Activity 4
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Aims: •• To facilitate an exploration of how choices and decisions can depend on different realities. •• To use movement and statements about the decision to “stay” or “go” as a tool. •• To recognise what influences decision making. •• To share thoughts and ideas about reasons to “stay” or “go”. •• To imagine what it might be like for a refugee who is fleeing conflict. •• To understand that it’s not an easy decision to leave one’s home, family, friends, job, club, school, etc. Age: 12+
Goals:
Time: 25mins Materials: Paper, Markers.
The idea of this activity is to combine movement with discussion in order to facilitate a better understanding of the significance of decision making when it comes to movement from conflict zones. The flow of the statements goes from examples that the average person can relate to easily, to real life scenarios faced by refugees. Encourage discussion after each statement but be mindful of the sensitivity of the issue. Allow people to move if they change their mind based on what they hear in the discussion. (There is a potentially powerful message in here about having a chance to change your mind and how that can be positive).
What to look out for: ••
You may find that some participants initially just follow their friends, and some will physically hide behind the largest group in order to avoid speaking. In a supportive and fun environment it’s possible to draw these participants out. It’s actually kinder to ask the shyest ones to explain why they made their choice very early in the discussion before all the most obvious arguments have been exhausted by others.
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You may need to continually ask questions and prompt people to explain or elaborate. As your group get used to the strategy you may be able to step back more and allow the participants to challenge and rebut each other’s arguments in a respectful manner.
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If you find that participants’ ideas are not very developed, it might be a good idea to build some thinking time into the exercise. You could also allow time for participants to discuss their opinions in pairs or threes before asking them to share with the room at large.
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