MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

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Instructions
Divide participants into small groups, ideally of mixed sex and 4-6 people.
Explain that the groups will be building an ideal man or an ideal woman! Give
each group a list of qualities and the corresponding figure.
Tell participants that they need to select the 10 qualities, from those written on the
sticky notes, that they regard as most important. They are allowed to substitute
any two qualities from the list for two new ones of their own choice – but these
should be unanimously agreed by all members of their group. They should
stick their final 10 qualities on the cut-out figure.
When they have finished this part of the activity, invite the groups to walk around
and look at the ideal men and women created by other groups.
Invite them back into the circle for the debriefing and evaluation.
Debriefing and evaluation
Start by asking the participants about how the activity went, then explore with them
some of the related issues:
How did you decide on the features? Did you manage to reach consensus?
Were there any major differences of opinion in your group? Could any of these
be explained by different cultural perceptions?
Are you surprised by any of the features chosen by other groups?
Are there certain features that we tend automatically to associate with women or
with men? What can you say about women or men who do not have these qualities?
Do you think that in 30 years’ time you will draw up the same list of qualities?!
Do you ever feel under pressure to conform to certain stereotypes about your
gender? Can you identify stereotypes in the thinking today?
Do you think that men and women in your society have equal opportunity to
realise their potential? What are the obstacles for women or for men?
How can young people help to remove some of these obstacles?
Tips for the facilitator
Try to create a good sex balance in the small groups and if possible a regional/ cultural
balance as well.
Explain that the aim of the activity is to explore differing perceptions about men and
women, rather than to convince others that certain perceptions are correct. People
should choose the qualities on the basis of their personal feelings and should
not try to hide these, or guess at what might be the politically correct answer!
In some cultures, the way women are portrayed can be a sensitive issue. If you
think that the cardboard images could be offensive to people in the group, you
could simply provide flipcharts with the appropriate labels, so that groups can
use these rather than some visual representation.
The first six qualities relate only to one gender and should be given to the
appropriate group (for example: give the quality ‘a good father’ to the group working
on the ideal man)
MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work