MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

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When they have arranged themselves accordingly, ask them to sit down in a
circle which respects the same order – in other words, people should sit between
the two people who were next to them in the line.
Ask for their impressions and debrief the activity.
Debriefing and evaluation
Did anyone feel surprised by where others positioned themselves on the line?
To what extent do you think that your perception coincided with that of other
people?
How much is your participation influenced by the way others behave? For
example, do you think that you would talk more or less in a different group?
Can you think of other things that influence your behaviour in this group?
What other forms of participation are important in a process such as a seminar?
What do you understand by “participation” in the wider community? Why do
you think it is important?
In what ways do you participate in the community and what opportunities do
you see for participating further?
Are there any “cultural” obstacles to greater participation that you can identify,
particularly in relation to specific groups? Do these obstacles differ from one
Euro-Mediterranean region to another?
Can you draw any conclusions from the discussion about participation in the
group which are relevant to participation in society?
Tips for the facilitator
This exercise can provoke a great deal of discussion and some people may not feel
comfortable being put in the role of “the greatest talker” or “the silent one”. You should
know the group quite well before using this activity, and should be prepared to support
individuals during the discussion afterwards.
Try to emphasise that the purpose of the activity and the discussion is to give
them an opportunity for self-reflection, and not for them to judge one another.
You may want to draw out or ask participants to identify any patterns relating
to gender, or to geographical or cultural location. Are women, for example,
expected to sit and listen, while the men do the talking?
Try to bring the discussion to a constructive end, perhaps by drawing up a list of
ways that people could become involved more actively in their local community.
Variations
The activity could be run not in silence, but allowing people to negotiate and discuss
their relative positions. This will allow some of the discussion that might have followed
in the debriefing to take place between individuals.
MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work