Learning for life (life skills curriculum) by Rainbow Homes Program

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Learning for Life A Life Skills Curriculum for Children in Care

Association for Rural and Urban Needy Rainbow Foundation India

Association for Rural and Urban Needy

H. No. 1-1-711/C/1, Opposite Vishnu Residency, Gandhi Nagar, Hyderabad-80 Ph.: 040 65144656 Website: rainbowhome.in

Rainbow Foundation India

Open Hearts, Open Gates…”

“

Learning for Life A Life Skills Curriculum for Children in Care

Rainbow Foundation India Association for Rural and Urban Needy

Acknowledgements We thank Jaimala Iyer for conceptualising this Life Skills curricullum. We are grateful to the Sneh Sathis of Rainbow Homes and Sneh Ghars for their feedback which made it meaningful and relevant for our children. We thank Shashi Mendiratta for her invaluable inputs and continous support and guidance during the journey . We appreciate Satya's stewardship in ensuring the timely completion of this complex task with assistance from Preeti Mathew. We acknowledge Rachana Satish who diligently reviewed and edited the text. We extend deep gratitude to WATIS for giving us financial support for this cause. Finally, sincere and heartfelt thanks to Harsh Mander, for his inspiring leadership of the entire process of putting our learning's together and ensuring that the child remained in focus at all times.

Contents The Child Here……The Context....................................................................................1 Section I Introduction.....................................................................................................3 Section II Session Plans...............................................................................................11 Phase 1 1.1 1.2

...............................................................................................................13 Introduction and Ice Breakers.............................................................................. 15 Change that I want to see.................................................................................... 18

Phase 2 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8

...............................................................................................................23 River of ................................................................................................................... 25 Moolya Mall (Values Shop).................................................................................. 28 Lightness of Living ................................................................................................. 30 BhavanaBazaar(Feelings Fair) .......................................................................... 32 Sarahne Ki Kala (Art of Appreciation) ............................................................. 34 When I am ............................................................................................................. 38 Me, My Friend........................................................................................................ 40 I, Me, Myself........................................................................................................... 43

Phase 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8

...............................................................................................................45 Salad Days.............................................................................................................. 47 Chak De India…Stuff That Makes Good Teams............................................. 49 Diversity within a ................................................................................................... 51 Trust, Trustworthiness.............................................................................................. 53 Meri Marzi…..Freedom and Responsibility...................................................... 56 Decision Making .................................................................................................... 59 Violence and Conflict............................................................................................ 61 Resolving Conflict................................................................................................... 64

Phase 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7

...............................................................................................................67 Diversity in Society: Community Mapping......................................................... 69 Justice: Do AnkhenBarah Hath............................................................................. 73 Everyday Justice: Social Race.............................................................................. 75 What is citizenship? .............................................................................................. 78 Making the City My Own..................................................................................... 80 Voices of Dissent: Making Democracy through Dialogue .............................. 82 Social Leaders (Leadership around us).............................................................. 84

Phase 5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4

...............................................................................................................87 Preparation for action project............................................................................. 89 Implementation of service /Action .................................................................... 91 Awareness Campaign........................................................................................... 94 Social Feedback ................................................................................................... 96

Phase 6 6.1 6.2

...............................................................................................................99 Feedback and Evaluation...................................................................................101 Closure and Celebration ...................................................................................103

Plan for the year........................................................................................................104

The Child Here…The Context A child in the Rainbow Home/Sneh Ghar is very similar to all other children in the world- a truth we tend to forget in the urgency to emphasize the difference. It is important that we remember that, it is a child we are talking about and talking to; despite all the premature exposure, abuse and violence, that he or she might have undergone, it is a child. Yes, she or he would have learned survival tactics, might have grown callous or internalized the trauma. They may be wary of strangers, but caring towards other children and camaraderieis considerable. While social values of not stealing, may be compromised, resilience and self-respect are strongly present. Yet with all of that, there is a child, who like all children, is open, creative, trusting, resilient and ready to heal and grow. We believe that all children: •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

Have an innate sense of right and wrong Are adaptable, flexible and agile Are creative and open to new ideas Are keen learners and curious Are resilient with a capacity to change Have dignity, courage and honesty Are caring, compassionate and trusting

The approach adopted in this manual is ‘Multi-Dimensional’ which include I, Me, Myself (physical, emotional) at all levels and examines its relationship vis a vis self, team/immediate relations, social and cultural aspirations .These aspects are also addressed in terms of values, attitudes and behaviour and seeks that this be seen as a continuum.’ It is often noted that life-skills addresses behavioural levels without working on the deeper connections; whereas in some others the inner realities of the individuals are taken up which can be ambiguous and very abstract, both of which can be problematic. While there are manifested behavioural issues which have to be addressed, it must be seen along with deeper reconciliations with beliefs and attitudes. Another important aspect of life skills, is to build meaning and inculcate a sense of selfworth as a part of the society, to actually be able to not only claim public space in a positive manner but as an active agent for change, collective /creative action for social change has to be an integral part of the entire process and therefore we have citizenship education strands into the curricullum. The aspect of planning for future, aspiring and working towards it, has also been addressed. In a home, which aims to integrate the child with the “mainstream” and provide opportunities which are “normal” to a great degree, time and resources are scarce. Children have schools and additionally extra hours after school to catch up, playing, daily chores and fun activities which are very important to generate a semblance of a normal, regular life. However life skills have to be integrated into this routine. 1

Life skills should be seen as a continuous process – throughout a child’s stay at the Rainbow Home/Sneh Ghar and in future interactions as well. The Life skills programme needs to be systematically linked with other existing programs wherein the complex combination of people, organisations and processes are organically integrated and reach the child in a manner that he/she can engage with it. Given the fact many children may not be able to read and very long lectures might be challenging, the methodologies should be aptly selected. An interesting combination of methodologies such as films, interactions, dance, theatre, storytelling, games, art, visits etc. have to be used extensively. As important if not more is the role of the facilitator – who is a guide, an inspiration, a friend, a teacher and a counsellor – all rolled into one. How to use this Manual This manual has two broad sections: (1) The introductory part includes definitions of life skills and other relevant information for kick starting the process. •• Learning for life (life skills, development education and citizenship education). •• Guiding Principles and the overall rationale and design of the program are included in this. (2) Handbook for facilitators for running life skills sessions, contains the session designs for 31 sessions of 3 hours each. The section begins with an overall design – detailing the programmatic phases: •• Phase one gives an introduction and describes the method of assessment of participants in the group. •• The second phase is the main body, where actual transaction of content based sessions are done, this includes the action project. •• The final sessions are for conducting action projects, feedback, assessment and closure.

SECTION I Introduction

Life Skills Education Any set of skills that help us live well can be rightly called Life Skills. We then further qualify it as something which is just, beautiful, life nurturing and joyous. Life skills have been defined by WHO as“Abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”. According to UNICEF, “Life skills”, are "Psycho-social abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”. They are loosely grouped into three broad categories of skills: 1. 2. 3.

Cognitive skills for analysing and using information. Personal skills for developing personal agency and managing oneself, Inter-personal skills for communicating and interacting effectively with others.

These represent the psycho-social skills that determine valued behaviour and range from problem-solving, critical thinking, to personal skills such as self-awareness and interpersonal skills. Practicing life skills leads to developing qualities such as self-esteem, sociability and tolerance, competencies to take action and generate change and capabilities to have the freedom to ... It is not enough to ask how life decide what to do and who to be. skills are defined in general; rather Life skills are thus distinctly different it is essential to ask how they are from physical or perceptual motor defined in particular life situations and skills, such as practical or health skills, throughout life. as well as from livelihood skills, such as crafts. or. health and livelihood (Ouane 2002; Goody 2001). education however, can be designed to be complementary to life skills education, and vice versa. Life Skills Education According to UNICEF “Life skills education is a structured programme of needs and outcome, based participatory learning that aims to increase positive and adaptive behavior by assisting individuals to develop and practice psycho-social skills that minimize risk factors and maximize protective factors. Life skills education programmes are theory, evidenced-based, learner-focused, delivered by competent facilitators, and appropriately evaluated to ensure continuous improvement of documented results.”

It addresses specific content or undertaken to achieve specific goals, e.g., life skills-based peace education or life skills based HIV & AIDS education. While life skills is of great value for all, it is especially true for young people and children who have been through challenging lives on the streets. It will have to act much like a vitamin shot, something to make up for the deficit, brought upon by abuse, exposure or such. In a pragmatic manner, the Life Skills curriculum aims to build skills and attitudes that would help the learners to quickly and effectively be mainstreamed, i.e. find and hold jobs, study further and initiate ventures for livelihood. Guiding Principles of Life Skills Education

... â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every day of your life is a lesson. If you learn the lesson well and apply it; whether positive or negative, you determine what happens in your tomorrow.â&#x20AC;? (David Kofi Awusi)

Overview of the Curriculum In terms of learning process which involve cognitive as well as affective faculties, it is always advisable to opt for regular and long term engagement rather than sporadic short term ones. Thus a weekly model of interface â&#x20AC;&#x201C; spanning 90 minutes on an average is recommended. It is very likely that there would be roughly 40 sessions in a year, which works out to approximately 60 hours in total. The flow of the program starts with a module to build rapport and to align the learning needs and objectives, thereafter moving from self to immediate surroundings to society at large. While action learning is emphasized at every juncture, the focused action project sits at the end. The final module is for assessing the movement and reworking the design for the next year.

Phase/hrs

I/ 6hrs

Introduction Broad areas and assessments

Main objectives

Broad methodologies

II/12hrs

III/12hrs

IV/12hrs

V/9hrs

VI/9hrs

Work around values and self

Team and relationship , social issues

Connection self- society and planning action

Social Action

Assessment and closure/ planning for future

Team building, Impact UnderstanTrust building, Becoming the Opening self, respecting, assessment, ding larger preparing change agent undertaking reflection, picture, social feedback and ground , â&#x20AC;&#x201C; designing tasks as culture for structures and reflection. ground and leading listening and a team, role of the Planning for rules and social action accepting initiative the next level. individual energizing and sharing responsibility Participating /leading Written/ Learning campaign, Reflections, project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Films, meeting spoken Games, service/ story making, feedback, community / people, small theatre, Shramdaan, art, dance art, field visit, group tasks. discussions and theatre. real life discussions adventure. intervention / rescue

Matrix for the Content and Design Content matrix for the curriculum emerged through a long and sustained process of engagement with Sneh Sathis and Children. The contexts of realms emerged as concentric circles beginning with " 'Me' and 'My Body' and through 'My Surroundings', to 'Society' to 'My Future'. " Corresponding values were identified and these were further expanded to reveal the attitudes and behaviour. Key Areas

Values

Attitudes

Behaviour • Leads\Takes charge. • Speaks out thoughts – with clarity.

Confident

• Has a vocabulary to express emotions.

Fearless

• Is willing for self-disclosure.(Might need counsellor’s help)

Positive Self-image At peace with One Self

Self -esteem

Me and my body

Caring: Mindful, loving oneself

• Confides. • Seeks ways to heal. • Participates in activities.

Openness and acceptance • Cares for self (body, mind, surrounding hygiene). Non-judgmental • Cares for personal and collective things. Firm and flexible • Cleans, mends, and keeps safe- body and Non discrimination possessions. Joyful • Organised - ordering, creative. Humorous • Patient Positive • Resolves issues and conflicts. Forward looking • Accepts differences. Humorous • Listens deep and full. Trust and trust worthy • Accepts mistakes made by self and others. • Accepts one’s sexuality • Accepts different viewpoints • Seeks feedback and reflect on the feedback. • Is sensitive • Able to laugh without malice or regret • Able to see beauty, positives • At peace with self.

• Able to see beauty, positives. • Solution oriented. • Participates and be part of whole/team work. • Confronts non-violently.

Self -esteem

Me and my body

• Accountable for personal action. • Takes judicious decisions. • Keeps promises. • Doesn’t backbite. • Doesn’t’ Gossip. • Isn’t judgemental. • Doesn’t jump to conclusions about people.

Freedom with Responsibility

• Takes ownership of actions and words. • Able to push limitations/threshold. • Takes complete ownership. Can logically analyse-cause/effect.

Independence, selfsufficient. Internal locus of • Has moved from blaming to claiming. control • Makes decisions, seeking support where Decisive needed. Expressive

Respect

My relationship with society

My relationship with my environment

• Thoughtful, mindful in commitment.

Caring Respectful Open, empathetic Enthusiastic Accepting

Hope & Aspiration

My future

Gentle Optimistic Big picture orientation Curious Diligence

• Conscious and mindful of one’s own expression. • Associates actions with long term purpose. • Is sensitive • Respects others time, space, things and keeps commitments. • Appreciates actively. • Assertive. • Non aggressive in both verbal communication and body language. • Open to listening. • Believes in team work, balanced, participative. • Treats others as equals/ egalitarian, being inquisitive.

Continued from previous page • Understands others experiences, contexts, diversity. • Calm, polite in control. • Self-confident, not driven by others, Courteous. • Wanting to learn, /explore. • Believes that things will be better. • Works towards our goal. • Can dealing with failure. • Ready to look long term rather than short term. • Thoughtful, mindful in commitment. • Believes in the power to shape destiny. • Trusts people and resources around. • Not afraid of learning from failure, wanting to learn/explore. • Never gives up, learns from failure, connecting actions with purpose.

SECTION II Session Plans

PHASE 1

Phase 1 | Session 1 | Duration:150 minutes

Introduction and Ice Breakers About the session It is assumed that the participants know each other; if not very well, at least casually. Purpose of the opening session is to get to know the participants and for participants to start on a clean slate as far as possible with clear commitment and interest for the program.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would have:•• Articulated their expectations from the life skills course. •• Drawn up a set of ground rules for themselves. The facilitators would have learnt at least a few names and got a sense of the group as a whole.

Session at a Glance Step

Process Flow

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration(in minutes)

Building the team and familiarity

Name Game - 1

To establish a mixed group and break territoriality and sub-groups

Name Game - 2

Expectations sharing

Discussion and sharing

Building confidence and openness

Discussion and sharing

Pen and paper

Setting Ground Rules

Drawing up list

Closure

Sharing feedback

Session Detail Step 1: Name Game 1 Ask participants to form a circle and share the following instructions: •• Each person has to share his/her name prefixing another word which starts with the same

letter as their name and describes her/him in some way. For example, “I am Jaya and I think I am joyful; so I will share my name as ‘Joyful Jaya’. Natkhat Neetu, Hero Hashim, Kind Kenny, etc.” •• Everybody will repeat the full names thrice in varying volumes each time – soft, normal and loud. •• And then all of us will clap thrice and stamp thrice.

Step 2: Name Game 2 Ask participants to form a circle and share the following instructions: •• One person would call some ones name and run to towards that person. •• Immediately that person has to call someone else’s name and run towards them. •• Call out the name loud and make sure that no one is left out. You can introduce variations – run with some emotion or in a rhythm etc. Step3: Team formation and expectations sharing To make teams of 5-6 to talk and discuss their expectations, share the following instructions: •• Walk around to any rhythm •• When the music stops – I will call out a number and you have to get into a group of that

many people. After some random numbers like, 2,3,6,8 call out the number into which you want them divided. •• Introduce the life skills course*. At this point it can be brief and more general, indicating what all will be covered and for how long etc. without giving too many details.

•• Now in this group, talk about what are your expectations from this course/class. List them out. •• Inform that allgroups willnow share their expectations one by one and we will together make a final list of expectations.

•• Ask each group to share expectations and collate points to make a final list of expectations. Step 4: Building confidence and openness Share the following instructions: •• Find a partner you have spent the least amount of time with •• Spend 10 minutes together and share the following things with each other

Something you are proud of.

One small little secret about self.

What happened yesterday?

After 10 minutes, ask participants to come back to the larger group andtake turns to introduce their partners and what s/he shared, without judgement or sarcasm. Ask how everyone is feeling and highlight points like – openness, trust etc. Step 5: Developing ground rules* Ask all participants to draw up a list of ground rules that they would follow during the course of the session for themselves. Now ask them to go back into their teams and think of two or three ground rules. Let each group share these and by consensus make a final list of ground rules. Display the rules in a place where it is visible to everyone. Step 6: Closure Ask for a quick feedback – How was the session? Key learning? Etc. Share how it was for you and tell them when you would meet next and what to expect from the next session.

Tip for the facilitator •• Make sure that the ground rules does not become very long list ora general statement of should/shouldn’t. •• A good list may have 4-6 rules and not more. Go for important ones which capture the spirit and not just a to-do list. So, instead of a rule like ‘don’t talk’, make a rule that say ‘We will listen to each other’; ‘Give every one chance to share’; ‘We will wait for turns’, etc. •• If some important point is missing, e.g., confidentiality, respecting all etc., then do add these. •• Look at it as a way of talking about citizenship, equality, participation etc.

Phase 1 | Session 2 | Duration: 140 minutes

Change that I Want to See About the Session This session brings focus on our ability to change self and influence others, and also to help the facilitator assess the group’s needs, aspirations as well as readiness to deal with concepts. This is an energising session using lots of theatre games and activities. This session helps the facilitator to assess some of the real life issues which irritate anger or hurt them. Some of these could also be from the past or projected into the future. The session also helps bring the group together.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would have: •• Made a list of situations they would like to change. •• Identify areas within they would like to change.

Session at a Glance Step

Purpose

Methodology

1 2 3 4

Recap Warm up Opening Game Working for Change

Game: Karma Connect Game: Glimpse Gallery Scene making

Duration (in minutes) 15 15 20 30

5 6

Working for Change 2 Closure

Improvisation List collation

55 5

Session Detail Step 1: Recap At the beginning do a recap of the last session. Establish that this is a continuation of the previous session and not an independent session. You could begin with a welcome song and a quick round up of the activities which the participants have done since the previous session.

Tip for the facilitator •• At the beginning of the class you could lead a song such as “I am alive, awake, alert,

and enthusiastic” or a clap round. Something which is like a ritual of the life skills session. •• A round of news is often a very powerful activity which takes a few sessions to settle in, but once it settles it is extremely useful. In this, each person talks about his/her last week or fortnight (the period since the last meeting) in third person, highlighting the big events and feelings. To add drama they can behave like TV channels, naming the channel after themselves. Following are examples: }} “This is Rajiv channel. Last week Rajeev was very busy preparing for his exams and stayed irritated because of that. But yesterday when his friend helped him he was very happy.” }} “Kusum TV- everything is fine in Kusum’s world. Her high point was going to the zoo with her friends from the school “.

Step 2: Karma Connect This is a high energy game and usually involves lots of noise and running around. To play, give the following instructions: •• Find a partner you would like to be with for the next 20 minutes. One of you would be number 1 and the other would be number 2. •• Now I will keep calling out words which define the relationship between 1 and 2 and you keep taking up those roles.

Call out 1 is a barber, 2 his/her customer, exchangeroles. Now 1 is a cat and 2 a mouse. Continue calling out names. Some of the things you can call out are listed below:

Frog : Snake

Iron : Iron smith

Water in a glass: Spoon

Pahalwan: Chela

Cycle : Rider

Elephant: Pool of water

Soiled cloth: Washer man/woman

Potato for samosa : Cook

Make sure everyone is following instructions and is involved. Ask what some of the roles they enjoyed the most. Get a sample response. Step 3: Glimpse Gallery Get the participants to form groups of 5 or 6.

Tell them that you are going to call out names of different places and they have to create them. Let the team walk around and then you start calling out the following: • Jungle

• Sky

• Railway station

• Under the sea

• School

• Wedding party

• Daily morning at the centre

• Gabbar Singh ka adda

• Evening at the centre

• School canteen

• Play ground

• Night at the centre

• Police station

Step 4: Working on Change Ask each team to select any two things–one close to their lives and one away from it. (E.g. Close to me – My class room or the street I walk in away from me-River Yamuna) Give them 10 minutes to prepare a piece in which they have to show the changes they would like to see. Once they are ready, ask all the teams to present their piece to the larger group. Discuss what was portrayed in the presentations, with the participants to list out the key changes they would like to see – in their lives and outside. Step 5: Working on Change 2 Ask the groups to choose a theme they want to work on, amongst the ones they just presented. Ask them to improvise scenes – one showing the present and another the way they want to see it. After presentation discuss the following: •• •• •• ••

What are the changes we want? Who can bring about these changes? Us or them? Who are them? What are the changes we can bring? And would like to bring?

From the discussions, make a collated list of areas participants would like to work on changing. Introduce the idea that the entire curriculum is about changing oneself so that we can change the world around us.

Step 6: Closure 1. 2. 3. 4.

Seek quick feedback on how the day was? Ask what are some learnings and over all ‘feel check’. What are somethings that they would look forward to next time? You may also give assignments for the group/ individuals.

*Tip for the facilitator: On Fantasy and playing the 'Other' In work with theatre the biggest strength is in the possibility of being the ‘other’. While a lot of self can be explored and shared and disclosed, playing the ‘other’ provides a safety layer. Thus several games and opportunities to play people / positions outside the realm of reality need to be played as a warm up, as a loosening up of our mind and muscles. Thus you can change – change the situations in Gabbar Singh ka adda or in the sky as they change their school/ life in railway station or at shelter home. Without contesting and pushing for reality, let’s help ourselves to open up. Always layer with fantasy and magic for helping deal with reality but let’s always be aware of what fantasy is and what reality is and what their relationship is.

*Tip for the facilitator: On Assignments An assignment is not compulsory home work, but are activities and projects which help establish the continuum between the sessions and life in reality, every day. Some of the interesting ideas can be •• Be aware of our discussions and remember them. Every time you see something which is similar or connected make a note of it in your learning diary / journal. •• Try practicing what we talked about today – if it is saying sorry when I feel it’s my mistake or appreciating someone in true spirit. Practice it, note it down and let’s talk about it in the next class. •• A group project: Together let’s try to clean up the mess near our street, because we are active responsible citizens, let’s do it.

PHASE 2

Phase 2 | Session 3 | Duration: 90 minutes

River of Life About the Session This is a session on self-discovery, reflection and disclosure.It uses water as a life symbol. Besides the biological and physical aspects, water is also a very strong, cultural and religious symbol and a very powerful metaphor for life and art. This chapter draws upon this aspect and aims to facilitate a deeper connect between the student and nature. Water flows, cleanses, heals and helps life to flourish – thus symbolising change and strength. It is a free flowing session where the facilitator will also have to draw upon her/his own resources. It is desirable that the session is conducted in an empty space with no disturbances and comfortable enough to sit for a while.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Draw parallels between their personal lives and the journey of a river, through reflection. •• Express these relationships though drawing, poetry or any other meditative form and share with others.

Session at a Glance Step no 1

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Fluidity

Free Movement

Experiencing the self

Meditation and art

Colour pencils/crayons, pens, chart paper. Optional: Recorded music (cassette /CD) Rivers by Shiv Kumar Sharma /or Celtic ragas and a music player

Exploring the experience

Discussion

Duration (in minutes) 10 60

Session Detail Step 1: Free Movement Ask the participants to walk around the room freely but without talking to each other. They have to keep moving but try to be evenly distributed through the entire space, filling gaps wherever they happen but not stopping anywhere. They have to move randomly and not in any set pattern. 25

As a second step you add tempo by saying “gentle flow” (slow movement), “thick slushy flow” (sluggish heavy movement), “jumpy mountain spring” and “torrential river” (faster movement).This way they move at different speeds... Step 2: Meditation and art Ask the participants to think of water and note the words that come to their mind in their workbook. Let them sit comfortably, with enough space between each other. Let their spines be straight and breathing relaxed. Let them close their eyes. Gently help them visualize themselves as a river and stay with it for a while. After they open their eyes, request them to stay peaceful and ask them to express their thoughts and feelings as poetry or visuals or a combination on the given sheet or in the workbook. (You could play soft music during this time) They can then share their work and talk a little about it by taking turns. Others listen while one speaks. Step 3: Discussion Do a feel check, then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• What makes us happy? What would make water happy? •• Was the exercise useful? Did we gain anything from it? (Are we similar as people, is there similarity between us and forces in nature, are we connected?) •• What could be the relevance of such an exercise?

Close the session after asking them to take a few moments to jot down their reflections.

Tip for the facilitator: Instructions for the guided meditation •• B reathe in a relaxed and rhythmic manner. •• Imagine you are walking along a river – •• Clear bright river…full of life…it dazzles in the sunlight falling on it…the sound of

its flow is wonderful…you dip your feet into it…it is cool and refreshing…then you dip your hands… they smell fresh…you scoop it in your hands and drink deep…it is sweet and quenches your thirst and longing…you relax and lie down and feel the rhythm of the river. •• You realize that you are like the river and see that your life is like that of a river.

*Tip for the facilitator: The Walk of Life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; alternative metaphors When we are walking along the footpath, we tend to look just ahead of us most of the time, with occasional glances behind us and far ahead. We look behind as we need to know of anything approaching from behind or to see where we have come from, and look far ahead to make sure we are heading in the right direction to get to where we want to go. Most of the time though, we need to know where we are putting our feet. If we were constantly looking behind us, then we would be walking into obstacles or tripping over. If we were constantly focused on the far distance, we would slip and trip over obstacles beneath us. (It can be fun to act this out!) So it is with life. Sometimes we are so focused on our past, that we neglect the present, and wonder why we keep falling flat on our faces. Or perhaps we are so attentive to anticipating dangers up ahead, that again, we trip and stumble our way through life. (Carol Vivyan 2012)

Phase 2 | Session 4 | Duration: 60 minutes

Moolya Mall (Values Shop) About the session The session is the first step into the arena of abstractions. It is important that the session remains light and focused and facilitator remains engaged yet neutral. The session helps introduce the concept of values in a personal and specific manner.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Define the term value with examples. •• List and prioritize their personal set of values. •• Appreciate that others may have different priorities.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Understanding values and their links with decision making

Game:Moolya Mall

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Get the group to stand in a circle. Tell them that you have a magic hat and they can become anybody they want by wearing it. Pass the hat. Everybody has to take turn wearing it and call out the person they want to be (they can act out the person also). Quickly check why they chose the person acted out (Were they powerful, beautiful, ofgood character, rich,talented?). Step 2: The Values Shop Ask if they understand the term values. Help with the definition.

Ask them what the different values are and list them out on a chart paper as participants respond. Some common values that could come up are below: o Justice

o Non-violence

o Fame

o Truth

o Equality

o Peace

o Tradition

o Duty

o Money

o Honesty

o Family

o Freedom

o Integrity

o Patriotism

o Responsibility

o Love

When a sufficiently long list is made (with 20 odd values), ask everybody to imagine that this is a shop selling values, each person can buy values from here. They can list out the ten values they want. Once they are done, announce that values have grown dearer, and so they can keep only 5 from the 10 they have chosen and return 5. Once they are done, ask everyone what values they have got. Announce that now values are even more expensive – so only three can be kept and two need to be returned. Ask them to share what they want to return and what they want to carry. Make a connection between values and decision making. Step 3: Discussion Asking how they are feeling. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• Does it happen in reality? Any example from life or film when someone had to choose one value over the other? •• Is it useful to know what I value?Will it help make decisions? •• Do others also have values? •• What could be the relevance of such an exercise?

Close the session after asking them to take a few moments to jot down their reflections. *Tip for the facilitator •• It is a good idea to have some film screening after this and discuss again- most good

movies would have values based conflicts. Satya Kaam is a film that can be used. •• This session can be adapted for different ages. For age group below 10 it can be to simply pick up one or two most important values and for older age groups it can be about reasons for prioritizing etc.

Phase 2 | Session 5 | Duration: 90 minutes

The Lightness of Living About the session The session focuses on building trust and openness and deepens the self-disclosure and discovery further. The atmosphere is kept light but sincere and open, the facilitator has to ensure that lightness and good cheer is maintained but not degenerate into trivializing others stories or laughing at others.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Narrate stories from life – that are awkward, funny, mischievous. •• Identify some similarities and differences in all our scripts. •• Assess the role of humour and openness in building confidence and teams.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Openness through self-disclosure

Sharing in pairs

Valuing trust and openness

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Ask each person to find a partner they are comfortable with or would like to know more about. Ask them to take numbers 1 and 2. Tell them that you would call out different words and they have to enact that. Call out for example number 1 is a cat and 2 a mouse. After a while reverse the roles. A few options that can be offered are - hair dresser and client, doctor and patient, snake and frog, washer man and dirty cloth, cook making Baingan Bharta etc. It is important that there be lots of laughter and running around. 30

Step 2: Sharing stories Ask the pair to sit in a comfortable place so that no one is sitting too close and get them to share the following with each other in10-15 minutes: 1. 2. 3. 4.

What I like to do, eat, wear? One dream I have. A small secret about me. One funny incident from my life.

They could go outside the room but within your sight. On returning they have to introduce their partner and share all the above. Insist that they be honest to the sharing, not being judgmental or adding mirch-masala etc. It is alright if there is healthy humour and laughter as long as it is not directed at one person but everybody laughs and is laughed at in an open manner. Step 3: Discussion Do a feel check, and then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• Are we similar or different –what’s similar, what’s different? •• Was this useful, how and why? •• What can we learn from this and how will it change us? Close the session after asking them to take a few moments to reflect on what they experienced. Tip for the facilitator: •• The questions can different for different age groups }} }} }} }} }} }} }}

Things I am proud of Something I fear When I fell down… Someone I truly respect One secret desire Something I am ashamed of … When I got angry etc…

Phase 2 | Session 6 | Duration: 90 minutes

Bhavna Bazaar (Feelings Fair) About the session The session aims to build a vocabulary for emotions and also encourages a culture of acknowledging and expressing and accepting different feelings. Young people in general and especially those who have had difficult early years find it especially hard to deal with emotions / feelings. Expressing them in general is seen as a sign ofweakness. This session is a part of several activities which aims to build a culture of self-awareness and expression.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to •• Build a vocabulary for feelings •• Distinguish the varied shades of feelings. •• Analyse the benefit of self-awareness and appropriate forms of expression

Session at a Glance

Step no 1

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Warm up

Game

Exploring feelings

Collage making

Chart paper, colourful cuttings from old magazines/ comics, optional charts with emoticons.

Value of expressing feelings

Discussion

Duration (in minutes) 10 30 20

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Ask everyone towalk around the room and freeze whenever you call out. Next add that you would call out name of an emotion and they freeze in that form. Say emotions like- anger, friendship, fear etc.as they depict these as statues.

Ask out them to list some more feelings .If you get around 8-10 thank them and move on to the main activity. Step 2: The Bhavna Bazaar Ask participants to make smaller teams of 4-5 members. Give them several old magazines/ comics – let them make a collage showing different emotions – let them also write these down. They could also cut out emotive words from the text as well. Encourage them to write as many as even if they sound similar. Let each group share their listing and make it into a collage. Add some if important ones are missing. Get every group to present their collage and list out all the emotions. Step 3: Discussion Ask everyone to recall how many of these feelings they have experienced. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• Is it important to know what one is feeling? To have word for it? •• Is it important to share it with others? (Those you care about or those who can make a difference.) •• What can be the negatives of knowing / not knowing, of expressing and of not expressing? •• Can we try to practice this in the sessions here?

Talk about feel checks as a regular activity E.g. Every life skills session could begin with a sharing of week’s news. Preferably shared in third person - e.g. Neetu news – this week Neetu was very excited because it was her birthday week or This week Akram was tired and then relieved as finally his exams got over

*Tip for the facilitator: Please make sure that the materials you give for making the collage are visually rich and interesting. Not only fashion/ advertisements but real human emotions and conditions. If you find that difficult then alternatively they could just list words.

Phase 2 | Session 7 | Duration: 90 minutes

Sarahne Ki Kala (Art of Appreciation) About the session Appreciation is an art and nourishment for the soul. We all need appreciation and also need to be able to appreciate others, as it helps seeing the positives and acknowledging them. We are taught to shrug off any praise and often mistake it for flattery. We are also told that praising someone would make them proud and arrogant. Thus we live unable to express or receive open, honest appreciation, starved and twisted as it may make us.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to To accept and express appreciation gracefully. To distinguish between â&#x20AC;&#x201C; flattery, sarcasm and true appreciation and the merits and the demerits of each.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Leaning to appreciate one another

Making a gift for your friend

Craft paper, scissors, glue, string etc.

Value of appreciation

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Ask participants to find a partner, the closest buddy nor a completely new face, but someone in between the two.

Get to look into each other’s eyes; they have to move around keeping the eye contact unbroken. Get them to freeze, close their eyes. Repeat till there is intense concentration and involvement. At the end they can touch each other’s face without opening their eyes. They have to say one thing nice about their partner. Step 2: Appreciating the Other Tell them the warm fuzzy story (in the text box). Ask if them if they agree that appreciating is essential for well-being. Ask “Do they appreciate? Who when, why or why not?” Invite each pair to pick up some craft material and find a place to sit. They make some craft item- streamers, greeting card, flower etc. for the partner. The task is to keep them busy and involved but the real purpose is that they have to appreciate something in their partner. They gift each other the craft item, may be with something written in it. After 15-20 minutes every one comes back into the circle and they share one thing they appreciate in their partner. Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• What stops us from appreciating or receiving it? •• What can happen if we all appreciate each other? Can we start it now? As a follow up can we write down three names of people whom we would appreciate this week? Please do check if these action plans were carried forward.

Warm fuzzy land By Claude M. Steiner Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived two happy people called Tim and Maggie with their two children, John and Lucy. To understand how happy they were you have to understand how things were in those days. You see in those happy days everyone was given a small, soft Fuzzy Bag when born. Any time a person reached into this bag they were able to pull out a Warm Fuzzy. Warm Fuzzies were very much in demand because whenever someone was given a Warm Fuzzy it made them feel warm and fuzzy all over.In those days it was very easy to get Warm Fuzzies. Anytime that somebody felt like it, he might walk up to you and say, "I'd like to have a Warm Fuzzy." You would then reach into your bag and pull out a Fuzzy the size of a child’s hand. As soon as the Fuzzy saw the light of day it would smile and blossom into a large, shaggy, Warm Fuzzy. When you laid the Warm Fuzzy on the person's head, shoulder or lap it would snuggle up and melt right against their skin and make them feel good all over. Warm Fuzzies were always given freely, getting enough of them was never a problem. One day a bad witch who made salves and potions for sick people became angry because everyone was so happy and feeling good and no one was buying potions and salves. The witch was very clever

and devised a very wicked plan. One beautiful morning while Maggie was playing with her daughter the witch crept up to Tim and whispered in his ear,”See here, Tim, look at all the Fuzzies that Maggie is giving to Lucy. You know, if she keeps it up she is going to run out and then there won't be any left for you!" Tim was astonished. He turned to the witch and asked, "Do you mean to tell me that there isn't a Warm Fuzzy in our bag every time we reach into it?” And the witch answered, "No, absolutely not, and once you run out, that's it. You don't have any more." With this the witch flew away on a broom, laughing and cackling all the way.Tim took this to heart and began to notice every time Maggie gave away a Warm Fuzzy. He got very worried because he liked Maggie's Warm

Fuzzies very much and did not want to give them up. Tim began to complain or sulk when he saw Maggie giving Warm Fuzzies to somebody else, and because Maggie loved him very much, she stopped giving Warm Fuzzies to other people as often, and reserved most of them for him. The children watched this and soon began to get the idea that it was wrong to give Warm Fuzzies any time you were asked or felt like it. They would watch their parents closely and whenever they felt that one of their parents was giving too many Fuzzies to others, they felt jealous and complained and sometimes even had a tantrum. And even though they found a Warm Fuzzy every time they reached into their bag, they reached in less and less and became more and more stingy with them.

Before the witch, people used to gather in groups, never caring too much who was giving Warm Fuzzies to whom. After the coming of the witch, people began to pair off and to reserve all their Warm Fuzzies for each other, exclusively. People became wary of sharing Warm Fuzzies since they wouldn’t get them freely from others. They began to shrivel up and, occasionally, people would even die from lack of Warm Fuzzies.People felt worse and worse and, more and more, people went to the witch to buy potions and salves even though they didn't really seem to work. The bad witch didn't really want the people to die (since dead people couldn't buy his salves and potions), so a new plan was devised.Everyone was given, free of charge, a bag that was very similar to the Fuzzy Bag except that this one was cold containing Cold Pricklies. These Cold Pricklies made them feel cold and prickly but were better than nothing and they did prevent peoples' backs from shriveling up.So, from then on, when somebody asked for a Warm Fuzzy, people who were worried about depleting their supply would say, "I can't give you a Warm Fuzzy, but would you like a Cold Prickly instead?" Sometimes, two people would walk up to each other, thinking they maybe they could get a Warm Fuzzy this time, but one of them would change his mind and they would wind up giving each other Cold Pricklies. So, the end result was that people were

not dying anymore but a lot of people were very unhappy and feeling very cold and prickly. Since the coming of the witch, there were fewer Warm Fuzzies around and they became extremely valuable. People did all sorts of things to get them. People who could not find a generous partner had to buy their Warm Fuzzies by working long hours to earn the money. Some people became "popular" and got a lot of Warm Fuzzies. These people would then sell their Warm Fuzzies to people who were "unpopular" and needed them to feel that life was worth living. Another thing which happened was that some people would take Cold Pricklies and coated them white and fluffy so that they almost looked like Warm Fuzzies but these were really Plastic Fuzzies, and they caused additional problems.For instance, two or more people would get together and freely give each other Plastic Fuzzies. They expected to feel good, but they came away feeling bad instead. People got very confused never realizing that their cold, prickly feelings were because they had been given a lot of Plastic Fuzzies.Not long ago, a young woman with big hips came to this unhappy land. She seemed not to have heard about the bad witch and was not worried about running out of Warm Fuzzies. She gave them out freely, even when not asked. The grown-ups called her the Hip Woman and disapproved of her because she was giving

the children the idea that they should not worry about running out of Warm Fuzzies. The children began to follow her example of freely giving out Warm Fuzzies. This made the grownups very worried. To protect the children from depleting their supplies of Warm Fuzzies they passed a law. The law made it a criminal offense to give out Warm Fuzzies in a reckless manner or without a license. Many children, however, seemed not to care; and in spite of the law they continued to give each other Warm Fuzzies whenever they felt like it and always when asked. Because they were many, many children, almost as many as grown-ups, it began to look as if maybe they would have their way.As of now it’s hard to say what will happen. Will the grownups laws stop the recklessness of the children? Are the grownups going to join with the Hip Woman and the children in taking a chance that there will always be as many Warm Fuzzies as needed?Will they remember the days their children are trying to bring back when Warm Fuzzies were abundant because people gave them away freely? The struggle spread all over the land and is probably going on right where you live. If you want to, and I hope you do, you can join by freely giving and asking for Warm Fuzziest and being as loving and healthy as you can. © 1969 Copyright by Claude Steiner

Phase 2 | Session 8 | Duration:120 minutes

When I Am Sixty About the session This is a session where participants are encouraged to look into the future. The participants imagine themselves in the distant future long term.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Draw connections between the long term and the short term. •• List some aspects of life that are important to them. •• Make a list of short term goals.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Treasure Hunt

Chart paper, colourful cuttings from old magazines/ comics, optional charts with emoticons.

Visioning the future Pamphlet/Poster making

Value of goal setting

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up- treasure hunt Divide the group into 4 teams of 5 each. Give the first clue and instruct that they have to decipher the content, reach the place indicated in it and find the next clue and finally they will reach the treasure. Make sure that it takes not more than 15 minutes or so and that the rules are followed. After treasures are discovered do a quick feel check and ask what this means to them.

Step 2: Into the future Get the group to sit in a circle and close their eyes. Then narrate the following scenario and ask them to imagine it:

It is year 2060 or something (roughly 50 years from now) and your school is having a celebration. It is your 60th birthday party.

You are the chief guest and star of the day. You see people greeting you, congratulating you with respect and love.

Then you see a poster/pamphlet which has been made for the day. It contains your entire life story–with focus on all your personal, professional, social contribution and describes you as a person.

Ask them to open their eyes and make this pamphlet/poster.If someone can’t write – they can draw and write few words. Give those 20 minutes or so, but ensure that no one gets distracted. Ask everyone to share what they have made, read out and show the pictures. Step 3: Discussion Ask the following questions •• •• •• •• •• ••

How does it feel? Was it a useful exercise? What does it show us? What have we learnt from this? Is there a connection between what I do today and when I am sixty? Can we make goals for this week, this month and this year?

Everybody can write down few things they would like to do now. *Tip for the facilitator: Preparing for Treasure Hunt game Hide four packs of goodies (fruits, biscuits, colours or such small item – that are enough for all) in four different places. Make 2-3 clues leading finally to the treasure. Hide the clues in appropriate places. Keep the first clue with your self.

Facilitator Note It is important to follow up on goals and action plans that the participants make, regularly revisiting the plans help maintain energy, motivation and stay on the course. Systematic planning and follows ups have to be integrated into the academic and daily calendars.

Phase 2 | Session 9 | Duration: 90 minutes

Me, My Friend About the session This session may be done with some conversations with the counsellor as it may evoke emotional responses and memories which have been suppressed. It is a session where acceptance of self and its articulation takes place.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Ventilate some incident from the past. •• Looked at it from today’s vantage point and accepted it. •• Make a pledge to care for self.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Tempest

Reflecting on the past

Reflection and disclosure

Hand mirrors and candles one per participant , friendship bands/ rakhis, paper, colours

Closure

Feel check

* Preparations:If the room can be made comfortable with some soft lighting and cushions for this session, it would help

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Tempest Ensure that everyone has a cushion or a clearly marked space each. As you say right, all participants get up and shift to the chair on the right and when you say left they shift to the left.

Then you add sentences like – those who like sweets, etc. and if it is true for them they exchange places. Intersperse with right, left and other fun ones to keep it easy. Some of the things you could call out are given in the box. Step 2: Reflection and Disclosure Tell everyone that this is an intense activity and we need silence and engagement, any one not in a mood or feeling distracted has to walk out now but once we begin we are all in it together. Get everyone to sit comfortable on the floor or lie down and close their eyes. Get to practice rhythmic breathing and begin to call their own name silently as they breathe out. Ask them to visualise themselves, sitting next to their own self. Meanwhile, put a lit candle and mirror next to each person. Get them to open their eyes slowly and start seeing themselves in the mirror against the candle light. Tell them that they are seeing a self from the past, who is telling them some incident, so the present is listening to the past.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Likes to dance/sing/ walk Likes Shahrukh Khan/ Aamir Khan Likes to be alone Watched TV yesterday Likes colour pink/green/yellow Name starts with R/T/H Had a fight last week Told a lie yesterday Said sorry to someone recently gets angry easily Scared of darkness Feels strong from within Want to forget past Likes oneself Likes making friends

Let them sit, move, lie down with the candle and the mirror if they so wish to for a while. Slowly get everyone to come back put down the candle and hug the mirror and then put it down. Ask for volunteers to share what they heard from the past and what they said to it. It need not be the whole story but an essence. Ensure everybody shares something but don’t force if someone finds it too difficult, check if they would like to share how they are feeling or if they would share it in the next session etc. Share that often we are angry, ashamed or scared of our past selves because of various reasons. But it is important to accept the person, irrespective of what happened to her/him or what he/she did, because that would help us. Ask if we can accept, forgive our past and make friends. Not because we are endorsing all 41

that happened but because we want to change from now on into strong, courageous and caring persons. Finally let’s tie friendship bands/Rakhi to ourselves and promise that we would care for ourselves truly as a sister/ friend. Every one articulates the promise which is about accepting the self and promises to care for the body and mind. Step 3: Closure This session needs a feel check but no analysis.

Facilitator Note: Of Giggling and Breaking Down Handling emotions in such sessions can be challenging. The first thing to remember is that it is all right for people to feel and express emotions. Giggling can be a defence mechanism; can be a moment of awkwardness, thus instead admonishing, helping the participant to calm down may help. Each facilitator may have her own way of handling it, gently calling out the name, requesting everyone’s attention, walking close to the person, touching or patting gently may be different ways of helping the participant overcome the anxiety or awkwardness. Breaking down is natural for many, not a mark of success or failure. Allow some time, facilitator’s own calm listening will help everyone to calm down. Facilitator may want to go closer and hold hands or hug and just sit if needed. If the person continues crying, check if he/she wants to step out for a while or needs some water. A friend from the session may be able to go with her/him. Ensure that he/ she does come back. The most important thing is to communicate that it is all right to cry. Refrain from saying things like- Don’t cry, be strong etc.

Phase 2 | Session 10 | Duration: 90 minutes

I, Me, Myself About the session This session helps build on the promise, made in the previous session to care. This is more like an action plan for caring and connecting, derived from the last session.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would have: Made a checklist of things to care for their own selves individually as well as collectively.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Jumble Rumble

Understanding caring

Group work

Paper, pens

Closure

Discussion

* Preparations: Outdoor space, preferably with enough greens would be nice. Otherwise we can use pictures.

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up/ knotty knots Get everybody to hold hands except for two so that it is a long line. They are now like a snake with a head and a tail. The head starts to move wrapping up the whole line in knots. The tail would have to unravel the knot without letting people leave hands. Step 2: Team work Divide the group into teams of three or four. Ask them to choose any object (as mentioned in 43

the facilitator’s note. They have to draw /write all that is inside it/parts of it and all that’s around it as well as all things that it is part of. Next, get them to list how to make sure that these are healthy and happy. What all can it do to make it safe, secure and healthy? Then ask each team to look at themselves instead of the object. What are the parts/ aspects they are made of? What are they part of and what are the things connected to them deeply all around? Give 15 minutes. Now what will keep them safe, secure and healthy? Let every group share these, which can be collated on the board. Step 3: Discussion With the collated list each person identifies what is important and relevant for him/her. Can we list it as a ‘to do’ list for self and one as a collective.

Facilitator Note Example could be a tree. It has branches, leaves, roots, flowers made of tissue cells etc. It has soil, air, other plants, insects, sunlight around it. It is part of this park, this city etc…It is part of living organisms, plant kingdom etc. also What makes it happy? Water, fertile soil, sunny weather, rain, other trees, birds, children who do not harm. It gives me happiness by shade, colours, oxygen etc. How can I make it happy- caring for it, not plucking leaves and flowers?

PHASE 3

Phase 3 | Session 11 | Duration: 90 minutes

Salad Days About the Session This is the first session in the second phase and marks the beginning of team processes. This may include people around us,those we work with and livewith. It looks at how an accidental crowd, a mindless mob are clearly different from a team. Here we are making salad but it can also be something else like sandwiches, Bhel Puri, canapés, Sattu Laddu etc- anything that is simple enough to make but requires preparation.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Distinguish between crowd/ mob and a team •• List the challenges and strengths of a team •• Make a list of things we can do individually and collectively to strengthen teams that we are part of currently.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Understanding team work

Group work: Salad making

Vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, radish, turnips, lemon, salt, knives, peelers, chopping board, trays

Valuing teams

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Divide the group into 3 teams. Ask them to make the longest line, using all that they have on their person and their bodies. They are free to choose how, the only rule being that it has to be a continuous line. Give them five minutes to complete the task. 47

Step 2: Team work Ask for a volunteer in each team to be the observer and report on what and how it happened in the team. Give a hamper full of salad vegetables and equipment to all three teams. Give them a time limit of 20 minutes and ask them to make a salad. The salad has to be: •• Tasty, •• Beautiful, •• With least amount of wastage. Work has to be done neatly and safely together. Team members then have to present the final product – a name for the salad and share its uniqueness. The observers then share what and how things were done in their groups – Tasks –Were they divided? Did they work as a team? How? Did anyone coordinate the whole exercise? Who and how? What worked, what didn’t? As they share write down these points. Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• •• ••

Did we work as a team – How / how not? What were the benefits of working in a team? What were the challenges? How are we different from a coincidental group or a mob? Do we need teams? What can be done to improve the teams we are part of?You can refer back to what makes a team work from the board and take out a few good pointers for team work.

Facilitator Note Ensure that the focus is on team work and not on the salad itself, though it is important too. But the key focus is on how the team functioned to achieve a task and not how well the task got done. Watch out for gender stereotypes- “oh this is a girlish chore” etc. and address it.

Phase 3 | Session 12 | Duration: 90 minutes

Chak De India… Stuff that Makes Good Teams This session should follow the’ Salad Days’ session. It assumes that there is understanding that teams are good, this builds on attributes and qualities of a good team. This is a film based session.

Objectives: Define a good team as they see it. List qualities and attributes that is commonly present in these teams.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Clapping Game

120

Understanding team work

Film watching

*Chak De India. Facilities to screen a full length film followed by discussions. It can also be a visit to cinema if an exceptional film is showing.

Closure

Discussion

*The movie ‘Chillar Party’is also suggested in order to understand teamwork.

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Let everyone settle in front of the screen. Tell them that as you raise your hand they have to clap loud and as you lower it the volume has to come down. Everyone has to follow the movement of the hand. Step 2: Chak De India Tell everyone that they have to watch out for the qualities in the team- good, bad and the ugly. 49

Screen the movie Chak de India. Pause every half an hour or so to jot down some pointers under the heading ‘Good- Bad –Ugly’ where: •• Good-things that make the team strong, effective, happy. •• Bad- weakness within the team, done unintentionally. •• Ugly –things which are harming the team and the members intentionally. Even as you list you list out try chunking (word chunking may be replaced with grouping) into broader areas. By the end the list must be exhaustive. Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• What causes talented teams to become weak teams? •• Can both the team member and the team both win or will the member always have to suffer to make the team win?

•• Can a member win while his/her team loses? •• Some pointers on how to build strong teams •• How do we fare as a team? What we do to become a stronger team?

Phase 3 | Session 13 | Duration: 90 minutes

Diversity within A Team About the Session This session establishes the fact that diversity is strength within and between teams. And heavily draws on nature as a source of all diversity and the harmony. This would then make a link to the diversity in social contexts.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Distinguish between disparity /inequality and diversity. •• Analyse role of diversity within nature and a larger harmony. •• List ways to secure and enhance diversity within ones team.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Exploring diversity

Team discussion

Outdoor space - a garden or wilderness.

Debrief

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Allow some time for the participants to look around and become comfortable with the place that they have come to. If there are some general instructions about logistics or safety – give them. Then begin the session. Ask the participants stand away from each other yet within your ear shot. You call out the words/phrases (examples given below) and immediately the participants have to fix his/ her gaze on object/s that fit the bill. 51

• The greenest thing

• What seems most beautiful

• Something very small

• The tallest

• Oldest thing around

• Something strange or interesting

Step 2: Appreciating diversity Get them into teams of 3 or 4. Each group is assigned a theme –trees/ grass/shrubs and vines or birds/insects, leaves etc. They have to spot a certain number of these or hear their calls. While they do this they have to discuss amongst themselves “Why is there so much diversity?” After 20 minutes or so they have to come back and take 5 minutes to collate their findings, as well as the answer the questions according to them. Each group shares their findings and response to the question which is collated by the facilitator. A walk lead by an expert would be added advantage to unravel many mysteries of nature. Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• ••

Is it vital to have diversity? What can be the challenges and what are the benefits? What outweighs the other? How? Does diversity in the natural world get reflected in the social diversity? In interpersonal and personal diversities?

Facilitator Note Selection of a good, safe place is important, it can be a park, and forest stretch anything. A prior visit by the facilitator the site and familiarity with some natural features is very beneficial.

Phase 3 | Session 14 | Duration: 90 minutes

Trust, Trustworthiness About the Session This session is the connecting link between session on ‘Self-Esteem’ and ‘My Surroundings’. Trust in oneself and in those around us goes hand in hand. This also requires cautious handling of the term ‘trust’ especially with those who have seen much abuse.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• List out the necessity and inevitability of trust and trust worthiness. •• Make a plan for moving towards increasing one’s own trust and trustworthiness.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Caterpillar Game

Exploring dimensions of trust

Case study

Board and markers, case study/ story

Debrief

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Get the team to make a line, height wise. Instruct that this needs focus and concentration and anyone not ready is free to leave the game. Ask them to catch hold of the shoulder of the person in front and close their eyes. Only the person in front of the line has his/ her eyes open.

As they begin to move, ensure that all eyes are closed and there is not much giggling and jostling. If the line is broken you may freeze them and slowly reconnect them. Check how they felt. Make sure they get words such as responsibility and trust. Step 2: Case Study Get them into teams of 4 or 5.Make sure at least one person in the team can write. Distribute the story /case study or read it out. (Case Study titled Babloo’s Dilemma is given in the box). Now get them to discuss, pros and cons of Babloo’s choice – if he takes the money and if he doesn’t. List these attributes and share as a team after 10 minutes. Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• •• ••

Is trust and trust worthiness related? How? Can I influence the other person to trust me, how? Can I influence the other person to become more trust worthy, how? What are the attributes of trust worthiness, that’s listed here are there in me? Mark yourself out of 10 and specify what can you do to increase your marks. What can we do as a team to increase our team marks?

Annexure: Babloo’s Dilemma Babloo was 19 years old and he worked in a grocery shop. Seth Ram Dhan, the shop keeper treated Babloo well and sometimes he would leave the shop asking Babloo to take care. On those occasions Babloo would collect money from thecustomers and put it the top drawer where small change was kept. He never opened the bottom drawer were more money was kept even though the key to that would be hanging from the top drawer. Babloo felt proud that he was asked to take care of all these things. One day Sethji, told Babloo, that he had to go to a wedding and would leave after lunch, but since it was festival time, the shop would have to be open for long time, as there would be a lot customers in the evening. Babloo, assured him that he would take care, Sethji said, “I trust you Babloo, you are hardworking and honest”. Babloo was very happy to hear these words. That evening there was a lot of rush, and the money in the drawer was in many thousands. At last around 10, as he began to pull down the shutters, Babloo saw Pintu, his friend from the village coming towards the shop. The friends exchanged notes and Pintu suggested that since it was festival time, they both could have some nice dinner together. Babloo asked Pintu to come into the shop as he completed his chores. He then began to count the money, the total was 63,000/. Pintu’s eyes popped seeing so much money, he suggested, that they could run away with all of it and have great time in Bombay. Then he began to list all the things they could do with the money. What should Babloo do, why?

Phase 3 | Session 15 | Duration: 90 minutes

Meri Marzi… Freedom and Responsibility About the Session The session looks at the responsibility that comes with being free and vice versa. Establishing responsibility towards one’s own self is crucial, where there is no external authority but internal autonomy. Connecting this session to caring for self is important as well as to goals for life –‘When I am sixty’ session.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Analyse the connection between freedom and responsibility. •• Draw up action points for gaining more and real freedom. •• List pointers for community freedom and shared responsibility.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Art Race

Chart paper and 1 marker pen

Blue buttons – 1 box

Red buttons – 1 box Connecting Clay, buttons, woollen and jute between freedom Wall Decoration thread, ribbons, streamers, pictures and responsibility from magazines.

Chart paper, colors and markers. 3

Debrief

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Put a chart on the wall. Make available a marker. One by one every person- as you count 1-10, each member comes and adds something to the paper Step 2: Making choice Put two boxes of blue and red buttons in the middle of the room and inform that blue buttons mean freedom and red is responsibility. Ask everyone to choose 10 buttons from the boxes. They can choose any number of any colour but the total has to be 10. As they choose, record the numbers on a chart like the one given here Name

Freedom

Responsibility

Ahmed

Reena

Sanju

Step 3:Wall decoration Now divide the group into four teams Assign a section of wall or room to each team Give each team a hamper full of things- containing paper, glues, streamers, balloons etc. State the task: •• They have one hour in which they have to decorate the wall – from deciding the theme , designing and implementing as a team

•• At the end of one hour each wall would be examined in terms of beauty, cleanliness and team work that went into making it.

Then ask 1. 2. 3.

What were some turning points/ challenges/ breakthroughs? How decisions were made? Who made them and what was the process?

Ask who was responsible? And who was he/she free to choose?

Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• ••

Were we free or were we responsible? Is there a connection between the two? What is it? So what is real freedom and true responsibility? What can I do to have real freedom from this point onward? Can we relook at the chart we made at the beginning by picking up buttons; do we want to change it? •• Connect to – caring for self and goals in life (I, me, my session and when I am sixty), how are these connected? •• Am I also responsible for things in the society?

Phase 3 | Session 16 | Duration: 60 minutes

Decision Making About the Session This session draws the connection between making decisions about small things, every day happenings and seeing how they impact large things.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Analyse the connection between small actions and big events. •• Creating a road map with do’s and don’ts for making decisions.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Tug of war

Rope

Shopping for a birthday

A sum of rupees-

Making decisions together

Planning

60 minutes

Actual shopping 3

Debrief- decision

30 minutes

(Rs.200 -500) or something else (?)

Discussion

30 minutes

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up- tug of wars Divide the group into 2 teams. Get them to line up – facing each other holding a rope. On the count of three they have to pull the rope hard. Step 2: Shopping for a party- (Can be for a Birthday/ Diwali/ Independence Day etc.) Tell the whole group that we have to organise a party and have a total of Rs.500 or 59

whatever amount is decided. Give them the task and what all needs to be accomplished in it. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Decorations (balloons/ streamers etc.) Eatables – (sweets/ toffees/ snacksetc.) Other things such as badges/ flags etc. Divide the group into 3 or 4 teams, each responsible for one aspect. Ask them to plan their budget and how they will go about the task. Let each team plan what they will do and what they need towards it. If the market is nearby and it is safe they could go actually go accompanied by an adult. Let them come back with the stuff and keep it for the evening.

Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• Did we make decisions? •• How were these decisions taken – How /how not? Did we weigh the pros and cons? Did we •• •• •• ••

explore other possibilities? Did we decide as a team? What were the benefits of working in a team? What were the challenges? What are some important points to consider when deciding as a team?

Facilitator Note Instead of shopping you could give them any task – but it has to be real and needing real responsibility and making choices It could be planning a program/ arranging a room, drawing up a schedule for the home etc.

Phase 3 | Session 17 | Duration:100 minutes

Violence and Conflict About the Session This session aims to create a broad understanding of conflicts, within individuals, within groups, between groups over space resources, ideas etc. It helps the group to question several assumptions about conflict and can help in the next section about social issues. The session stresses that differences are not bad and it is alright to have conflicting views opinions or even interests. They do and will exist. What is important is that one is able to find ways to resolve these and work for something beyond.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Define conflict, its forms, causes and effects. •• Differentiate between violence and conflict. •• Articulate the need for non-violent methods of conflict resolution.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Going Places

Defining ‘Conflict’/ violence

Group work

Chart papers, markers

Debrief

Discussion

Closure

Reflection

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up: going places Ask participants to stand in a circle and hold hands – tell them that their hands are sealed for now, they can’t leave each other’s hands.

Let each person choose one place in the room where he or she wants to go (near the door, besides the blackboard, close to the window etc.). Ask them to think and decide for themselves. Don’t ask them to name it. When you say “go”, each person starts to go towards the place he/she has thought of, without leaving each other’s hands. There will be a lot of pulling, pushing and chaos. Let it go on for a while. Ask them to stop and get back to the circle, and ask what happened and why? Can there be a better way? Probe till viable answers come up, the most viable usually are… we can tell each other where we want to go and take turns getting there. Try it out and make sure it succeeds. Ask how it felt and why it was successful (we talked instead of pulling…). Check if they are familiar with the term ‘conflict’ and if this game was an example of conflict. Break them into groups by using some game or numbering for the next section. Step 2: Defining Conflict and violence Ask each group to come up with a definition of the term ‘conflict’ within 5 minutes. Ask them to share it and collate it to have a common definition… you can then use this definition in this workshop. Let the group reflect now on ‘violence’ for 5 minutes – what is it and its causes. Quickly check to ensure that there is a difference between the two – they may be related but not synonymous. Get the groups to now list out the causes of conflicts. Give them 5- 8 minutes for this. Let them share it and you collate it on the board using the following model. Don’t put it up first, rather jot down their key words in appropriate sections and then put the titles later.

Interest Internal Ideology

Identity

This model has been developed by Jaya Iyer based on the outcomes from workshops. a) Interests - include money, wealth, land, natural resources, position, power to control over which individuals or communities fight . These are tangible objects or positions which afford control over objects over which conflicts arise b) Ideologies – include abstract notions which could inform our decisions. These can be political thoughts (capitalism/ communism/ socialism), beliefs, traditions (cultural and social practices), and value systems (justice, equality, peace, non-violence etc.) c) Identities – conflicts also arise because of – caste, religious, linguistic, gender, ethnic, racial differences. It could be because affiliations (soccer teams, political parties) locations (regional, national). These can be at a very immediate level like families or can be at a very large level like international conflicts.

All conflicts have an internal aspect – it can be within an individual or within a community. Thus the “I” is at the centre of it all. Check if this model covers all the different reasons of conflict. Together let the group list out the effects of conflict – both positive and negative. Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

Are conflicts sometimes good too or are they always bad; are they avoidable? Is violence inevitable? Does it lead to any good? Is there any way a conflict can lead to something good? What can we do to avoid some of the bad effects of conflict, to prevent violence? Do we have examples of conflicts being resolved peacefully? Is there a social conflict that we would like to resolve? What skills do we need to do so?

In the light of the session, you could also ask them to reflect on the following: •• •• ••

arying definitions of conflict V Interest, ideology and identity. Survival of the fittest- debunking the popular myth.

Step 4: Closure Ask the participants to recall one conflict that they have resolved or would like to resolve. 63

Phase 3 | Session 18 | Duration: 100 minutes

Resolving Conflicts About the Session This session aims to introduce the notion of conflict resolution and transformation. It hopes to build trust in the process of dialogue, existence of justice and of people who care and mediate fairly.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Articulate the meaning of resolution/mediation etc. •• Demonstrate deep listening and negotiation.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Follow the Beat

Experiencing ‘resolution’

Playing an instrument

Musical instruments for each participant

Role Play

Role play briefs

2a 3

Debrief

Discussion

Closure

Reflection

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Ask the participants to sit in a circle and ask them to follow what you do. Clap a simple beat, let them follow, make it complicated. Tell them not to count but listen to the whole beat. Go on for a while making it more complicated and be playful. 64

Step 2: Experiencing ‘Resolution’ Give each person a drum/ instrument and then let everyone play what they want. Let this go on for some 20 – 30 minutes. Slowly see that a rhythm emerges - one that’s harmonious though not uniform. Check feelings and what happened. Were we all different, yet somehow connected and part of something larger? Check if this happens in life? Step 2a: Experiencing ‘Resolution’ continued Ask for two volunteers. Give them a situation of conflict (Role play briefs are given at the end).Let them act it out. Check what happens –Are they listening to each other? Do they mean what they are saying? What can be the other ways of dealing with it (point to listening and empathy)? Can someone else help, how? Introduce the third person as per the brief given by the participants. Role plays 1. A. Raman is student of class VII, who has just got his new spectacles and has problem viewing the board from a distance, so he wants to sit on the front bench. B. Mala is very keen to come first in the class and believes that only if she sits on the first desk will she learn properly, so she wants to sit only on the first bench.

Role plays 2. A. James is a teacher in a school and wants to take the children to a church on Sunday to learn about different religions. B. Rajender is the head master and he believes that school should not teach anything about religions, so he is not interested in giving permission.

Role plays 3. A. Wasim is 50 years old and lives in his ancestral Haveli, which he wants to maintain and give to his children and nieces and nephews. B. Qasim, his brother is 40 and lives in the city, he wants to sell the house and use his share for buying a flat in the city.

Step 3: Discussion Do a quick feel check. Then enter into a discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• •• ••

Are conflicts resolvable? What can be some ways of reducing their impact and resolving conflicts? Do we have examples of conflicts being resolved peacefully? Is there a real life conflict that we would like to resolve? What skills do we need to do so? What would be our roles in this process?

Step 4: Closure In the light of the session, ask participants to reflect on the following: •• How can we monitor this? •• What can be the role of facilitator / mediator in this?

PHASE 4

Phase 4 | Session 19 | Duration:360 minutes

Diversity in Society: Community Mapping About the Session This session marks our entry into the larger picture, claiming societal space and understanding the dynamics within that. It is a comprehensive session made up of several smaller sessions, each a stand-alone, yet each feeding into the larger learning objective. This is a full six hours of work time, best done over one full day. The session involves interviewing and mapping of various parts of the city and understanding the diversity and dynamics within it. It may be a hospital, a basti, a group of homeless adults, a middle class colony or any place where they can meet people and talk.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Explain how diverse a specific community is. •• Identify few similarities and differences between different groups /sections. •• Assess how would this impacts the city as a whole.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Orientation

Game/Scenario Building

Flip chart and markers

Experiential Learning

Community Visit

Transport to the site , notepads

180

Collation of learning /Debrief

Game/ Group Discussion

Flip charts and markers

120

Closure

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Orientation In order to prepare participants for the interaction with the community, this section helps them: •• To articulate their own apprehensions, doubts, expectations. •• Get a platform to prepare for the same by drawing up guidelines. •• Develop bench mark against which real experiences can be measured. 1a. Game Everybody walks around and freezes when the facilitator calls out a word, such as – a tiger, a mountain, a king, a tribal, a farmer etc. Facilitator then does a quick reflection on the images and checks if there are stereotypes in them. 1b. Scenario building Call out a certain number and the participants have to get into groups of that many. Numbers like 3, 5 etc. 6 or 8 are called out. Now for the next 20 minutes this group will work together. Announce the area the participants are going to map and work in groups. Each group is asked to think of what would happen when they visit the community something challenging, difficult, funny and pleasant-they have to enact. Facilitator jots down key issues /threads and these are discussed after all the presentations are made. These assumptions about the community are put together and will be compared later to reality. Based on the discussion ask the team to prepare guide line for behaviour in the community. Do’s and don’ts are also drawn from these. Now the groups are formed and specific locations allotted. Total 4-5 teams consisting 4 persons (2 pairs) are formed and they can choose one of the themes they are interested in .Names are written in the following format.

History

Economics

Culture

Area 1

Area 2

Area 3

A little time may be given to make and sharpen questions. Step 2: Community Interaction This is the actual time of visiting the community in its own space – homes, institutions, shops etc. and talk informally as well as learn about specific themes. Each group has to visit 2-3 households or individuals, one institution may also be included. Share information about themselves, learn about the family and find information about their given topic. Focus is on how the family/ individual perceives the topic, rather than factual details and data. Different perspectives within families are also noted. Quality time is more important than collecting data. Facilitators watch over only for assurance and safety. Step 3: Debrief: Collation of learning This section aims to provide: •• An opportunity to ventilate the feelings. •• Share the experiences and reflect on personal and collective experiences. •• Compare it with what they had shared in the morning as expected scenarios and cull select/ derive the learning from it.

3a. Game All participants keep their right palm open and keep their left index finger on their neighbour’s open palm, at the count of three each person tries to grab their neighbour’s finger while removing his/her own. How am I feeling now after the interaction? Participants come up with one word each. 71

Step 3b: Group Discussion and Action Each team discusses amongst themselves and identifies key points from their town experience and prepares a presentation. Each team makes a presentation and at the end we discuss the presentations as compared with earlier assumptions. The teams identify one action they would like to do contribute to the community they visited Step 4: Closure Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• Is the society diverse? •• What are the different forms in which diversity exists? •• Is it good to be diverse? Can we be diverse and equal?

Phase 4 | Session 20 | Duration: 360 minutes

Justice: Do Ankhen Barah Haath About the Session The session is first of two sessions on this theme and helps develop a deeper understanding of the term Justice. It also aims to build a certain amount of respect and trust in the concept of social justice. The objectives flow through the sessions Comparing different kinds of justice – punishment versus reformative.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Explain the real meaning of justice according to them. •• Compare different kinds of justice specifically – punishment and rehabilitation – retributive/ reformative/ social etc.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Simon Says

Understanding justice

Movie watching

Clarifying concepts

Group Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Tell the participants that you are a cruel autocratic raja, who demands that what he says must be done and that alone must be done. So when you prefix- 'raja bola – Walk' - they must walk, if you only say 'walk' they shouldn’t. If they do then you punish them – (dramatically behead/ amputate/ put in prison etc…) Check what happened, is this justice? 73

Step 2: Film watching Get the group to watch ‘Do Ankhen, BarahHaath’. It is an old movie so may require some fast forwarding to avoid long stretches, you can decide. Step 3: Group Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

Was this justice? What is punishment? What is the purpose of judicial system? Why punish or not punish? What made them change? Is it possible / real? Can we think of any small real example? If we were in the shoes of the convict, what would we want? Define retributive – punishment centric and reformative – person centric approaches Mention social justice for the next session.

Phase 4 | Session 22 | Duration:70 minutes

Everyday Justice:

Social Race

About the Session Second of the justice series, this on the concept of social justice. While it points to inequities, it is a step to understanding social realities and build capacities to address rather than feel victimised.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Analyse justice as a continuous social phenomenon or process and not limited to police and courts.

•• Describe and evaluate the different kinds of disadvantages and challenges people face – physical/financial/ social etc.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Racing

Understanding concepts

Activity: Social Race

Closure

Group Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Get them to race in different ways. Forward/ backward/ sideways / on heels/ eyes closed etc. Step 2: Activity Ask for 8 volunteers. Each one is assigned a role as given below. The facilitator reads aloud the role and the details of that character they are playing as per the description given below: •• Alok- middle class, born in the city, both parents work, has problem in maths and physics. 75

•• Namita- middle class urban, parents feel girl should be married by 20 years and not stay •• •• •• •• •• ••

in hostels. Vidhur- middle class, bright and creative, uses a wheel chair. Naseem – parent’s daily wagers and shift between cities looking for work. Birsa – loves sports, father arrested alleged to be a Maoist in Chhattisgarh. Bangaru Devi – likes to draw and paint, village got submerged when a dam was built, had to leave village. Bilawal- excellent in memorizing and declamations. Four of his family members were killed in the last riot. Gurmeet- she sings well, writes lyrics. Her father was a farmer. He killed himself because of debts.

Remaining participants discuss the situation. Draw a start line on the floor and mark it 0, and the end line is 30. (As given in the figure). Ask all 8 participantsto stand at zero.

10 15 20 25 (Age milestones from 0 to 30 years)

Each of them are carrying the following ten cards. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Safety and security Health and nutrition Comfortable housing Good education Care and love from family Playing and creativity Freedom to choose things that effect my life Freedom to travel/move Respect and acceptance in community Participates in and contributes to the society

These symbolize the basic rights that every child is entitled to. The members of the discussion group have to, based on the circumstances specified for each child, assess which rights are likely to be enjoyed and which will have to be given up and accordingly take back the respective cards from those children. Some children are even likely to not survive to go to the next milestone and at that stage will be asked to drop out of the race. The discussion continues for each child for every 5 year milestone, i.e. 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years. After the group completes this exercise till 30 years, they discuss who among the 8 volunteers reach 30 and what are the cards left with them, who couldn’t continue and why? 76

Step 3: Group Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• ••

Are we born equal? Do we have equal opportunity? What determines it? Is this justice? What kind of justice are we talking about? How can we work towards creating social justice

Phase 4 | Session 23 | Duration:130 minutes

What is Citizenship? HERITAGE WALK TO CITY CENTRE / CITY MUSEUM About the Session The three sessions introduces the notion of democracy and role of citizens by actually exploring the power centres of the city and claiming it as own. It allows understanding and participating in the processes of citizenship. The objectives like in ‘Justice’ flow through the interconnected sessions. These are outdoor session so travel arrangements have to be made; using public transport wherever possible is a good idea. If possible a visit to parliament/ assembly in session may be considered. It is good to involve a historian or heritage walk expert with appropriate briefing.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• •• •• ••

Define citizenship in the context of democracy. Analyse the rights and duties of a citizen. Describe the historical context of the city they live in. Participate/ prepare to participate in some citizenship action.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Think and Write

Sharing history

Group sharing

100

Closure

Group Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Ask each participant who are the five most powerful persons in this country/ state and let them write it down and keep it with themselves.

Step 2: Heritage Walk Take the group to the city centre or a historical site. Point to the parliament/ assembly. Walk to President /Governors’ place if possible.Share a brief history of freedom struggle and role of common people in it. Mention someone from your state. Talk about elections and the process. Near the parliament / assembly,read out the preamble of the constitution. Point to other state buildings, describe the three pillars-legislative, executive and judicial. Let them reflect on the interconnections. Sit in the lawns / park and let them rethink – Who are the truly powerful and how? Step 3: Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• ••

Who or what actually rules the country? Who is a citizen and how is he/she powerful? Are you a citizen? How can we exercise this power? Can we make a preamble for our home/class/sports team etc.?

As a point for reflection, ask them if they would want to rewrite the list. If they want to, give them time to write before closing the session.

Phase 4 | Session 24 | Duration:240 minutes

Making the City My Own:

VISIT TO THE CITY /NATIONAL MUSEUM About the Session This is a highly symbolic session and should be focused on the feeling part than on the input/ information part. A guided tour may also be arranged with prior permission.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Enlist some salient features and symbols of the city. •• Create a list of objects and symbols for one’s own perception of the city.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Group activity

Sharing history

Museum Visit

180

Closure

Group Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Without any briefing ask the participants to divide into teams of five and draw a list of what all might be there in a museum. Each group has to come up with 10 items. Step 2: Museum Visit Take the group to the National /city museum or any similar one.

Introduce the museum – History/ Location of the museum building •• •• •• •• ••

Point to some of the key objects - connect to the life in city. Visit select galleries with inputs. Ask them to explore it on their own and find three objects they like/ relate to the most. Get everyone to talk about their finds and share one of them at least. Do a feel check along with some refreshments.

Step 3: Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• ••

Did we find it the way we thought it would be? Yes/No?How? What is of value and why? Why are museums made? Is it connected to us? How? What kind of things will be kept in museums of the future?How do we want it to be?

As a follow up activity, a‘Rainbow Home/Sneh Ghar Museum’ may be created.

Phase 4 | Session 25 | Duration: 70 minutes

Voices of Dissent: Making Democracy through Dialogue

About the Session This again is an outdoor session and focuses on space for peaceful protest in a democracy.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Analyse the role of dissent in democracy. •• Explain how peaceful and just dissent is healthy and is to be respected.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Yes Yes No No

Sharing history

Museum Visit

180

Closure

Group Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Every time you say yes the participants have to say no and vice versa, white: black, day: night, in: out, up: down Do a combination of three beats – yes, yes, yes, Yes no yes In, in, out… Day, night, day etc.

Share that we will meet people who are protesting against some policies/ incidents. Recall the do’s and don’ts of community mapping as discussed during session 19 – phase IV Step 2: Visit to any site where a protest rally is on Take the group to the protest site. On arrival, divide the team into groups of 7 or 8. Let them walk around, see different people, hear their stories, go in listen and understand, talk to people. Spend around 45 minutes to 1 hr in this area. Then head to a place where you can process the experience. Do a feel check. Step 3: Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

What were their demands? Why are they here? Is it alright to protest or have a different approach? Is it important? Why? What could be the other ways?( violence, terror, escape) Is this participation in democracy? Is it true only for Government but also for other institutions? Can we be part of governance?Of our institution, city, country? How and on what issues?

Facilitator Note: Points for reflection Ensure that the participants can differentiate between rebel without a cause or fighting only for personal gain vs. common good/ justice is important to establish. Also a trust in positive dialogue, dissent and healthy criticism must be enshrined in the constitution.

Phase 4 | Session 26 | Duration:80 minutes

Social Leaders: Leadership Around Us

About the Session The session is designed as a talk by a guest speaker, who is chosen by the facilitator. It might also be a panel of speakers. Some potential speakers-A social activist, aninnovative farmer, an artist with a cause, a govt. officer,doctor,lawyer,a trade unionist, local resident welfare person- anyone who has gone beyond the given mandate for a purpose of collective good.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Explain different kinds of leadership especially ones which are connected to position/ power etc.

•• Enlist personal leadership qualities and aspirations.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Understanding Leadership

Guest Speaker

Closure

Group Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up A quick song like –‘Main zinda khush hu mast bade maze main’, or any film song that is inspiring can be sung.

Step 2: Guest Speaker Introduce the speakers, their special contributions and strengths. Ask the speaker/s to speak for 10-15 minutes about their life journey, struggles and highpoints. Allow time for questions and answers immediately or after all the speakers depending on your design. Thank the speakers. Step 3: Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• What defines social leadership? •• Can we be one? •• What qualities do you have and what needs to develop?

PHASE 5

Phase 5 | Session 27 | Duration: 90 minutes

Preparation for Action Project About the Session Here the movement is from doing an activity to doing an action. The next few sessions are about designing and implementing several action projects which enable the participants to see their role as contributors and leaders in the society.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• To create a road map for community action. •• Prepare for a product and process plan.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Planning Action

Group Planning

Closure

Presentations

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Fast forward – Make the team walk around and tell them that they are on a time machine, and they are visiting the community /street where they plan to work in future. What do they wish to see? •• •• •• ••

One week from now ... One month from now ... One year later ... Ten years later ...

Step 2: Group Planning Instructions are given to plan for the action which should be in the format suggested below: The plan should include the following: •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

Need of this action Expected outcome/ change Brief description of the plan Time frame Resources required Who will do what (roles and responsibility ) Evaluation plan

If it requires a product such as a play for awareness or poster etc. the teams will also have to prepare these and fix a scheduled time for these.

ADDIE Model

Step 3: Presentations Presentation and finalizing the details of the proposed action. 90

Phase 5 | Session 28 | Duration: 150 minutes

Implementation of Service/Action About the Session This is the session where the participants are in absolute control and the facilitator is a support and an appreciative bystander or a collaborator at the most. Depending on the design, each group may have a different plan and would go to the designated spot and carry out the action. Based on the considered advice of the local community, a situation needs to be identified that can be improved through voluntary collective group physical work (Shramdaan). It is important that the chosen work is useful to the local community. For e.g. in a village it could be de-silting or making a village pond bigger; collection of particularly locally useful plant seeds for planting; cleaning a field or clearing an area or entire village of plastic waste and raising awareness about the same; planting of some particularly useful species of native trees or plants; removal of an exotic bio-invading (colonising species of plant), etc. In a city, the plan can be working in the local school, cleaning/ building a wall, levelling a playground, planting fruit trees and other useful plants in a neighbouring park, removing plastics, de-concretising to save trees, digging compost pits etc. Specific locations may also help design and implement Shramdaan- like – night shelters for homeless, hospital, shelters for animals etc. Shramdaan creates •• An experience of undertaking physical work together that is beneficial to the community/ society and/or environment. •• A positive contribution towards reducing or solving a shared community problem. •• A feeling of satisfaction that comes from the above two actions.

Preparatory work: The work needs to be chosen/finalized keeping the children’s age/physical strength and safety in mind. Also, it is extremely useful to visualize and design the overall activity with clear roles.The local community’s experience and help can be taken in this, along with the trainers, who have experience in the chosen or similar work. To make the activity fully 91

meaningful and beneficial, it is important that children and others from the local community participate in the Shramdaan activity. This will enrich and give continuity to the community work. An example: If the activity is de-silting a village pond. It is best to divide the children into groups, where some can do the digging, others can fill the soil into pans(if the pans are heavy, then it is important that two people lift them from the ground together) and the third group can carry it to a pre-designated place. The third group can be in the form of a relay chain.After some time,take a rest break and change the roles. This will give each child a chance to experience different work and avoid monotony.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would have: •• Worked as a team to solve one/some of communities shared problem(s). •• Understood the purpose of the specific task undertaken. •• Understood the significance of Shramdaan and its positive contributions to self and the community.

The participants can also sing the Hindi song ‘Saathi haath badhaana,ek akela thakk jayega milkar bhojh uthaana....’ from the movie ‘Naya Daur’ while doing Shramdaan.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up and Implementation

Shramdaan

Executing Action

Group Planning

Debrief

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Stretching exercise like Surya Namaskar/ head to toe warm up / any proper regimen which will warm them up and would help prepare for heavy physical work. Step 2: Implementation Explain the task at hand and the expected outcome and purpose. Divide the group into smaller teams of 3-4 depending on the nature of the work. This can/ should have some of the local children (and any enthusiastic grownups) as well. Give each team a clear assigned task. 92

Ensure they understand the task and try it out. If needed demonstrate how it is to be done. Get them started. Move between groups to ensure that all members are participating and that there are no hitches. Encourage and congratulate progress. Singing along, rhythms or relay chains (when appropriate) are interesting ways to work together. Give rest/water break after a reasonable time. Let the teams review their own progress. Teams can switch roles and within teams and between individuals too. At the end of the work, let all the teams go around and see their own overall work. Get an elder from the community to see the work and talk to the children. Congratulate and celebrate. It is important to arrange for some refreshment for a collective celebration with the community. Step 3: Debrief Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

How did it feel to work and accomplish something together? What all could be the benefit of such collective action in a community? What all work was traditionally done together in your community? Is it still done together? If it is now not done together, is the work suffering? Is the feeling of togetherness in the community affected by not doing things together? Any ideas on what collective work/Shramdaan could we do back home?

Facilitator Note: Visualise the process of entire activity. Location: Ensure a careful selection (on the community’s advice) of site for Shramdaan. It must be an activity that is seen as useful by the community. Ensure availability of adequate drinking water, snacks and a first aid box. Music and singing are wonderful accompaniments to Shramdaan.

Phase 5 | Session 29 | Duration: 280 minutes

Awareness Campaign About the Session Participants learn a lot by taking part or leading campaigns. This section outlines some of the overall processes that might be used in creating and leading campaigns.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would have: •• Analyse different types of campaigns – advocacy/ awareness etc. •• Design and run a campaign in a step by step process. •• Create an action plan for their own campaign along with evaluation and monitoring processes.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Resource Material

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game: Radio

Action planning and implementation

Presentation and Group work

Presentation

240

Debrief

Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Tell participants that they are all a radio and you have the volume control in your hand. As you open your hand they scream as you close they grow silent. Step 2: Implementation Take the participants through the presentations at the end of this session detail. •• Let them also go through the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation)from previous session 27 on Preparing for Action and refine the objectives/ audience of the campaign.

Then design the campaign. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Where and how long? Who would be the primary and secondary audience? Key messages we want to deliver. Refer to the diagram given on page 96. Methodologies –some are listed in the table given below

Let the teams develop different products. Ensure requisite permissionsetc. are obtained. Ensure everybody is participating and are safe. Refer to: ‘Implementing action’ chapter Ensure that feedback is collected. Step 3: Debrief Do a feel check. Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the guiding questions are below. Add/modify as needed: •• •• •• ••

ere we successful in meeting the objective? W What can be better? Personal learning from this experience. How can this be useful in our daily lives?

Facilitator Note: Forms of Campaigning • Protest march • Street play / image theatre/ forum • Slogans • Installations • Signature collection • Collective art • Vigil • Handouts/ booklets • Opinion polls • Talks

• Placards, banners, posters • Songs • Costumes • Public dialogue • Petitions signing • Candle light march • Dharna • Film screening • Flash mob

Some Examples of campaigns aimed at Building Awareness, Enabling Action and Changing Attitude

Phase 5 | Session 30 | Duration: 280 minutes

Social Feedback About the Session This session is related to learning to listen in a social context. Learning from the larger collective is important to understand one’s relation to the whole. This also helps in skills such as understanding statistics and other macro processes which are crucial in a modern context.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Evaluate responses of audience – quantity and quality.

Process Outline Some indicators may be put before the activity on campaign/ Shramdaan is undertaken, against which success may be measured. Towards this suggest some mechanism/ methods: a. b. c. d.

Count the approximate number of people. After the programs, talk to a few people and ask their responses. If possible collect signatures,feedback etc. on paper. Assess changes in people’s attitude/ behaviour etc.

After the program – allot a time slot to evaluate the impact/ outcome of the program. a. b. c. d. e.

What was the overall outreach? How intensive was it? How many people responded to our queries? What change did we bring about? What can we do to make it better?

Let the participants assess their performance and list areas for improvements.

PHASE 6

Phase 6 | Session 31 | Duration: 80 minutes

Feedback and Evaluation About the Session This is the last section that looks at the movement the participants have made as individual and as a collective.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Assess the personal development against expectations. •• Assess impact on the group/ institution/ community.

Session at a Glance Step no

Purpose

Methodology

Duration (in minutes)

Warm up

Game

Recap of journey

Reflection

Closure

Group Discussion

Session Detail Step 1: Warm up Let the group pair up. Let them face each other when you say 1 and turn away when you say 2. At the count of 2 they change something in their appearance- hair/clothes etc. And they keep getting wackier/ funny and uninhibited. Do a feel check.

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Step 2: Reflection Ask participants to sit and close their eyes. Recall the entire journey of these classes. First day, first week, first months, mid-way and now. What are the important points?What has changed? Have your expectations been met?Yes/No-Why? Let them open their eyes and fill up the attached form or some other format as the facilitator chooses. Step 3: Discussion Enter into an overall discussion. Some of the discussion pointers are below. Add/modify as needed: •• Let’s share some significant points as to how we have changed as a person, as a group, as an institution, as a part of the society. •• Could you share some words that could describe this journey? •• Have your expectations been met?All/ some/ none. Explain. •• What are some changes, especially vis a vis the following:

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Self esteem

As a team- respecting each and respecting all

Responsibility towards society

Hope for future

Phase 6 | Session 31 | Duration: 80 minutes

Closure and Celebration About the Session This is also a free flowing session with an aim to bring to a happy closure to a year long journey.

Objectives By the end of the session the participants would be able to: •• Share some key highlights and expectations for future sessions

Process Pointers Some ideas are given below •• This can be designed like an award night- where each person is given an Oscar, for his/ her

unique contribution. There can be humorous ones – like title of –‘Why-Why boss’-for the one with most questions and ‘Story Sultan’ for the story teller of the team. •• There can be a ‘hot seat round’ where each person shares something about self, workshops and responds to queries. •• There can be a talent show designed by the participants show casing their special skills (avoid Bollywood)

Make sure some suggestions are for the future of this batch as continued learning is gathered in this manner. •• •• •• •• ••

as the team as a whole changed – How? H What has changed in the institution because of you? Has this prepared you better for your life – Present and future? Suggestions for future Anything else you want to share.

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Plan for the Year Template for planning sessions throughout the year S No.

104

Date

Session No.

Name of the Activity

Number of Participants

S No.

Date

Session No.

Name of the Activity

Number of Participants

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From Now Onâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś From now on, I choose to dream my own dreams So that I can fully taste the mystical excitement of being human. From now on, I choose to emphatically connect with others So that I can fully respect the unique and holy experience to be found in each person every moment. From now on, I choose to have my actions flow from connection with nature and to direct my attention where it supports this flow. From now on, I choose to be aware of the unchosen, dehumanizing thoughts my culture planted within me, and to prevent them from leading me into robot-like, violent actions. From now on, I choose to openly reveal what is alive within me, even though others may not appreciate the gift. From now on,when wearing a title of authority, I choose to be aware that reaching frontiers before others never justifies punitive means to influence them to join me. From now on, I choose to believe that the failure of our needs to be fulfilled results from insufficient dialogue and creativity rather than scarcity. From now on, I choose to dream my own dreams So that I can fully taste the mystical excitement of being human. - Marshall Rosenberg

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Learning for Life A Life Skills Curriculum for Children in Care

Association for Rural and Urban Needy Rainbow Foundation India

Association for Rural and Urban Needy

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Rainbow Foundation India