Exercise description

Find a volunteer to be the king/queen of the group. They sit in a chair in the middle of the room while the rest write on post-its what they are supposed to be like (expectations of a leader) and attach the post-its to the king/queen. Each post-it should contain just one expectation.

When the process is done, the trainer reads out all the expectations on the king/queen. Then the king/queen is asked: “What is it like for a king/queen with these expectations?”

Then the group is asked to think about which expectations are too much, and which are the responsibility of the group, and they are supposed to divide the post-its into three categories:

– excessive expectations,

– responsibility of the group, and

– realistic expectations of the king/queen.

Evaluation

What are your impressions after this exercise?

What did this exercise remind you of?

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Exercise description

The participants are split into two groups of seven people and they work in separate spaces. Two or three people are observers in each group (depending on the total number of participants). Slowly and clearly read the story about the context for the exercise, at least twice.

Story:

“You are two rival humanitarian organisations working with children. Both your organisations currently work on multiple important projects planned for the upcoming two years (one of the main projects is procurement of aids for children with disabilities). One officer from each of the two organisations has been arrested for using the privileges given to humanitarian organisations for personal gain (evasion of customs taxes). Importing technical equipment was at issue. All the other employees (all of you) knew about this but turned a blind eye. The public prosecutor suspects that the two officers cooperated in these illegal activities.

You are faced with the question: Is your organisation guilty as a whole?

The group votes by secret ballot and the decision is made by simple majority vote.”

The two groups then go work in separate spaces. It is important that they are in different room so that they cannot overhear each other.

It is explained to each group that the outcome of the vote on whether they are guilty as an organisation will have different illustrates the different outcomes:

Possible voting outcomes:

• If both organisations admit their guilt, they will be banned from working for 7 months.
• If both organisations deny their guilt, they will be banned from working for two months.
• If one organisation admits to being guilty, but the other does not, the organisation that admitted its guilt will be banned from working for one month, and the organisation that did not will be banned from working for 10 months.

You can download the voting outcomes chart suitable for printing on A4 paper

Voting plan:

1st round: Everyone receives a ballot paper to enter their vote (“Guilty” or “Not Guilty”). Everyone votes individually, without consultations within the group. The trainer delivers the verdict based on the results of the vote on both groups (to each group) and the corresponding punishment, as well as specifically how the other group voted. She writes this on the chart on the flipchart paper.

Example chart for recording the votes:

Each group receives a copy of the chart.

2nd round: Voting takes place again without prior consultation and the results are given to both groups. Only then does each group get five minutes to confer and nominate a negotiator to go negotiate with the other group. After negotiations, they again have a short time (two minutes or so) to confer within the group and then they vote. The trainer again delivers the verdict based on the results of the vote of both groups (to each group) and the corresponding punishment, as well as specifically how the other group voted. If from this point the voting results remain the same three times in a row and the same sanction is pronounced, whatever the ration of votes, the exercise ends.

If the exercise does not end by the fifth round of voting, the trainer announces that the next round will be the last. The negotiators should have a chance to meet again, and a short time to confer within the groups, followed by the final round of voting and the end of the exercise.

Some people may decline to vote during the exercise, which can lead to the vote being tied. If the results of the vote within the group are tied, the following rule is applied: the result will be determined in relation to the previous vote by making the tied vote opposite to the previous vote (if the results of the previous vote were “Not Guilty” then the result of the tied vote will be “Guilty” and vice versa).

Exercise evaluation

Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise:

How did you vote? How satisfied are you with the result?

How satisfied are you with the process? What did the observers notice?

The post Voting on a Verdict appeared first on CNA Priručnik.

• “Put all the chairs in a circle. You have 10 minutes to complete the task.”
• “Put all the chairs by the door. You have 10 minutes to complete the task.”
• “Put all the chairs as far from the door as possible. You have 10 minutes to complete the task.”

You should have roughly the same number of each of the instructions. Ask the participants not to show or tell others what their instruction card says. The exercise starts at your signal and you should let it proceed for 5–10 minutes.

Evaluation Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise: What happened? Did you follow the instructions you were given? (Inform the group about the types of instructions that were available.) How did you behave? Did you get into confrontations, try to persuade others, try to snatch chairs, retreat, try to cooperate? What was your perception of the others?

The post Uncomfortable Chairs* appeared first on CNA Priručnik.

Exercise description Slowly and clearly read the instructions: “The whole group will spend 20 minutes doing as they please. You can go wherever you want (on your own or together), you can talk, etc., but everyone apart from one person will be blindfolded during those 20 minutes. You must first select the person who will not be blindfolded and you can take as much time as you want. After that, you put on blindfolds and the 20 minutes starts running.” Evaluation Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise: What was it like? What happened? How satisfied are you with the decision-making process?

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Exercise description

The participants split into groups of four or five people. All the groups stay in the same room but work separately. Each group receives a pair of scissors, sticky tape and old newspapers. Slowly and clearly read the task.

Task: “When I say ‘Go!’, your task is to use the materials you have to make a tower as tall as possible. You have three minutes to agree on your strategy and then five minutes to put it into practice.”

Evaluation

Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise: What was it like doing this exercise? How important was it for you to see what the other groups were doing? Why?

The post Tower appeared first on CNA Priručnik.

Exercise description

Introductory directions: “Find a pair for this experiential exercise, which is challenging and might be difficult. Take a piece of paper and a pencil and group yourselves into pairs.”

Each pair is given a stack of newspapers or masking tape and their task is to make a stick. The pairs will agree on who will be Person A and who will be Person B.

Step 1. Person A should beat Person B for 30 seconds. Person B is supposed to run away from Person A. Before beginning, they should write down on a piece of paper the thoughts/feelings/ questions they have going into the exercise. After the exercise, each person should briefly describe their experience in writing.

Step 2. Person A should beat Person B for 30 seconds. Person B should defend themselves so that as few blows as possible land. Before they begin, they should write down the thoughts/feelings/ questions they have going into this exercise. After the exercise, each person should briefly describe their experience in writing.

Step 3. Person A should beat Person B for 30 seconds. Person B should use a new strategy that wasn’t used in the first two steps but without using violence. Before they begin, they should write down the thoughts/feelings/questions they have going into this exercise. After the exercise, each person should briefly describe their experience in writing.

Person A and Person B exchange roles and the steps are repeated.

Evaluation

Suggested questions for evaluating the exercise:

• How do you feel now?
• How did other people’s reactions influence you?
• What did you write down?
• What does this experience remind you of?

* Bittl-Drempetic. Gewaltfrei Handeln, p. 378.

The post Third Time* appeared first on CNA Priručnik.

Exercise description Every participant gets a sticker on his/her forehead without seeing what the sticker is. For example, seven get a red square, five blue, two green, two yellow, one person gets black and one white. In addition, some people may get a combination of colours, for example, one person may get a red and blue square, and another a yellow and red square. Instructions: Get into groups without verbal communication.

Evaluation Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise: What happened?

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Step 1: View of the conflict from the perspective of group A – others speaking

Place two chairs in front of the others and invite two people who are not of nationality A, but belong to the “opposing” ethnic group B or are neither A nor B, to sit in them. Their task is to put themselves in the shoes of someone who is of nationality A and try to answer the following questions:

–     What problems and difficulties do you face (because of your nationality)?

–     What fears do you have?

–     What injustices pain you?

–     What are your needs?

–     What do you hope for?

The key terms for the exercise – fears, injustices, needs, hopes – are written on four pieces of paper as a reminder.

Step 2: View of the conflict from the perspective of group A – group A speaking

Then persons who are of nationality A get a turn to add to what was said, but they are asked not to correct what was already said and to focus only on adding.

Step 3: View of the conflict from the perspective of group B – others speaking

The exercise is repeated, but now the two chairs are meant for persons that do not belong to ethnic group B (if possible, it would be best if they were from the opposing ethnic group A). Their task is to try to put themselves in the shoes of people of nationality B and try to answer the same questions.

Step 4: View of the conflict from the perspective of group B – group B speaking

Then persons who are of nationality B can add to what was said.

Evaluation

If needed, the above steps can be followed by feedback about the exercise in plenary: What was it like? What struck you?

The post Second Glance appeared first on CNA Priručnik.

Exercise description

The participants split into two groups: the “candidates” (five or six persons) and the “voters”. The candidates have two to three minutes to come up with their presentations – how they will campaign in the presidential elections to get the most people to vote for them. Then they have up to two minutes for their presentation.

This is followed by a “press conference” where the candidates respond to questions from the voters (10-15 minutes). Next comes voting by secret ballot. If more candidates have the same (highest) number of votes, a second round of voting is carried out. At the end, the elected president must sing a song together with his/her supporters.

Evaluation

Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise:

For the candidates: What was your guiding idea when you were coming up with a strategy? How did you feel?

For the voters: How did you decide who to vote for?

For everyone: Do you see any parallels with national presidential elections?

The post Presidential Elections appeared first on CNA Priručnik.

Exercise description

Check that everyone has a paper and pencil and then slowly and clearly read the background story at least twice. Story: “A new planet has been discovered with excellent conditions to sustain life. It needs to be populated. You are members of the commission tasked with populating the planet. Your task is to identify three characteristics and three skills that the people who will populate the new planet should have. You have five minutes to think about it and write down the characteristics and skills.”

Process:

Step 1 – Everyone works individually identifying three skills and three characteristics: five minutes

Step 2 – The participants work in pairs and groups of three where they discuss and agree on the three skills and three characteristics for people who will populate the planet: 7 minutes

Step 3 – By combining the pairs and groups of three people, form groups of four or five people. The task is to determine a list of three characteristics and three skills: 12 minutes

Step 4 – By combining the groups, form two large groups (of nine or ten people): 15 minutes

Step 5 – Reconvene in plenary. The task is to determine a list of three characteristics and three skills: 20 minutes

Evaluation

Suggested questions to evaluate the exercise:

Did you reach an outcome? What is it? What was it like? What happened? How satisfied are you with the outcome? How satisfied are you with the process? Was the decision reached by consensus? Was it easier to reach a decision in pairs or in one of the subsequent steps or in the plenary? How and why? What was difficult?

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