep this handout for their own future reference. 11 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 103

25 HANDOUT 8 WHAT CAN AN ADULT DO TO CREATE SUCCESSFUL YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIPS? What must I believe? What do I think? What can I do? What should I say? 104 Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc.

26 HANDOUT 9 WHAT CAN A YOUNG PERSON DO TO CREATE SUCCESSFUL YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIPS? What must I believe? What do I think? What can I do? What should I say? 105 Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc.

27 HANDOUT 10 WHAT WILL I DO TO CREATE SUCCESSFUL YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIPS? What must I believe? What do I think? What can I do? What should I say? 106 Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc.

28 ACTIVITY PICTURE-PERFECT YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIPS Overview In this activity, the participants establish a visual representation (mural, collage, or mosaic) of the youth-adult partnerships in action in the group and community. Developing a collective art form helps to build the group s sense of identity and fosters a sense of belonging among all members. In some communities, the completed art form has been placed in a significant location such as an office building or community center, or in a public space like city hall. When to Use This Activity This activity is most effective after the youth and adults have had time to work together, at the end of a meeting or event, or at the completion of a group project. Objectives to invite the participants to reflect on youth-adult partnerships to celebrate with the participants the work of youth-adult partnerships to inspire the participants and others interested in youth-adult partnerships Group Size participants Needed Materials Time Required minutes flip-chart paper or art paper for mural colorful paper cut into different geometric shapes magazines, newspapers other art supplies glue 107

29 Needed Preparation Determine which art form the participants will be creating, and collect and prepared needed materials ahead of time. Activity Steps SET THE CONTEXT: 5 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Introduce the activity by sharing the following points: An enormous amount of skill, talent, experience, and insight comes from authentic partnerships between youth and adults. This activity creates an opportunity to visually capture the rich work that come from such collaborations and shared learning. Each participant will have the opportunity to create a part of a mural (or collage or mosaic, based on available supplies) that depicts his or her own experience or insight about the work that has been done. DEFINE THE CONTENT: 5 MINUTES 3 Ask the participants to think about the following question: As youth and adults working together, what do our collective efforts, insights, and experiences look like? Encourage them to think expansively there are no wrong or right answers. 4 Brainstorm common words, images, themes, and so forth. CREATE IMAGES: 15 MINUTES 5 Point out the art supplies you have provided, and then invite the participants to use the supplies and their imaginations to create their own part of the collective art form. If the participants prefer to work in pairs or teams, this can be an option as well. CREATE A COLLECTIVE IMAGE: 15 MINUTES 6 As the participants complete their individual art pieces, invite them to post their works on a sheet of flip-chart paper or a large sheet of art paper, or on a wall in the training room. Direct the participants to create the larger art form as the individual pieces are posted. 108

30 7 After a few minutes (and after everyone has posted their work), ask the participants to stop and step back from the wall and take a few moments to reflect on the collective creation. REFLECT AND DISCUSS: 10 MINUTES 8 Process the activity in the large group using the following questions: What images stand out? Where were you moved? Where did you feel stuck? How does the collective art form depict our work as a team? What could the title of this piece of art be? (For example, When I look at our mural, I think the title is Power and Passion in Action. ) How can you use this information to improve the work of this or another group of young people and adults? 9 Discuss what the participants would like to do next with their artwork. Consider taking a photo for future reference. 10 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 109

31 ACTIVITY PRACTICING YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH ROLE-PLAYS Overview In any community transformation process, there will likely be some conflict, differences of opinion, and misunderstandings. Youth and adults need to have the confidence and skills to positively manage these situations and convert what could be negative experiences into positive ones, laying the foundation for deeper partnerships and stronger relationships. In this activity, the participants practice and strengthen their communications and problem-solving skills in a safe and supportive learning environment through role-plays. When to Use This Activity These role-plays can be used to reinforce learning among participants who have a moderate level of experience in youth-adult partnerships. The activity may be particularly useful to use with a group of youth and adults working to provide leadership to a community transformation effort. Objectives to build confidence among participants in their ability to positively interact with one another to strengthen the communications and interpersonal skills of participants in handling potentially challenges interactions Time Required minutes Group Size participants Needed Materials copy of resource 3, Role-Play Scenarios, found on page 113 flip-chart paper marker tape 110

32 Needed Preparation Select which role-plays you wish to use for this activity. You may also consider adapting or adding to the role-play scenarios in order to better reflect your community situation. SET THE CONTEXT: 5 MINUTES 1 If you held a previous training session, begin by reviewing the key themes. Invite the participants to recall and share what they learned. 2 Explain to the participants that this activity involves role-playing to help them address issues of conflict, differences of opinions, and misunderstandings. The role-plays are designed to show youth and adult interactions in both negative and positive ways. By analyzing these situations, the participants will learn how to avoid negative interactions and achieve positive outcomes. 3 Ask for two volunteers for the first role-play. GO THROUGH FIRST ROLE-PLAY: 10 MINUTES 4 Provide the volunteers with one of the role-plays you have selected from resource 3, Role-Play Scenarios. Give them a minute to review the situation, asking them to prepare to act it out negatively. Then give them the go-ahead to begin. 5 Process the role-play with all of the participants, using the following questions: Ask the volunteers: What was it like to do this role-play? Describe how you feel about the roles you just acted out. Ask everyone: What did you see or hear in this role-play? What are other experiences that you have had that are similar to what you just watched? What did you learn from watching this? What does this say about our work with adults? With youth? 6 Invite the volunteers to conduct the role-play again, but this time to do so using a positive approach. Then process the experience with these questions: Ask the volunteers: What was it like to do the role-play this time? How was this situation different? 111

33 Ask everyone: What differences did you notice this time? What are some words that describe the overall feeling between these two people? What can we learn from this exercise about partnerships with adults? With youth? What are key elements in the second example that are necessary to building a partnership between youth and adults? Write the answers to the last question on a sheet of flip-chart paper and post it where all can see. 7 Thank the volunteers for their help. CONTINUE THE ROLE-PLAYS: 20 MINUTES 8 Ask for another pair of volunteers. Have them conduct a different scenario from the list, using both a negative and then positive perspective. 9 Process the experience using the questions from steps 5, 6, and 7. Keep adding to the group s list of key elements for working in partnership. REFLECT AND DISCUSS: 10 MINUTES 10 Initiate a summary discussion using the following questions: How did you feel conducting or observing these role-plays? What is a key phrase or expression that sums up what you saw? Thinking about these role-plays and your own experiences, what are the most significant elements of an effective partnership? 11 Before the participants leave, provide them with a brief overview of the next training session (if you are planning one). Be sure to note how the next session connects with the one they just completed. 112

34 RESOURCE 3 ROLE-PLAY SCENARIOS Role-Play 1 You have an idea to start an activity in your community, and you share the idea with one of the influential community leaders on the core action team. The community leader continually says that it would be a waste of time. Role-Play 2 You want to apply for a scholarship to attend a community leadership development training that your counselor must sign the application for. She or he did not sign the form promptly; therefore, you miss the opportunity. Role-Play 3 A funder comes to evaluate a program that he or she funded, but when the youth-adult team takes the funder on a tour of the community, the funder speaks only to the adults on the team. Role-Play 4 A prospective funder visits your community to explore possible funding opportunities. The adult members of your community team do not invite the youth members to the meeting and fail to share any details with them. Role-Play 5 An adult from the community wants to join the core action team because she thinks she has a lot to teach the youth. She makes it clear, however, that she doesn t think she can learn anything from young people. Role-Play 6 A young person from the community wants to join the core action team because he is angry about the ways things are in the community and wants to tell the adults how to fix things. Role-Play 7 You are a young person who needs to attend a community meeting organized by the core action team, of which you are a member. However, the site that the adults choose is far outside of town and to get to it, you will need to take two buses and change buses in a dangerous section of town. You are afraid to do so and talk with one of the adults about not being able to attend. Role-Play 8 You have suggested background music for the core action team s celebration party, but the young people on the team think the music is boring. Role-Play 9 You have suggested a prominent businessperson as a possible candidate to join the core action team, but the young people say he is rude to girls. 113 Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc.