Education - Transformer Schools

Guide developed within the project:
ERASMUS+ KA2 - Strategic

Partnerships for school education
“Transformers School - Gifted
Students/ Happy Children”
(2017-1-HU01-KA201-036010)
EDUCATION
TRANSFORMERS
Guide with non-formal methods, aimed for educators
(teachers, youth workers) who work with gifted students.
Table of contents
FOREWORD ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 6
FEW WORDS FOR EDUCATORS AND LEARNERS .............................................................................................................. 9
CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 11
WARMING OUT .......................................................................................................................................................... 11
GETTING YOUR MIND IN GEAR .................................................................................................................................. 12
WORKING OUT WITH TIMED COUNTING .................................................................................................................. 13
EXERCISING MEMORY MUSCLES................................................................................................................................ 14
RACE-WALKING YOUR MIND ..................................................................................................................................... 15
STRETCHING YOUR BRAIN TO THE MAX .................................................................................................................... 16
CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17
EXERCISES TO BE CARRIED OUT IN DIFFERENT LEARNING SPACES AND EXCERCISES FOR GENERAL MENTAL
FITNESS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17
INCREASING YOUR POWERS OF FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION .............................................................................. 18
DEVELOPING MENTAL STAMINA ............................................................................................................................... 18
BECOMING A MORE CREATIVE THINKER ................................................................................................................... 20
HOW SHARP ARE YOU? .............................................................................................................................................. 21
FUN WITH NAMES ...................................................................................................................................................... 22
STRETCHING THE IMAGINATION ............................................................................................................................... 23
CHAPTER 3 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 25
EXCERCISES FOR BOOSTING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION ................................................................................... 25
DOT IN A CIRCLE ......................................................................................................................................................... 25
HOW MANY TREES ARE THERE IN AN APPLE? ........................................................................................................... 26
CREATIVE PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN ............................................................................................................................ 27
CREATIVITY NOT SPOKEN HERE ................................................................................................................................. 28
CREATIVE KEYS ........................................................................................................................................................... 29
UNTOUCHABLES ......................................................................................................................................................... 30
IDEA- SPURRING QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 32
PASS THE PROBLEMS .................................................................................................................................................. 33
THE PROBLEM –SOLVING CIRCLES ............................................................................................................................. 34
MINDMAPS ................................................................................................................................................................. 35
JUMP –START AN IDEATION SESSION- THIRTY CIRCLES EXERCISE ........................................................................... 37
EMPATHY MAP ........................................................................................................................................................... 37
I LIKE/ I WISH .............................................................................................................................................................. 38
THE DREAM/ GRIPE SESSION ..................................................................................................................................... 40
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CHAPTER 4 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 42
EXCERCISES FOR OUTDOOR SPACES .......................................................................................................................... 42
NITRO CROSSING ........................................................................................................................................................ 43
SCORE THREE .............................................................................................................................................................. 45
SINGLE KNOTS ............................................................................................................................................................ 46
OUTDOOR GAME DESIGN .......................................................................................................................................... 47
MINEFIELD .................................................................................................................................................................. 48
PULSE SPEED ............................................................................................................................................................... 50
MARSHMALLOWED .................................................................................................................................................... 51
RECYCLE BALL ............................................................................................................................................................. 52
TENTS’R’US ................................................................................................................................................................. 53
SOUND WALK ............................................................................................................................................................. 55
FUNNY FACE................................................................................................................................................................ 56
BLACK SEA ................................................................................................................................................................... 57
CHAPTER 5 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 59
EXCERCISES FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION ............................................................................................................ 59
NICKNAME WARM UP ................................................................................................................................................ 59
SPEED DATING ............................................................................................................................................................ 60
COMMUNICATION DURING DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................. 63
ACTIVE LISTENING ...................................................................................................................................................... 64
STORYTELLING ............................................................................................................................................................ 64
Handout 1 for participants – Active listening ......................................................................................................... 67
Handout 2 for participants - Providing Peer Feedback ........................................................................................... 69
Handout 3 for participants – Assertive Communication ........................................................................................ 72
Handout 4 for participants – Public Narrative ........................................................................................................ 74
Handout 5 for participants – Writing Voices .......................................................................................................... 75
CHAPTER 6 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 77
EXCERCISES FOR EVALAUTING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ....................................................................................... 77
THE ALPHABET REVIEW .............................................................................................................................................. 77
ACTION REPLAY .......................................................................................................................................................... 78
PIE CHART ................................................................................................................................................................... 80
SUCCESS CHART: DRAWING THE CAUSES OF SUCCESS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT MADE IT A SUCCESS ......... 81
DREAM DRAWING ...................................................................................................................................................... 82
METAPHOR MAPS ...................................................................................................................................................... 83
THE THREE-WORD REVIEW ........................................................................................................................................ 84
PICTURE POSTCARDS .................................................................................................................................................. 85
YOU’VE GOT MAIL ...................................................................................................................................................... 86
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CHAPTER 7 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 90
COOLING DOWN ......................................................................................................................................................... 90
TAKING A MENTAL CATNAP ....................................................................................................................................... 90
STAYING IN THE MOMENT: A MINI MEDITATION ..................................................................................................... 91
RELAXING WITH COLOUR ........................................................................................................................................... 92
DREAMING WHILE AWAKE ........................................................................................................................................ 93
RETURNING TO THE CENTRE ...................................................................................................................................... 94
CHAPTER 8 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 96
OUTLOOK- FROM INSPIRATION TO ACTION.............................................................................................................. 96
POWER WALK ............................................................................................................................................................. 96
INTRO TO LEADERSHIP – CONSENSUS ..................................................................................................................... 103
Handout for trainers - Quotes............................................................................................................................... 105
Handout 1 for participants – Earliest Memory of Leadership .............................................................................. 107
Handout 2 for participants – Model of Self-Directed Learning ............................................................................ 108
EPILOGUE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 109
3
FOREWORD
WHY AND FOR WHOM
It is said that while the human mind is the most magnificent piece of machinery ever created, we
have yet to discover its full capacity. With this in mind, how can we, through our project and this manual,
help educators inspire gifted students to expand their mind, to seek professional and personal development
and to pursue social and mindful expansion?
As educators, either teachers, trainers or facilitators coming from different fields and organizations,
this is our governing question and continuous enterprise.
In this Erasmus + Strategic Partnership project, we have identified best practices from education and
learning with gifted students and refined on how to highlight and even enhance these youngsters’
knowledge, skills and even attitudes. Throughout the project, these gifted students had the chance to
develop these competences by being involved in different educational contexts; they learned by doing,
reflected on this process, cooperated and hopefully integrated these outcomes into their daily life.
This manual is designed to help educators to learn, adjust and also assimilate how to use these
different learning opportunities in a better targeted, well instrumented direction. The non-formal exercises
presented here are meant to address a wide range of personalities of gifted students with all their
characteristics, as well as the organizers of these learning contexts.
The diversity of the methods described here should successfully help teachers, trainers, facilitators,
mentors, youth leaders and coaches, or any individual responsible for creating learning contexts for gifted
students.
It is essential that these facilitators of learning foster an empowering attitude, demonstrating trust
in their gifted participants’ skills; skills to feel, incorporate and use their individual competences to embark
on a journey, fully action packed, ambitious and inspired.
Additionally, empowered learning facilitators are able to plan and manage a non-formal learning
process in terms of identified needs and objectives of target groups in a determined way.
For this to function, it is fundamental to bridge non formal learning experiences to functional, real
pondering on the question: What are the results in terms of learning and which of these experiences
delivered new knowledge?
One important aspect in conducting these activities refer to briefing and debriefing the exercises; in
briefing the team, the facilitator should request and agree with the participants on the following:
The team should work together as a team towards team and individual goals.
Members should look after the safety and wellbeing of themselves and fellow team members.
Giving and receiving feedback with the purpose of improving future performance is essential.
4
Debriefing questions are suggested after the description of each exercise; however, we add some
questions that might cover the following issues:
❖ Communication: what the problems are and how to improve them
❖ Team: the benefits of working in a team and how to create a trust atmosphere
❖ Delegation: how it is best done
❖ Conflict: what to do about it and how to resolve it
❖ Self- confidence: its benefits and how to improve it
❖ Competition: what is it and clarify assumptions
❖ Stereotypes and prejudices: the effect they have
❖ Follow up: how to use it back in your work place
Another aspect to consider with great attention is setting clear objectives since there is the danger of
the activities having only entertainment value if not properly designed. Before the facilitator develops the
educational program, he or she should have clearly defined objectives in order for it to be of qualitative
design.
An inquiry on the what exactly works in terms of strengths and weaknesses both in individual and group
and what kind of problems they need to be addressed is also highlighted in the description of the activities.
The educational program should start with icebreakers, then a disinhibiting activity encouraging the
group to do something out of the ordinary. Following a trust activity, the sequence should culminate with
initiative being taken. A variant of the program can be that after the icebreaking activities, the group can be
separated in teams and go in circuit challenges.
The debriefing activity must always follow the sessions, with an important stress on the application of
the training activity to participants’ future activity, within the team, at school or in their reference
environment. It is essential for any activity to be tested before proposing it so that relevant factors can be
worked upon.
5
INTRODUCTION
NON FORMAL LEARNING – A VERY BROAD DEFINITION IN THE

CONTEXT OF WORKING WITH GIFTED STUDENTS
Non formal educational approaches that foster gifted students to become truly involved either
socially or in themselves, stresses the following operative ingredients of learning: exploration, reflective
analysis, ’cutting and trying’’, and expanding within the context of provocations and joint effort.
This ability to perform as independent, accountable learners, is developed in generous,
miscellaneous educational settings, and therefore are innately composed of broad learning experiences.
All these, under an organic motion, have to be bridged using assumed and attentive tailored
educational process.
The more these diverse learning opportunities, either from school, youth centre, local library or any
of the type, correlate and balance each other, the more effective and powerful the learning process
becomes.
Such educational processes combine individual, peer and group interactions with the ‘’core’’ of non-
formal education- experiential learning; It compliments formal and informal learning and is dependent on a
valuable reflective process.
We cannot also but highlight the role played by the gifted learner in this endeavour. His or her
learning to become aware ‘’learners’’, demanding use of methodologies that earnestly implicate ‘’learners’’
in their own learning.
This manual is designed to help those working or willing to work in non- formal settings; for example,
experiential learning contexts, project based assignments, and everyday learning by doing are efficient paths
of boosting and growing the passion for learning and the development of soft skills such as creativity, grit,
mindfulness, work ethic, confidence, collaboration or critical thinking.
The types of exercises described in the manual are to be seen as gates or ways, or ways with gates
to non –formal learning in the sense that they can be applied to a broad range of domains in which a gifted
learner acts as strong, potential instigators of change in society.
The non- formal aspect of the activities, we believe, eases fundamental skills and produce confident,
creative, hardworking team mates, which are highly to integrate easier learning that comes from the formal
context.
Non-formal education in our opinion is defined as any educational, intended and educational activity
systematic, usually carried out outside the traditional school, the content of which is adapted the needs of
the individual and special situations, in order to maximize learning and knowledge and others minimizing
the problems it faces in the formal system.
6
We have summarized some characteristics of non-formal education in the light of this material:
1. A characteristic feature of non-formal education is that it ensures the link between formal and informal
learning.
2. Another important feature relates to the fact that non-formal education takes place in an organized
framework, outside the school system, comprising extra-classes, extra-curricular (disciplines,
interdisciplinary or thematic circles, sports ensembles, artistic events, library activities, etc.) and
education and training activities extracurricular activities as well as animation activities.
3. The coordinators of this form of education play their roles more discreetly, through animators,
moderators, trainers, facilitators, coaches, youth – workers, etc. The non-formal educator is required
more flexibility and enthusiasm, adaptability and speed in adopting the various leadership styles of
activity, depending on needs and demands of the educated.
4. The content and objectives pursued are laid down in specially prepared documents, presents great
flexibility, differentiating according to age, gender, socio professional categories, the interest of the
participants, their skills and inclinations. Activities are included correspond to the interests, skills and
desires of the participants.
5. Another characteristic feature is the optional nature of extracurricular activities, in a relaxed, calm and
pleasant environment, with the means to attract audiences of different ages. It is an optional form of
intellectual training that maintains the interest of the participants through an attractive methodology.
6. The evaluation of the activities carried out in non-formal education is optional, ‘’non formalized’’, with
psychological, priority incentive, no grades or official ratings.
In non-formal education, learning is obviously an ongoing process defined by the stages of action,
observation, reflection and experimentation. This dynamic could be described as spiral growth.
It means having as reference point past experiences as well as expected results and impact.
Learning is in that sense a cycle– reflecting, moving on, turning into a curve with new experiences and
hopefully endowed with new challenges.
David and Alice Kolb defined this phrasal spiral model and affirmed that any learner has to pass through
several phases.
1st stage- Concrete experience
In the beginning the challenge is defined through a phase of concrete experience.
2nd stage- Reflective observation
Reflective observation helps to identify whether or not the implemented action has led to success.
3rd stage- Abstract conceptualization
From observation and evaluation, we generate models of reality that allow us to define a few basic rules:
If I do this, that happens.
4th stage- Active experimentation
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Action, involvement, and trial and error help us to apply these new models and to prove their worth in
new experimentation. Then, once again, we enter a new circle with new specific experiences.
The role of the educator in this context is to help the participant go through this trial. A good educator
must have the ability to make participants understand what represents each phase, facilitating the learning
process.
Within the manual, we have tried to take participants through each step, except the ‘’active
experimentation’’ phase. That is their sole responsibility; but if well-crafted and nurtured, the learning
environment created by the educators we address, will surely produce valuable impact.
8
FEW WORDS FOR EDUCATORS AND
LEARNERS
Dear educators,
The activities in this manual are designed to also offer the space to reflect, both as individuals or as
a team, thus having the chance to debrief what participants did and felt during the exercise, and how they
might do it next time.
Also, facilitators of these activities need to make sure that they have the knowledge and skills to
conduct these activities, and to supply both physical and emotional safety for everyone involved.
In dividing teams, facilitators should pay attention when having odd number of people left over and
involve these either as spotters or observers. They can also be involved in helping with safety issues and can
make additional observations one might have missed.
In the selection of the activities, the facilitators must take responsibility of their selection and use;
they are in charge with selecting the location, paying attention for everything and everyone without
exception. Participants’ wellbeing and safety are the facilitators’ main responsibility while being responsible
for taking control in case of crises, and reducing participants’ emotional or physical harm.
As a facilitator, you are also in charge with informing the participants what to wear during the
activities; a first aid kit should also be within reach. A demonstration showing how to prevent injuries and
how to fall correctly is strongly recommended. We have to mention spotters ‘role, one that is essential; they
have to be instructed to watch other participants during the activity so that they can offer protection in case
of an accident, if the activity allows it.
In case, a participant does not want to be involved in an activity, they should be allowed to withdraw;
no one should be forced to participate if they do not feel comfortable. They should be assigned roles of
observers.
Dear learners,
How do you do these exercises?
With a conscious mind. All the exercises in the manual are meant to extend your potential and
designed to leave participants with a calm and relaxed feeling.
With an energized, sober attitude. The full benefits of these activities are to be put to work when self
– actualization coincides directly with learning.
With an attitude of openness and adventure. It is better for participants to be prepared to leave their
comfort zones, facing new challenges, and overcoming their capabilities.
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With patience. Our minds are already trained to solve problems and function its own way so there
might be some resistance to perform some of the activities; be ready to stretch your grid and face it with
endurance.
When do we do the exercises?

Whenever we want to surpass old patterns and think more creatively.
Whenever we want to devote time and energy to self-improvement.
Whenever we want to recharge your mental flow and to give your brain its own workout routine.
Whenever you want to relax or stretch your cognitive strength.
They can be performed anytime, but there are some suggestions for appropriate times of the day.
They can be experimented and participants might find, through practice the times that makes sense for
every learner type.
Where do we do these activities?
Anyplace can become a natural setting for transformation into a brain health centre. The
environment should provide participants space to fully submerge into practicing these activities; a classic
setting can be the chairs of the classroom in a circle or several small circles rather than rows and columns.
This can engage the participants rather than all eyes and ears on the educator.
But no matter where they are performed, the suggestion is to do all the steps of the activities.
A mild break from the daily routine is advisable, since the concentration should not be disturbed by
telephone calls or other outer stimuli. Interrupting these exercises during their unfolding will lessen the
overall benefits of the activity.
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CHAPTER 1
WARMING OUT
Mental strength workout (especially when working with gifted students), just like any other workout
involves more than just willpower; it requires hard work and commitment. It is about establishing healthy
habits and choosing to devote your time and energy to self-improvement. And just like any other physical
workout it requires doing a series of stretching exercises designed to get your muscles ready. The purpose
of these warm up exercises is to prepare your body to the challenging workout that will follow.
In this case, warming –up your mind means to ‘’ smooth the lint’’ out of before participants tackle a
demanding project or future activity.
Mental Warming up is meant to allow you to perform more efficient and to sharp specific mental
functions essential for daily life: numerical and creative thinking, comprehension, memory and productivity.
Participants are invited to do one exercise per day or perform all of them but they should all be done
at least once. They are proven for jump- starting cognitive power and one can combine them with other
exercise in the manual, once you have become familiar with them. To increase mental capacity, you can also
perform an exercise more than once a day or by adding time to the lengths of the exercise.
Many participants discover that mental capacities are more relaxed, active and wired for action after
practicing them.
11
GETTING YOUR MIND IN GEAR
Benefit: This exercise can be considered a mental stretching activity, meant to get you in gear before moving
on to more demanding activities. It is designed to set you up for numerous cognitive tasks that can follow.
Time: 5- 10 minutes first thing in the morning.
Equipment needed: None.
Body position: Sitting comfortably or lying down.
Step 1: Count out loud backward from 50 to 1, as quickly as possible. It you make mistakes, continue on and
do not stop.
Step 2: Recite the alphabet out loud, giving each other letter a word partner (A- acorn, B- balloon, C-
carnation, D- decide, E- every time, etc.). Again, do this step, as quickly as you can. If you hesitate for 15
seconds or more on a particular letter, skip it and continue. The rhythm and speed are very important. Also,
if you repeat this exercise every morning and you observe yourself repeating certain words, do not worry.
Just focus on the speed.
Step 3: Name out loudly twenty men’s names, as quickly as you can, numbering them as you go (1- Andrew,
2- George, 3- Adrian, 4- John, 5- Patrick, etc.).
Step 4: Name out loudly twenty women’s names as fast as you can, numbering them as described in step 3
(1- Anna, 2- Louise, 3- Meghan, 4- Laura, 5- Elise, etc.).
Step 5: Name out loudly twenty types of food as fast as possible, numbering them as you did in steps three
or four (1- bread, 2 -chocolate, 3- apple, 4- stew, 5- pasta, etc.).
Step 6: Choose one letter of the alphabet and name twenty words that begin with that letters as fast as
possible, numbering them as you pronounce them (1- noun, 2- nut, 3- not, 4- nuisance, 5- number, etc.).
Step 7: If your eyes were open during this exercise, it is ok but for this step close them. Count to 20 and open
them. Your mind should be warmed up, stretched out and ready for what is ahead.
Note: If you repeat this exercise for several weeks and find it repetitive in terms of categories suggested, it
is strongly recommended to come up with other categories. Decide at the beginning of the activity what the
lists will be and it is advisable to put them on a piece of paper that is to be kept close so that once you begin
it, you can move easily from one category to another. Also when you create your own lists, try not to include
chores or responsibilities like: Twenty things I need to do first thing in the morning.
12
WORKING OUT WITH TIMED COUNTING
Benefit: This mental exercise is meant to boost your mind while getting ready for the challenges of the day
or just simply before you go to school, have a test or an interview.
It is focused on the process of counting, although instead of counting forward from 1 to 100, participants
will be using a timer app on an electronic device. The counting should be in sync with the seconds, effectively
warming up the mind because of its sequential rhythm.
Time: 5 minutes, preferably in the morning.
Equipment needed: an electronic device with a timer or a chronometer.
Body position: Sitting down.
Step 1: Sit in a comfortable position, preferably on a chair with your back straighten, and place the timer in
front of you, close enough for you to see its seconds as they pass.
Step 2: Begin counting the seconds out loud but not in normal sequence (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) but in even numbers
(2, 4, 6, 8, etc.). Make sure you are counting in sync with the seconds ticking (one number for each second).
When the minute is up, go to the next step.
Step 3: For the second minute of this exercise, count the seconds out loud in odd numbers only (1, 3, 5,7, 9,
etc.). When the minute is done, go to the next step.
Step 4: For the third minute of the exercise, repeat step 2 (counting even numbers in sync with the seconds
passing). When the minute is done, go on to step 5.
Step 5: For the fourth minute of this exercise, repeat step 3 (counting odd numbers in sync with the second
passing). When the minute is done, go to step 6.
Step 6: The fifth minute of this exercise is simple: Just count the seconds in their sequential normal order
(numbers 1 to 60), making sure you are counting in sync with the seconds on the screen. This step is a cool-
down, allowing you to slow down and prepare for whatever is ahead.
Note: You should not worry if you miss several seconds as the seconds are pressing, just pick up where got
stuck and keep going but do not hesitate or interrupt the counting. The goal of this activity is to improve and
elevate your mind by boosting your mind and focusing on two things at once: counting in particular
sequences and counting in a certain rhythm.
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EXERCISING MEMORY MUSCLES
Benefit: every day we storage massive load of data into our short and long term memory system. As we get
older, it becomes more and more difficult to retrieve this data when we need it, not only because ‘’
information overload’’ worsens as time goes by, but because our ability to memorise information lessens as
we are further removed from school experience, we are focused to memorise historical data or plant
classifications.
So, we need to exercise our flabby memory muscles otherwise they will atrophy. This activity will
allow participants to boost these muscle categories and as they go about their daily activities. After
performing this exercise regularly, a noticeable difference will be observed, especially in one’s ability to dip
into their memory bank and retrieve facts, names, figures and data when needed.
Time: 5 minutes several times a day. The more this exercise is practiced, the sharper memory will become.
Body position: As the exercise requires.
Step 1: Think of series of mini quizzes as you go about your day. Begin to mentally memorize several pieces
of information that are easily accessible during your normal routine. Say to yourself: ‘’I record this
information to my memory. ’’This step should not take more than 4-5 minutes.
Step 2: Look away, walk away or simply close your eyes and try to list the material you memorised. Take
another 4-5 minutes for this step.
Examples of memory mini- quizzes:
• While sitting at your desk, at school or at home, open a book, commit twenty items from the book
(zoological species, historical personalities, etc.) to your memory and say to yourself ‘’I record this
information to my memory. ‘’and then close the book. Then close your eyes and list the items in the
order in which they were memorised. Open the book and check them.
• While shopping in a supermarket, walk down the shampoo aisle, commit ten brand names to memory
in order in which they appear on the shelf, say to yourself ‘’I record this information to my memory.”
And walk away. The list the brand names in the order in which they were memorised and some
minutes later, go back to the aisle to check the list.
• While reading an online material, commit to ten to twenty items to memory and say to yourself ‘’I
record this information to my memory.’’ and walk away from the article. Get up and finish what you
were doing or just drink a cup of coffee or a glass of water. Then list as many of the items you have
memorised. Several minutes later, open the article and check your list.
Note: for the most part, these examples work and boost your short- term memory. If participants wish to
exercise their long-term memory, commit the information to memory as in the examples above, but instead
of quizzing oneself minutes later, wait several days or even weeks to test the memory.
14
RACE-WALKING YOUR MIND
Benefit: One of the most effective ways to warm up the mind is to make it work faster. This exercise
accomplishes that goal by challenging it against the clock in a type of race – walking contest during which
the participants’ mind must take word associations before the given time is expired. It is functional because
it forces the mind to work at a high rate of speed while bringing to mind verbal images.
The exercise is to be done better in the morning before the day begins, or perform it right one sits down to
work on a project that requires mental sharpness.
Time: 5 minutes.
Equipment needed:
• pen and paper,

• timer,
• alarm clock or wristwatch.
Body position: Sitting is most comfortable.
Step 1: Pick up any form of printed material that’s lying around your home or at school, and quickly, without
much thought, select a noun (e.g., you pick up the morning paper and spot the word ‘’dew’’ on the weather
page).
Step 2: Get out your paper and pen and sit down in a comfortable place. Set the timer to ring after 5 minutes.
Step 3: At the top of the sheet of paper, write the noun you have selected. For the next 5 minutes, write as
many phrases or words as you can think of that include or incorporate this noun. Do this as quickly as
possible. And do not let your pen leave the paper. Try not to analyse or filter what you write, the important
thing is for you to keep writing. See the examples below:
• Dew
• Mountain dew
• Drop of dew
• Dew line
• Dewy plant
• Dew of youth
• Wet as dew
At the end of the 5 minutes, stop, reset your mind by counting from 1 to 20, get up, stretch your body and
go on with the day.
Note: Do not worry if the words or phrases seem vague and no not pay much attention to syntax or grammar.
The point of this exercise is to force the mind to move at high speed, so stooping to correct would be
counterproductive to the mental warm-up.
15
STRETCHING YOUR BRAIN TO THE MAX
Benefit: this activity offers a verbal workout by activating your ability to recognize and comprehend words,
a visual workout by stimulating the ability to hold a picture on one’s mind, and a perceptual workout by
heightening one’s ability to make sense of that picture- all at the same time.
Stretching one’s verbal, visual and perceptual skills is an excellent method for warming up the mind
for a tough day ahead. If this mental workout seems to heavy, do not stress.
Time: 10 minutes daily.
Equipment needed:
• Printed reading material- a book, a magazine or newspaper.

Step 1: This exercise has only one step. For ten minutes daily hold up some form of printed reading material
in front of you, upside down and read the words from this position. You will discover that the reading speed
and comprehension will decrease in a noticeable manner as the brain struggle to ‘’right ‘’ the words.
Normally, the brain is able to perceive words at a fast pace but now has to work harder in order to accomplish
the task at hand. Keep in mind that the objective of the activity is not for you to read quickly but to stretch
the brain.
16
CHAPTER 2
EXERCISES TO BE CARRIED OUT IN DIFFERENT LEARNING SPACES
AND EXCERCISES FOR GENERAL MENTAL FITNESS
There is a number of aspects to consider, as a facilitator, when organizing a learning space. The needs
of the learners are to be thought of, either their physical, intellectual, emotional, social or spiritual ones.
This section describes activities empowering participants and meant for them to take initiative but
also to boost mental capabilities by fostering emotional involvement while paying attention to the group
dynamics.
For most of us, identity also stems out from our careers or schools we attend, or for any other form
of education for that manner. Thinking about how important is our ‘’job’’ or educational status or occupation
to our identity, we discover that the title can describe a rank in a hierarchy, or our grades tells how valuable
you are in a classroom or to your teacher; and of course your choice of education or job reflects your
interests or talents, and so on.
No matter what we do- freelancer, student, youth worker, educator or pupil, our self-esteem is
undoubtedly tied to the performance at that occupation. That is why, this chapter is dedicated to situations
that may arise at a workplace- either in school, or at the NGO where you volunteer or in any environment
that brings shape to your identity and involves work.
The exercises described here can help in different challenging situations that participants may face
in a working and learning space, the goal being maximizing any innate ability to do the work one has already
chosen.
They are meant to help increase the focus and concentration, develop greater mental stamina,
feeling comfortable asking for a better grade or recommendation, avoid friction with your colleagues,
conquer public speaking emotions, think more creatively, and learn how to will yourself to succeed with
great results
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INCREASING YOUR POWERS OF FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION
Benefit: By performing this exercise daily over a period of three to four weeks, participants might discover
a powerful improvement in one’s mind ability to focus. You can compare this activity with adding a zoom
lens to the mind, a technique that will help greatly in a learning and working context, as participants will be
able to keep their mind on the tasks given for longer periods of time without becoming bored or distracted
to outside stimuli.
Time: 5 minutes the first week, 5 minutes the second, and so on until you reach 15-20 minutes. The exercise
can be done at any time of the day.
Equipment needed: Timer and a small object that fits in the hand (a pen, a hair clip, a phone, etc.).
Body position: Sitting is best, but any position will do, as long as you are comfortable and won’t be distracted
by noise or by having to move once you begin the exercise.
Step 1: Set the timer to 5 minutes and place it within hearing range.
Step 2: Place the small object in front of you or hold it with both hands.
Step 3: Begin to describe out loudly anything and everything you notice about the object, right down to the
smallest detail. (‘’This pen is approximately 15 centimetres long. On top it has a silver metal cap and is slightly
widened in the middle, about half a centimetre diameter, etc.). Describe all the shades of colour on the
object, as well as its texture, weight and shape. Do not miss anything. Think of your eyes as zoom lenses and
zoom into the smallest detail. Do not turn the object around until you have methodically described virtually
everything you can see on that side.
Step 4: Continue the exercise until the timer rings.
Note: A side benefit of this exercise in an increased level of calmness and relaxation.
DEVELOPING MENTAL STAMINA
Benefit: This exercise is designed as a strategy to keep the mental output consistent throughout the day as
many of us experience the high- followed by –a –low cycle of productivity.
Time: 5-10 minutes whenever mental energy is sagging.
Body Position: Sitting comfortably.
Step 1: Find a quiet place, either an empty classroom or a space outside and sit comfortably, taking five deep
breaths, inhaling slowly through the nose, holding for 5 seconds, and exhaling slowly through the mouth.
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Step 2: Close your eyes and keep them closed while thinking of the word ‘’tree’’. Now imagine that you are
an enormous, sturdy tree (redwood, oak, elm). Imagine that your feet and toes are the roots, the torso is
the trunk, and the arms and hands are the branches. Just as the tree is connected to the earth through its
roots, which extend from the feet and toes and deep into the ground, where they branch out in many
directions. If possible, slip off the shoes and wiggle the toes a bit as you imagine that you are planting the
roots even deeper.
Step 3: Now take ten deep breaths (inhale through your nose, hold for 5 seconds, exhale through the mouth).
Each time you inhale, imagine that your roots are pulling in energy in the form of green nutrients from the
earth’s soil. Let the energy from these green nutrients travel up from your toes and fee, through all parts of
your torso, out to your hands and arms, all the way up to the top of the head. Hold this energy for 5 seconds
as you hold your breath. Then, as you exhale, imagine that you are expelling mental and physical fatigue.
Step 4: You are going to take another ten deep breaths now, but before doing so, imagine that the earth
(the ground beneath you) has just received an abundant rainfall. Each time you inhale, imagine that your
roots are pulling in energy in from the fresh, clean water. Let the energy from its nutrients travel up from
your toes and feet, through all parts of your torso, out to your hands and arms, all the way up to the top of
your head. Hold this energy for 5 seconds as you hold your breath. Then, as you exhale, imagine that you are
expelling mental and physical fatigue.
Step 5: You are going to take your final ten deep breaths now, but first, imagine, it is a brilliant sunny day
and the sun’s golden rays are being absorbed by the ground beneath you. Each time you inhale, imagine that
your roots are pulling in the energy of the bright golden sunbeams. Let the energy from these golden
sunbeams travel up from your toes and feet, through all parts of your torso, out to your hands and arms, all
the way up to the top of your head. Hold this energy for 5 seconds as you hold your breath. Then, as you
exhale, imagine that you are expelling mental and physical fatigue.
Step 6: After you exhale for the last time, gently open your eyes. Get up and stretch.
Note: If you have never tried this technique of imagining or visualization and you believe you would not be
very good at it, do not pass up this activity. It is proven that the more vividly you can imagine yourself as a
tree, the more you will benefit from this exercise.
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BECOMING A MORE CREATIVE THINKER
Benefit: This exercise is meant to help participants to come up with fresh, innovative ideas even when
studying or working in familiar patterns. The idea is that the mind has gotten used to sorting and cataloguing
loads of information over the years and then feeding you those bits of info when you need them. What is
more, there are noticeable themes and patterns to the sorting and cataloguing, and it is these very patterns
that must be broken in order to increase creativity. To do this, you must ‘’confuse’’ the mind and force it to
reprogram how it takes in and record information.
Once you have broken old patterns, the mind will begin to sort and catalogue information in new
ways, and then new, fresh ideas will be born. This exercise trains you to break mind sets. Simply go through
the motions as they are described, without giving much thought to the changes the mind is undergoing.
Time: Throughout the day. Each activity will take 1-5 minutes.
Equipment needed: None
Body positions: As the exercise dictates.
Step 1: There are no sequential steps for participants to take, just activities to perform, activities that make
up normal daily routine. The rule is to do them differently in order to confuse the brain and break old habits.
Following is a sample schedule for three days’ worth of activities. Participants’ should try to do at least one
activity per day. but for best results, they should be done three per day, as in the sample schedule, and
continue mixing up routine for two to three weeks. Once the hang of this exercise is got other activities can
be added.
Monday
Brush your teeth with the opposite hand (if you are right –handed, brush with your left-hand, and vice versa).
Sit in a different chair at school or at the table.
Sleep on the opposite side of the bed (or sleep in a different room).
Tuesday
(keep performing the previous day ‘s activities)
Read at least favourite section from text books at school or magazine.
Drink all the beverages with the opposite hand.
Move articles on the school desk or the desk at home to a different part of the classroom or room so that
you have to get up and walk across the room each time you use them.
Wednesday
(keep performing the previous day ‘s activities)
Wear your watch on the opposite wrist.
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Take a different route to school (if there is only one way, simply circle a certain building twice or walk the
school twice before entering).
Note: It is okay if participants forget to perform an activity or two the previous day. Just try to do as many
things differently as you can over the course of two to three weeks.
There might be a slight disorientation but that is the point of the exercise. This disorientation will
eventually lead to creativity.
HOW SHARP ARE YOU?
Time required: 10 to 15 minutes

Size of the group: Unlimited
Material required for each team member:
• handout of questions for each participant,

• timer.
Benefits: Encouraging participants to read carefully, and to search for ‘’hidden wrinkles’’ that disguise
simplistic answers. This exercise also stimulates participants to be alert to tiny details and assumptions that
hold the key to success.
Step 1: Present the ‘’How sharp are you?’’ quiz to them, allowing a very tight time limit (e.g., 3 minutes).
Step 2: Before you present the correct answer to them, ask them how many had the (most likely) incorrect
answers for each one.
Step 3: Present the answers to them, and lead the discussion.
Key:
• 1 hour, 45 minutes
• 157 (3 multiplied with 50, plus 7)
• Two hours (now, plus half-hours).
• The match.
• They aren’t playing each other.
Debriefing questions:
• What factors caused you to err?

• How might those factors affect your work performance?
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How Sharp are you?
• Being very tired, a child went to bed at 7.00 o’clock at night. The child had a morning piano lesson,
and therefore set the alarm clock to ring at 8.45. How many hours and minutes of sleep could the
child get?
• Divide 50 by 1/3, and add 7. What is the answer?
• If a physician gave you five pills and told you to take 1 every half-hour, how long would your supply
last?
• If you had only one match and entered a cold, dimly –lit room where there was kerosene lamp, an
oil heater and a wood-burning stove, which would you light 1st?
• Two women play checkers. They play five games without a draw game and each woman wins the
same number of games. How can this be?
FUN WITH NAMES
Time required: 5-10 minutes

Material required for each team or participant: Handouts
Benefits: An exercise to be used as a warm-up activity or to introduce a more intense problem solving
activity.
Step 1: Each participant receives a handout with several people with several names who are also indicators
of their profession.
Step 2: Participants are asked to rearrange the letters in the first and last names so that they can discover
the line of work of the people.
Names:
Art Rein Alice V. Staips
Tim Niser Janis Roult
Rae Mang Chet Incani
Roy Tenat Ann Stocut
Brock Kortes Ron Sturcti
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Attorney
Stockbroker
A.V. Specialist
Journalist
Answers Technician
Trainer Consultant
Minister Instructor
Manager
Variation: Participants are asked to imagine what profession do they think the people have based on
their names and justify their answer. For example, Art Rein could be an owner of an art gallery because
‘Rein’ makes us think of reigning, owning, etc. So someone who owns art is an art gallery owner.
STRETCHING THE IMAGINATION
Time required: 5 to 10 minutes.

Size of the group: Unlimited.
Material required:
• 1 piece of plywood about 45 cm square

• 1 roll of masking tape
• 1 balloon and some to spare
• 1 marking pen
• 1 newspaper
Benefits: A simple activity to promote lateral thinking.
Goals:
• To get participants to think laterally

• To have the group participate in a problem- solving exercise.
Step 1: Before starting the activity, place a cross in the middle of the piece of plywood using two bits of
masking tape, each about 30 cm long.
Step 2: Start this exercise by asking for a volunteer. Tell the volunteer that they are going to be asked to
solve a problem. The problem will be to retrieve a balloon from the ground using the materials supplied.
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Step 3: While you are talking, blow up the balloon. It can add some fun to write on it something like
‘’extremely valuable’’ or ‘’Fanta dollars”, or to put a few candy inside the balloon as a reward for
retrieving it (they also help prevent the balloon from blowing away).
Step 4: Place the piece of plywood (with the cross facing upwards) on the ground so that everyone can
see it.
Step 5: Ask the volunteer to stand in the middle of the cross. Give them the newspaper. Place the balloon
on the ground about 4 metres away from the edge of the piece of plywood.
Step 6: Ask the volunteer to retrieve the balloon without moving from the cross. They have 3 minutes
to complete this task. The rest of the group is to observe only; they are not to offer suggestions about
how to solve the problem.
Step 7: After 3 minutes, assuming that your volunteer has not completed the task, ask for the group for
suggestions about how to solve the problem. You can then lead into a discussion about issues such as
problem – solving, synergy and team work.
Sample debriefing questions:
• What was the problem?

• How did you break it down? Who did what? How many participants could see an answer to the
problem?
• How many ways are there to solve this problem?
• What rules do we tend to place on ourselves?
Variations:
• Once the volunteer is standing on the plywood, have them put on a blindfold and have the group
tell what they have to do. This will obviously lead to other issues in the debriefing.
• Alternatively, do this as a small group exercise. Use a 1 metre square piece of plywood instead,
and have the small group stand on it. Their task is to retrieve the balloon, using the same rules.
Solution: Roll the newspaper up fairly tightly, then gradually pull the inside of it out from one end to
lengthen the roll and create a poll. Tear a piece off the masking tape that is on the plywood. Put the
piece of tape on the end of your pole so that some of the sticky side remains exposed.
All you need to do then to retrieve the balloon is to touch it with the sticky end of the pole.
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CHAPTER 3
EXCERCISES FOR BOOSTING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
This section provides a smart and practical action plan oriented activities meant to boost
creativity and innovative capacities.
All the activities presented are real –life exercises designed to inspire and reclaim creative
fervour and zeal. They are mere guides to boost and work out creativity muscles.
Gifted students interact with the different environments on a daily basis, this interaction
requiring often creative problem solving. Creativity can be taught; us, humans are all naturally creative,
and that we just have to unlock this power by being involved in a proper environment, using the right
resources with a sound attitude.
DOT IN A CIRCLE

Material required for each team:
• Flipchart
• Paper
• Pens
Benefits: This activity is meant to encourage participants to solve a task (an apparently impossible one)
through the use of creativity.
Step 1: Participants are provided with a visual drawing of a circle with a dot in a middle, on the flipchart.
Step 2: They are then directed to produce such a figure without lifting their pencil from the paper.
Solution: Fold a corner of the paper towards the middle. Place the pencil lead against the edge of the
fold and create a dot adjacent to the fold (and in the middle of the original sheet). Then without lifting
the pencil to break contact with the paper, drag the point across the folded corner a few inches and
then begin to sweep around the dot to create the circle. As the pencil moves off the folded corner and
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onto the regular paper surface, unfold it to make room for a complete circle to be drawn. Note that the
pencil has remained in continuous contact with the paper.
• What prevented you from seeing the solution initially (e.g., a self-definition that ‘’the problem’’
is impossible?)
• What rule of creativity is involved in the problem (e.g., redefinition of the problem)?
• How could you use this creativity principle at school?
HOW MANY TREES ARE THERE IN AN APPLE?

• Image of an apple tree

• One apple for each participant
Benefits: This activity has the objective of demonstrating that often it is useful to immerse yourself in
the problem before you can see all of its dimensions.
Step 1: Display a picture of an apple tree to the group.
Step 2. Suggest that is relatively easy task to everyone to determine the number of apples on a tree
(throughout observation and careful counting). Consequently, the task lends itself to completion on an
individual basis. Some tasks, however, require immersion into them before the answer can be obtained.
Step 3: Distribute an apple to each participant and ask them to determine how many trees are
(potentially) within each apple. The solutions, lies, of course in dissecting each apple (they may eat it, if
they wish) and counting the number of seeds found.
• What kind of problems have you encountered that are of a similar nature?
• What techniques have you found useful to aid you in the process of immersion?
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CREATIVE PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN

• Paper and pens for all the participants

• Flipchart
• Markers
Benefits: This exercise is meant to identify traits of creative people and to illustrate the point that these
same characteristics are often common to everyone.
Step 1: Ask the group members to think of some friends or colleagues that they consider to be creative
people. (In the event that participants seem to have difficulty identifying acquaintances, it is acceptable
to list other well –known creative people, e.g., Walt Disney.)
Step 2: Have them write down the names of 4-5 people that fit that category, and then, next to the
name of each person, write out what that particular person does that makes him/ her creative. These
responses could include such things as ‘’always asking questions ‘’ or ‘’always willing to take a risk’’ or
‘’daydreams a lot’’.
Step 3: Following this activity, form groups of 4 to 5 participants to compare and contrast the names
and qualities of creative people.
• As you look over your individual lists, how many of those listed were male? Female? Tall? Short?
Older? Younger? (make the point that physical condition typically has no correlation with
creative abilities.
• What does some of the traits or qualities your friends and colleagues exhibit that make them
creative? Could you learn these abilities?
• In your school/ classroom, have you seen cases where colleagues/ educators show creativity
even though the job climate does not seem to foster creativity?
• How does one become creative in a climate that does not currently support creativity?
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CREATIVITY NOT SPOKEN HERE

Material required for each team: Flipchart
Benefits: Uncovering several obstacles to creativity that are prevalent in many organizations and to
suggest ways of overcoming them.
Step 1: After discussing some elements of creativity (behavioural examples, etc.), acknowledge that in
some organizations, creativity is sometimes purposely or inadvertently blocked by heavy paperwork,
people’s values and even the overall culture.
Step 2: Ask the group to form subgroups of 3-4 people and discuss this question: ‘’Why aren’t we (or
others) as creative as we(they) either could be or should be?’’.
Step 3: Give them three minutes to think up as many reasons as they can. Responses will likely include
such things as: No time, management of the institution, lack of skill, past experience, learning climate,
laziness, etc.
Step 4: After 3 to 4 minutes, ask each group to appoint a spokesperson and identify just a few of their
blocks. Have a volunteer record these on a flipchart.
Step 5: After most ideas have captured, ask each group to go through their own list and identify which
of the items listed actually are under their own control as opposed the control of others.
• Were you surprised to see such a long list?

• Did some of these items hit close to home?
• For those over which you have no control (headmaster, other students, rules, etc.), how can you
lessen these?
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CREATIVE KEYS

• 1 chair
• 1 broom or mop
• 1 set of keys on a ring about 2,5 centimetres diameter. It is important that, when attached to its
head, the mop or the broom handle does not quite fit inside the keyring. The screw end however,
will fit the keyring.
• 1 rope, 16 metres long.
• A number of other items, e.g. a flower pot, cup, packet of biscuits, scissors, rubber band, book
and newspaper.
Benefit: This challenge can be used to demonstrate a problem- solving strategy and to develop lateral
thinking.
Goals:
• To look at a problem- solving strategy.

• To demonstrate how to encourage creative ideas.
Step 1: Start by asking for 2 volunteers. Ask both volunteers to leave the area for the time being. They
need to be well out of hearing range and where they can’t see what you’re doing.
Step 2: Set up the props. Place the chair in the centre of an open area. Place the set of keys, with the
ring sticking up, on the chair. Place the length of rope on the ground about 2 metres away from the
chair, and form it into a circle around the chair. The rope border around the chair will be about 4,5
metres in diameter.
Step 3: Ask the first volunteer to re-join the group. Tell them that their task is to get the set of keys from
the chair. The only rules are that they are not allowed to cross the rope boundary, they can only use the
broom or mop as a tool to assist them, and the keys are not allowed to touch the floor.
Step 4: Give the volunteer the broom or mop and ask them to perform the task. The rest of the group is
to observe.
Step 5: After the volunteer fails to succeed with the apparent solution (trying to spear the tip of the
broom or mop handle into the ring on the bunch of keys), they will look for other ways to solve the
problem. They may end up hooking the broom or mop around one of the chair legs so that they can drag
the chair (and the keys on it) over to the rope border.
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Step 6: When the volunteer does solve the problem, congratulate them but tell them that was not the
solution you were looking for. Reset the chair and the keys, and ask them to try again.
Step 7: Keep them going until they arrive at the solution you are after, which is for them to unscrew the
mop or broom handle and use its tapered end to lift the ring of keys.
Step 8: After they achieve this, ask the second volunteer to re-join the group. Reset the props, and given
the second volunteer the same set of instruction except this time tell them that they can use all the
items to assist them. Do not specify the broom or the mop is the only thing they can use- this time is
just one among many.
Step 9: Keep the second volunteer going until they get the required solution. It may take some time but,
eventually they will arrive at it.
Step 10: You can now lead a discussion about issues such as predictability, frustration and lateral
thinking.
• Were the first solutions predictable? Why?

• How did each volunteer feel during the exercise?
• What did the rest of the group observe?
• How did the volunteers feel when they arrived at a solution only to be told it was wrong?
• Was it unfair to give a lot of irrelevant items to the second volunteer? Does this happen in the
learning space/ work space?
• How does this activity relate to our work environment?
Variations:
Have the rest of the group write down as many solutions as they can think of while the volunteers are
trying to find a solution, but make sure they do this in silence.
UNTOUCHABLES

Size of the group: Unlimited, but it is best to break large groups into teams of 5 to 7 participants.
• 1 pipe, about 30 centimetres long, with an inside diameter slightly bigger than a ping –pong ball.
• 1 ping-pong ball
• 1 large shifting spanner
• 1 carpenter’s saw
• 1 ball of string
• 1 small jar of honey
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• 2 sheets of writing paper
• 2 pens
• 1 pair of reading glasses
• 1 unopened can of soft drink
• 1 plastic shower screen
• 1 tennis ball
• 2 rolls of toilet paper
• 1 unopened bottle of wine
• 2 ceramic cups
• 4 unused party balloons
• 2 raw eggs
• 1 small chilli plant
• It is probably not practical to have all these items with you. In that case, give each team a copy
of the list and get them to use their imagination.
Benefits: An interesting and thought provoking activity designed to get participants to working together.
Goals:
• To get participants to work together

• To develop lateral thinking
• To demonstrate the benefits of synergy
Step 1: For each team, put a pipe into the ground so that it stands upright about 25 centimetres above
the surface. Each time you have finished with them, cover them over so no one trips over them.
Step 2: Show the teams the pipes that you embedded in the ground. Place ping-pong ball in each pipe.
Step 3: Tell the teams their task is work out how many ways they can think of to retrieve the ping-pong
ball without damaging it, the pipe or the ground. Tell them they have searched the area and found the
items listed above. They may use any of these items to assist them with their task.
Step 4: After the activity, a discussion can be led about strategies and solutions.
Sample debriefing questions
• How many solutions did you find?

• Would they all work?
• How did you generate ideas?
• Did each team develop ideas in addition to individuals’ solutions? Why?
• How does this activity relate to everyday activities?
• Safety issues: Remove the pipes after the activity to ensure that no one trips over them.
Variations:
• Use your imagination to think of a variety of other items you could use instead of those listed.
• You can start this activity by having each participant find their own solution, and then have them
work on team solutions.
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Solutions:
There are many possible solutions including the following:
• Pour the soft drink and/or the wine into the pipe to make the ping-pong ball float to the top.
• Put some honey on the end of the string and use that to lift the ping-pong ball out of the pipe.
• Get some chillies out of the chilli plant, dry out the seeds, put them in the pipe and water them
so that growing plant lifts the ping-pong ball out of the pipe.
IDEA- SPURRING QUESTIONS

Adapted from Alex Osborne’s Applied Imagination

Material required for each participant: Copies of the ‘’idea –spurring questions’’.
Benefits: Exercise to be used in creativity sessions to encourage more ideas, adaptations, and
innovations.
Step 1: After introductory comments on the need for continuous improving in all segments of any team/
organization, pass out copies of the handout.
Step 2: Give the group a couple of minutes to read through the sheet and then call their attention to the
first question, ‘’Who’’. Ask them to provide examples they personally have experienced that illustrate
one of these points, or an example they recall in a general way.
Step 3: Continue on to the second point, ‘’What’’ and repeat the discussion, eliciting responses of ‘’real-
world’’ examples.
• How can these questions help you in problem solving and innovation?
• Which set of questions do you find yourself using most often?
• Which question is the most thought- provoking?
• What other useful questions have you heard that should be added to the list?
Ideas spurring questions
Here are some items that can used as a springboard for other ideas. Change, adapt, add, or deleted as
necessary.
1.WHO
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• Who can help or make contributions?
• Who must I ‘’sell’’ on this idea?
• Who can help me get additional resources?
• Who will benefit?
2.WHAT
• What do I need by way of additional resources?

• What techniques or methods can I use?
• What is the best way? The first step?
• What will make them ‘’ buy”?
3.WHERE
• Where should I start?

• Where is resistance likely to be found?
• Where should I ‘’plant seeds’’?
4.WHEN
• When should I introduce the plan?

• When should we implement the ideas?
• When should we revise our strategy?
5.WHY
• Why should they buy this idea?

• Why is this way better?
• Why is the resistance so strong?
6. HOW
• How can we improve on the idea?

• How can we ‘’ test the waters’’?
• How can we I persuade centres of influence?
PASS THE PROBLEMS

Size of the group: Unlimited but useful it the group can be divided in teams of 6-8 people.
Material required for each participant:
• Paper
• Notepads
• Pencils
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Benefits: An exercise to obtain several possible solutions or suggestion for the participants’ current
challenges or problems.
Step 1: Ask the participants to form groups of 6-8 people in a circle or around tables.
Step 2: Each person is asked to think about a current school/ daily life challenge or problem.
Step 3: Each person writes his/ her problem, concern on a blank sheet of paper. Examples might be
‘’How can get more involved in outside school activities?’’ or ‘’How can I get my colleagues to be more
punctual?’’
Step 4: After allowing a few minutes to think about and write out their problems, ask each person to
pass his/her problem to the right. That person reads the challenge just received and writes down the
first thoughts that come to mind in addressing that problem. They are given 30 seconds to respond to
that individual sheet.
Step 5: Repeat this process every 30 seconds, and keep the process going until each person gets his/ her
own sheet back. Time permitting, they can then discuss some of the more practical solutions offered.
• Did anyone discover novel solutions that you had not previously considered?
• Can you see any value in trying some of these suggestions?
• Do some of these suggestions trigger other ideas or solutions for you?
• What lesson does this teach us about reaching out others to their assistance?
THE PROBLEM –SOLVING CIRCLES

Material required: Room with moveable chairs or some setup that allows for rearrangement.
Benefits: Securing participants with possible solutions to their questions, concerns, challenges and
problems.
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Step 1: Arrange the room so that chairs can be placed in circular fashion with five chairs encircling five
other chairs (double circles). The five persons seated in each chair of the outer rings will be ‘consultants’
to those in the inner circles who are ‘clients’.
Step 2: The client explains an important question or problem to the consultant for a minute. The
consultant has two minutes to discuss, clarify, offer suggestions, etc.
Step 3: After the three-minute mark (total), the consultant moves to his/ her left and repeats the process
with a ‘new ‘client who asks the same question or problem to the new consultant. Repeat the process
with the three-minute time limit.
Step 4: Continue for 3 more times and then have the members change to the other circle. Clients move
to the outside circle where they will now be consultants). Repeat the entire sequence as time allows.
• Did any of you receive some solid, usable situations?

• Will some of you share your stories?
• Why is that many of us have no reservations about telling our problems to the total strangers?
• What kind of consultant skills ere most effective in helping you ‘’open up’’ and making you
receptive to their ‘’solutions’’?
MINDMAPS

Size of the group: This is usually a solo activity.
Material required:
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• Paper (the bigger the better)
• Pen
Benefits: This exercise is an alternative to the ordinary ‘’list’’. But the ‘’to-do list ‘’ assumes we know
what to put on it, whereas, at the start of the mind map, we do not know yet where is going to lead us.
This tool is useful at facilitating divergent or unconventional thinking; lists are good for capturing the
best answers among the thoughts you already have. Mind maps help generate ideas. As such, mind
maps are particularly useful early in the creative process. Lists are better later on, when you want to
capture the ideas you have generated and are looking for the best solution to pursue.
It is the perfect exercise to use when you are trying to create something new; using lists is ideal to
capture the best ideas and together, they can be a powerful combination.
As you experiment with this tool, you may find it valuable in all sorts of creative endeavours. Mind
mapping can:
Get you started and help you overcome your fear of the blank page.
Help you look for patterns.
Reveal the structure of a subject.
Map your thought process and record the evolution of an idea.
Communicate both the ideas and the process to others, so you can guide them on the same mental
journey.
Step 1: On a large blank piece of paper, write your central topic or challenge in the middle of the paper
and circle it. For example, you may write ‘’An exceptional picnic for friends.’’
Step 2: Make some connections to the main topic and write them down, branching out from the centre
as you go. Ask yourself, ‘’What else can I add to the map that is related to this theme?’’ In the picnic
example, you might add ‘’everyone in the garden’’ and ‘’make your own side sauces’’ as two avenues of
thought. If you think one of your ideas will lead to a whole new cluster, draw a quick rectangle oval
around it to emphasize that it’s a hub.
Step 3: Use each connection to spur new ideas. For example, under ‘’make your own side sauces’’, you
might write have ‘’cook at the table” or ‘’ make rainbow coloured sauces’’.
Step 4: Keep going. You are done when the page fills or the ideas fade. If you are feeling warmed up but
not finished, try to reframe the central topic and do another mind map to get a fresh perspective. If you
feel you have done enough, think about which ideas you would like to move forward with.
Comments and tips:
Generally, the first set of ideas that branch from the centre will feel obvious or clichéd. That happens to
everyone. Those concepts already were in your head and were just waiting to be captured on paper. As
the map progresses, however, your mind will open up. And you will open up, and you will likely discover
some wild, unpredictable, dissociative ideas.
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JUMP –START AN IDEATION SESSION- THIRTY CIRCLES
EXERCISE
Time required: 3 minutes plus discussion.

Size of the group: Solo or group of any size.
Material required:
• Pen
• Piece of paper (per person) with thirty blank circles on it of approximately the same size. Usually,
the facilitator pre-prints identical circles on an oversized sheet of paper, but you can also just ask
everyone to draw their own thirty circles on a blank piece of paper.
Benefits: This exercise is a quick, simple exercise to get your creative muscle warmed up. The goal is to
push people to test their creativity by turning circles into recognizable objects in a very short period of
time.
Step 1: Give each participant one Thirty Circles sheet of paper and something to draw with.
Step 2: Ask them to turn as many of the blank circles as possible into recognizable objects in three
minutes (think clock, faces, tennis balls, etc.).
Step 3: Compare results. Look for the quantity or fluency of ideas. Ask how many people filled in ten,
fifteen, twenty, or more circles? (typically most people do not finish.) Next, look for diversity and
flexibility in ideas. See if the ideas are derivative (a basketball, a baseball, a football) or distinct (a planet,
a cookie, a happy face).
• Did anyone break the rules and combine circles (a snowman or a traffic light)? Were the rules
explicit, or just assumed?
Comments and tips:
Besides being a great warm up exercise, Thirty Circles offers a quick lesson about ideation. When you
generate ideas, you are balancing two goals: fluency (the speed and quantity of ideas), and flexibility
(ideas that are truly different and distinct). We know that it is easier to have a great idea if you have
many to choose from. But if you have a lot of ideas that are just variations on a theme, you might really
have only one idea with twenty –nine other versions. When you combine fluency and flexibility, you can
generate a rich collection of concepts to choose from.
EMPATHY MAP

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Size of the group: Solo or groups of two to eight people.
Material required:
• Whiteboard or large flip chart

• Post its
• Pens
Benefits: This exercise is meant to help us learn from observing human behaviour. A fundamental
principle of innovation or creative thinking is to start with empathy. On the path from blank page to
insight, sometimes people need a tool to help with come next: synthesis. This empathy map is a tool to
control the field observations by organising them.
Step 1: On a flip chart or whiteboard, draw a four –quadrant map. Label the sections with ‘’say’’, ‘’do’’,
‘’think’’ and ‘’feel’’.
Step 2: Populate the left –hand quadrants (‘’say’’ and ‘’do’’) with post-its per idea. Place observations
about what people DO in the lower-left quadrant, and place observations of what people SAY in the
upper-left quadrant. Try color-coding your observations, using green post-its for positive things, yellow
post-its for neutral, and pink or red for frustrations confusions, or pain points. The key is not to record
everything, but instead to capture what stands out.
Step 3: When you run out of observations on the left side, begin to fill the right side with post-its,
inferring what people THINK in the upper-right quadrant and what they FEEL in the lower-right quadrant.
Pay attention to people’s body language, tone, and choice of words.
Step 4: Take a step back and look up at the map as a whole. Try to draw some insights or conclusions
from what you have just written down, shared, and talked about. These questions serve as a good
prompt for a discussion of insights. What seems new or surprising? Are there contradictions or
disconnects within or between quadrants? What unexpected patterns appear? What, if any, latent
human needs emerge?
Tips:
• The key to extracting values from observing human behaviour is to come away with real insights.
This can be challenging, but the exercise is worth the time and effort. As you build up confidence,
ask yourself, ‘’Is this a real insight?’’
• Look for takeaways that help you see your topic or subject from a new perspective. Try to come
up with several that feel novel. As you spend more time with others exploring your topic or
subject, patterns will emerge. Some insights will prove to be more pivotal than others.
I LIKE/ I WISH
Time required: 10- 30 minutes

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Size of the group: Group of any size.
Material required: A means of recording feedback. For example, in a large group, a Word document can
be kept open and someone can type up notes in real time. In a smaller setting, post-its or index cards
will also work.
Benefits: To practice creative confidence on a team, members need to feel free to experiment, even
during early efforts when results will be far from perfect. For that experimentation to translate into
learning, however, at some point feedback is needed, in order to identify weaknesses and make
adjustments the next time. We all instinctively know that constructive critique is essential. And yet it
can be hard to listen to and to absorb feedback without letting our egos and defensiveness distract us
from what may be a valuable message.
This tool is immensely useful in introducing constructive critique into the innovation process. I like/ I
wish is helpful anytime feedback is needed. This framework can be used in a small group to review
concepts or in a large group to receive feedback about a class or workshop experience.
Feedback starts with honest praise, in the form of positive sentences that begin with the phrase ‘’I
like…’’. Suggestions for improvement then begin with ‘’I wish…’’.
Step 1: Set the tone for a constructive conversation and explain the ‘’I like/ I wish’’ method. For example,
you could say, ‘’I am interested in hearing about how this workshop experience has been for you. Please
express feedback in the form of I like/ I wish. You might say, ‘’I like that we have started on time every
morning. I wish we had we have started with an energiser or a fun physical activity. ‘We have found it
helpful to model good feedback by demonstrating ‘’I like/I wish ‘’in action.
Step 2: The participants take turns, sharing I like/ I wish statements, while the facilitator records their
statements. For example, if you are reviewing work in progress for a new non formal activity, you might
offer support such as ‘’I like the fact that you have incorporated 3 different ways for the participants to
know each other including name games’’. After describing other pluses, you might then say something
like ‘’I wish we could have different evaluation methods for each profile of a team member.’’ Make sure
people receiving feedback just listen. This is not time to defend decisions or challenge the critique. Ask
everyone to listen and accept it as a well-meaning offer of help. You can ask for clarifications and engage
in further discussions at a later time.
Step 3: Stop when participants run out of things to say in both the ‘’I like’’ and ‘’I wish’’ categories
Tips:
• You may want to gather just the ‘’I like’’ comments first and then ask for the ‘’I wish’’ statements.
In other groups, it may make sense to let the give-and-take of statements flow organically. Feel
free to play with the format.
• ‘’I like/ I wish ‘’ signals that what you are stating is your opinion- it is not an absolute. Instead of
pointing fingers, you are offering your view or perspective. The goal is to move the listener away
from a defensive posture so that he or she can more objectively consider alternative ideas and
take them to heart, when appropriate.
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• We all tend naturally to become invested in our own ideas and seek to defend them. But in a
creative culture, candid feedback that is sensitively conveyed is a sign that colleagues care
enough to speak up. The message can be delivered quite clearly, without restoring to the
negative language of ‘’That will never work’’ or ‘’ We tried that before and it failed’’.
THE DREAM/ GRIPE SESSION
Time required: 15-30 minutes.

Size of the group: Pairs in groups of any size.
Material required:
• Pen
• Paper
Benefits: We often face the task of which challenge to focus on or how to frame a challenge they are
given. This is sometimes called ‘’Phase 0’’ to describe all the activities that take place before the problem
is fully defined.
Taking about the problems does not necessarily inspire ideas or energize you to act on them. Nor does
wishful thinking. The Dream/ Gripe session helps you to translate those discussions into creative thinking
challenges you can start to tackle.
Step 1: Decide on a topic for discussion. The dreams and grips may relate to internal matters like the
culture of the organisation or classroom, or external ones like interactions with friends and family, or
other parties.
Step 2: Pair up with another person and select one person to go first. (partner 1).
Step 3: Partner 1 shares his or her dreams and gripes for five to seven minutes while Partner 2 listens
and takes notes.
For example:
DREAM: ‘’ I wish I could get more people to read my latest blog article.”
GRIPE: “It’s so noisy around here that I have trouble concentrating.’’
Step 4: Partner 2 reframes the dream and gripes into open-ended question that make for good
innovation challenges. We usually start with the phrase ‘’How might we…?’’ a good ‘’ How might we’’
question should not be so narrow that it suggests a solution. Initially, you are just trying to capture the
problem, not jump to possible solutions.it should also not be so broad that it stymies the flow of ideas
(rather than generating them). A good ‘’How Might We’’ question should allow someone to easily come
up with ten different ideas.
Partner 2 should aim for three to five well-framed innovation challenges and share them with Partner
1.
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For example:
GRIPE: It’s so noisy around here that I have trouble concentrating.
Challenge that’s too similar: How might we reduce noise so you don’t have trouble focusing?
Challenge that’s too narrow: Now might you create more private space so other students can
concentrate better?
Challenge that’s too broad: How might we help people focus?
Challenge that’s too right: How might we design the space to accommodate a range of working
styles?
DREAM: I wish our colleagues got their tasks on time.
Challenge that’s too similar: How might we get people to be more timely with their tasks?
Challenge that’s too narrow: How might we use a smartphone app to speed up tasks?
Challenge that’s too broad: How might we get people to have more respect for deadlines?
Challenge that’ just right (with empathy for the other students): How might we simplify the tasks
process so that people can complete it more quickly?
Step 5: Switch roles and have partner 2 air dreams and gripes while partner 1 listens and then offers
‘’How might we’’ innovation challenges.
Step 6: (Optional) If you are doing this in a group setting, compare lists of all the innovation challenges
across the pairs. Look for patterns, themes, and common issues. This should help focus the discussion
and suggest an opportunity for what innovation challenge to take on next.
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CHAPTER 4
EXCERCISES FOR OUTDOOR SPACES
This chapter contains outdoor activities that create a challenge for the individual and the team,
fighting the assumption that outdoor training equals team building, which is correct in most cases. These
exercises have the benefit of improving the individual’s self- confidence and self –esteem. On the long
run, other advantages such as higher team productivity and an equilibrate work or study environment
can be observed.
Among the consequences of being involves in these types of activities, I would like to also
mention:
Boosting the individual’s sense of personal confidence
Developing team’s sense of confidence
Increasing mutual trust within a group
Raising teamwork
Boosting communication
Developing interpersonal skills
Increasing agility and physical coordination
Boosting satisfaction of being with other people
Outdoor learning or outdoor training? Or outdoor education? What is it? Is it a valuable learning
experience and how does it work?
Outdoor learning is any learning activity, exercise or simulation that can be conducted outside
the classroom or training environment, outside the traditional learning environment.
There are two types of outdoor learning: One is generally referred to as ‘’adventure training’,
and it includes high-risk activities, the other uses low-risk activities and are generally referred to as ‘’
outdoor learning’ or ‘outdoor training’’.
Outdoor training is a personal end educational development program and can be used in times
of special challenges or to improve cooperation, highlight trust and build confidence while strengthening
the teams with the focus on the individuals as well as on groups.
Team centred activities are promoted in this section of the manual, with clear objectives, skilled
facilitation and time to transfer the knowledge gained back in the real context, followed by valuable
evaluation and follow up.
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These outdoor exercises are focusing mainly on team, building, self- esteem, leadership, problem
–solving, decision-making and encouraging a sense of common ownership.
NITRO CROSSING
Time: 30 minutes to one hour.

Size of the group: Unlimited, but large groups need to be broken into smaller teams of eight to 12
participants.
Material required (for each team):
• 1 tall tree with branches (to tie a swing rope on)

• One lengthen rope that is strong enough to take the weight of the heaviest participant
• 2 lengths of timber, 4 to 6 meters long, or 2 lengths of string and 4 stakes (to mark the river’s
banks)
• One bucket of water (the nitro)
• Spare water to top up the bucket
Benefits: This activity will get participants thinking and moving. It is focused on teamwork, planning and
communication.
Goals:
• To improve teamwork.
• To involve the team in a problem- solving exercise.
Preparation: Facilitator needs to set up a swing rope that enables participants to swing from the tree to
an area marked out as the ‘’river banks.’ Once you have selected a suitable tree branch (make sure it is
strong enough), tie the rope securely to it. The rope should be long enough to reach the area beyond
the ‘’river banks’’.
Step 1: Facilitator has to decide on the preferred direction for participants to swing. At each end of the
swing area, place a length of timber or string on the ground to indicate the banks of the river. If string is
used, it is best to put two stakes out along each ‘river bank’, tie the string between them and fasten the
string so that it is taut.
Step 2: Fill up each team’s bucket with water to within two or three centimetres from the top. This will
their bucket of nitro.
Step 3: Once the teams have been formed, they need to be briefed on the activity. The briefing could
be something like this: You have been in the outback looking for precious metals and stones. Your group
was doing some digging, and the cave you were in partly collapsed. Your team was able to get out, but
unfortunately there are still some people trapped. The only hope of getting them out is to blast through
the rubble that has fallen. You were able to get back to your main camp and get this bucket of nitro. You
now have to get back to the cave site. The problem is that you now have to cross a river that is infested
with crocodiles. There is a rope that can be used to swing across. You need to get the bucket (and its
43
contents) across the river without spilling a drop. You also need to get the whole team over as well. If
you happen to spill anything, even a drop, from the bucket you will have to come back and start over
again. If anyone touches the surface of the river they will be eaten by crocodiles. Again, if this happens
the team will have to start over again. Your first challenge is to get the rope that is hanging in the middle
of the river. Remember, no one is allowed to touch the water.
Step 4: Once the exercise is complete, participants are led to discuss about issues such as team work
and problem solving.

• How was it broken down?
• Who did that?
• What helped to achieve the result?
• What problems did you encounter?
• How did you overcome them?
• Did any leaders emerge?
• What does this exercise demonstrate?
• How does this activity relate to school life?
Safety issues:
• Usually knots are not allowed to be tied in the swing rope. If the participants are reluctant or
young, it may be worthwhile putting one knot near the end of the rope about one metre above
ground level so that they can put the rope between their legs to help support them.
Variations: a time limit can be set for the activity, saying that there is only enough air left in the cave for
a certain amount of time.
This activity can be conducted indoors, using a climbing rope in a classroom.
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SCORE THREE
Time: 5 to 10 minutes.
Size of group: Unlimited
Material required:
• 1 large garbage bin (to throw the balls in)

• 40 tennis balls in a box (to throw in the garbage bin)
Benefits: A quick activity to help participants see the benefit of using clear directions. The goal is to
demonstrate how good communication can improve results.
Step 1: Start this exercise by asking for a volunteer. Have the volunteer come to the front of the group
with you.
Step 2: Have the volunteer stay looking in one directions. Tell them that they are not allowed to turn
around. Give them the bag of tennis balls.
Step 3: Place the garbage bin about 10 metres away from them. Try not to put the bin directly behind
them, but slightly off centre in either direction.
Step 4: Tell the volunteer that it is their job to threw the tennis balls over their shoulder and have them
land in the bin. Again, tell them that they are not allowed to turn around to see how they are doing.
advise them that they must get at least three in the bin to be successful.
Step 5: Let the group know that they can give any verbal directions that they feel necessary to help
achieve the results.
Step 6: Once the volunteer has thrown three balls into the bin (and this may take several attempts), ask
what helped them to achieve the goal and what happened to make it more difficult. Ask the group
whether they feel a sense of achievement too also.
Step 7: Lead a discussion about ways of improving instructions or communication in the working or
studying place.
• What happened to achieve the goal?

• What happened to make it more difficult?
• Did those who gave instructions as well as the ‘’thrower’’, feel as though they achieved the goal?
• How could we get a better or faster result?
• What does this exercise demonstrate?
• How does this activity relate to your working/ studying place?
Safety issues: make certain that no one is hit by falling balls.
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Variations: it can useful to blindfold your volunteer, as well as having their back turned away from the
garbage bin, as this creates more confusion when team members give directions such as ‘’to the left’’
and ‘’slightly right’’.
SINGLE KNOTS
Time: 2 to ten minutes.

Size of the group: Unlimited, but large groups need to broke into smaller teams of five to seven
participants.
Material requires:
• For each team

• A piece of rope about 1 metre long
Benefits: This is a simple activity that can be used at any time during outdoor training. The goals are to
clear participants’ minds before a break. It is also intended to demonstrate the benefit of synergy and
to have some fun.
Step 1: Tell the group that they are going to be given a simple problem to solve.
Step 2: Break a large group into smaller teams of 5 to 7 participants. Hand each team a length of rope.
Step 3: Brief the team about the activity. The briefing will go something like this:
There is old legend about an ancient magician who learnt how to tie a knot in a piece of rope while
holding on to both ends of it- that is, one end of the rope in each hand. The first time she did this, she
was pleased that she stopped for a cup of coffee to reflect on what she had accomplished. Your team’s
job is to work out how this was done and then have a cup of coffee and reflect on we have done so far
on the course.
Step 4: As each team solves the problem, they can go straight to the break.
Variations: Can be conducted as an individual exercise.
Solution: Have on person fold their arms across their chest. Then give them the free ends of the rope in
each hand. As they unfold their arms, the rope will automatically knot itself.
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OUTDOOR GAME DESIGN
Size of the group: Unlimited but large groups need to be broken into smaller teams of 5 to 7 participants.
• 1 large ball
• 2 small balls
• 2 broom handles
• 3 lengths of rope each 3 to 6 metres long
• 4 sheets of A3 paper
Benefits: This activity is designed to get the whole team creatively.
Goals:
• To show the benefits of team members working together.

• To encourage creativity.
• To develop a team approach to problem-solving.
Step 1: Ask people to form teams of 5 to 7 participants. Give each team the set of materials required.
Tell the teams they have 30 minutes to design a brand new game using the materials provided. At the
end of the 30 minutes, each team is to describe their game. Participants will vote to decide which is the
best game, and then everyone will play it!
Suggestions for briefing:
Our company has been producing and selling outdoor games for many years. The manager is concerned
that nothing new has been developed recently. Unfortunately, the last game we developed was a
complete failure. As a result, we have a lot of extra material that we have not been able to sell. The
manager has requested that each team create a brand new game, using the resources that have been
left in stock. The manager will be here in 30 minutes and expects to hear about a new game from each
team. Any team not meeting the manager’s expectations will go straight to gaol and not pass go.
Obviously each game should have a name that can be used for marketing purpose. After we decide
which game design is best, you will be allowed to test the game to see if you still like it.

• How was it broken down?
• Who did what?
• What problems did you encounter?
• How did you overcome them?
• How does this activity relate to your working/ studying place?
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Safety issues: These will be specific to the games design by the teams.
Variations: All materials may be changed to suit the situation or what is available.
MINEFIELD
Size of the group: 12 or more.
Material requested:
• 1 blindfold for each pair

• 2 lengths of rope about 10 metres long
• Plenty of newspapers, or lots of cardboard or plywood discs about 60 cm in diameter (the
‘mines’)
Benefits: This team activity can be used indoors as well as outdoors. It allows team members to build
trust and improve communication.
Goals:
• To build trust within the team

• To improve communication
• To energise the group
Step 1: Select a suitable place, preferably a flat and level area to conduct this activity.
Step 2: Should anyone not want to participate in this activity use, them as observers. With a larger group
this exercises can become quite loud. That is an advantage, as it becomes confusing where the directions
are coming from and whom they are directed.
Step 3: Ask everyone in the group to choose a partner and give one person in each pair a blindfold and
ask them to put it on.
Step 4: When participants’ blindfolds are in place, lay the 2 pieces of rope on the ground parallel to each
other and about 10 metres apart. They mark the beginning and end of the minefield.
Step 5: Make the minefield by laying plenty of open sheets of newspaper (or the cardboard or plywood
discs) on the ground between the two ropes – the more sheets of newspaper or discs, the better.
Step 6: Get the blindfolded person’s partner to take them behind of the minefield. The blindfolded
person should stand just behind the rope, with their partner about 2 metres behind them.
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Suggestion for the facilitator’s briefing:
Several days ago you were captured during a rebellion. One of you has been able to escape from the cell
you were being held in. The problem is that the person who managed to get out doesn’t know what’ s
outside. It is the middle of the night and it is pitch black outside, just ask the people with the blindfolds
on how dark it is! Outside there is a minefield that must be crossed to reach safety. There is no way
around it. The person still trapped in the cell, that’s the person without the blindfold, knows the exact
layout of the minefield and the location of every mine in it. What the people without blindfolds have to
do is give their partners verbal directions so that they can cross the minefield. If they touch, or bump
into anyone else on the minefield they are to freeze for 30 seconds. Obviously should anyone touch any
of the mines, it is all over for them. Sunrise is not too far away and, as a result, the final part of the
escape needs to be completed quickly. Once the sun comes up, the guards will be able to see anyone
left in the minefield and they will be shot. It is time to go. Good luck.
• Who was first to cross?

• How did everyone feel about this exercise?
• How clear the communications?
• What problems were there?
• How does this activity relate to the study place, school or workplace?
• Safety issues: keep a close watch on blindfolded participants, obviously they cannot see where
they are going.
Variations:
• This game can be played indoors by placing 2 long strips of masking tape at each end of a room
and open sheets of newspaper on the floor between them. The strips of tape mark the start and
finish of the minefield, and the sheets of newspaper represent the minefield.
• The mine field can be covered with mouse traps, Lego blocks, or anything that might represent
mines.
Notes: Facilitator needs to be very observant with this exercise, both for safety issues and to see
whether anyone touches the sheets of newspaper.
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PULSE SPEED
Time required: 10 minutes.

Material required: A timer.
Benefits: Here is a quick and simple activity to get the team working together and have some fun.
Objectives:
• To bond a team
• To have the team compete with itself
Step1: Start by asking the group to stand in a circle and ask everyone to hold hands.
Step 2: Select one participant and ask to squeeze the hand of the person standing on their right. Ask the
second person if they felt the ‘’pulse’’. Tell them that when they fell it next time, they are to squeeze
the hand of the person on the right, and so on, until the pulse comes back to the starting point.
Step 3: Tell the group that they are going to time the activity to see how fast they can do it. Start your
timer and tell them to go.
Step 4: Let them know that the results was not too bad, but it can certainly be improved. Have them do
it a second time, and let them know that they must have a faster time.
Step 5: Repeat this for a few rounds, timing each attempt.
Step 6: When they appear to be comfortable with this, have them reverse the direction of the pulse
(that is, pass it to their left). After several trials to the new direction, have the group revert to the original
direction (to the right) but this time do it with their eyes closed, or have them all turn around so they
are facing out.
Step 7: At the end, and just for some fun, have the first person send the pulse in both directions at the
same time. Tell that person quietly so no one else knows what is happening. Watch the reaction of the
participants on the other side of the circle.
• Why did the group lose time when the direction was reversed?
• Why did it take longer with their eyes closed?
• How did the participants on the far side of the circle feel about the last pulse sent around?
Variations: try other ways of sending a ‘’pulse’’. For example, have participants to tap each other on the
back or whistle.
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MARSHMALLOWED

Material required:
• 10 marshmallows (5 each of 2 different colours) for each participant.

• 1 headband for each participant (there should be even number of headbands in each of the same
2 colours as the marshmallows).
• 1 whistle for the facilitator.
Benefits: This is one of the few activities that is best conducted in a heavily timbered area.
Goals:
• To have each time compete against each other.

• To improve teamwork.
Step 1: Before the activity commences, select a large playing area as the battle ground where the teams
compete. Ideally there should be lots of cover for people to hide behind. You can tie coloured ribbons
to the tree trunks to indicate the boundaries of the playing area.
Step 2: Keep aside a couple of participants to use as observers. Split the rest of the group in 2 teams.
Each team should equal numbers of different –sized participants and less agile participants.
Step 3: Name the teams after the colours of the marshmallows. If the marshmallows are pink and white,
there will be 2 teams: The White team and the Pink team. Give them their coloured headbands and each
team, 5 marshmallows in their team’s colour.
Step 4: Show the whole group the boundaries of the playing area. Tell them that each team will start at
opposite ends of the playing area. Their task is to have every member of the team reach the other end
of the field before the other team does.
The first team to achieve this objective will be allowed to eat any of the weapons they have left over.
Step 5: Explain the rules. Once a team member reaches the other end of the playing field, they are in a
safe area and cannot be challenged. If you are able to hit a member of the other team with one of your
marshmallows, they are to remain in a state of suspended animation for at least 30 seconds. Participants
are not allowed to throw their marshmallows so that they hit an opponent’s head or neck. A team
member may reuse marshmallows that fall to the ground, but only those of their team’s colour. If
anyone gets hit by 3 marshmallows during the game, they must go back to the starting point and restart
the game. The game will not commence until you blow the whistle.
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Step 6: Once you have explained the rules, let the teams go to their designated starting points and give
them 5 minutes to plan their strategies. Start the activity by blowing your whistle. After the game is
complete, you can give out extra marshmallows for participants to eat while the debriefing takes place.

• How did you break it down?
• Who did what?
• What roles did people take?
• Did any leaders emerge?
• How does this activity relate to the work place?
Safety issues: Use the observers to keep an eye on participants, particularly, from a safety point of view.
There will be plenty of things for people to trip over. Have your observers also watch for ‘’foul’’ shots,
i.e. above the shoulders. Anyone found shooting above the shoulders must be sent to their starting line.
Observers should also keep count of how many players are hit, and send back to the starting line anyone
who hits 3 times.
Variations: Low impact balls, or similar, may be used instead of marshmallows. Ensure that nothing
harder than a marshmallow is thrown.
RECYCLE BALL
Time required: 15 to 3 minutes depending on how many rounds are played.

Size of the group: Unlimited but the bigger the group, the more garbage needed.
Material required:
• Lots and lots of light

• Dry garbage (e.g. plastic carry bags, newspapers, empty toilet roll holders, biscuit packages, food
wrapping, magazines, used paper, old pieces of clothing, paper napkins, small and medium
cardboard boxes)
• 1 volleyball net or string
• 1 timer
• 1 whistle
• 3 small pieces of paper stapled together
Benefits: If you have a volleyball net and a pile of garbage ready for recycling, then you are ready to
continue with this activity.
Goal: To set up a competitive exercise between 2 teams.
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Step 1: On the stapled pieces of paper, write’’120 seconds’ ‘on the front sheet, ‘’140 seconds’’ on the
second sheet and ‘160 seconds’ on the third sheet. Either set up the volleyball net beforehand, or have
the group set it up.
Step 2: Tell the group that they are going to be the first to play a new game. It is a green activity, because
it uses recycled materials. Have the group break into 2 smaller teams of equal numbers, and have them
move to opposites sides of the volleyball net.
Step 3: Get all your garbage and put half on each side of the volleyball net. The aim of this game is to
have at least amount of garbage on your side of the net when the time is up. You will start and finish the
game by blowing your whistle. Participants must throw their garbage over the net-not under or around
it. Each player can only throw one piece of garbage at a time not 2 or 3 together. Tell the group it has
been suggested that you, as the facilitator, might have a favourite side and, as a result, might be tempted
to blow your whistle when their side is clear of garbage but before the game has run its full time. To
overcome this, you have written the game time on a piece of paper which is in your pocket (you actually
have 3 sheets stapled together to allow for 3 rounds). After you blow your whistle to stop the game, you
can show them the time on the piece of paper.
Step 4: Ask them to prepare their garbage, and blow your whistle to start the game. Stop the game at
the correct time and, it is not obvious which is the winning team, do a quick count of the number of
pieces remaining on each team’s side of the court.
Step 5: Ask the losing team if they would like to have a rematch. Repeat the activity but this time use
the time on the next piece of paper.
• What were the main problems?

• What strategies did each time have?
Safety issues: Watch to make sure that no one throws any dangerous objects over the net.
Variations: More than 3 rounds can be played.
You can blindfold several team members. This will lead to additional questions in the debriefing.
TENTS’R’US
Time required: 1-hour plus.

Size of the group: Unlimited, but large groups need to be broken into smaller teams of 8 to 10
participants.
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• 1 small camping tent (a small dome tent with a fly, or a 2-person tent with ropes and tent pegs,
would be ideal)
• 1 hammer (if the tents have tent pegs).
• 1 first aid kit
• 1 blindfold for each participant
Benefits: This activity tends to create frustration for some participants, and show others how dominant
they may be.
Goals:
• To demonstrate how people, tend to take on specific roles.

• To have a team work effectively.
Step 1: Make sure the tents are not too large. They should be small but reasonably complex to assemble.
Tents with ropes or flies are usually the best. If they pack down into a small bag, that is even better.
Keep the tents out of sight, no one should see them before the activity commences.
Step 2: Start by breaking the group into teams of about 8 to 10 participants. Allocate an observer for
each team. Have each team to move to a different area so that everyone has plenty of room move.
Step 3: Give everyone a blindfold and ask tm to put it on. When everyone has their blindfold in place,
put a tent, still packed in its bag in front of each team.
Step 4: After the tents have been distributed, brief the teams or have each observer brief their team.
A sample briefing might sound like this:
Your team is its way back from an overseas trip. The plane you were on was caught in a terrible storm
earlier today and was badly damaged. The pilot suggested that you each get a parachute and jump. On,
the way out, one of you also grabbed a survival kit. This kit contains a small tent. It is now close to
midnight. The storm activity is still close and, because of this, there is no moon. It is completely dark.
Everyone is exhausted and cold. Your task is now to assemble the tent in complete darkness. The storm
appears to be moving back its way, so the sooner the tent is up, the better. Good luck!
Step 5: After all teams have finished, or the facilitator decides to call time, a discussion can be lead about
issues such as communication, instructional techniques, conflict resolution, leadership issues,
delegation.

• How did you break it down?
• Who did what?
• What roles did people take?
• Did everyone feel as though they were involved? Why?
• Did anyone emerge as a leader?
• How this could have been done better?
• How does this activity relate to your real life?
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Safety issues: If tent pegs are used, watch to make sure no one hits their hand with the hammer or trips
over pegs once they have been put in the ground. Also watch out for participants tripping over ropes,
as they usually finish up everything.
Variations:
• If any one person in a team dominates the exercise, and you’d prefer they didn’t, they can be
struck down with a sudden bout of ‘’jungleitis’’. ‘’Jungleitis ‘’ is a rare tropical disease that affects
the vocal cords. Anyone with ‘’jungleits’’ is unable to speak.
• Instead of telling each team that they have a tent to put up, simply put the bag in front of them
once they have their blindfolds on and tell them there is something in front of them that they
have to assemble. That way they also have to work out what it is.
SOUND WALK
Time: 1-hour plus.

Size of the group: 8-12 participants.
Material required:
• 1 blindfold foe each participant

• 1 bush track between 200 metres and 1 kilometre long.
Benefits: This activity is great for building trust within a team. It’s best conducted in an isolated bush
setting to allow participants to listen to the natural bush sounds.
Goal: To build a trust within a team.
Step 1: Try to choose a bush track in an isolated area where there are lots of birds and trees. You can
make this activity more interesting by including a few obstacles e.g. a fallen tree branch or a dry
watercourse (but make sure the banks are not too steep).
Step 2: If necessary, request assistants to volunteer to help prepare the meal and to act as spotters. Ask
everyone in the team to put on their blindfold. Tell them that they must keep their blindfolds in place
until the end of the exercise. Also let them know that you will be with them the whole time and will act
as a spotter should they find themselves in a difficult situation.
Step 3: Once participants have their blindfolds are in a place, give them the following briefing: \your
team is part of an expedition to the ancient city of Sound. Your research has led you to a person who is
able to guide you to the remains of the lost city. It lies deep in an isolated jungle you have been able to
convince the guide, through an interpreter, how important your expedition is,
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and the guide has agreed to take you there. It is claimed that there are many gold coins and precious
jewels still scattered on the ground throughout the city. It is also claimed that, if any of these coins or
jewels are removed from the city, a curse will be put on the people throughout the land. Because of this,
your guide will take you there, but only on the condition you all wear blindfolds so you can’t find your
way back by yourself later.
Because the guide does not trust the person that you used as an interpreter, the interpreter will not be
going with you. Your guide doesn’t speak your language so they can’t communicate with you verbally.
They may, however, make other sounds or noises that you will have to interpret. Your guide will be here
in a couple of minutes, so please prepare yourself to travel safely as a group. Do you have any questions?
Step 4: Once you have briefed participants and dealt with all their questions, tap one participant on the
shoulder, and ask them to take their blindfold off and come with you. Take them out of earshot and tell
them that their role is to be the group’s guide. They are to lead the group safely to their destination (tell
them where that is). They are not allowed to speak but they can whistle, clap their hands or do anything
else they can think of to communicate. They may only touch one person at a time, and only by hand.
Step 5: Take the guide back to the group and tell the group that their guide is ready. Several things can
happen here, so be prepared.
Step 6: At the end of the walk have everything ready for a coffee or lunch break. If you have enough
assistants, and one of them can be sent out earlier, a barbeque is a great idea. After the break, take the
participants along the walk so that they can see where they walked and whether they can locate the
source of the sounds they heard.
• How did everyone feel during the walk?

• What sounds did you hear?
• Did you trust your leader? The guide? How did those at the back of the line feel?
• Did you trust levels increase or decrease as time went by?
Safety issues: It is a good idea to have at least 2 spotters on this activity. They need to remain alert at
all times. In incredibly trusting of their leader, and they’d walk straight over the edge of a cliff if their
guide led them there.
Variations: Tell the guide that there are not allowed to touch anyone during the activity. You could
explain in your briefing by saying it had something to do with religious reasons. Be creative.
FUNNY FACE

Size of group: unlimited.
Material required: A handful of small coins.
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Benefits: You can use this game at any time during a program to introduce a bit of humour, or relieve
tension after a serious activity or discussion.
Goal: To get participants laughing and relaxed.
Step 1: Have the group stand in a circle with everyone facing inwards, including yourself. Ask for about
the half of the group to volunteer to start this exercise. Have them move in the centre of the circle and
lie down. Each volunteer should lie down flat on their back with the back of their head touching the
ground.
Step 2: Go inside the circle with the volunteers. Tell them that they must keep their head completely
still. They are not allowed to lift their head off the ground or move from side to side.
Step 3: Place a small coin on the tip of each volunteers’ nose.
Step 4: Their task is to use only facial contortionists to get the coin off their nose within one minute.
Make sure you have your camera handy, you will get some great facial shots to share with the
participants afterwards.
Step 5: After one minute, ask the group to swap roles and repeat the activity.
Step 6: If some participants are successful, have them lie on the ground in a circle with their heads
pointing towards the centre of the circle (preferably with their heads touching one another), and see
who is the fastest to dislodge the coin.
Variations: To make it more challenging, and more fun, use 3 coins and place one on each volunteer’s
nose, forehead and chin.
BLACK SEA

Material required:
• 1 Frisbee for every participant

• 1 large grassed playing area
Benefits: Here is a simple activity that can be used at any time, it is like musical chairs, but uses Frisbees.
Goals:
• To have fun.
• To energise the group.
Step 1: Start by lying each Frisbee on the ground several meters apart. Explain the participants that they
are going to walk around the playing area chatting or singing while keeping a good distance from the
islands (that is the Frisbees). When you sing it out ‘’Black Sea’’, players are to get
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to an island as quickly as they can. The last person to get to an island is out of the game. Players are not
allowed to touch one another when they are trying to get to an island. Anyone who does this also is out
of the game.
Step 2: Repeat the activity, reducing the number of islands as the group gets smaller, until only one
player remains. Declare this player the overall winner.
Variations: You can replace the ‘Black Sea ‘with music stopping; play music and have the participants
make for the islands when you stop the music.
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CHAPTER 5
EXCERCISES FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION
This chapter provides an introduction to activities for developing better communication for use with
gifted and talented learners in the school and outside school settings. It can serve as an excellent
introduction to improve communication when working with gifted education and real-world learning.
We have reviewed the unique needs of gifted learners and gave current information on instructional
planning and evaluation, strategies for best practices, and ongoing enhancement and support of gifted
programs with the topic of communication.
Including exercises that promote the social-emotional needs of gifted students, this chapter, combines
research and experience from leading youth workers in the field of the effective communication
applied in a supportive, safe, and encouraging learning environment for twice-exceptional students.
By utilizing these activities, educators will join with parents and students to create an educational
experience in which all students can thrive and excel in better communicating.
NICKNAME WARM UP
Time required: A few minutes per participant.

Size of the group: Groups of six to twelve people per facilitator.
Material required:
• Name tags for all participants with fake names written out.
• A hat and a ball for each facilitator.
Benefits: Sometimes in group meetings you will encounter the opposite problem: a group where people
know each other too well. Or, more specifically, a group in which hierarchy is so well established that
the more junior or less experienced members in the room self –self edit and defer to the leading figures
rather than putting their best ideas on the table.
To reduce hierarchy and self-censoring, this game uses a stack of colourful names prepared in advance,
temporarily levelling out the organization during a creative working session. Each participant is given a
persona to allow them to ‘’try on’’ new behaviours.
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Step 1: Each participant reaches into the hat, draws a name tag and puts it on. Use names that lend
themselves to humour and emotion. Teams tend to produce their best work when the group is having
fun. Some of the nicknames can imply a big dose of street credibility, while others suggest quirky
personalities – for example, Dr. Fabulous, Mr. Big Heart, The Clumsy Entertainer, Braveheart, Captain
Crunch, Master Chief, Uh-Huh, Vader, Goonie, Gump, Weiner, Homer, Wizzer, Huggies, The Hulk, Wreck-
it Ralph, Jedi, Catwoman, Barbie, Cruella, Snickerdoodle, Donuts, Snickers, Dory, Starbucks, Fifi,
Strumpet, Frankfurter, Swan, Fun Dip, Toodles, Garfunkel, Twinkie, Goldilocks, Vanilla, Goose, Waffles,
Hermione, Wilma, etc.
Step 2: The facilitator gathers the group in a circle and tosses the ball. Whoever catches it introduces
themselves using their nicknames and tells a short story (created on the spot) about how they
acquainted this nickname as a child.
Step 3: After their self –introduction, they toss the ball to a new person, until everyone has had a chance
to share their new name and story.
Step 4: The rule for the rest of the workshop – strictly reinforced-is that everyone must use only these
nicknames when referring to themselves or others.
Tips: the goal of this exercise is to flatten the hierarchy so it is important to get the teachers or other
senior people in the room to participate. Leading by example will naturally break some of the barriers
to free –flowing collaboration.
SPEED DATING
Time required: 15-20 minutes, 3 minutes per round.

Size of the group: Pairs in groups of any size.
Material required:
• Paper printed with a set of questions for each participant.

• Several different sets of questions will be needed to accommodate the entire group.
Benefits: Better communication and creativity thrives amidst free- flowing social discourse. To get a
roomful of strangers to innovate, you may want to begin by breaking down some social barriers. When
this exercise is done right, the room will be abuzz with chatter and laughter, and participants will be
more open to what comes next.
Step 1: Give each person a list of closed and/or open –ended questions. Several different sets of
questions should be spread throughout tables in the room so that people are not continually being asked
the same questions.
Example of possible questions:
• How would the closest family members describe you?

• If you had a million euros to spend in a way that benefits humanity, what would you do?
• What was a live performance or show you really loved, and why?
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• What is your idea of perfect happiness?
• What is your greatest fear?
• What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
• What is the trait you most deplore in others?
• Which living person do you most admire?
• What is your greatest extravagance?
• What is your current state of mind?
• What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
• On what occasion do you lie?
• Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
• When and where were you happiest?
• Which talent would you most like to have?
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
• What do you consider your greatest achievement?
• If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
• Where would you most like to live?
• What is your most treasured possession?
• What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
• What is your favourite occupation?
• What is your most marked characteristic?
• What do you most value in your friends?
• Who are your favourite writers?
• Who is your hero of fiction?
• Which historical figure do you most identify with?
• Who are your heroes in real life?
• What are your favourite names?
• What is it that you most dislike?
• What is your greatest regret?
• How would you like to die?
• What is your motto?
• Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
• Would you like to be famous? In what way?
• Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
• What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
• When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?
• If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for
the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
• Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
• Name three things you and your partner of discussion appear to have in common.
• For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
• If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
• Take three minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
• If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
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• If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what
would you want to know?
• Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
• What do you value most in a friendship?
• What is your most treasured memory?
• What is your most terrible memory?
• If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way
you are now living? Why?
• What does friendship mean to you?
• Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner of discussion.
Share a total of five items.
• How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other
people’s? How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?
• Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, “We are both in this room feeling ... “.
• Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share ... “.
• If you were going to become a close friend with your partner of discussion, please share what
would be important for him or her to know.
• Tell your partner of discussion what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things
that you might not say to someone you’ve just met.
• Share with your partner of discussion an embarrassing moment in your life.
• When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?
• What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
• If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would
you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?
• Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets,
you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
• Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also,
ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have
chosen.
Step 2: Ask each person in the room to pair up with someone they don’t know very well or have never
met. This may involve getting up and moving seats.
Step 3: Have one person in each pair ask a question from the list. Allow three minutes for the other
person to answer.
Step 4: Have each pair switch roles and repeat, asking a different question on the list.
Step 5: Tell everyone to find a new partner and repeat the process for a couple of more rounds.
Tips:
• You want to keep people moving to create a well –orchestrated round –robin. Be proactive about
timekeeping. Assign someone to be a facilitator or timekeeper. To add a little fun, use a buzzer
or gong to announce that time is up.
• Depending on the nature of the working session that will follow the Speed dating exercise, you
can tailor some of the open-ended questions to be inspirational or loosely related to your topic.
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• For example, if the objective of the meeting is to discuss the future workspace of the
international project to be held, one of the prompts may be ‘’ Describe an inspiring space you
have worked in.’’
• Give a little thought to the types of questions you use. Meaning –of-life questions and superlative
questions (the most, the best, the worst) can cause people to stall out or draw a blank. The whole
purpose is interaction. So if your questions stump your partner for even a handful of seconds, it
is not quite right. Try the questions out on someone before you use them in a group setting.
COMMUNICATION DURING DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES

Size of the group: Up to 40 people.
Material required:
• Active listening handout for each participant

• Sandwich and the Keep Improve Drop models presented either on flipchart or any other visual
model.
• Pens and paper for each participant.
• Flipchart with three drawings representing the three elements of “Public narratives” by Marshall
Ganz.
• Internet connection and access to https://www.ted.com/talks and projector/ screen.
•
Benefits:
• Enhanced active listening and feedback providing skills.

• Learn about public narrative and storytelling.
• Help participants to understand different communication styles.
• Give participants an opportunity to practice assertive communication skills.
• Enable participants to better understand the process of communicating assertively.
Step 1: 5m Introduction to active listening and providing feedback.

Step 2: 15m Brainstorm and Recap key elements of active listening.
Step 3: 15m Introduction to storytelling.
Step 4: 20m Preparing one’s own speech.
Step 5: 20m Speech sharing in small groups.
Step 6: 15m Feedback and Debriefing.
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Step 7: 10m Presentations of Blue Room Talks.
ACTIVE LISTENING
Introduction to the session
This first step is important in the sense of linking communication skills in relation to the participants lives
and activities. Two main skills are active listening and providing feed-back.
5 min: Introduce the feed-back models: Sandwich and the Keep Improve Drop on a flip chart
10 min: Brainstorm
In circle, ask participants how is felt to be listened to, how it feels to be actively listening and how it feels
to provide and receive feed-back.
5 min: Recap of key elements of active listening
Distribute the Active listening handout and summaries key elements of active listening.
STORYTELLING
5 minutes - Why is it important to tell a story?
Explain that as students or volunteers they will be asked to promote volunteering and non-formal
education in the communities where they learn or carry on activities and to inspire and motivate other
people/youth to get involved in volunteering. Narratives allow us to communicate the values that
motivate the choices we make. For this, they need to know how to tell stories, give speeches and
presentations.
Step 1: 10 minutes - How to tell a good story?
Ask participants what they think is a good story and write down their key words on a flip chart. Introduce
the flipchart with three drawings representing the three elements of “Public narratives” by Marshall
Ganz and explain that they can guide us in telling a good story. After explaining the model, the facilitator
can project as an example any suitable video from https://www.ted.com/talks .
Step 2: 20 Minutes - Preparing one’s own speech

Ask participants to think about a cause they are deeply committed to. It may be the importance of
volunteering and non formal education and inspiring others to volunteer, but it can also be connected
to their school life or other life-long mission. Ideally it would be a theme related to the importance of
volunteering or to the impact non formal education has had on their lives. If that seems to abstract, tell
them that they can feel free to choose another topic for the story.
Once they have identified this call to action, ask them to use the three elements of storytelling (story of
now, self, and us) to prepare a speech/story of 2 minutes on that they will then
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share with a small group. Some (maximum 3, or as the facilitator decides time allows) will be given the
opportunity to also deliver this speech in plenary. Make sure they don’t loose “The story of now” and
that they identify a problem, a call to action.
Explain that during the session they will receive feedback (based on the feedback models presented)
from another participant. Their presentation will be of maximum 2 minutes.
20 Minutes - Speech sharing in small groups.
4 rounds x 5 minutes (2 minutes storytelling, feed-back 2 min, Rebut 1 min) + buffer time.
Divide participants in groups of 4 and arrange the groups in small circles, having enough distance to
separate them. Remind participants that one by one every participant will present their story/speech
for maximum of 2 minutes and another participant will observe and give feedback (see feedback points
below). If they feel the need, other participants can give feed-back too, if they don’t go over the time
allocated for each round. This is a chance for all to practice their active listening skills. For each round
they need to have a time-keeper that will stop them when the time is up so it is up to them to have
presented all relevant points (for more efficiency the time keeper can be the facilitator who sets the
starting and ending moments for each phase for all the groups).
This exercise is very tight on time so remember good time management, especially in the feedback.
As this exercise is very tight on time, the facilitator can mark the beginning of each round for all the
groups, the finishing of the speech and the feed-back time.
Feedback points (for participants) These points can be put on a flip-chart or in a PPT to be projected
during the presentation
- STORY OF NOW: Did the speaker inspired urgency to take action on a challenge?
- STORY OF SELF: Did the speaker explain the values that drive him or her to act and make choices?
- STORY OF US: Did the speaker connect their story with collective values and action?
- Public speaking: feed-back on the tips and tricks for public speaking
- PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS (Tone of voice, coherence, eye contact, non-verbal communication,
etc.)
At the end of all 4 rounds, some participants (maximum 3, or as the facilitator decides time allows) will
be given the opportunity to also deliver this speech in plenary.
Variation 1: If time allows, groups can be larger and if there are enough facilitators, each group will be
supported by one facilitator in both the process and the feed-back content.
Variation 2: If possible, the facilitators can introduce the task at the end of the previous day and give
time to participants to prepare the speech by the next day. This version will be chosen if there is the
possibility to deliver all the speeches in plenary and if there is a specialized person (or special guest) that
can provide a short feed-back to each participants immediately after the speech.
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15’ Final debriefing and conclusion:
In plenary, ask participants:
• How it felt to give the presentation and be listened to? What was difficult and what
was easy?
• How it felt to be actively listening? When did you feel engaged?
• How it felt to provide and receive feedback?
If time allows ask participants to think about the most important thing they have learned during the
activity on “story telling” and share it with the group. The trainer writes participants´ comments on a
flipchart with the title “Tips for story telling”.
Presentations of Blue Room Talks: 10 Minutes

The Blue Room Talks mechanism is presented, as well as an example of a volunteer giving a speech in
such event.
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Handout 1 for participants – Active listening
Tips for Active Listening
There are five key elements of active listening. They all help you ensure that you hear the other person,
and that the other person knows you are hearing what they say.
1. Pay Attention
Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal
communication also "speaks" loudly.
• Look at the speaker directly.

• Put aside distracting thoughts.
• Avoid being distracted by environmental factors. For example, side conversations.
• "Listen" to the speaker's body language.
2. Show That You're Listening
Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention.
• Nod occasionally.
• Smile and use other facial expressions.
• Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting.
• Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like yes, and uh huh.
3. Provide Feedback
Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your
role is to understand what is being said. This may require you to reflect what is being said and ask
questions.
• Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. "What I'm hearing is," and "Sounds like you are
saying," are great ways to reflect back.
• Ask questions to clarify certain points. "What do you mean when you say." "Is this what you
mean?"
• Summarize the speaker's comments periodically.
4. Defer Judgment
Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message.
• Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.

• Don't interrupt with counter arguments.
5. Respond Appropriately
Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective.
You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down.
• Be candid, open, and honest in your response.
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• Assert your opinions respectfully.
• Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want to be treated.
• Source:http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm;
http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/
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Handout 2 for participants - Providing Peer Feedback
Providing Peer Feedback
Feedback is a component of an effective peer-to-peer support relationship. Giving peer feedback
ultimately means helping a peer improving their performance and skills.
This is often challenging to do, particularly in a cross-cultural setting. People´s expectations of
feedback will be different from one culture to another in who gives feedback to whom, and in the way
it is delivered. For instance, in some cultures, it would not be expected or even acceptable for a young
person to give feedback to their elder, or for anyone to give feedback to their manager.
Tips on giving feedback:

1. Reflect: Ask yourself: Why are you offering feedback? What is your motivation? Is it appropriate to
the situation and will it help to change a specific behaviour?
2. Describe and explain: Tell the person what you have observed. Describe a behaviour or action in a
concrete situation. Be specific and frank but sincere and respectful. Don’t make assumptions about the
intent or character of the person. Explain the direct impact that the other person’s behaviour or action
could have on others, or on meeting objectives. Be specific and de-scribe your thoughts and how you
think others might feel.
3. Pause: Give the other person time to think about what you said, to ask questions and to explain. Be
prepared to also receive feedback. Ideally, your initiative will lead to a dialogue of mutual learning and
understanding.
4. Include: Instead of suggesting your own solution, engage your coaching buddy in a joint search for
new behaviours to improve the situation. Don’t expect the conversation to change the person but use
it to start an ongoing discussion for giving and receiving feedback.
Adapted from: http://www.un.org/en/ombudsman/givingfeedback.shtml
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Feedback models
The feedback ‘sandwich’

Step 1: Appreciate what the person did well. Using a clear and direct example, tell the person something
they did very well in what you observed. Your feedback should be based on observations and not your
feelings. E.g. “Your presentation was clearly communicated and had a lot of information, which was
backed up by evidence.”
Step 2: Comment on what could be developed to improve. The feedback again should be clear and easily
understood. E.g. “you spoke too quickly towards the end of the presentation so I missed your concluding
remarks”. Statements such as ‘it could have been more interesting’ are too vague and unhelpful.
Step 3: End with a positive statement. This could relate to the skills or knowledge you observed, or the
way (their attributes) they did something. e.g. “I really admired the way that you stopped to ensure that
people understood. It shows your sensitivity to the audience”.
Two stars and a wish

Peers identify two positive aspects of a peer. This may be an observation or some work that they
have read. They then award a star to the person for each positive aspect e.g. I give you a star for
presenting your work really clearly. I also give you a star for providing evidence to back up the
knowledge in your work. The peer then expresses a wish about what the peer might do next time in
order to improve their work. E.g. I wish that you would include pictures in your work to illustrate your
points.
The KID model

KEEP: Tell the person the elements you observed they did very well with concrete examples. E.g. “Your
presentation was clearly communicated and had a lot of information, which was backed up by
evidence.”
IMPROVE: Indicate what could be improved or added to make the performance better. Be constructive
and give suggestions of what the person could do to improve. E.g. something to improve could be your
body language during presentations to convey more confidence, for example you could ground your
feet firmly on the floor and stand straight.
DROP: Tell the person what they could do without, or not repeat again. E.g., I noticed that the speed of
your presentation was quite fast. I would drop the speed and try to speak slower as it helps your
audience understand better.
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Tips
When giving feedback
1. Prepare and be objective: Prepare your feedback, think about what you want to say in advance;
Base your feedback on observations and facts rather than subjective feelings.
2. Describe and give examples: Don’t say “This is bad” or “this is good”
3. Make sure it is wanted: Getting feedback is a sensitive thing, so remember to make sure the
person you are giving it to, actually wants it.
4. Don’t judge: People may have different opinions.
5. Give it at the right time: Feedback should be given right away, if possible.
6. Make it clear: Check if the other person understands what you mean with your feedback.
7. Make it useful: Be constructive; don’t mention what cannot be changed.
8. Be sensitive: Think about the cultural context before you give feedback. Is it appropriate to give
feedback to people face-to-face? How is feedback provided? Are there taboos associated with giving
feedback? Are there people whom you just wouldn’t give feedback to?
When receiving feedback

1. Inform where your limits are, and how much critic you can manage.
2. Give space to the person who is giving you feedback.
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Handout 3 for participants – Assertive Communication
ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION
Being assertive is a core communication skill. Being assertive means that you express yourself effectively
and stand up for your point of view, while also respecting the rights and beliefs of others. Being assertive
can also help boost your self-esteem and earn others' respect.
Some Benefits of Assertive Communication
• Better Communication
• Less Stress
• More Trust
• More Confidence
• Tips to improve your Assertive Communication skills
1. Say “No” more often.
Assertive communication means being okay with saying exactly what you want, but doing it in such a
way that it doesn’t hurt the other person’s feelings. So, it’s ok to say no in a respectful way if it doesn’t
feel right for you.
2. Watch your tone.

You need to sound (and feel) calm, be patient and speak slowly using a quieter voice. Avoid raising your
voice or rushing into a conversation because you feel irritated, which can easily become Aggressive
communication.
3. Be willing to discuss further until you find a solution.

Passive communication means just agreeing and walking away even when you’re not happy. Being
assertive, however, means continuing— in a calm and respectful manner— until the issue is resolved. It
might require asking more questions, listening more carefully, or getting creative and exploring more
options. Whatever it is, it’s worth your time as in the end both parties feel good and no one ends up
hurt.
4. Pay attention to the non-verbal communication.

Non-verbal means body language, eye contact, posture, listening cues, and reactions. All of these should
be done without any sense of aggression or passiveness. The former (aggression) will cause the other
person to go into defence mode, while the latter (passiveness) will make them feel ignored. Keeping
eye contact helps you stay focused and lets the other person know you’re invested in and care about
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what they are saying, although be careful of situations when direct eye contact can be considered dis-
respectful.
5. Be present.
Being present means being mindful and focusing on the person and what they are saying, not being
distracted by other issues but listening actively. This is the best way to respond meaningfully — the
foundation of assertive communication.
Developing your assertive communication skills can take some practice. Accept it as a challenge and
practice with your loved ones, then you will see the benefits, such as less arguments, a more positive
and peaceful atmosphere at home, less stress, an increase in self-esteem and confidence, etc. From
there, you can start applying these tactics at work and with everyone you meet.
(Adapted from https://blog.mindvalley.com/assertive-communication/)
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Handout 4 for participants – Public Narrative
PUBLIC NARRATIVE By Marshall Ganz (2008)
“Story of now - Story of Self - Story of Us”
STORY OF NOW (the setting and the challenge)

The setting is the entry point of a good story. It is what engages the listener, captures their interest and
makes them pay attention. It includes place and time, and specific details. It also communicates an
urgent challenge that demands action now. The listener is presented with how the world is and how it
“should be”, and the need to make a specific choice.
To do: Describe the reality that surround your story, focus on an issue you care about and a challenge
that needs action now. Explain why urgent action is needed.
STORY OF SELF (the character and the choice)

In a good story we can identify with the character. The character is the “agent” who is driven to action
by some values, and makes a choice based on those values. The story is guided by the character´s “choice
points”, where he or she breaks the routine, makes a choice to face challenges and becomes the creator
of his or her life. Choices communicate hope and courage.
To do: Describe the character (it could be you) explain the values that drive him or her to act, explain
the choices he/she made to take action and face challenges.
STORY OF US (the outcome and the moral)

The story connects the character to a wider community or humanity, where the collective values of a
community are articulated. Good stories teach us a moral, based on the choices points of the character
(challenge → choice→ outcome → moral). The character´s story is an example for others to show how
to deal with the unexpected, how to take action, to break with routine and choose to act differently.
The focus is on human values that make people creators of their future.
To do:
Connect your story with a collective story, story of values, on how others can take action and face
challenges.
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Handout 5 for participants – Writing Voices
Writing for a blog/website - WRITING VOICES
A ‘Writing Voices’ article is a brief account (maximum 500 words) of your experiences as a student,
youngster, volunteer, etc. These articles can be posted to provide information to readers – including
potential volunteers, youth –about the experience of volunteers during their free time. They provide
helpful insights into the universe of non-formal programmes and the work of a volunteer. They also
provide you with a unique opportunity to express your thoughts in a tangible way and support those
who will follow in your footsteps. Think of them as an electronic legacy!
The style and format is up to you. This is an opportunity for you to express yourself. The following
guidance is designed to help you get started and ensure that your story will be helpful and easily
understood:
1. When planning your story, think firstly about the main idea you want to express: e.g. what did
you set out to achieve, what was your biggest challenge, your biggest success, your greatest lesson?
(example: "Volunteers can help other people contribute to development. I thought I would teach people
how to volunteer for development, but found they were already actively volunteering, in their own
way");
2. Identify the difference that you made as a Volunteer, especially in terms of the main idea that
you identified for this story (example: "The people I met didn’t call themselves volunteers but were
actively helping each other. I am proud that my work raised awareness among many people that they
could use their voluntary effort to advance their own development");
3. Share impact: let us know how you are helping the people of the community and/or region in
which you are serving;
4. Add your thoughts about what it means to volunteer: share insights and experiences about how
volunteering influenced your life and the lives of those whom you met and with whom you worked;
5. Be sure to comment on your daily work as a Volunteer: highlight your responsibilities, the type
of work you are engaged in, the people you work with, etc.;
6. Cultural aspects: perhaps remark (briefly) on some differences from your home country and
share what you learned about living in a different cultural setting;
7. On the other hand, refrain from commenting on the political situation in your country of
assignment or making general statements about its status of development or social advancement. Avoid
sweeping generalizations and stereotypes;
8. Avoid technical jargon and excessive text. Keep your story simple and straightforward. Write it
in a way that is comfortable and natural to you, as if you’re sending a letter to a family member or friend
(which will be read by the wider world!);
9. Be positive: the tone of voice should be confident, clear, inclusive and genuine.
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10. Send a photograph (jpeg format) showing you in action or at work, plus a portrait shot to show
what you look like: no group photos, please!
This article is your voice. The rest is up to you!
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CHAPTER 6
EXCERCISES FOR EVALAUTING EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Educational evaluation valuation is arguably one of the most the most critical and powerful aspect of
teaching and learning. But it is as powerful and as well as variable specially when it comes to non-
formal learning.
This chapter covers examples of activities and practicalities of evaluation educational activities taking
into the consideration the variability of evaluation, feedback, the importance of surface, deep and
transfer contexts, gifted student to educator feedback, peer to peer feedback, the power of within
lesson feedback and manageable post-activity feedback.
We have tried to create an effective feedback content by providing structured activities which give the
best possible framework for feedback regarding of any setting, phase or profile of both educators and
learners.
THE ALPHABET REVIEW
Time required: 20-30 minutes.

Size of group: Unlimited but allowing to form small groups of 3-5 persons.
Material required: One copy of the worksheet foe each participant.
Benefits: To encourage participants to stretch their minds and their collective memories, while
convincing them that a large number of useful items were learned during a workshop.
Step 1: Form small groups of 3-5 persons. Distribute one copy of the ‘’Alphabet Review’’ form to each
person.
Step 2: Ask the teams to generate at least one significant item (a principle, concept or conclusion) from
the workshop that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Note: be flexible in allowing various
adaptations of correctly spelled words, or borrowed adjectives to describe a concept (such as ‘’xcellent
visual material’’).
Step 3: Summarize the session by going from group and asking for an item that begins with A, then B,
then C, etc. Groups will be surprised at the variety of items they identified for different letters.
Alternative:
Provide the review form and instructions at the beginning of the workshop, thus allowing them to record
items as they are introduced to them. This also has the merit of cueing them to watch for at least 26 key
items throughout the session.
Each group can summarize the sessions but only according to a specific group of letters:
Group 1: A to D.
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Group 2: E to I and so on.
• How much difficulty did you have completing the entire list?
• How helpful was it to work in small groups?
• Does this suggest the value of staying in touch with workshop participants at a later date?
• How many of you were surprised that 26 or more important items could be generated so quickly?
ALPHABET REVIEW
A B
C D
E F
G H
I J
K L
M N
O P
Q R
S T
U V
W X
Y Z
ACTION REPLAY
Time required: 20-30 minutes, depending on the group.

Material required: Dummy microphone and dummy remote control (they can be also real).
Benefits: This exercise is best suited to evaluate or debrief the activities involving lots of action and the
whole group. It is not recommended after activities with little movement or mental and board games. It
can be successfully used after team building exercise or after getting the group from A to B.
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It can be a challenging exercise in its own right. It is a versatile exercise, keeping involvement and energy
high, exercising the memory, creativity, and teamwork. Most of the times it brings humour and honesty,
providing opportunities for leadership, interviewing and commentating.
Step 1: Participants are asked to re-enact the previous activity as if a video of the activity is being
replayed. They are instructed to play back the action and to examine the scenes more closely or to replay
an event worth mentioned.
Step 2: Using the dummy microphone, ask any group member to pick it up and interview someone
involved in the action. They can ask questions from any point of the learning cycle:
• To clarify what has happened.

• To give people a chance to express their feelings.
• To analyse the situation (Why were you doing that? How did that happen?)
• To look to the future (How could you build on what worked well? What could you take from this
experience into the classroom, etc.?)
Variation:
The facilitator can introduce a remote control before the replay starts. The participants and the trainer
think about the moments they want to preselect which moments they want to replay by requesting
‘’Selected Highlights’’.
While taking part in the replay anyone can ask for the remote to slow down or to see a particular
moment again. Remind participants about useful buttons on the remote and invite them to invent some
new ones that no-one has ever heard of before.
Once the facilitator has demonstrated the possibilities of using the remote control, participants can take
it in turns to direct the action.
Generating and using questions from learners
Time required: Depending on the group.
Benefits: These techniques will develop the learners’ questioning skills by arousing curiosity, sustaining
motivation and developing key learning skills. Also, the questions learners ask might indicate their
progress. There are three types of generating and managing learner questions: Visitor Technique, Press
conference, Simultaneous surveys.
Visitor technique
Step 1: One person in the group is a ‘’visiting expert’. There is a meeting with the visitors while each
group prepares their questions. Once the visits are completed, each group reviews the experience of
the group.
Press Conference
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Step 1: The person facing questions has a story to tell rather than expertise to share. The questioning
teams each have different interests on the topic, role they represent. The end product from each group
is a written or verbal report.
This method can enhance the learning process by involving the learners in preparing the questions in
advance for an investigation they are responsible, by involving learners in the acquirement of the
information in the form of a story.
Learners also reorganise and craft the information into a new version of the story (a press release, news
bulletin or blog page, even a webcast) and create a visual record.
Simultaneous surveys
This method is a saving time technique as compared to other active learning techniques.
Step 1: Break the topic into a list of 7-8 sub topics.
Step 2: Create 7-8 small groups. Each group adopts a single sub-topic. Each small group creates 2 survey
questions. Ideally one question helps to create a statistic and another question brings out a story or
example. Everyone should now have two questions written down and pen and paper for recording
answers.
Steps 3: The survey begins and has a suitable time limit (about 7-8 minutes). Each group should aim to
get at least 70% response rate between them. These 7-8 minutes should be a free-for –all with learners
meeting one-to-one and interviewing each other.
Step 4: After the survey, each group has 7-8 minutes to prepare a 70 second verbal report for their
results.
Step 5: The results are shared in the whole group, preferably anonymously: ‘’ 40 % agreed, 3 people
frowned, 2 participants had funny examples…”.
Working with pictures, using images, chats for reflection
PIE CHART
Time required: Depending on the activity.

Size of group: Unlimited but ideally easily divided in pairs.
Material required:
• Coloured pens and coloured paper.

• Model of a circle (pie).
Benefits: Easy activities encouraging participants to express themselves visually.
Step 1: Participants are asked to draw and divide a circle (pie) according to the topic to be debriefed or
evaluate. An example can be “How do you divide your tasks and how you could do it differently?’’ for
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this example, participants are asked to show by dividing the pie in portions according to reality. After
that they pair up with a partner who will interview about the pie chart.
The questions of the interviewer should focus as much as possible on the pie chart and on what it shows.
Allow the interview to adapt the questions to the pie chart and the storyteller.
Sample questions:
Questions about past, present, future
• Does your pie show anything that surprises you in any way?
• Would your pie have looked different when you were new to your current situation?
• What is your prediction for what your pie chart will look like in six months’ time?
Questions about influences on how your time is spent
• How much influence do you have over how the pie is sliced up?
• Who or what else influences how the pie is sliced?
• Would you like the balance of influence to be any different?
Questions for exploring possible improvements
• Which of these slices would you like to be bigger?

• Which of these slices could you reduce in size?
• What is your recipe for the perfect pie? What would it look like?
SUCCESS CHART: DRAWING THE CAUSES OF SUCCESS AND

UNDERSTANDING WHAT MADE IT A SUCCESS

Size of group: Pairs.
Material required:
• Paper.
• Pen.
Benefits: An exercise to encourage participants to discuss on what worked well in the form of a mind
map, tree diagram or flow chart.
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Step 1: Participants are instructed to describe a recent individual or team achievement (in or out of
school, etc.). They are asked to describe such an event under the form of a mind map, tree diagram or
flow chart.
Step 2: Participants pair up and interview each other using questions focussing on the Success chart.
They are instructed to adapt the questions to the success chart of the person asked.
Questions for adding symbols to the chart:
• Add names or initials to show where you and the others have contributed to the achievements.
• Add in extra links to show where factors worked together rather than independently.
• Mark the most critical or important with points with a *(or any other chosen symbol).
• Mark the luckiest moments with a smiley face (or any other chosen symbol).
• Mark the unluckiest moments with a drawing of a sad face (or any other chosen symbol).
• Mark the most effort with a drawing of a hand (or any other chosen symbol).
Questions about the process or ‘recipe’ that produced the achievement
• Is this a good ‘recipe’ for success? Could the ‘recipe’ be improved?

• What other things could be achieved with this kind of ‘recipe’ for success?
Questions seeking to use this success as a catalyst for other successes
• How could this achievement be used to create further achievements?

• Add future possibilities (add dotted arrows leaving the central achievement).
DREAM DRAWING

Size of group: Unlimited but allowing to form pairs.
Material required:
• Pens.
• Paper.
Benefits: An activity to encourage participants to communicate their ‘’dream’’ as their partner of
discussion draws it for them.
Step 1: In pairs, one participant is asked to describe a dream to their partner.
Step 2: As the dream is described, the partner draws a picture (any style, unseen by the other) and
presents it with a vision from the future.
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Step 3: Partner swap roles.
Step 4: Debriefing follows on what questions do the drawing prompt.
Sample debriefing on the example ‘’ Describe a dream day at school real or imagined”.
Open questions, if needed:
• When your partner first sees the partner’s drawing of their Dream Day, that itself is a
provocation, and may produce an interesting response without any prompting from them. If not,
they are asked to ask for their gut reaction.
Questions about the picture
• Does this look anything like the picture in your head? How is it similar? How is it different?
• Does this picture reveal any misunderstandings or create any interesting possibilities?
• How might you change or colour the picture to make it more like a dream day?
Questions about the dream (and the benefits of achieving it)
• How would you feel during and after a day like this?
• How much would you look forward to a working day if you expected a day like this?
• Would others notice a difference in you if most days were something like this?
• How would such a Dream Day benefit you, parents, others and the context you learn and live in?
Making the dream come true
• What is stopping this Dream Day from happening?

• Is there any way you could use this picture to make the Dream Day more likely to happen, or
more frequent?
METAPHOR MAPS
Time required: 30 minutes or more, depending on the group.

Size of group: Unlimited group or individual.
Material required:
• Flipchart.
• Paper.
• Coloured markers.
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Benefits: An activity to help individuals or groups to map their world and use their maps to help them
reflect on individual or team experiences. Metaphor map is a tool that can be readily combined with
most debriefing sequences.
Step 1: Participants are invited to create metaphor maps that represents the kind of places they visit,
avoid or seek in their activity- either school, family, within fiends or any relevant activity for them. Places
might include:
Field of Dreams, Stormy Lakes, Safe Haven, Mountains of work, Pool of relaxation, Stretch Zone,
Swampland, Play area, Road to Nowhere, stream of ideas, Point of No return, Terra Incognita, Short Cut,
Black Hole, Magic Spot, Site of Antiquity, Stadium of Light, Great Wall, Greener Grass, Fountain of
Knowledge, Bridge Under Construction, Ground Zero, Hell’s Kitchen, Ivory tower, All roads lead to Rome,
Point of no return, No man’s land, No go area, Red Line, Slippery Slope, Found Enclave, Invisible Borders,
Floating City, Wonderful Tsunami, Peaceful Volcano, Upstream tailing, Muddy dam.
This step should be a reflective exercise.
Step 2: Once the maps (either as a group or individually) are created, they can be used as a more focused
debriefing tool.
Participants tell their stories about an experience while tracing their journey across their map with a
finger.
The listener prompts as necessary to help the person tell their story using the map:
“Did you visit any of these places?’’
‘’Where did you spend more time?’’
‘’Can you trace the journey you took?’’
‘’Do you need to create new places on the map?’’
After the story is told (or during its telling) the listener asks questions that help the storyteller to consider
alternative or preferred routes on the map, and how they could succeed in making these journeys.
Variations: With more resources and imagination, Metaphor Map can be scaled up to room size or field
size. These larger versions allow people to walk around their maps with a facilitative partner. The floor
size map is a good scale for demonstrating the method.
THE THREE-WORD REVIEW
Time required: depending on the group, 2-3 minutes per participant.

Size of the group: unlimited
Material required:
• post its,
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• flipchart paper,
• pens,
• markers (alternatively, different photos, cards with images).
Benefits: This is a simple method at the end of an activity, for the whole group to share experiences
about the programme, to express their feelings and to hear how others have experienced that same
part of the programme.
It can create a common responsibility for the group life and the programme in the group as a whole.
In large groups, the facilitator should pay attention to the fact that only few participants take the floor.
Also, the facilitator should plan this accordingly- not rushing through just before the day closes or before
dinner. In this situation the group might not reflect properly and the risk of them not feeling being taken
seriously can appear.
Step 1: The participants are asked to run for themselves three words describing their feelings about the
day. They can be different categories (nouns, verbs and adjectives) or just one category.
Step 2: Participants are then asked to call out their words which are noted down on a flip –chart.
After that, a discussion about the meaning and relevance of the words can be initiated.
Usually this leads to a very fruitful discussion.
Variations:
• Participants can be asked to share their words either in pairs or larger groups. Instead of words
they can use photos or images representing their feelings about the day.
• All the words or images can be collected and displayed in a creative manner.
PICTURE POSTCARDS
Time required: 2 minutes per participant.

Size of the group: Unlimited but possible to form pairs or smaller groups.
Material required:
• 1 set of different postcards or images, cards, etc. (5 cards for each participant to choose).
Benefits: An exercise where participants, using images, have the chance to reflect on their inner world
as they successfully worked through the challenge.
Step 1: Facilitator display the set of cards, images and asks the participants to recall a time when they
faced a challenge and when the results were ok or better.
Step 2: Facilitator asks participants to choose and arrange up to 5 pictures to help them tell their story.
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Step 3: Either in plenary or in pairs participants are asked a set of questions meant to help them tell
their story easier.
Sample questions:
Questions should focus more on the postcards or images and what they show.
The essence of the story

Ask the partner to tell you their illustrated story in 2 minutes.
Can you sum up, in a word or phrase, how each card represents your inner world?
If you were to illustrate your story a little better, which picture would you most want to adapt or replace
and how?
Seeking explanations
If you were to choose just one from these pictures to represent your story, which one would it be and
why?
Which pictures represent the times when you were most pleased with how were you responding to the
challenge and why?
Can you arrange your pictures in a way that shows relative high and low points? What helped you
through the relatively low points?
Seeing the bigger picture

Does this picture sequence also fit how you have responded to other challenges?
If facing similar challenges in the future would you want to change the pictures or the sequence or the
arrangement in some way?
Imagine a future challenge that you respond to really well. Choose up to 5 pictures to illustrate this
future ‘’inner world’’ story of a real achievement.
YOU’VE GOT MAIL
Time required: 10 minutes at the start of program and 20 minutes at the end.
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Material required for each participant:
• 1 prepared learning support contract.

• 1 pen.
Benefits: This will help increase participants’/ educators’ accountability of learning back in the learning/
workplace. It will also give you feedback after the participant has gone back to school, work, etc.
Goals:
• To have participants identify their training objectives before they start the program.
• To have participants identify what they have learned during the program.
• To have participants identify what they will do differently as the result of attending the program.
Step 1: At the beginning of the program, give each participant a copy of the Learning Support Contract
and a pen.
Step 2: Ask participants to fill in parts 1 and 2 of their Learning Support Contract and then put it away
for the time being. If participants fill in the Learning Support Contract before the program commences,
have their supervisors agree with the objectives and sign it off.
Step 3: At the completion of the program, ask the participants to fill in parts 3 and 4 of their contract.
Step 4: Ask participants to take their contracts back to work/ school, discuss them with their teacher,
facilitator and together fill in part 5.
Step 5: After each participants and their supervisor complete part 5, they are to make a copy of the
contract and send it back to you.
Step 6: You can and then read through the information and, if relevant attach this copy to the
participants’ profile or personal file.
Variations:
• After participants’ complete parts 1 and 2 of the contract, you can ask them to share their
objectives with the group.
• After participants’ complete parts 1 and 2 of the contract, you can ask each participant to choose
a partner and discuss objectives with one another.
• Participants can complete parts 1 and 2 before they attend the program.
Learning Support Contract
Please return completed copy to:
Part 1 Learning Support Contract
Participant’s name:
Program Attended:
Part 2
Workshop Objectives
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Write down your objectives for attending this program:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Signed:
Participant
Participants’ s supervisor
Part 3: Learning Support Contract

At the conclusion of the program, write down the things you learned.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The participant has demonstrated or identified opportunities to demonstrate learning.
Signed:
Participant:
Program Facilitator:
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Learning Support Contract
Part 4: Write down what you will do differently on the job/assignment// at school differently on the job
as a result of the program you have been on:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Part 5 : Write down what support you require to achieve the above:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Signed:
Participant:
Participant’s supervisor:
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CHAPTER 7
COOLING DOWN
Exercises in this chapter are designed to relax the mind and body and show participants how to
let go of stress accumulated by decluttering the mind.
The activities will allow tuning out the thoughts and feelings that race through the minds every
day and will induce calm and serenity. They will teach participants how to tune out and put aside daily
pressures, if only for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
None of the exercise will make participants feel so relaxed so that cannot work or study further.
But they will give some minutes for winding up, both mentally and physically.
They can be done at the end of the school day or after any other extra-curricular activity.
TAKING A MENTAL CATNAP
Benefit: this activity will allow participants to have a mental break in their routine, whenever they need
to a pause but they do not have the time for a full blown nap. It only takes 5 minutes to perform and it
can be done everywhere, at the school desk, on the bus, waiting the doctor’s office.
Time: 5 minutes anytime, day or night.
Body position: Sitting, standing, or lying down.
Step 1: With eyes open, participants begin counting to 10, closing the eyes very slowly as they count.
Take the full 10 seconds to close them, as they were slowly drawing drapes. Do not worry if the eyelids
start to flutter, just keep pressing down gently.
Step 2: When the eyelids are closed, the participants are invited to say to themselves, ‘’ I am resting and
dozing’’. They should count to 10 in this closed –eye position.
Step 3: At the end of the 10 seconds, participants open their eyes, taking another 10 seconds to get
them open completely. They should count seconds as they do this, imagining that they are opening
drapes very slowly. When their eyes are fully open, they are invited to say to themselves, ‘’I am, resting
and dozing’’.
Step 4: Participants repeat steps 1, 2, and 3. They should perform this cycle of open –shut –open ten
times a day for a total of 5 minutes. Repeating the phrase ‘’ I am resting and dozing’’ as they open and
close their eyes is very important. When they have completed the last cycle, they should blink eyes
quickly ten to twenty times, followed by ‘’ I am fully awake now.’’
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Step 5: As they perform this exercise, the participants are invited to concentrate on the eyelids as they
open and close. This will focus their attention on the cat of resting, instead of on the pressure and
stresses of the busy day.
STAYING IN THE MOMENT: A MINI MEDITATION
Benefit: Meditation techniques drawn from Buddhism and Yoga inspired this cool- down activity,
teaching participants how to still their mind so that their mental and physical energies will be focused
on the calm of the present moment, rather than on the problems or challenges of the past or of the
future.
Time: 10-15 minutes, day or night.
Equipment needed: A timer or an alarm clock.
Body position: Lying down.
Step 1: Participants are invited to lie down in a comfortable position, either on the chairs or on the floor
of the training room. The time should be set for 10-15 minutes, depending on how much time is
available. The timer should also be placed nearby, so that it can be heard when ringing.
Step 2: Facilitator counts slowly from 1 to 10 and at the count of ten, participants should close their
eyes.
Step 3: Participants take ten deep breaths, inhaling slowly through the nose, holding for 5 seconds and
then exhaling slowly through the mouth. Each time they inhale they are invited to think of the word
‘’still’’. Each time they exhale, they should think of the word ‘’now’’.
Step 4: After taking the deep breaths they are instructed to breath normally and focus their attention
on the sound in the room. They should listen closely and begin to name every sound they hear (other
people, cars on the street, laughter or bird singing). They should not think about the discomfort of
irritation the noise is producing to themselves but just focus on naming the sounds to themselves. If
they do not hear any sounds at all, they are invited to go to the next step.
Step 5: Participants are instructed to rest their index and middle fingers gently on their upper lip, so that
they can feel the subtle exhalation of air as they breathe out through the nose. They should leave their
fingers in that position for several minutes. Each time they inhale, they are invited to think of the word
‘’still’’. Each time they exhale they should think of the word ‘’ now’ ’They are asked to continue to
breathe normally and feel the air on their fingers as they exhale. They should not try to create a big
sensation on their fingers since this should be subtle.
Step 6: participants are asked to place one or both of their hands comfortably across their stomach, so
that they can feel the rhythm of rising and falling as they breathe in and out. They are invited to stay in
this position for several minutes and, again, as in the previous steps, each time they inhale, they should
think of the word ‘’still’’ and every time they exhale and their stomach falls, they should think of the
word ‘’now’. They should pay attention to the breathing normally, even if their stomach rises and falls
only slightly.
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Step 7: Participants are invited to find a spot on their body where they can feel their pulse (wrist, neck,
etc.). With the same two fingers used in step 5, they should press the are firmly enough so that they can
feel the sensation of their pulse. Now, they can count the pulses from 1-100. And should not attempt to
adjust their breathing pattern to the rate of their pulse because their pulse is faster; they should simply
count 100 of their pulses.
Step 8: After 100 pulse beats, participants are asked to lay down their hands comfortably at their sides.
Until the timer rings, they should allow their mind to rest in the stillness they have created. Any other
thought of chores or homework should be gently erase by thinking, ‘’Still’’. ‘’Now.’’
Step 9: When the timer rings, participants should count from 1 to 10, get up, stretch and go on with
their day.
RELAXING WITH COLOUR
Benefit: This activity is meant to introduce participants to the concept of colour relaxation therapy. It
draws on the fact that colours have major influences on human senses, positive and negative. Some
people respond positively to ‘’warm’’ colours such as red and orange; others react favourably to ‘’cool’
’colours like blue and green. Even though participants are not aware of their sensory predisposition to
certain category of colours, they are invited to become aware that some colours appeal to them and
other do not. Since this activity is designed to evoke positive and relaxing feelings, it uses only the
colours the participants feel positive about.
Time: Preparation time for the exercise 1-2 minutes. How long they actually perform the exercise is up
to the participants. The suggestion is approximately 10 minutes, but by all means they should take as
much time as they need to feel relaxed. The exercise can be done at any time in the day.
Equipment needed:
• A timer.
• A sheet of white unlined paper.
• A box of crayons for each participant.
Body position: Lying down.
Step 1: Preparation. Participants are invited to take out their box of crayons and select a colour they
really like. (They may respond to different colours on different days, or they may choose the same colour
each time they do this exercise).
Step 2: Participants are instructed to colour the entire sheet of paper with the crayon they have selected.
They should not stop until they have achieved the exact shade they want (if they like deep green, they
should press hard on the red crayon and go over the sheet of paper more than once). If they choose the
same colour each time they do this exercise, they should save the same sheet of paper so they do not
have to repeat this step each time.
Step 3: Now, facilitator sets timer for 10 minutes or however long they think they will need to relax. The
participants are invited to lie down comfortably on the floor, sofa, or on a chair and to prop up their
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colour sheet in front of them, either by placing a pillow on their stomach and resting the sheet on it or
simply by holding the sheet in their hands.
Step 4: Participants are asked to take five deep breaths (inhaling through the nose, holding for 5 seconds
and exhaling through their mouth).
Step 5: Facilitator asks participants to focus their eyes on the centre of their colour sheet. They should
let their mind reflect on this colour, letting themselves focus on each memory association that colour
brings to their mind. If their colour is green, perhaps their memory association will call up images of
trees, fruit, animals or grass. They are invited to linger over each memory association, recalling specific
incidents in which that colour played a role (e.g.’ Green grass remind me of a family picnic we used to
organise every 1st of May’’). They should spend time with each image until it fades away on its own.
Participants are encouraged to let the images come and go naturally, and to pay attention to the fact
that they choose or not to stay with one memory association or on ten different ones. It is up to them
but they should pull their focus away from a memory if it begins to bring about negative or upsetting
emotions.
Step 6: The facilitator explains to the participants that there might be times when no memory
associations come to mind as they look at their colour sheet. If that is the case while doing this exercise,
they should simply rest their eyes on the sheet and sink into the colour as if it were a large pool.
Step 7: If their mind wanders off the sheet any time during the exercise, participants are invited to
refocus it by repeating the colour’s name (‘’green, green, green’’) until the memory association return.
Step 8: When the timer rings, lay the sheet down. On the count of 20, participants are asked to get up,
stretch and return to their normal activity.
DREAMING WHILE AWAKE
Benefit: This is a simple cool- down exercise that encourage participants to create their own fantasy
stories or fairy tales. They should perform at the end of a busy school day.
Time: 10 minutes’ minimum.
Body position: Sitting or lying down.
Step 1: Participants are asked to sit or lie down in a place so that they feel comfortable and not disturbed.
They should take off jewellery, loosen shoe laces or take the shoes off, get comfortable. Relaxing music
can be played in the background.
Step 2: Facilitator counts to ten and after that participants are asked to close their eyed and take five
deep breaths (inhaling through the nose, holding for 5 seconds, exhaling through their mouth). They are
instructed to keep their eyes closed for the entire exercise.
Step 3: With a calm, soft voice, the facilitator instructs the participants to clear out images, thoughts,
and feelings that have accumulated over the course of previous activities. They will do this by imaging
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that they are watching giant movie screen. onto the screen they will project random scenes from their
day (eating with friends, reading books, going through a test, etc.). They should play out the scenes
quickly, fast – forwarding as they go, until they have reached the last random scene they can remember.
They are instructed to imagine the words ‘’ the End’’ on that movie screen, this final movie title
representing the end of the day.
Step 4: Now, they have to decide what kind of fantasy story or fairy tale they wish to create for their
mental viewing. They can make their fantasy story a romantic saga, a glorious adventure, an entertaining
comedy or an eye dropping telenovela. The nature and theme of the story are entirely up to them and
they may change daily. Once they have selected the movie of the day, they should go on the next step.
Step 5: Participants are asked to show their movie on the big screen in their mind. They should imagine
sitting back and letting the story unfold. The only rule about this movie is that they must have an
uplifting, inspirational theme that will evoke positive, happy feelings for them. In other words, in their
story, good must triumph over evil; the participants should ‘’play’’ the movie at least 10 minutes.
Step 6: When the movie is over, the participants are invited to open their eyes. They should take a few
deep breaths, stretch, get up and go on with their day.
RETURNING TO THE CENTRE
Benefit: This exercise takes all the ‘’hot’’ emotions (anxiety, frustration, anger, et.) that have
accumulated during the day and dissipated their destructive energies before they can settle into the
body. In addition to ‘’cooling down’’ the mind, this exercise returns to participants to the ‘’centre’’ of
being, the place from which all mental strength comes.
Time: 10-15 minutes any time of the day or night. A particularly good time to perform this exercise is
after any kind of mental strain (studying for a test, meeting a deadline, etc.).
Equipment needed: Timer.
Body position: Lying down on a flat surface (on the floor of the training room or of the class room if it is
possible).
Step 1: Set the timer for 10-15 minutes and place it nearby, so that the participants can hear it ring.
Step 2: Participants are instructed to close their eyes and to inhale through their nose, holding for 5
seconds and exhaling slowly through their mouth until all the air is out. They should repeat this deep
breathing ten times, remembering to exhale through the mouth. After ten times, they should breathe
normally and go to the next step.
Step 3: With their index and middle fingers, they are asked to find the exact centre of their forehead
and press down with both fingers.
Step 4: They should keep their eyes shut tightly, with their eyeballs rolled back and concentrate on
keeping their eyelids closed throughout the exercise.
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Step 5: Facilitator asks the participants to notice any and all the colours that appear within the blackness.
They are asked to imagine the back of their eyelids as a large movie screen; several of the following
colours (yellow, orange, red, green, blues, purple, indigo, white) will appear in many shapes (circles,
lines, swirls) within a few minutes.
Step 6: Participants are kindly invited to simply watch the colours as they watch a movie or a light show.
Their eyes may try to follow a pattern of colours as they float by, but try to keep their eyeballs rolled
back and focused on the screen. They should try not to think of anything, but just watch the colours.
Step 7: Facilitator explains that if participants begin feeling a sensation of ‘’falling’’ into the blackness,
to go with the sensation and if, during the exercise, they start thinking of anything other than the
colours, to shut their eyes a little tighter; the colours will bring their attention back to the screen.
Step 8: When the timer rings, participants should open their eyes gently. They should feel calmer, cooler,
more collected, and more at peace.
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CHAPTER 8
OUTLOOK- FROM INSPIRATION TO ACTION
This chapter presents activities cantered around the concept term of children/ youth participation. The
concept is a very difficult one to define; most researchers agree that participation is a process rather
than a single event/ activity. The exercises presented here focus on gifted youth and their role in
decision making environments about the social, economic, cultural, ecological and why not, even
political environment that impacts their lives.
Participation is an essential element of citizenship in a democratic Europe. There is continuous stress
from European institutions on this aspect so that an enhanced integration and inclusion might lead to
the strengthening of their contribution to the development of democracy.
Inherent of all the facets youth participation has, gifted children and youth are agents who form
opinions, take action and exert influence. The right to express their views in all matters affecting them
is stated a fundamental right – not only at European level but also, for those aged under 18, in the
united Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified international treaty in
history.
Child/ youth participation is essentially a dialogue between two spaces: children and youth expressing
their views, opinions, demands and the opportunities and situations where they can express them to
the decision makers so that they can be taken into account.
Cultural, religious, linguistic and ethnic diversity have always been important principles for European
youth policies. Children and youth in Europe are now far more diverse and as globalisation and ever-
expanding virtual world are generating even more diversity, we propose some activities meant to
expand these concepts beyond.
POWER WALK
Time: 75 minutes.
Size of the group: Up to 40 people.
Material requires:
• Paper with roles.

• Statements for the facilitator.
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Benefits: To introduce examples of inclusive practice and for participants to explore how they can reflect
this during the activities, either in school or outside.
The following can be learnt from applying the power walk as a tool:
• Development isn’t power neutral. Discrimination and elite capture are well known development
realities.
• Power-relations have a huge impact on who we are, and what we can be.
• For those who are left behind it is impossible to catch up without specific targeted assistance.
• Resources and capacities alone will not do the trick. The enabling environment is a fundamental
determinant.
• Given the political realities around power, one is in need of an objective and neutral normative
standard to guide discussions.
This exercise is a simulation of a country situation in action. All participants will start off in a straight
line reflecting article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free
and equal in dignity and rights.” If possible, mark the start line with masking tape or at least have a wall
as reference.
The exercise will finish very different however. People will be spread out all over the room/patio
reflecting actual life in which some seem to be ‘worth’ more than others.
The debriefing following the exercise allows participants to reflect on what disparities exist and why
(power), and to consider how to address these disparities through their activities with a social impact
through participation and volunteering.
Besides a stress on the intrinsic value of human rights for development, the exercise will also show
the potential instrumental value of human rights in the development process.
Step 1: Each of the following characters should be written on a separate index card (roles can be adapted
to better fit the context of the participants). One card should be given to each of the participants at the
beginning of the exercise.
• District Chief
• Village Health Worker (male)
• Traditional Birth Attendant (female)
• School Teacher (female)
• Leader of a youth group (male)
• Orphaned girl, aged 13
• Grandmother, caretaker of orphans
• Village man, ethnic minority group
• Girl with physical disability, aged 12
• Girl in prostitution, aged 16
• International/ National Volunteer
• Married girl, aged 16
• Woman whose husband died of AIDS, aged 30
• Unemployed boy, aged 17
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• Demobilized boy soldier
• Girl looking after her sick mother and younger siblings
• Police Officer (male)
• Local NGO activist (female)
• Religious leader (male)
• Community leader (male)
• Young unmarried mother of 2, aged 19, living in the capital
• Poor HIV positive rural woman
• Visually impaired young man living in a rural area
• Ethnically-discriminated woman, aged 34, married, has several children, husband has several
wives, experiencing food insecurity and conflict
Step 2: Tell participants that they will hear a series of statements. For every statement to which the
character they are representing could answer “yes”, they should take one large step forward. If a
statement does not apply to their character, they should just stay where they are. Sometimes they may
not be sure whether a statement applies to them, and should just take their best guess.
• I can influence decisions made at community level.
• I get to meet visiting government officials.
• I can get new clothes on religious
This exercise is a simulation of a country situation in action. All participants will start off in a
straight line reflecting article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born
free and equal in dignity and rights.” If possible, mark the start line with masking tape or at least have
a wall as reference.
The exercise will finish very different however. People will be spread out all over the room/patio
reflecting actual life in which some seem to be ‘worth’ more than others.
Debriefing: The debriefing following the exercise allows participants to reflect on what disparities exist
and why (power), and to consider how to address these disparities through their activities either in
school or in the communities they participate and volunteer.
Besides a stress on the intrinsic value of human rights for development, the exercise will also
show the potential instrumental value of human rights in the development process.
Tell participants that they will hear a series of statements. For every statement to which the
character they are representing could answer “yes”, they should take one large step forward. If a
statement does not apply to their character, they should just stay where they are. Sometimes they may
not be sure whether a statement applies to them, and should just take their best guess.
• I can influence decisions made at community level.
• I get to meet visiting government officials.
• I can get new clothes on religious holidays.
• I can read newspapers regularly.
• I have time and access to listen to the radio.
• I would never have to queue at the dispensary.
• I have my own bank account.
• I can speak in extended family meetings.
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• I can afford to boil drinking water.
• I can negotiate condom use with my partner.
• I only have sex when I want to.
• I went to secondary or I expect to go to secondary school.
• I can pay for treatment at a hospital if necessary.
• I can speak at a village meeting.
• I eat at least two full meals a day.
• I sometimes attend workshops and seminars.
• I have access to plenty of information about HIV.
• I am not afraid of walking on my own at night.
• I can question expenditure of household funds.
• I am not afraid of violence in my home.
• I have never had to line up or beg for food.
Debrief
Once all the statements have been read out, it is important to ensure that all participants remain where
they are. Debriefing is done from these positions.
• Read out loud article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are
born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
• After reading out the statements, ask who are those at the front. Discuss why they are at the
front.
• Ask the people at the back who they are. Ask how they felt as they watched all the others
moving forward.
• Ask who is male, and who is female (strategically it will be important to have a majority of
female characters at the back in order to demonstrate gender inequality).
• Refer back to the line (all are born equal in dignity and rights), and ask the group what to do?
(should we work with those that have advanced, with those that have regressed?, both?, should
we hold people back?) The message should be that we should not hold people back, but we
cannot allow people to regress beyond the minimum guarantees that human rights provide.
After all, human rights are minimum rules.
• Lead a discussion on how to reach the people at the back. Because communities are very
heterogeneous, it is important to make deliberate efforts to reach the poor and the
marginalised, and especially the young.
• Discuss the role that volunteerism can promote inclusion and reach the most marginalised
• The rich and powerful (especially those at the very front of the line) won’t have too much
interest in helping the ones at the back. How could human rights assist in mitigating the
differences?
• Ask what the outcome of the power walk tells us about the way in which we should work during
our assignments.
• Ask what capacities the different people need in order to participate effectively or to listen to
others.
This is a good moment to also bring into discussion the participants’ identity as VOLUNTEERS or
NON FORMAL agents having a social impact in their communities. What are the privileges it brings?
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What are the responsibilities? How do they introduce themselves? Is it with their student role, their
name or as youngsters doing volunteering?
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Handout for participants - Roles
(If there are more participants than roles, you can double some of the roles. Adapt the roles to the
profile of the group, if needed and include either national or international volunteers (or both),
depending on the composition of the group)
Girl with physical disability, aged 12
District Chief
Girl in prostitution, aged 16
Village Health Worker (male)

International/ National Volunteer
Traditional Birth Attendant (female)

Married girl, aged 16
School Teacher (female)
Woman whose husband died of AIDS, aged 30

Leader of a youth group (male)
Unemployed boy, aged 17

Orphaned girl, aged 13, aged 12 living in IDP
(Internally Displaced Person) camp
Demobilized boy soldier kidnapped by rebel

Grandmother, caretaker of orphans group
Village man, ethnic minority group Girl looking after her sick mother and younger
siblings
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Police Officer (male)
Local NGO activist (female)
Religious leader (male)
Community leader (male)
Young unmarried mother of 2, aged 19, living in

the capital
Poor HIV positive rural woman
Visually impaired young man living in a rural

area
Ethnically-discriminated woman, aged 34,

married, has several children, husband has
several wives, experiencing food insecurity and
conflict
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INTRO TO LEADERSHIP – CONSENSUS
Time required: 60 - 90 minutes.

Size of the group: Sufficient number of people so groups of 3 can be formed.
Material required:
• Quotes.
• A4 Paper.
• Markers.
Benefits: At the end of the session, the participants will:
• Have better understanding of leadership concepts.
• Have shared views and debated on different leadership elements.
Step 1: 15 min: Self-reflection.
Divide participants in groups of 3 and invite them to reflect and take note of:
• What is your earliest recollection of exercising leadership?

• Ask participants in plenary what they have found out. (See Handout)
Step 2: 15 Minutes: Quotes.
Hang in different places quotes about leadership and ask participants to take the time to move
in the space, read them and stand by the one most meaningful for them. Ask participants to share
with the group the reason of their positioning.
Step 3: 40 Minutes: Consensus process.
1: Ask participants to work in pairs and reflect upon the main elements of leadership. Each
element (at least 5) must be written down on A5 size paper.
2: Ask each pair to join another (groups of 4 people), to share the identified elements and decide
the 5 main elements for the group.
3: Ask each group of 4 people to join another (groups of 8 people), to share the identified
elements and decide the 5 main elements for the group.
Proceed with the clustering until the whole group is working on identifying together the final
main 5 elements.
Once reached consensus regarding the 5 main elements of the group’s leadership definition stick
them to the wall, before starting the debriefing.
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Tip for the facilitator:
• Collect all the elements discarded by the groups in each step, cluster them and hang them
to the wall.
• This may be a lengthy process, so if the group is a big one, you may choose to skip the
personal reflection step at the beginning of the session in order to not rush the consensus
process.
Debriefing: In this section a theoretical input on Leadership can be presented. Different

clarifications be made including the distinction between organizational hierarchical leadership
and day-to-day leadership as an attitude and as behaviours that students as volunteers can
perform on a daily basis in order to be leaders from their own position. Touch upon leadership
behaviours, personal attributes and attitudes, emotional intelligence (it’s importance as one of
the leadership attributes, definition and components), styles of leadership, the difference
between a manager and a leader.
This is an appropriate moment to bring again the attention of the participants to the
framing of the ongoing training as leadership training as it’s working on soft competences and
various elements that are important components of leadership. This can be for the participants
another opportunity to become aware of the read thread of the training and its relevance for
their projects, either in school or outside.
Give to the participants the handout on the MODEL OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING in order
to wrap up the session.
Focus with the participants on the different steps of the consensus process; ask
participants if they are satisfied with the outcome, discuss leadership elements/ debates that
have risen during the process.
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Handout for trainers - Quotes
“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African Proverb
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a
leader.” John Quincy Adams
“A leader who does not take advice is not a leader.” Kenyan Proverb
“Leadership is about falling in love with the people you serve and the people falling in love with
you.” Joyce Banda
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Mohammed Ali
“A leader is best when people barely know he/she exists, when his/her work is done, his/her aim
fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” Lao Tzu
“There are three essentials to leadership: humility, clarity and courage.” Fuchan Yuan
“Leadership is not wielding authority; it is empowering people.” Becky Brodin
“Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked, leadership is defined by results
not attributes.” Peter Drucker
“You have got to do the right thing even if it is painful. […] Set your course and take difficult
decisions, because that is what needs to be done.” Margaret Thatcher
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t
necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” Rosalyn Carter
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“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Warren Bennis
“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” Ray Kroc
“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality, the last is to say thank you. In between,
the leader is a servant.” M. De Pree
“A leader leads by example, not by force. “Sun Tzu
“We live in a society obsessed by public opinion, but leadership has never been about
popularity.” Marco Rubio
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Handout 1 for participants – Earliest Memory of
Leadership
Earliest memories of leadership
Working with your colleagues, ask each colleague about her/his first memory of exercising
leadership. One by one, colleagues should talk a little bit about how old they were, what they
were doing that meant they were exercising leadership, and how they felt about it. This process
should take about 3 minutes per person. When you have finished, reflect on the experience and,
as a group, respond to the following questions.
• Do the stories have any elements in common? If so, what are they?
• You may not have thought about your personal story for a long time but it probably didn’t
take you long to remember it. How do you feel about this moment now, years later?
• What does this exercise tell you about leadership?
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Handout 2 for participants – Model of Self-Directed
Learning
MODEL OF SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING

Learning is self-directed
Leadership can’t be ‘taught’, but it can be learned. School and other environments can create a
conducive environment, propose concepts and exercises, provide tools and ideas, but only you
can choose what you will learn. Developing your leadership requires fundamental examination
of yourself and probably some fundamental changes as well.
Richard Boyatzis proposes a model for self-directed transformative learning that is particularly
appropriate to leadership development.
Key aspects of this model include:

Its self-directed nature: the kind of learning required in leadership development cannot
be mandated; you must be committed to your own learning. Facilitators and the workshop itself
can create a learning environment, but the decision to learn remains with you. We’ll propose a
variety of perspectives on the subject of leadership, and facilitate a dialogue for you to build a
shared understanding of what these concepts mean to you.
Assessment and feedback: self-searching identification of an ideal, and frank assessment
of your own strengths and gaps.
Learning through relationships: we will encourage you to identify and build trusting
relationships which serve as resources in the longer term required for leadership development.
Relational learning also contributes to building a shared understanding of leadership.
Its transformative nature: transformative learning implies a shift in perspective, a capacity
to see the world and your work in increasingly complex and hence more effective ways.
Throughout this workshop, we will return to this model, providing you with opportunities to:
1. Reflect on your ‘ideal self’
2. To take stock of your ‘real self’
3. To construct a learning agenda to take you forward
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To build trusting relationships that will help and support you during your assignment and beyond.
EPILOGUE
The editing team hopes that this manual will provide you with new ways of developing
and discovery, both at personal and professional level. We also expect that it will enable you,
dear educators, to design and create learning spaces to inspire and lead to profound learning.
Within our project, we were fortunate to share the same core values in terms of lifelong
non-formal learning and the organic way it blends with formal and informal learning. We have
also supported and encourage each other to explore new perspectives, hoping that this feature
is visible and transferable through the activities we propose.
We are connected in this community of ‘’mind’’ explorers by being ourselves firstly
learners in a continuous endeavour to grow and evolve so that we further foster a flourishing
context for our learners.
Our work in this manual, focused on approaches prioritizing ‘’learning confidence’’,
essential part of the learning process.
We took into the consideration the dynamic interaction between educators and learners,
the method versus goal in regards to planning a qualitative learning environment. Non formal
learning requires great attention to participants’ needs, to the construction of processes and
adapting the tools to them, to the reflection at all levels. It requires balancing all these but mostly
exposing and involving our learners to learning and planning undertakings.
All the topics covered in this textbook, are now wildly accepted as driving forces behind
our gifted youngsters, and are among the most highly prized topics in today’s learning contexts.
Most of us tend to abdicate these hats of creativity, mental fitness, leadership and so on,
by focusing on more traditional pursuits. The project team, through this manual kindly reminds
educators that we all have access to this wellspring of resources, helping us to reveal specific
strategies to unleash creative and team spirits in our learners.
We believe and hope that the activities proposed here will encourage educators to make
a difference in their learners lives and this in the world around them by inspiring them and
encouraging them to combine the knowledge gained in the formal system with action in a way
that improves our schools, our professional careers and our lives.
109
In the long run, our goal is to develop a greater passion in our participants in regards to
learning and discovering themselves in these contexts.
We invite you to try some of the activities presented here and sharing your experience
with us and other educators.
Sincerely,
The editors on behalf of Ifjusagi Nomad Klub Nonprofit kft., Balassagyarmati Balassi Balint
Gimnazium, Scoala Gimnaziala Mircea cel Batran Pitesti, Colegiul National Ion C. Bratianu Pitesti,
IES Montevives, Gimnazium Filakovo, Asociatia Young Europe Society.
110

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Guide developed within the project:

ERASMUS+ KA2 - Strategic

WHY AND FOR WHOM

NON FORMAL LEARNING – A VERY BROAD DEFINITION IN THE

When do we do the exercises?

• pen and paper,

• Printed reading material- a book, a magazine or newspaper.

DEVELOPING MENTAL STAMINA

HOW SHARP ARE YOU?

Time required: 10 to 15 minutes

• handout of questions for each participant,

• What factors caused you to err?

FUN WITH NAMES

Time required: 5-10 minutes

STRETCHING THE IMAGINATION

Time required: 5 to 10 minutes.

• 1 piece of plywood about 45 cm square

• To get participants to think laterally

• What was the problem?

Time required: 5 to 10 minutes.

HOW MANY TREES ARE THERE IN AN APPLE?

Time required: 5 to 10 minutes.

• Image of an apple tree

Time required: 10 to 15 minutes.

• Paper and pens for all the participants

Time required: 10 to 15 minutes.

• Were you surprised to see such a long list?

Time required: 30 to 45 minutes.

• To look at a problem- solving strategy.

• Were the first solutions predictable? Why?

Time required: 10 to 20 minutes.

• To get participants to work together

Sample debriefing questions

• How many solutions did you find?

IDEA- SPURRING QUESTIONS

Time required: 10 to 15 minutes.

• What do I need by way of additional resources?

• Where should I start?

• When should I introduce the plan?

• Why should they buy this idea?

• How can we improve on the idea?

PASS THE PROBLEMS

THE PROBLEM –SOLVING CIRCLES

Time required: 30 to 45 minutes.

• Did any of you receive some solid, usable situations?

Time required: 15 to 60 minutes.

Time required: 3 minutes plus discussion.

Time required: 30 to 90 minutes.

• Whiteboard or large flip chart

Time required: 10- 30 minutes

THE DREAM/ GRIPE SESSION

Time required: 15-30 minutes.

Time: 30 minutes to one hour.

• 1 tall tree with branches (to tie a swing rope on)

• What was the problem?

• 1 large garbage bin (to throw the balls in)

• What happened to achieve the goal?

Time: 2 to ten minutes.

• For each team

• To show the benefits of team members working together.