MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

334
Tell them that they now need to remove three elements of their identity! They
should take out those that they consider least important to themselves, without
which they can still maintain their sense of self. Ask them to cross out these
three items.
When they have done that, ask them to remove two more; and then a further
two. They should now be left with just one element.
Invite them to get into small groups and talk about the identity they put down
on the paper to begin with and the elements they felt able to remove. Why did
they choose to remove these elements and not others? How do their choices
compare with others in the group? Allow 30 minutes for these discussions.
Ask each small group to present any general conclusions to the remaining participants.
Then move onto a general debriefing and evaluation.
Debriefing and evaluation
Begin by asking what participants felt about the activity as a whole; then
discuss issues related specifically to minorities:
Was it easy to come up with eight aspects of your identity? How did it feel to
remove parts of that identity?
Do you see any interesting patterns or differences between people’s choices?
Did people’s choices follow any national or regional patterns? For example,
was it possible to say that European participants had a common approach, or
South Mediterranean participants had another?
Were you surprised by anyone else’s choices?
In real life, have parts of your identity ever felt threatened, or have you ever
felt that you were being asked to give up a part of yourself?
What did this feel like and how did you react?
What are the different ways we might “threaten” people’s sense of identity?
Do you think there are people in your community who feel threatened in any of
these ways? Do you think you have ever played a part in challenging someone’s
identity?
What challenges do young people in minority groups face in your community
or country?
What can you do to support them in facing these challenges?
If we did this activity again, would you put down different aspects of your identity
or you would keep the same ones?
Tips for the facilitator
Try to be aware beforehand of any potentially sensitive areas, for example, if there are
participants who are likely to feel that their identity is challenged by other communities
represented in the group. If this is the case, you may want to speak to them beforehand,
and be aware that the issue may dominate discussion later on.
Some participants might find it difficult to “cross out” parts of their identity. Try
to explain that this will be discussed in the debriefing, but you could also give
people the option of making a fresh choice, this time selecting five elements
rather than eight (for example).
MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work