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‚Yalla, let’s start.... Democracy & Participation in Youth Work’

Training Manual for Youth Work& Educational Work

By Anette Klasing

Published by:The International Center Bethlehem / Dar Annadwa & Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem &Forum Civil Peace Service

‚Yalla, let’s start....- Democracy & Participation in Youth Work’Training Manual for Youth Work & Educational Work

By Anette Klasing

First edition in Bethlehem / Palestine 2006

Published by:The International Center Bethlehem / Dar Annadwa &Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem &Forum Civil Peace Service

Design and Print:David Nour Bethlehem

Project Funding:Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Germany

International Center Bethlehem / Dar Annadwawww.annadwa.org

Willy Brandt Center Jerusalemwww.willybrandtcenter.org

Forum Civil Peace Servicewww.forumzfd.de

Structure of Manual ‘Democracy and participationTools for Leadership in Youth work’

PrefaceAcknowledgementsContent

INTRODUCTION

Why a training manual for Youth work: Aim and Purpose of the manual (incl. short input about the situation of Youth in Palestine…..)

PART I: Designing a seminar and giving training

About designing a training schedule and giving training in ‘Leadership abilities in Youth work’‘Youth in stress’ – Circumstances of Youth workThe role of the facilitatorGames for ‘Warming up’ and ‘Getting to know each other’

PART II: About ‘Democracy and participation’

About ‘Experiences with Democracy and Participation’Self Awareness and AffirmationCommunication / Group Building / Team building ‘To be equal – to be different’: gender related aspects in Youth work‘To be equal – to be different’: about diversity of religious and ethnic backgroundsExercises

PART III: A model of participation: the method of the ‘Future Workshop’

Background and Experiences of this conceptThe key steps in a ‘Future Workshop’Specification of the steps / One Example of a Future WorkshopThe need and the role of ‘Project management’ after a ‘Future Workshop’ (SMART)

PART IV: The importance of Constructive Conflict Transformation

Conflict Understanding / What is a conflict?Communication and conflictPatterns of behaviour in conflict situationsA method for Conflict transformation: MediationOther exercises

AppendixSample questionnaires for Evaluation

Sources, Literature list and contact list

Preface

It is with great pleasure that the International Center of Bethlehem is publishing this Training Manuel for Youth Work. Youth are at the heart of the work of the center. Through empowering the local community, developing human resources, cultivating artistic talents, and facilitating intercultural encounter, the ICB actively promote the building of a Palestinian civil society. Training future youth leaders in a participatory manner, enabling them to be actors in conflicttransformation, and empowering them to assume leadership role in training other trainers is one of the most important challenges for Palestine. Through this manual, that doesn’t only build on solid research and theories, but also provides practical tools and games as well as resources for further study, the ICB is providing a much needed tool for hundreds of youth workers and potential youth leaders in Palestine and beyond. This manual was based on training sessions giving by our colleague, Anette Klasing, here at our center for several groups of young Palestinian people, both Christian & Muslims, Male and Female, representing diverse social and political backgrounds. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Klasing her dedication to this work at the ICB but especially for putting this manual together. A word of thanks is due also to the Willy Brand Center for partnering with us on this project & providing the necessary funding. We hope that this training manual for youth work will enrich our society and will be used by many youth organizations, NGO’s and schools.

Rev. Dr. Mitri RahebGeneral Director

Youth Work and Leadership SkillsTraining Courses in Dar Annadwa and Willy Brandt Center

“When youth are empowered, they can become full participants in the construction and/or reconstruction of our world.”

Why a training manual for Youth work and Youth leadership?In Palestine about 52 % of the population are within the age group between 0-17 and 65 % of the population are children and young people in the age under 25 years (according to statistics from 2005). The majority of these youth have experienced and still experience difficult life-circumstances, violence, depression and frustration. The failed peace process over the past years, the second violent Intifada, the Israeli occupation and unilateral policy – specially the separation wall – have led to reduced motivation and inspiration among youth. Burdened by frustration and hopelessness, it is difficult for youngpeople to believe that they can influence their future and that it makes a difference to be involvedin community work. In addition lot of children and youth are suffering from trauma.

Especially in the context of the Occupation, many youth feel they are powerless and also feel adults perceive them as powerless. When adults provide the space needed for youth to become empowered - and when youth have a voice in their educational experience through collaborative efforts with adults - empowerment is possible. New research on adolescent development showsthat young people mature in a more affirmative manner when they have an opportunity to be indialogue with each other, when they can participate and in a safe space to speak their mind.Beyond their difficult circumstances, youth are human beings with rich resources and abilities.Considering the high and growing number of young Palestinians, the active involvement of youth in decision making processes is a challenge for the sustainability of the future regarding democratic ideals and progress.It is our obligation to encourage and to support young people that they can ‘discover’ and develop their resources and abilities in order to become active participants in their community for a peaceful change.

Numerous of youth organizations and clubs exist all over the Westbank and Gaza. Most of them are operating within a small and informal framework and offer educational, culturalor sport activities. Beyond these important facilities much work has to be done concerning youth empowerment and capacity building in order to build the ‘ground’ for productive youth participation in community development.The needs, questions and problems of the Youth do not concern only the Youth: these are central issues of the development process of every community, school, educational institution, cultural center and the decision making ministries.A lot of questions have to be raised:

- What do we know about the needs and interests of the Youth?- What are they searching for? - And how can we talk about the future of the Youth during a time in which all members

of the Palestinian society are still searching for freedom and justice?- Which opportunities and space can we prepare for female and male young people to

encourage them to enter real areas of development?- Which tools can we offer them to cope with difficult situations and conflicts?

In our daily work in The International Center Bethlehem / Dar Annadwa as well in the Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem, young people expressed the need to get ideas and support by learning strategies how to develop own projects and how to deal with conflicts.

To meet this need, we developed and implemented a Training Program for ‘Youth Leadership skills’ at the ICB and WBC, to offer young multipliers these important skills. The topics ‘Self-empowerment’, ‘Models of participation’, ‘Project-development’, ‘Diversity’ and ‘Conflict-management’ built the core of our training-program.Specially the concept and method of the ‘Future Workshop’ (see chapter III) offered groups a newaccess and way of ‘project development’.

The Training program included 10 topics and 15 sessions (every session was about 3-4 hours / the Future Workshop needed minimum 1 day – 1,5 days):

• Definitions, perceptions and experiences of/with democracy and participation• Communication skills• ‘Leadership’-styles and skills• Teambuilding and teamwork• Diversity: to be different and to be equal – a challenge• Dealing with difficult situations and conflicts• The concept of the ‘Future Workshop’ (minimum a whole day, better 1,5 days)• Project management• Gatherings and group sessions• Evaluation and Follow-up’s

In the following manual you will find all topics, steps and exercises - structured in four chapters:

PART I: Designing a seminar and giving training

About designing a training schedule and giving training in ‘Leadership abilities in Youth work’‘Youth in stress’ – Circumstances of Youth workThe role of the facilitatorGames for ‘Warming up’ and ‘Getting to know each other’

PART II: About ‘Democracy and participation’

About ‘Experiences with Democracy and Participation’Self Awareness and AffirmationCommunication / Group Building / Team building ‘To be equal – to be different’: gender related aspects in Youth work‘To be equal – to be different’: about diversity of religious and ethnic backgroundsExercises

PART III: A model of participation: the method of the ‘Future Workshop’

Background and Experiences of this conceptThe key steps in a ‘Future Workshop’Specification of the steps / One Example of a Future WorkshopThe need and the role of ‘Project management’ after a ‘Future Workshop’ (SMART)

PART IV: The importance of Constructive Conflict Transformation

Conflict Understanding / What is a conflict?Communication and conflictPatterns of behaviour in conflict situationsA method for Conflict transformation: MediationOther exercises

Although one need patience and persistence regarding the commitment of the participants during the sessions sometimes: it’s be worth to invest all efforts to give young people the chanceto be full members of their community – with all the needed rights, tasks and obligations.

Anette Klasing International Center Bethlehem / Dar Annadwa & Willy Brandt Center / Jerusalem

Anette Klasing: She was working on behalf of the Civil Peace Service from September 2004 – December 2006 in the International Center Bethlehem / Dar Annadwa and Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem.Starting from January 2007 she will return to the Seminar and Training Center ‘LidiceHaus’ Bremen / Germany: she is responsible for Concept development and Trainings in ‘Youth and Participation’, ‘Gender and Intercultural education’ and Further Education. A. Klasing worked in the ‘LidiceHaus’ already from 1994 – 2004.

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- Designing a training schedule and giving training in ‘Leadership abilities in Youth work’- ‘Youth in stress’: impact to the training situation- The role of the facilitator - Games for ‘Warming up’ and ‘Getting to know each other’

To define and to design a ‘right’ training objective and schedule it’s worth to study the contextof the target group and overall situation in advance: usually we face a lot of ‘external’ influentialfactors that contribute to our planning process. In the recent Palestinian situation we have to take in consideration the daily impact of the occupation, the socio-economic situation with a visible growing poverty and the different backgrounds of the Youth regarding gender, age and religion.

Youth are suffering most from the Israeli – Palestinian conflict: the occupation policy with the harshrestrictions of movement, freedom and in economic opportunities have a significant influence onthe motivation and personal capacity of the young people.‘It doesn’t make a difference – what is the benefit of it?’: these words express the desperation andfeelings of most of the participants. Stress and violence are results of this circle.It is important to be aware of these aspects before planning a training program in order to avoid ‘more’ frustration. One chance always is to create space and an opportunity to address and to discuss the experiences of the participants and to offer activities for distress.That’s why this manual includes a lot of games and exercises to reduce stress and to support concentration and group dynamics.

Beside the impact of the Israeli occupation is another influencing factor the Palestinian societyitself. The socio-cultural background - the principal of collectivity – creates a family oriented structure and a clear structure of authority in families and communities.In this context, authority deriving from clan belonging, gender, seniority and social status. Furthermore an important role plays the maintenance of dignity and honour in public. Connected with this importance of ‘keeping the honour and dignity’ (instead of ‘loosing the face’..) are also the gender related roles of women and men. The old term ‘the public is male – the private is female’ might sound a bit ‘historic’, but still the men’s domain is usually outside of the house and the women’s domain remains restricted to the home.The patriarchal structure excludes until today women from important public fields like‘communitydevelopment’ or ‘conflict transformation’. Gender related aspects will be focused also in chapterII.

Violence experiences associated with the Israeli – Palestinian conflict have a deep impact to thewhole society, but especially to women and youth. In addition domestic violence and violence among peer groups (in schools for example) affect children, youth and women. As much as therecent Intifada brought violence to the whole society and the construction of the wall prevents Youth from expressing their anger towards the ‘Israeli occupation policy on the other side of the wall’, violence grows more and more internal. Addressing this issue around the experiences, use and effects of violence is mostly very sensitiveand needs experienced facilitators.Summing up, the study of the context before implementing a seminar or workshop is important beside all the logistic questions like ‘frame, facilities, trainers, budget etc.’

PART

IDesigning a seminar and giving training

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Closely connected to the frame is the constellation of the target group: it’s our experience that the aspects of age, gender and religion should be tackled sensitive and seriously. A lot of schools still segregate girls and boys and the youth meet outside the school. The interests in gender mixed inter personal relations and the search for sexual orientation are playing a major role in the age group of adolescence. Furthermore inter religious backgrounds might play another role: in Bethlehem area we work with Christian and Muslim Palestinians. Sometimes parents are sensitive about this ‘mix’ as well.In general it is important to elaborate and to announce the schedule and details to the participants (and may be parents) before conducting the workshop.

Concerning the frame and schedule: specially if one is a beginner in giving workshops the conduct should be carefully planned. It is always helpful to plan and to write down every step. Furthermore it is important to schedule the breaks as well: after 1,5 hour session should be a break. Otherwise concentration will decrease and the participants ‘drop out’. More difficult topicsshould be alternated with some lighter sessions or games.Designing a workshop or seminar needs a mixture of various methods and tools: but it is important to adapt the tools and methods to the goal and target groups.Regarding the frame we recommend ‘whole day workshops’ instead of just ‘afternoon sessions’. Usually there is not enough time available to do whole day sessions, but we experienced the differences: the benefits of whole day workshops are obvious and be worth to implement them. A trainer / facilitator needs to be flexible in order to achieve the best setting. An ideal arrangementfor a seminar is a couple of days ( for example over a weekend).Flexibility is also needed in cases of tensions or conflicts: it doesn’t make any sense to continuewithin the schedule if participants drop out because of stress or conflicts.Concerning the facilities it is important to create a save and comfortable work atmosphere and to look for a place where is no disturbance. It might be necessary to create at first the own‘workshoproles’: for example the agreement about the use of Mobiles during the day etc.Advise: if it’s possible one should provide a facilitating team of two people: gender balanced for gender mixed groups and bi-lingual (bi-cultural). It’s always important to check the need for translation in advance.

The importance of so called ‘warming up games’ or ‘de-stressing’ exercises in the beginning of a workshop in order to create a comfortable work atmosphere will be more explored in the next chapter. The main purpose of games is usually to open the session, to calm down the group, to relax after difficult sessions or to introduce certain topics throughout a game.A last word concerning the role of the trainer / facilitator: it is important that the trainer brings along self awareness and self reflection. Therefore werecommend always a team of a couple in order to share feedbacks and reflection.The self awarenessshould include a clear picture about the role in the workshop: that means a role instead of being a ‘teacher’ being more a guide and facilitator. It means furthermore to be responsible for the whole frame, the facilities, the activities and the flow of the working process during the workshop. Thetrainer is also responsible for assuring that the workshop is in accordance with the purpose of the program and the needs of the participants.That means in addition he/she is responsible for a ‘just’ cooperation: that everybody gets the same opportunities to talk and to participate. Usually at the end of a session the trainer ends with a conclusion of the session, with a ‘feedback circle’ and the agreements for the next step.

Again: for a number of reasons it is better to holds workshops / trainings in a team than alone: various experiences are always richer and group dynamics can be guided easier and more professionally.

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‘Getting to know the names’

Goal: getting to know the names; first introduction game

Duration: 15 min

Material: none

Description:All participants are standing in a close circle and the trainer starts with telling his/her name – together with a short movement which expresses / shows something what he/she loves to do (hobby). For example: ‘My name is…….and I like………….very much’. Now it’s the turn of the person to the left who has to repeat the name and the movement of his/her neighbour and to continue in the same manner…….etc. etc. until everyone introduced his/her name with a movement. Everyone has to repeat all the former names and movements.

‘Concentration now begins……’

Goal: getting to know each other and supporting the group dynamics

Duration: 20 min

Material: 5 similar small balls / 2 other different balls in addition

Description:

Prepare 5 small balls (like tennis balls or jiggling balls). The trainer starts to throw one ball to one of the participants – calling his/ her name. Important for the flew of this ball game is thateveryone receives the ball ones (not twice…). This needs concentration. Let the participants play this ball flew 2 or 3 times – and now throw the second ball into the group: in the same order.And again: after a while throw the third ball into the group…..and the fourth…..the fifth…….If you want to make it more difficult: prepare two other balls – each in another colour. Now giveone ball to the right: it’s the ‘Planet’! – And to the left give the other ball: it’s the ‘Satellite’……So that the participants have to concentrate to the flew of five balls and in addition to the ‘planet’and ‘satellite’ to the right and the left!

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‘The personal house’

Goal: first introduction; getting to know each other

Duration: 30 min

Material: coloured cartons, a photo from each participant, pens

Description:

Prepare for each participant a coloured carton in a size of DIN A 3 and cut now the frame of a house out of the cartons. The participants have to glue their photo in the middle of the house. Now they group into pairs, change their houses and start interviewing each other with the prepared questions (see below). The interviewing person has to note the shared information into the house of her/his partner. The participants present the ‘story’ of their partner in the plenary – together with the ‘house’.

Questions

1. Personal ‘backgrounds’: name, age, where you come from, sisters, brothers……

2. Has your name a meaning? Do you like your name?

3. Something about your hobbies / what you like to do in your leisure time?

4. What was your ‘dream’ regarding your future / profession (job) when you were a child?

5. Do you have already plans for the time after we have finished this training course (nextspring / summer / autumn)?

6. Imagine, you get a ‘miracle box’ with one wish ‘free’: what you would like to see fulfilled?

7. What you like most in Bethlehem (Jerusalem)?

8. What you definitely don’t like here in Bethlehem (Jerusalem)?

9. Something special what you would like to do / experience / learn here in the course…..?

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‘Similarities’

Goal: learning about the others, supporting group dynamics

Duration: 15 – 20 min

Material: none

Description:

The participants have to stand in a close circle. The trainer invites all those of the group to gather into the middle of the circle they can confirm the requested facts.All those are invited to come into the circle, they

• are the only child

• have more than two brothers or sisters

• playing an instrument

• taking care for an animal

• participating minimum once a week in a sport activity

• speaking more than one language

• helping their mother in house work minimum twice a week

• doing daily homework for school

• watching every day TV

• living together also with grandparents

• ………..

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‘Symbols’

Goal: learning more about each other, supporting group dynamics

Duration: 30 min

Material: a collection of postcards with various images

Description:

Distribute the various postcards on the floor in the middle of the room. Ask the participants towalk around and to look to each of the cards. After a certain time they are invited to choose one of the cards: that card which inspires her/him most.Back in the circle the participants present their cards and share the ‘story’ of their card and what it means to them.

‘Meeting on the market place’

Goal: warming up and supporting group dynamics

Duration: 20 min

Material: none

Description:

Invite the participants to walk around in the room, everyone in her/his own tempo. Tell them that they now will reach an unknown place: a market place in a town they never saw before. Now they have to walk and to behave like this. The next step: ask them to watch the others on the market place. Invite them to get into contact with some of the visitors through eye contact…..Next step: while walking around they have to choose a person they like to shake hands….Furthermore: while continuing walking around they choose a person they like to start a small talk with…..Last step: while walking around ask them to gather in small groups and to form a ‘body statue’. This pantomime or statue will be the final end of this warming up game.

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‘Crazy world’

Goal: warming up, supporting group dynamics

Duration: 15 min

Material: none

Description:

Invite the participants to walk around in the room. You can play also some nice energetic music in order to support the movements.Now you stop the music (one example after the other) and request all persons to move like the following:

• in a swimming pool

• in a classroom

• in a hospital

• in a discotheque

• in a shopping mall

• in an airport

• on the highway

• at the checkpoint

• in the church / mosque

• in the training / seminar………

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‘Who are you?’

Goal: building groups

Duration: 10 min

Material: prepared cards with written items

Description:

This exercise supports group building processes, specially when you want to mix up a ‘typical’ setting. Prepare cards with terms of various groups: group items as much as group members you want to build.

For example:• 4 names of animals• 4 names of capitols• 4 names of flowers• 4 names of stars• 4 names of known rivers• etc.

Now you distribute the mixed cards to each of the participants (so that the other participants can’t see them…). The groups have to find together. The role: it’s forbidden to speak, they haveto express what / who they are and have to find the others of their ‘suitable’ group.

‘The fruit basket’

Goal: warming up

Duration: 10-15 min

Material: none

Description:

Prepare a circle of chairs, but one chair less than participants. Every participant will receive a name of a fruit: apples, oranges, bananas, strawberries, kiwis…..there should be a certain size of participants with the same fruit name.One person is standing in the middle of the circle and gives the following command: ‘All people they are called apple have to change their seat’. Now only these participants have to move and change the seats. One person will stay again without a seat. He/she gives a new command…..If a person commands ‘Fruit salad’ than everyone has to change the seat.

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‘Balance’

Goal: warming up and supporting cooperation

Duration: 10 min

Material: pencils

Description:

The participants group into pairs: every pair receives a pencil. They are staying face to face and touch the pencil with their right forefingers. Now they have to move through the room: thepencil still holding in between their both right forefingers. After a while they should try to movedown, up etc. without loosing the pencil.

‘I trust you’

Goal: building trust among the group

Duration: 15 min

Material: a scarf for every pair

Description:

This exercise the trainer should facilitate if the participants know each other already a certain time. Advice: group into gender homogeneous pairs.One person of the pair covers the eyes with a scarf: the other person starts now leading her/him through the room. First very slowly and careful, after a while a bit faster. It is very important that the pair develops a good ‘feeling’ and the person with the covered eyes can develop trust and feels comfortable with the guiding tour.After a while change the roles.Evaluation: share about the feelings in the different roles. Advice: don’t force a person to coverthe eyes with a scarf. If someone doesn’t want to take the scarf, let her/him just close the eyes.

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‘It’s me – it’s you…..’

Goal: supporting group dynamics and trust

Duration: 30 min

Material: paper and coloured pens (crayon)

Description:

Prepare two circles of chairs: one inside circle and one outside circle. Group the chairs in the two circles that two persons are sitting face to face. Now distribute to the participants in the outside circle a paper and a coloured pen. In the moment of your command they have to start drawing the portrait of their partner sitting opposite. After 10 seconds you stop and ask the outside sitting persons to move to the right – the paper with the drawing and the pen stays there. Now the new person continues the portrait drawing. Again after 10 seconds you stop and request the persons to move to the right. And again another person continues drawing…..Continue this procedure as much as people sitting in the circle before you stop this part (so that everyone contributes to the portrait).Now switch the roles: the persons change from the outside circle to the inside circle……and the same task begins!After all portraits are finished let the participants present their ‘new faces’!

‘The weather massage’

Goal: warming up, relaxation

Duration: 10 min

Material: none

Description:

Group the participants into pairs. Advice: group into gender homogeneous pairs.One person is standing behind the other and advises the person in front to relax as much as possible. Now the ‘weather massage’ begins:

• it start’s raining: careful tapping / touching on the shoulders….• it becomes stronger raining: the tapping / touching moves to ‘knocking’…….• it changes to snow: just light touching…….• the sun is coming: just stroke with the hands…..• a thunderstorm is underway: try to ‘knock’ the back like a thunder…..• now it changes to hail: the tapping becomes like ’hail’…..• after this thunderstorm luckily the sun returns: just stroke with your hands the back• and now we create a small gift for our partner: just draw a flower on the back with your

hand….!

Now switch the roles.

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- About ‘Experiences with Democracy and Participation’- Self Awareness and Affirmation- Communication / Group Building / Team building - ‘To be equal – to be different’: gender related aspects in Youth work- ‘To be equal – to be different’: about the diversity of religious and ethnic backgrounds inYouth

work- Exercises

About ‚Democracy and participation’

A tale

A woman was pregnant with twins. After several months, both discovered how they changed. ‘What does it mean?’ asked the one. ‘It means that there will be an end to our situation in this world’, said the other. ‘But I don’t like to go away from here’, said the first , I will stay here all my life.’ ‘We have nochoice’, replied the other, but perhaps there is life after this life.’

‘How can we live there?’ asked the first one, ‘we have to cut the umbilical cord! How is life without aumbilical cord and do we have a proof that others did it before us? None of them came back to tell us that there is life after this life. There must be an end!’ So the first one became desperate and said,‘when conception ends in birth, what is then the purpose of being here in the womb? It is senseless. Perhaps there is no mother at all!’

‘But there must be a mother, how else did we get here?’, the other one said. ‘How do we stay alive?’ ‘Did you see our mother?’, asked the first one, ‘perhaps she is in our imagination! Perhaps we madeher up, because that thought makes us feel better!’ And so the last days in the womb were filled withdeep temptation and fear. Finally came the moment of birth. When both children had left their small world, they opened their eyes. They cried with pure excitement. What they saw exceeded all their expectations.

PART

IIAbout ‘Democracy and participation’

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Experiences with democracy and participation

Although there are many good reasons for doing participation, the presently high and growing number of young Palestinians and the active involvement of youth in decision making is the crucial factor for the sustainability of a future which is based on democratic ideals and the rule of civic law and civic society. Effective participation can strengthen democratic legitimacy andcan support empowerment in order to help build stronger communities. People, and in this case, youth, should have the right to participate in the decisions that affect their lives. One cansay, in times of occupation is no space for real participation and participation should always lead to change for the better. But Palestinian communities need self confident, self responsible andencouraged young people for a peaceful change.

Effective participation requires the following several criteria:

- Makes a difference. The purpose of participation is to achieve change in relation to the purpose identified; it may also make a difference to all those involved in terms oflearning, confidence and sense of active citizenship. This requires active commitment tochange by all sides.

- Voluntary. People may be encouraged to be involved, and even paid for involvement, but effective participation requires them to choose to be involved. Participation cannotbe compulsory.

- Transparency, honesty and clarity about the purpose, the limits of what can and cannot be achieved and changed, who can be involved and how, and what happens as a result.

- Adequate resources to manage the process well and to deliver on the results.

- Accessibility so that no participant is excluded because of lack of physical access to meeting places or because of timing problems (sometimes it is appropriate to avoid evenings or darkness…)

- Accountability – Participatory processes need to be accountable to all those involved, this requires good record-keeping and reporting of both processes and outcomes.

- Power – Participatory processes should have sufficient power to achieve the agreedobjectives. This may require a change in the existing power sharing arrangements.

- Learning and development. Participatory processes should seek to support a climate of mutual learning and development among all those involved.

- Equality and diversity: Participation and decision making processes can benefit alot from the experiences of women as well from the divers backgrounds; a democracy should promote gender equality and diversity.

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Taking these principles into consideration we can describe several levels of participation:

- To inform: to provide the public / youth with balanced and objective information and to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, opportunities and solutions.

- To consult: to obtain public feedback on analyses, alternatives or decisions.

- To involve: to work directly with the people throughout the process to ensure that the participants concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.

- To collaborate: to partner with the people in each aspect of the decision including the development of alternatives and the identification of the preferred solution.

- To empower: to place final decision making in the hands of the people / participants.

The following exercises will introduce some opportunities to work on the participants experiences with democracy and participation in order to support questions and discussions about this issue. In the following chapter you will find a specific method of participation – the‘Future Workshop’. This extraordinary concept and the aspects of ‘project development’ will be explored in chapterIII.

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‘The Barometer of opinions’

Goal: A first ‘warming up’ with the topic through sharing spontaneous statements / affirmation

Duration: 20-30 min.

Material: tape (or rope) and two empty papers / cards

Description:

This exercise is a first warming up and offers a starting point to further work on ‘democracyand participation’ issues. During this exercise the participants have to come to spontaneous statements / opinions about several key questions or thesis. Preparation: fix a tape line onthe floor (or a rope) from one corner to the other. One end of the line will mark the opinion/ statement for ‘Yes, I full agree’ and the other end will mark ‘No, I don’t agree at all’ (in visible letters on a paper / card). The participants are also allowed to take a place in between on the line. Now the trainer starts with the first sentence / statement – and the participants have tochoose ‘their’ place. It is important that all participants move in the same time finding their placewithout talking or discussing. After taking the places the trainer invites the participants to share with one sentence the reason why he / she is standing there. The trainer has to take care that everyone who wants, can express his / her statement / opinion without starting a discussion. But the participants should not be forced to share his / her opinion. Before the trainer gives the next example all participants should move back at the side. The exercise should close with a feedback circle concerning the impressions and feelings to this experience.

Examples of possible statements:• Freedom of expression is a central issue of democracy…

• A just and fair participation in youth work is an easy learning lesson…

• Democracy should be learned already in early childhood…

• I discussed already with my parents about democracy when I was young…

• Learning and living democracy in our schools is possible…

• Democratic societies should also include equal rights for women and men…

• Children and young people should not contradict their parents neither teachers or other adults…

• A good listener is as important as a good speaker in a democracy…

• My surrounding and situation offers an opportunity for creating democracy…

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‘My experiences with democracy and participation’

Goal: Reflecting own experiences and examples of participation

Duration: 1,5 - 2 hours

Material: Large paper (flipchart paper) and colour pens / crayons

Description:

First step is the individual drawing and symbolizing process concerning the personal experiences with ‘democracy & participation’ in a ‘life line / biography line’ (with crayons on a large paper). The participants should be invited to mark or to symbolize as much as they want to express – but the trainer should be sensitive about participants may be difficult or violent experiencessometimes – specially in the Palestinian context. For this exercise the trainer needs experience and sensibility.Second step is the sharing process in small groups (recommendation: in partner groups or max. three persons). Some guiding questions for the group work you can find below.Third step is the summing up in the plenary: collecting significant aspects of the experiences(similarities, differences, good examples…) in the community / society. The trainer shouldconclude with an ‘outlook’ to the next step and follow-up.

Questions for the group work ‘My experiences with democracy and participation in my community’

1. Was is easy or difficult to remember personal experiences (good or bad..) with‘democracyand participation’? What kind of ‘images’ came up regarding this question?

2. Do you have special memories of a ‘good example’, where you felt well participated? ( If you want to give and to share also a negative experience / example, please feel free…)

3. How do you personal describe the term of ‘a democratic participation’? What is your definition? What are your criteria of an ‘ideal democratic participation’?

4. Think about your role as a woman / as a man: do you think that you – as a women - / as a man – have the same equal opportunities for participation in your society? Do women and men participate in the same way – how do you see the gender roles?

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‘The freedom I have….’

Goal: To recognize the needs of others, to experience that needs also can change, to cope with different needs and to reflect about terms of freedom.

Duration: 1 – 1,5 hours

Material: A woollen ball, pens and paper

Description:

Small groups of 5 participants, sticking together with strings, will spend together a 15 min break time…….:

Start: all participants of the whole seminar group will receive a paper on which they have to write in one sentence how they would like to spend their 15 min break time. This sheet of paper the participants will keep in their pockets. Now they meet in small groups of five persons. Everygroup receives a woollen ball and cuts a string for every person. One end of the string they have to fix at their body (for example at the belt) – the other end they have to combine with theends of the other strings. The whole group is sticking together and the break time starts: now they have to share their written needs for this break time and to discuss how they can achieve a solution, which is suitable for everyone.

After the 15 min break the trainer will ‘release’ all the group participants and in the plenary everyone will again receive a pen and paper in order to answer at first in a single work thefollowing questions:

- Who of your group had the most freedom?

- How much of your needs could be fulfilled?

- Did you have to find compromises – and how could you achieve them?

- Did you or someone else cut the string(s)?

- If not, why not? How was it for you spending the whole time sticking together?

- What else came to your mind regarding a possible option?

Back in the plenary session the participants are now invited to share their feelings and opinions. The trainer should start with a short flashlight. One further question could be as well if theparticipants felt that the process in the groups could be worked out in a democratic way.

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‘This is my need – this is my right’

Goal: to recognize and to reflect that there is a difference between needs and fundamentalrights and to tackle with the needs of the others.

Duration: 1 hour

Material: A prepared paper with examples / questions and pens

Description:

The participants will receive a prepared paper with the below suggested examples / questions. They are asked to reflect and to answer these examples / questions in a first single step. Theyhave to decide and to note if the examples consider a ‘need’ or a ‘fundamental right’. – The single work will be followed by an exchange and discussion in small groups (4 participants). The groups are invited to choose 2 or max 3 examples they would like to discuss in the plenary. In the last step the group will raise and discuss several ‘controversial’ examples in the whole plenary. The trainer has to make clear that the purpose of this exercise is not to achieve one ‘right’ answer / decision. The purpose is to strengthen the awareness of the complexity and sensitivity of this central issue of democracy.

Possible examples / questions:

- Freedom of expression without limits

- Receiving an education which gives everybody an access to study

- Living together without marriage

- Celebrating a party with loud music until early morning

- Travelling without limits and borders

- Monthly minimum wages / basic wages

- Non violent education, family life and school time

- Having daily leisure time / relaxation time

- Sharing housework among the family / partners

- Receiving help and support from my family in difficult situation

- Receiving health support and medical treatment if needed

- Girls and boys / Women and men receive the same rights, opportunities and chances

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Self Awareness and Affirmation

Being aware about oneself, the personality, the strengths, the weaknesses and the patterns of behaviour in different situations is an important point concerning decision making processesand conflict transformation processes. Through awareness and reception of the feelings ofoneself and the others a stable self-confidence can develop. Specially in youth work this issueshould be strengthen in order to support their self awareness and personal development. Youth is the time of seeking orientation, recognition and also status. Youth have to acknowledge what lies inside them, what are their potentials. Every child learns from the first moments of it’s lifewhich behaviour is positive or negative – what is right or wrong. Norms and values are shaping children and youth during their development process. We all become particularly aware of how strongly our childhood and family influenced us. Our personal patterns of behaviour in difficultsituations may vary between denying a conflict, ignoring a problematic situation, becomingself destructive or being confrontational. Furthermore in groups or in teams we have to find ourplace, our status. The fear of becoming excluded and not belonging anymore to the group / the community is forming us as well. The key self - awareness skill also includes affirmation: beingaware of ourselves is one aspect of this, while being confident about our own personalities isanother. Specially young people experience all the ‘up’s and down’s’ and doubts about the right or wrong values are sometimes overwhelming them. The aim is to make affirmation possiblebeyond formal status or acknowledgement, affirmation should empower people to come outof the circle of this formal acknowledgement in order to shape their self - confidence. Dealingwith self – awareness, self- confidence and affirmation is usually a sensitive issue. Before workingin trainings about these issues it is important that the participants could already build up trust among each other as well as between the trainer and the group. Working on these topics means for both ‘sides’ – the facilitator / trainer and the participants – a challenge and responsibility.

The following activities and exercises are focussing on these topics, some of them might fit tothe issue ‘group building and team work’ as well.

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Rabbit, duck and counting F’s’

Goal: recognizing different perceptions and showing that we all have different views to thesame thing, that a situation can have more than one way of being looked at.

Duration: 30 min

Material: Cards with pictures of a rabbit / duck or both. Copies of a sentence with several F’s.

Description:

Rabbit / Duck: participants are given a card with a picture of either a duck or a rabbit. They are then shown a picture of a duck and rabbit in one image and asked what they have seen. (Most people see only what they had on their card).

Counting F’s: participants are all shown the same name sentence and asked to count how many of the letter F they counted. People will always have different numbers which again illustratesthat we can all look at the situation and see it indifferent ways. This simple exercise shows howassumptions can influence our perceptions.

Variants: you can also choose other pictures / images.

‘My personal object’

Goal: Getting to know each other and being conscious of one’s personality; recognizing the different perceptions of items; affirmation

Duration: 45 - 60 min

Material: Various personal items / objects

Description:

The participants are asked to bring one personal item / object which has a special meaning to them. The participants are invited to describe and to reflect this personal item – they can alsotalk about how they feel related to the object.

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‘My personal orange’

Goal: recognizing the different perceptions and showing that things they are looking similar tous may look different to others and may have a special meaning for them.

Duration: 1 hour

Material: an orange for every participant, paper and pens

Description:

In the middle of the group is a basket with oranges prepared: everybody is invited to choose one orange. The participants receive a sheet of paper and a pen as well. Now they have to study their orange and to describe and to explore it in a very personal / specific way (on the paper). Inthe sharing process everybody is invited to speak about her / his individual orange. Although it seems to us that the oranges are more or less looking the same, every orange becomes now very special.

You can also take a lemon, an apple….

‘Define borders’

Goal: becoming aware of personal borders and developing the ability to communicate personal borders

Duration: 15-20 min

Material: nothing

Description:

The participants have to dived into two groups. Each group lines up opposite each other, leaving space of around two meters. Those facing form pairs: partner 1 starts walking towards partner 2. - Partner 2 has to express clearly ‘Stop’ when she/he feels partner 1 is getting too close. – The partner exchange roles after a few minutes.

The plenary discussion should focus the relevance of defining personal boundaries. Whereare they? How difficult is it to define and to express them? How can I express to the other my borders?

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‘My territory, my boundaries’

Goal: to strengthen awareness and sensitivity about personal needs and borders and the boundaries of the others. To learn to express our own needs – and to ‘allow’ ourselves to say ‘Stop’ sometimes!

Duration: 2 hours

Material: one large paper (large enough for all participants staying around, for example large flipchart paper or posters…) and coloured crayons.

Description:Prepare a large paper- so that all participants find a place staying around this large paper andeveryone can find a space on the paper (put tables together ….and cover the whole space withthe paper…).Everybody gets colours for the painting (Crayons)

First step: everyone has to draw at first the boundaries of his/her space, furthermore theparticipants start painting and filling their individual ‘territory / ground’ (maybe full coloured orjust partly coloured, it may include symbols….like everyone wants…).

Second step: if everyone has finished with painting his/her space the process of ‘interacting’begins. Without speaking (non-verbal) the participants have to get into contact with their neighbours through the colours (usually at first with the left or with the right neighbour…). Thechallenge is now to ‘communicate’ among each other by ‘entering’ the space of the neighbour .The task is now to start (carefully) and to find out how much the ‘partner’ is allowing the other– and how far the neighbour can go! – Concerning the own space: finding out own needs andown ‘boundaries’. If there is the need to say ‘Stop’, there should be a way to express it!

Third step: after a while (depends from the group size, but everybody should have time enough for ‘communicating’ / interacting through the colours…) the facilitator stops and invites the interacting ‘neighbours’ to share their experiences during this work/process.They should share at first their feelings (how they felt in the moment someone entered theirspace, if they felt may be glad about it or angry or uncomfortable, how they felt while entering the other territories etc.).

Last step: now the discussion in the plenary takes place. The trainer asks the participants about their perceptions, their impressions and if the experiences during this process are connected with their reality.

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‘Self perception and perceptions of the others’

Goal: Raising awareness about self perception and the perceptions of the others

Duration: 1 hour

Material: The prepared table and pens

Description:

Build small groups:3 persons are sharing their self perceptions and the perceptions through the others.The table offers space for three persons to x the fields of the different characteristics. At first person A will ask the persons B&C to fill out the table of A.At least the participant A himself / herself will mark his / her own table.In a second step the small groups of 3 participants should share their feelings about becoming ‘judged’ through the others – and if they agree or disagree with the result.Back in the plenary session the trainer should conclude with a short Input about ‘Basics of self awareness, affirmation and perceptions’.Advise: at the beginning the trainer should mention that this session requires a fair and careful reflection and discussion.

100 % 50 % 10 % Don’t know 100 % 50 % 10 % Don’t

know 100 % 50 % 10 % Don’t know

Self-confident

Indipendent

Cheerful

Objective / impartial

Determined/ resolute

Adaptable

Creative

Communicative

Reliable

Versatile/diverse

Ambitious

Tolerant

Friendly

Impatient

Trustful

Unsure

Sensitive

Optimistic

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‘A fish-bowl of statements……’

Goal: training awareness and self confidence, training the participants to express their personalstatements in a short and limited time

Duration: 1 hour

Material: a stop-watch

Description:

The participants are asked to build two circles of chairs: the inner circle of chairs and the outside circle of chairs – so that the participants are sitting in front of each other and facing form pairs. The participants of the outside circle start answering / talking to their partner about the sentence / question which the trainer clearly introduces. The time for the statements is only 30 seconds. The trainer gives a clear signal if the time is over. Now it’s up to the participants of the inner circle to talk about this sentence / question. Again 30 seconds – and Stop!Now the participants of the outside circle have to move one place to the right – and new pairs are sitting in front of each other. Now the trainer gives another example……..at first the personsof the outside circle talk 30 seconds and then the persons of the inner circle…..Etc.Back in the plenary session the group should reflect about this exercise: how the participantsfelt in the different roles: as a speaker, as a listener. May be for some participants it’s more easyto listen than to talk – or vice versa. Another point may be as well how difficult it is sometimes togive a clear answer in a very short time.

Examples:

1. From the last session I remember very well…………

2. The book I like most and I want to talk about is:……………..

3. When I get the chance to travel, I would like to go………

4. Standing in front of a big group is easy / difficult for me……

5. I think I am a good listener, because……….

6. When I get the chance to change something here in Bethlehem ( Jerusalem), I would like to change...

7. I would like to participate in a TV Talk-Show about the issue …..

8. Speaking is much more easy for me than listening, because………

9. When somebody ask me to make a suggestion for a new Dar Annadwa (Willy Brandt Center) project, I would like to suggest….

10. To work with children is much more nice and easy than to work with youth…..

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‘The Johary Window’

Goal: Learning more about self perception and perceptions of the others

Duration: 1 – 1,5 hours

Material: Flipchart and prepared page with the Johary Window

Explanation:

The term self perception denotes how I see myself, how I feel from inside and what impression I believe to make on others. For example, a typical phrase expressing self perception may be ‘I feel all small and insecure. But I am sure others won’t notice’. Often there is a fundamental difference between self perception and perception of others – meaning how others perceiveme. The huge complexity of information that people are exposed to requires selection in order to process that information. Not everything that happens in and around us is consciously taken in and processed. Much remains unclear – if left unspoken. But nevertheless it influences ourbehaviour. Studies have shown that information is first perceived, then in a second step storedand interpreted. It is only after these steps have taken that one is looking for possible actions to the situations, and finally the execution of these actions. Here are steps again:

- Perception

- Storage and interpretation

- Search for possible actions

- Selection

- Execution

The Johary Window model was designed by Johary, a communication scientist. It serves the purpose of looking at self perception as well as perception of others. In constructive conflictmanagement (see also chapter IV) the model serves to find clear limits for appropriate feedback.It also serves to judge the significance of one’s own feedback. This refers only ever to certainwidows, but never refers to the Taboo window.

The Johary window model consists of 4 elements:

- The Public

- The Private

- The Blind Spot

- The Taboo

The Public is what I know about myself as well as what all others, who know me a little better, know about me. Example: ‘I adore my little sister.’ ‘If someone was to insult my mother I would get extremely upset.’ According to the individual group and individual constellation of people, other aspects of personality may fall into this category. For my family and myself this can be entirely different than for my colleagues and myself.

The Private is about areas of my personality which are known to me, but which I do not wish to show to others. And this is in fact my right, since nobody wants to be ‘seen-through’. Things we merely believe others don’t know about us belong to this window. This area is, in accordance

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with the human psyche, often full of fear. I may possibly not like much some of own attributes and hence it may take a lot of energy to hide these from others. My fears consist of others not liking me anymore once they uncover the hidden secrets. Example: I am very jealous of my best friend. She does better than me in every regard (school, sports, relations…). Of course I won’t show her that, but only show my happiness for her, which I do honestly feel. It is however possible that my friend can feel my jealousy. In some cases it might help to show a little bit of my ‘shadow’ and to say ‘I am so happy for you, and in the same time I am sometimes jealous.’ A technique of constructive feedback is needed here. Or another example: I think, A is brilliant, but I don’t want anyone to know about it. Etc. In all the cases we speak about the Private. Many misunderstandings result from my belief that others would recognize things from my ‘hidden window’. Self- expression and feedback can help reducing misunderstandings.

The Blind Spot: in particular circumstances my environment knows me better than I know myself. A single example can be found in a sketch: A man is proposing marriage to his girlfriend with spaghetti stuck in his face while sitting in a restaurant. His beloved stares at him in disbelief and can hardly listen to him. He, himself, believes that she wants to turn him down. Another example: I myself consider my behaviour as keen (or encouraged) but my colleagues think I always need to have the last word. The Blind Spot, hence, is what we do not realise about ourselves, but what others know about us or believe to know about us.

The Taboo: finally there is the area of my own personality, which is unknown to both myself aswell as to others around me. This area belongs to the unconscious. This is what we do not wish to know for biographic-psychological reasons and hence it is left in the unconscious. In the Johary window it is called the ‘Taboo area’. For constructive feedback it is highly important to leave this area untouched – that it remains a taboo so to speak. Every (healthy) person rightfully defends him/herself when others start to ‘drill’ in their unconscious or try to interpret or to experiment with it. This is a definite and clear ‘violation of boundaries’. This work in this area is thereforeexclusively reserved for psychotherapists.

Preparation:

Name

Known to us Unknown to us

Known to others My own identity The Blind Spot

Unknown to others My shadow, my wall, my hidden parts The big unknown (Taboo)

Description of the method:Explain the flip chart (Johary window) and preferably fill in the columns ‘my own identity’, ‘myshadow’, ‘the blind spot’ with personal information. The column ‘The taboo’ remains empty. Form pairs, but only pairs they like to share a little bit about their personal life. Now everybody fillsin on his/her paper the column ‘My own identity’ and ‘My shadow’. Exchange then the papers with the partner and fill in the partners column ‘The blind spot’. Write down 1 or 2 points andbe careful by articulating yourself. Furthermore the partners sit together and share their new findings. – Important: everything which is said remains among the participants. For the trainer:be careful not to cross personal boundaries!

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‘A gift for my neighbour’

Goal: raising fantasy and imagination; training perceptions

Duration: 20 min

Material: none

Description:

The group is forming a close circle. This exercise is a non verbal game. The trainer starts forming a pantomime: he/she is creating a gift for the left neighbour. The neighbour receives this gift and after recognizing it (non verbal) he/she starts to develop a new gift for his/her neighbour to the left…..etc. etc. It is important that the whole process is running non verbal and that the participants create their fantasy.

‘Communication, Group building, Team building – skills’

Communication skills

Communication skills are the ‘base’ of effective participation and empowerment work. Poorcommunication leads often to misunderstandings and conflicts. On the other hand, clearcommunication is an effective way of preventing misunderstandings and conflicts. If people areable to communicate their needs, interests and questions between them and others, it becomes much easier to work together on a result or solution acceptable for both sides. Therefore it’s needed to develop the ability to express opinions, thoughts, needs, feelings and discomfort. It is important to know what and how to communicate. As important to know how to communicate as important it is to have the ability to listen and to be open minded. Listening means not only to be quiet – it means also understanding and empathy. Very often we don’t find the time (orwe don’t have the ability) and we start judging or interpreting immediately. The process of communication does not only include a ‘sender’ and a ‘receiver’: in between a message that is sent happens usually a lot. Depending on the context in which the communication process takes place, the message may have different meanings. Each message has various aspects within it.The German communication expert, Friedemann Schulz von Thun, uses the picture of ‘the four ears’:

- The self – revealing ear asks: what kind of person is he/she? Expresses the inner state of the sender.

- The relationship ear asks: who does he/she think he/she is talking to? What does he/she take me for? Deals with the relationship between the sender and the recipient.

- The factual ear asks: how are the facts understood? Deals with the information that the message contain.

- The appeal ear asks: what is he/she trying to tell me to do/feel/think? Request to do something.

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Some roles and ‘guidelines’ about communication skills

- ‘Be your own chef’: be aware about your own responsibility and importance in your life, society and relations. Be aware what is happening around you and take responsibility for things, you find important enough to deal with – especially concerning yourcommunication skills.

- ‘Speak about yourself and not about the others…’: if you want to express something, if you want to apply or demand for something – say ‘I am, I like to, I want….’ and not ‘it should be……..there should be……’.

- ‘If you don’t understand something, ask and explain why it is important for you…’: in communication it is helpful and important to express your personal interest and opinion – instead of asking general questions…….

- ‘Be careful with personal interpretations about the other/s…’: sometimes we are very quick in responding with our personal interpretations – without knowing a lot about the other/s or recognizing the feelings of the other/s….

- ‘If more people are speaking in the same time, try to find out what is going on and defineroles for the discussion…’: specially in ‘hot discussions’ – or in boring situations – people like to start chatting beside. Try to find out what are the reasons for the talks ‘beside’ anddefine roles for the further discussion.

- ‘Be authentic and aware about your own feelings’: if you feel, something is going ‘wrong’ in the group work, discussion or communication: ‘listen’ to your sensitive mind and don’t go further ‘straight ahead’. Take the time for checking the reasons of your feelings and questions.

- ‘Look to the participants and realize the signals of them…..’: very often people start to chat ‘beside’ or looking around….or leaving the room. Try to find out what is the reason forthis behaviour in a respectful way - without loosing your own goal of the work.

‘Four further elements of good communication’

• Observations: tell what we see and distinguish between observations and judgement….

• Wishes: tell what we would like to have; ask for something feasible only; tell what I want, not what I do not want; avoid saying what the others should think…..

• Feelings: tell about our emotional status / what we feel; communicate how I feel about things that I observe instead of accusations and reproaches

• Needs: tell what we need for ourselves; express our needs that cause for our feelings; express my need that in the current situation is not satisfied.

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‘Retell story’

Goal: Developing listening and concentration skills

Duration: 20 min

Material: none

Description:

The trainer divides the group into pairs: in each of the pairs one partner has to think about a story and to tell this story. The other partner has to summarize and to retell the story. The other partner has to confirm whether the story was retold in the right way – or not. Later on the rolesare then reversed.

‘The debate show’

Goal: training the abilities to listen, to discuss and to focus ‘to the point’

Duration: 30 min

Material: paper and pens

Description:

This ‘debate show’ will focus on two controversial ‘sides’ in order to train a ‘Pro & Contra debate’: the topic of the two debating groups is about ‘Arts & Paintings’! Both ‘sides’ are discussing about the modern way of arts & painting: if ‘Points’ or ‘Stripes’ are famous and modern……! Which artistic form is the modern way of arts……? The discussion should run ca. 10 minutes.The group size of the two controversial ‘sides’ should include about 3-5 participants – the other persons are the observer: they have to look after the ‘time-keeping’, ‘fair-play’ and if the debating participants are able to convince with interesting and factual arguments. The plenary conclusion can raise the question how the listeners perceived the discussion: if it was boring or interesting for the listeners / observer and how the participants discussed.

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‘Debate show II’

Goal: training fair communication and discussion

Duration: 30-45 min

Material: paper and pens

Description:

This ‘Debate-show’ may follow the exercise you could find above: here the discussion will becomeperhaps a bit more emotional. The topic is about: ‘What do children and young people need in Bethlehem (Jerusalem)…?’ Choose some volunteers of the whole training group (4-5 people) and a moderator. The other participants are again the observer, they have to follow the discussion if there is ‘fair play’, enough time for everybody (it’s the role of the moderator…). Create a nice space for the podium in advance and place the other participants (listeners / observer) like in a real Talk Show. The moderator opens the discussion. The evaluation in the plenary should raise questions like in the exercise above.

Group building / Team building

Group building exercises can help a lot to develop trust among the participants and can help the trainer to get to know the participants. Furthermore group building may prevent ‘outsiders’ and is able to support a ‘result orientated’ work as well. Group building means working on the interactions and relationship between the persons and also on the behaviour on the participants. It is furthermore the purpose, to build up respect among the group members and to encourage them to deal with differences in a respectful manner. Knowing and being aware about ofthe dynamics, relationships and differences is a step along the path towards constructiveconflict transformation. Group building processes can create a comfortable atmosphere andconfidentiality. Group building is a necessary first step towards Team building. Being member of a group means not immediately to have the skills for a good team work. Therefore it needs competences like cooperation skills, communication skills and also conflict transformation skills(chapter IV). In taking advantage of their complementary abilities and differences, a group thatcooperates well and that brings together a range of different characteristics for example, mightachieve much more than a group with similar abilities. A strong group that cooperates well usually has no outsiders. Establishing a good group or team work and cooperation is already ‘half of the money’. You will find several exercises to promote these skills.

Advise: for effective group work – specially if there is a need for a certain result in a short timeframe– it is very helpful to follow some simple guidelines:

- Choose one member of your group, who keeps the time (the timekeeper)- Choose one member of your group, who gives the summary to the plenum (so make

some remarks, notices…during the group work)- Choose one member of your group, who takes care of the ‘fair play’ (that means, that

everyone has a voice and will be heard…..)

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‘Chain on chairs’

Goal: Warming up game for cooperation tasks

Duration: 20 min

Material: none

Description:

Order chairs in one line (side by side): just half number of chairs as participants are in the group. Ask the people to move on the chairs (without shoes) and to build one line on the chairs. They will stand close to each other on the chairs. Now they are requested to arrange themselves on the chairs concerning their age – without jumping from the chairs. They will only manage it with cooperation and support. Remark: be sensitive in gender mixed groups, because the participants have to touch each other in order to arrange themselves.

‘Who is the one……..?’

Goal: supporting the group dynamics and cooperation of the whole group

Duration: 20 min

Material: none

Description:

The group is sitting in a circle and one participant has to leave the room: he/she has to find outwho is giving always new ‘orders’ for specific behaviours and movements after returning into theroom. While he/she is outside the group chooses one member who is starting and leading the changing movements / behaviours. He / she has to do it very unobtrusive and all the others have to follow without looking to him/her. The entering person has to find out who is the one…? Ishe/she discovered, the one has to go out…..

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‘Building a machine…..’

Goal: recognizing the different personalities and bringing them together, building a group

Duration: 20 min

Material: none

Description:

The task of this exercise is to build a machine (or an engine) out of the group members. The first person is moving into the middle of the room and starts with a movement and a noise. Thismovement (and noise) is a repetitive one – like a part of a machine….After about 5 seconds the second person is joining and starts as well with a movement and noise…..etc. etc. - until all group members have joined the ‘machine’. The trainer should take care that there is a continues process of this ‘machine building’. The evaluation should focus on the experiences and feelings of the participants during this process. If they tried to come into one rhythm, if felt like one machine or what else….?

‘Task Force in the Crisis Control Center’

Goal: group building, developing group work and group decisions

Duration: 1 hour

Material: the prepared tasks and paper, pens

Description:

Divide the whole group into small groups: the small working-groups have to discuss several examples of (difficult) situations they may happen in youth work (for example 4 groups of 4 participants).Every group receives one or two cards with the examples of ‘difficult situations’; in a separateenvelope are prepared options and suggestions for possible solutions.The participants in the groups are requested to discuss at first 5 minutes about their example/ situation (written on the card); after 5 min. they may open the envelope and discuss - step by step - the different suggestions.Finally they are requested to discuss a ‘ranking’ concerning their priorities of the possible solutions.

If there is time enough the groups can exchange the cards with the different examples.

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Examples:

1) During a celebration-event in your center some people in the audience are very noisy

Possible solutions:- To interrupt the celebration and make an ‘official’ announcement- To go direct to the ‘noisy’ participants and to speak to them (quiet)- To wait a little bit and observe them ….- To make a ‘funny’ or ‘ironic’ remark- To request them to leave the celebration / center- ………???

2) You already planned a ‘Debate-show’- everything is prepared – and one hour before the event starts, one of the important guests / referents cancelled

Possible solutions:- You request this important person to send another person instead- You have someone ‘in case’ because you know such situations- You hurry to the phone for calling some collegs/friends for help- You ask some people of the other guests / audience if someone can replace this

missed person- You look for a ‘creative’ solution like a video / film / sketch etc……instead- …….???

3) You are responsible for the Power point-Presentation / Film-screening in your center – more than 50 people are waiting for the start of the presentation, but all the technical equipment is ‘out of order’

Possible solutions:- You are well prepared and for such a ‘worst case’ you have enough other technical

equipment in case - You ask people for help- You think about an ‘alternative’ presentation (to play music or so…)- You excuse the situation and ask the audience for patience- You cancel the evening / presentation- ………???

4) You are responsible for a celebration / a show for young people and you prepared a theatre-show: unfortunately the actors and the show are really bad……..

Possible solutions:- You wait some time more and you hope that this evening will pass quickly…- You wait until the end of the show and invite your audience for a drink…- You interrupt the show and excuse this ‘shaming’ presentation- You try to ‘change’ the embarrassing situation and you start to make some

jokes……- You comment the end of the show with the words: ‘Everybody has once a bad

day….’ (or something else)- ………???

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5) You prepared for your youth-group several activities, but the majority of the participants don’t want to join/follow your suggestions….

Possible solutions:- You explain once more your ideas and you try to convince the people- You promise them something ‘nice’ if they follow your ideas / activities- You ask the group for other suggestions - You are disappointed and you express this feeling- You try to find out if there are some reasons behind the ‘resistance’ against your

suggestions / activities- ……???

6) You are in the middle of your group-work with your kids (you are in the studio for arts & craft); after a while two of the kids are starting struggling, shouting and beating each other….

Possible solutions:- You look at first who is the ‘looser’ or the ‘winner’ and you feel with the ‘week’

side….- You are angry about this un-necessary interruption and you demand the end of

the ‘battle’- You interrupt the group activities and you take the two kids to another place for

asking them about their conflict- You demand the both to leave the studio / arts-room - You try to ignore the struggle of the two and you continue your workshop- …..???

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‘BINGO: about the different characteristics in the group…’

Goal: recognizing the diversity of characteristics in a group and developing group work

Duration: 1 hour

Material: the prepared BINGO table

Description:

Every participant receives the table and tries to talk with everyone of the group (one by one, while the group is mingling): ask your interview partners about their own self-perceptions concerning their ‘characteristics’ and note in case a ‘yes’ in the field….Try to interview as much aspossible, but take also time for a real exchange. The evaluation in the plenary should focus and explore the benefit of the diversity of characteristics for groups and teams.

Name Teamworker General Director Partner Coach Servant Conductor Guide Peacemaker

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

If somebody wants to add an attitude / style:………………….

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‘Advertising and promoting the right group-leader’…...

Goal: reflecting the need of different abilities and characteristics in youth work

Duration: 1 hour

Material: Flipchart and pens

Description:

The whole group will be divided in 3 smaller groups and receive the following three differenttasks. They will discuss 30 min their example and have to present their result in a visible form like an advertisement to the others.

1) You are all members of a board of a meaningful youth organization and you are looking for a ‘group leader’. You publish an advertising leaflet for it. What will be the content?What are the most important characteristics and attitudes you are looking for?

2) You are members of a youth organization (and in the age between 16-22 years….); you will get the chance to choose for a new group leader. Not the board ist choosing – it’s up to you to decide. What kind of group leader you want? With which characteristics and attitudes?

3) You are a participant of a big summer-academy / summer camp; you have the right to select / to choose one participant of your group, who will represent the interests of the group to the leadership during this camp. What kind of person you are looking for? What are his/her characteristics and attitudes?

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‘The new society’

Goal: Developing group dynamics and reflecting upon different values in a group

Duration: 1 hour

Material: Prepared list (or cards) of different persons (see below)

Description:

This exercise rules like a simulation game. The prepared cards list possible different persons:• a poet• a religious leader• a scientist• a 22 years old female student• a 60 years old doctor• a musician• an police officer• a farmer• a young male student• a dietician• a psychologist

There should be as much cards with persons provided as participants in this session. The trainer has to take care that there are no cards distributed where participants have to play themselves. Now the trainer explains the game: there has been an atomic war and all people are now in the shelter. However there is not enough food for everybody to survive. The group has to decide in consensus within 20 min on 3 people who will leave the shelter so that the rest can survive to build a new society. Everybody has to agree with the decision. Advise: choose two ‘free’ participants as observers to take notes about the decision making process and the roles etc.

For the evaluation the trainer should focus on:• feelings / emotions (start with a feedback)• How was the decision making process?• What helped to come to a decision?• What blocked may be the process?• Which values were mentioned and important during this discussion?• What would you do differently if you were asked to do this role play again?• What can you learn from this exercise about decision making by consensus?

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‘Ice Floe’

Goal: Developing cooperation skills, group building

Duration: 30 min

Material: as many chairs as participants and some tables

Description:

For the preparation push few tables into the middle of the room to form an ‘island’. Arrange the chairs around the ‘island’ – the chairs are the ‘ice floes’ where the participants are standingon. Only one chair is standing close enough to the table to step directly from the ice floe to theisland. As the ice starts melting, the participants have to move quickly from their dangerous floes to the save island. They can do so by passing over the floes in the ‘water’. But each floe canonly carry one participant in the same time.

For the evaluation the trainer should focus on the following points:• What were the first needs and ideas of the participants?• Did they communicate and cooperate among each other?• How was the cooperation?• Did participants fell into the water – why?• How do the participants see the transfer to reality?

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To be different – to be equal: gender related aspects

Important aspects in the Palestinian society and Youth work are the gender related roles of women and men. The old term ‘the public is male – the private is female’ might sound a bit ‘historic’, but still the men’s domain is usually outside of the house and the women’s domain remains restricted to the home.

The patriarchal structure excludes until today women from important public fields like‘communitydevelopment’ or ‘conflict transformation’. Depending on the geographical area, the level ofeducation and influence of women varies. While it seems that men enjoy more autonomy thanwomen do, both have to submit their individual needs to the ones of the collective. Because of the patriarchal society, that still excludes women, many women organisations are struggling to strengthen the juridical system and civil structures. Although the girls participation in education and grades improved visible in the last years, females still drop out because of early marriages in the rural areas. Closing the gender gap still need much efforts: specially in public fields likecommunity development and political participation the empowerment of girls and women are a challenging.

Specially during the period of the Youth girls face the ‘hidden agenda’ of the gender roles. Parents are likely afraid because of the collective pressure and no one wants to risk hurting the dignity. And most of the girls and young women do not dare challenge traditional gender roles. Many issues related to gender equality or changing the traditional role of women were and still are neglected to avoid any clash within society. In addition in some areas – like Bethlehem, Ramallah and Jerusalem – the inter religious and gender mixed relations in Youth work between Christians and Muslims are a sensitive issue as well. Trainers and facilitators should be aware of this and should take this into consideration.

Therefore it makes sometimes sense to develop and to offer specific workshops only for girls orwomen. You will find some exercises they focus to this issue.

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‘Getting to know each other’

Goal: raising awareness of the relevance of gender in social relationships

Duration: 45 min

Material: paper and pens

Description:

The participants will meet in small gender homogeneous groups (3-4 male or female) with the prepared questions. The groups have to note their significant answers on a flipchart – so thatthey can present their results later to the others.Possible questions are:

• How do girls / boys grow up in your society? What are significant values in the educationand school time regarding gender roles?

• What kind of toys / tools boys and girls do receive during their childhood?• Do girls / boys support housework in the same manner?• What are typical male / female behaviour?• What is may be forbidden for girls? For boys?• Are there specific roles for men / women in your society?• What do you think about possible reasons for the different roles?

Variations: it might be also possible to work in gender mixed groups instead of gender homogeneous groups. This depends also from the group age, group relation, trust and experiences.

‘Gender vice versa’

Goal: raising awareness of the relevance of gender in social relationships

Duration: 45 min

Material: paper and pens

Description:

The training group will split in women and men. The participants have to imagine how it feels to be and to behave in the other gender role. The two questions for this group work are:

• Which aspects might be attractive and positive for me in case I would have be born as a man / woman in my society?

• Which aspects could be worse in case I would have be born as a man / woman in my society?

The presentation and evaluation in the plenary session needs the facilitation of an experienced trainer in order to guide a respectful discussion.

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‘It’s my life…….’

Goal: raising awareness of the relevance of gender in social relationships

Duration: 45 min

Material: Flipchart paper and coloured pens

Description:

This exercise will run in 3 steps. First of all the participants will be asked to draw / symbolize their personal ‘life line’ concerning the topic:

• The steps of my life: which steps do I remember they had an impact on my life because I am a man / I am a woman……(early memories of being male or female / positive and negative)

Now the participants will split in gender homogeneous groups and introduce their ‘life lines’ to each other. For the plenary discussion they have to note common results and opinions. Furthermore they should work out differences they recognized in their own homogeneousgroup as well. The presentation and evaluation in the plenary session needs the facilitation of an experienced trainer in order to guide a respectful discussion.

‘Early memories of being male / female…’

Goal: raising awareness of the relevance of gender in social relationships

Duration: 1 hour

Material: paper, coloured pens

Description:

In the first step the participants have to recall their earliest most significant and meaningfulmemory of an experience related to discovering they were male or female and therefore differentfrom the other sex (individual). After a few minutes of reflection they are invited to share thisexperience with other members of their homogeneous group. Furthermore they have to develop and to create a sketch, drama, picture, poem, song, story etc. that selects the memories shared within the group. In the plenary session both gender groups will present their creative results. Possible questions for the evaluation:

• How did you feel during this experience?• What did the experiences / examples tell you about being male / female? • What are the family’s and society’s expectations of you?• What are your conclusions of this experience?

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‘Gender stereotypes’

Goal: raising awareness about the reproduction of gender stereotypes

Duration: 30 min

Material: prepared stories, tales, songs, magazines, proverbs or / and myths

Description:

The participants will split in small groups and receive one or two examples of the prepared different materials: a story, tale, song, magazine, proverbs or a myth. They have to identify theseexamples concerning certain behaviours, characteristics and roles to women and men. They are asked to discuss the stereotypes that are perpetuated by these cultural expressions – and how these stereotypes act as barriers to both men and women in limiting life choices and options.

’24 hours are a day…’

Goal: recognizing gender roles and responsibilities regarding the gender division in work

Duration: 1 hour

Material: flipchart paper and pens

Description:

The participants will be divided in four groups. Each group has to assign one of the following categories of workplaces / persons:

• a male farm worker• a female farm worker• a male professor• a female professor

The groups have to draw for it a large circle and to divide it into sections, as though they were slicing a cake or pie. In each section they have to show the amount of time spent doing a particular activity in a typical 24 hour period by assigned category of person. The size of each section will depend on the amount of time spent on that activity. The ‘cake’ should show everything that the person is doing in a day. The evaluation should raise the following questions:

• What was your first feeling when you saw your completed chart?• Which of the activities are considered as work?• How do you define work?• What differences do you notice in the way in which women and men spend their day?• What are some of the consequences of these differences for men / women?• What are the implications for the society?

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‘My personal power bases’

Goal: recognizing and developing own resources

Duration: 45 min

Material: the prepared paper with the table

Description:

This gender related exercise is addressing specially women in order to strengthen their resources and abilities. The participants are asked to work at first in a single step and then in the wholegroup. The plenary discussion should focus on various options and possibilities how women can strengthen their ‘power bases’.

List your present resources and power bases

List possible ways to strengthen resources and power bases

Identify possible support from friends, colleagues or organizations

List new power bases and resources you want

List ways to develop new resources and power bases

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‘To be equal – to be different’: diversity regarding religious andethnic backgrounds

Why to deal with ‘identity’ in our educational work?Our educational work (with children and youth), educational framework, approaches, goals, ideas and methods are influenced by our society, community, circumstances, families, teammembers, friends - and by ourselves. One of our goals is to build up confidence and respectamong the youth and towards others as well.Building up confidence is a cornerstone also of ‘intercultural learning’ in order to achieve theopeness necessary for a mutual process. It is important that we feel comfortable to share different viewpoints, perceptions and feelings to arrive at acceptance and understanding.It requires a lot of patience and sensitivity in order to create such a learning atmosphere which enables us to listen to each other as equals, to empower each individuals self-confidence.This means that we need to give space to every ones expression, to value all experiences, talents and contributions, our various needs and expectations.When the big part of what we might share is about values, norms and strong basic assumptions, we will need a lot of confidence in the ones we share with. Mutual trust goes hand in hand withmutual respect, honesty in our sharing.

Experiencing identityHumans are at once cultural beings, belonging to multiple, identifiable cultural or identitygroups, with identifiable perceptions, values, beliefs and behavioural tendencies, sharing andknowing that they share a common perceptual framework. Specially in the Palestinian context most of the people perceive the collective norms and values as a strong seismograph.At the same time each of us is unique, no two of us having precisely the same constellation of group identities and experiences. Individualists can resist being identified as members of agroup, but do they not usually belong to a culturally identifiable group of individualists whoshare a similar perspective and value of not being grouped with others?

The departure point of ‘Intercultural learning’ is our own culture, which means, our own background and experience. It is in our roots where we encounter the obstacles and chances of the learning process. We have all the personal reality which has shaped us, and we will continue to live there, enriched with new knowledge and experience. That means, in intercultural learning processes, we have to deal constantly with where we come from, what we have lived and encountered.Trying to understand ourselves, our own identity, is a pre-condition to encounter others. We might change through the encounter, but not necessarily the reality around us. This is challenging. Therefore, as a part of the process, we have as well to deal with the responsibility, potential and limits of being multipliers of new knowledge.Nothing is absolute. There are many ways to read and discern reality. The thesis, that everyone constructs their own worlds, that every reality is its own construction, is one main factor in intercultural learning processes. The variety of different dimensions in many theories whichdescribe cultural difference (Hofstede and Hall&Hall) show how differently we can perceivereality, even such basic dimensions as time and space.But still, we all live in one world and that affects our live.Consequently, the learning process should be accompanied by some efforts: to respect personalfreedom and decision, to accept other views equally and seek the reconciliation of differentviewpoints, and to be conscious of our personal responsibility.

The following exercises will introduce to this issue.

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‚Palestinian plus..…other characteristics’

Goal: recognizing diversity, legal status, norms and values

Duration: 1 hour

Material: prepared cards with personalities and questions

Description:

Each participant will receive a card with a new personality / identity. Only the person himself / herself knows who he/she is now. All participants with their new identities are standing in one line in the room. The trainer will introduce now the first question concerning a legal status, moralstatus, norms or values. These persons, they feel suitable to answer this question with ‘Yes, I can’ are allowed to move one step further. All the others have to stay. Without any explanations and discussions the trainer continues with the next example – and the participants have to decide again if they can move a step further – or not. Etc. etc.After finishing all examples / questions, at first the participants they reached the ‘top’ of theline start to open their secret and share their new identity. Step by step all participants explain their identity and why they moved further or kept staying on their place. – If this part is over all participants are invited to move (to walk some steps) in the room and to ‘leave’ their role behind.The evaluation should discuss the different status people achieve because of certain factors:legal status, economic situation, gender related status etc. and how the participants perceive the recent context of diversity, equality and justice.

Possible identities:

1. Girl, 16 years, Christian Palestinian, student in school, living in Bethlehem

2. Women, 28 years, Palestinian, Muslim, married, one child, working as a teacher in Jerusalem

3. Young men, 19 years, Christian Palestinian, living in Jerusalem, student in the Hebrew University

4. Men, 35 years, married, 2 children, working as a doctor in Caritas hospital, Bethlehem

5. Men, 40 years, Muslim, Israeli Arab citizen, without work, married, 3 children, living in Abu Gosh

6. Young women, 22 years, not married, Christian Palestinian, student in Jerusalem (and living there)

7. Young women, 25 years, not married, Muslim Palestinian, American passport, visit in Ramallah

8. Women, 34 years, Muslim Palestinian, married, 2 children, student in Jerusalem, Hebrew university, living in Jerusalem

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9. Men, 35 years, Christian Palestinian, divorced, teacher in Bethlehem

10. Young men, 22 years, Israeli Arab citizen, student in Jerusalem (Hebrew university)

11. Young women, 26 years, Israeli Palestinian, not married, working in a store in Jerusalem

12. Women, 35 years, Christian Palestinian, divorced, 3 children, working as a teacher in Bethlehem

13. Women, 29 years, married, 4 children, Muslim Palestinian, living in Gaza

Possible questions for the exercise ‚Palestinian plus....’:

1. If you want to buy a car and to sign for an insurance for the car: can you do it?

2. Can you spend a day in Jerusalem if you like?

3. Can you expect a good treatment in a hospital when you are ill?

4. If you want to rent a flat / apartment, can you decide about it for yourself ?

5. If you need a credit from a bank, can you make this ‘deal’ by yourself?

6. If you want to go in the evening to a restaurant, can you do it without problems?

7. Can you plan your future for the next 5 years?

8. Can you vote in the next local elections?

9. If you want to go abroad, can you expect support from your family and friends?

10. If you want to meet with friends in the evening: can you do this without problems?

11. If you want to bring your children in a kinder garden, is it possible?

12. When you don’t feel well, can you expect help from friends or family ?

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‘Accept the other’

Goal: recognizing the differences of others

Duration: 1 hour

Material: prepared examples / statements

Description:

The participants group themselves into pairs. Each pair receives one or two cards with a statement (below) and has to discuss and to answer the following questions:

• Which of the characters showed respect or disrespect in the case?• Which of the characters behaved properly and which of them not?

The plenary discussion should sum up and raise possible reasons behind the various statements.

Possible statements / examples:

• Two families meet: the secular woman tries to shake hands with the religious man. He took his hand away to avoid touching her hand.

• The headmaster asks the teachers and students to dress properly inside the school.• A young man wants to help carry a heavy suitcase of a young woman. But she pulls it

away because she feels strong enough and believes in equality. ‘Are you crazy, don’t you think I am able to carry it myself?’. The man looks astonished.

• A young man meets a young woman he don’t know before and says: ‘You are beautiful’.• During Ramadan some Christian Palestinian are sitting outside on the market place of a

Muslim quarter while eating their lunch sandwich.• A father is talking with his guests and his son interrupts saying: ‘This is not true.. what you

say’.• The teacher asks his students to stand up every time he/she enters the classroom, some

students refuse.• A young girl takes all her birthday presents in her room without opening them in front of

her friends.• It’s hot outside and some young women are crossing the streets of a Muslim quarter,

dressed only in light and short clothes.• A group of young people is sitting in the dining room for dinner. While two persons start

their dinner with a prayer the others start already eating.

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Diversity in my community – how to deal with difficult situations?

Goal: reflecting diversity and own patterns of behaviour

Duration: 1 – 1,5 hoursMaterial: the prepared table / paper

Description: ask the participants to think about the 4 different tasks in a single personal step. Inthe second step they group into pairs and interview each other. The third step: they meet back in the plenary session and discuss the challenges they faced during this process.

A situation, where I belonged to a majority and met other persons from a minority-group (example: religion or different values) ……

A situation, where I felt in a minority because of my religion or my different values (and I feltdiscriminated)….

A situation, where I was a witness: another person was discriminated because of his/her religion or different values……

A situation, where I interfered because another person was discriminated or hurt because of his/her religion or different values…..

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‘My identity’

Goal: reflecting the own identity, sharing the identity with others

Duration: 1 hour

Material: prepared paper with the ‘identity circles’

Description:

The participants receive the prepared paper with the circles. They are asked to reflect their ownidentity: who I am? Where do I belong to? What are main aspects / categories for building my identity? Are there for example any important ‘groups’ I feel that I belong to?The participants will find in the middle of the paper the big circle for their major aspects /categories and all around some smaller circles for all the other ‘belongings’. In the plenary session the trainer and the participants should work out the different context’sof the persons identity – and how diversity can enrich groups and communities – and also challenge a community / society.

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• Background and Experiences of this concept• The key steps in a ‘Future Workshop’• Specification of the steps / An Example of a Future Workshop• The need and the role of ‘Project management’ after a ‘Future Workshop’ (SMART)

In the 70’s and 80’th (1975-1985) the Future Workshops have been developed by Robert Jungk in Germany as a tool in the political fight of civil action groups for a better enforcement of theirinterests to create a future worth to live for. It is a technique meant to shed light on a common problematic situation, to generate visions about the future, and to discuss how these visions can be realised.

A „classic“ Future Workshop consists of five phases.

1. The Preparation phase: Here, the method, its rules and the scheduled course of the workshop (in accordance with the participants) is introduced. As a first step, itis possible to prepare the room for the workshop together with the participants. All tables that might separate the participants from one another should be removed from the middle of the room or put outside. Pin boards, paper, pencils etc. should be available and at hand. The participants should be seated in an open circle to be able to interact and go to the pin boards at any time.

2. Originally, the Critique phase is the start of the workshop. Here, the problem is investigated critically and thoroughly. First of all, a visualised brainstorming is performed and a general and critical question concerning the problem is framed. The critique points are written on cards or a big sheet of paper lying on the ground or on a table. Normally, this is made in groups and in the sense of brainstorming, where the following rules apply: no excessive discussions, associative linking to ideas already existent, no ’killer phrases’ (for example: ‘We cannot change anything’) quantity has first priority (collecting), etc.The results found are grouped accordingly to topics (‘clustered’) and the groups are titled. If sheets were used, the points are cut out and grouped. After this, a selection of the relevant points can be evaluated. Occasionally, it is also useful to intensify the collection of critique points in a second phase. Here, a change of method is possible, so that also a reflective discussion canbe performed, but as well with the obligation to visualise the results in the end.

3. Now the ‘Fantasy phase’ starts: after dealing with the problem, the Future Workshop does not immediately search for the solution. First, all participants try to work out an utopia, to draw an exaggerated picture of future possibilities. In this so-called Fantasy phase a relaxed atmosphere should prevail that must be created both with regard to the room and by playing games. The transition may be made e.g. by fantasy trips, meditation, medial support, etc. One can also begin with the conversion of the selected essential critique points found in the critique phase (negation of the negation). That way, the participants are free from inherent necessities and may use brainstorming techniques and creative games to find and to reflect utopian solutions.The basic criterion for the selection of the presentation form is that they should be completely different from usual, only rationally orientated problem solutions. The solutions/strategies found that way should be an original and rich source of really trend-setting ways. All ideas are collected

PART

III

A model of participation: the method of the ‘Future Workshop’

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and put into an ‘idea store’, regardless of their practicability. In a second step (which can be also performed later in the implementation phase), all those ideas have to be ‘transformed’, that is, they must be reduced to a practical and realizable core.

4. In the Implementation phase the ideas found are checked and evaluated in regard to their practicability. If a solution has been found, it is finally written down, who does when, what, whereand how (action plan). This note-book of duties is the log book for the subsequent permanent workshop (5th phase) – the realization of the solution concepts. In the extreme case, each phase can be „run through“ within one hour (short workshop). More frequently is the ”Weekend-Workshop“ with each phase taking half a day and – rarely – workshops over a period of five days(e.g. during an educational leave).

B. The Strong Points of the Concept “Future Workshops”

The process of working hard for a solution results in an intensive identification with the resultsand so a high acceptance for their future realisation.

Future Workshops are based upon “Social Learning” which is lately high-praised by constructivists in the educational sciences. This form of communication and/or the common struggle to find newresolutions, the presentation in different forms (role plays, drawings, etc.) helps the individualperson to find out in their personal reconstruction of reality, what is up.

The critique phase, fantasy phase and implementation phase are three very different elementsregarding the method as well as the concept and their developments are all open-ended. In the ideal case, there has to be a consistent development of topics between the different phases.That is, a perfect Future Workshop should enable the participants to find accomplishablecore questions accepted by the complete group within the schedule of the critique phase. In the beginning of the subsequent fantasy phase, appropriate questions have to be framed that can lead to “productive” utopian presentations by using creative techniques. From these presentations, all “exciting” ideas must be filtered out and must be transformed into practicableideas. In the implementation phase, all participants should have the competence and maintain an “ideological” distance to separate the best-suited and most practicable solutions from all results found. In the action plan some actors have to be found who are qualified for the execution of thequestions commissioned. This is a very demanding programme for a single moderator and given a short time period. (For a single moderator and a short time period this is a very demanding programme).

The following questions may arise: • Is the result of the critique phase suitable for the beginning of the fantasy phase?

• Does the start of the fantasy phase really quicken the fantasy and does it finally achieve itspurpose?

• How can we constructively (and not destructively) use the results of the critique phase in the fantasy phase?

• Which criteria are suitable for sorting the utopian ideas?

• Is the transformation from utopia to reality made in the fantasy phase or only later in the implementation phase?

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• How can we deduct practicable concepts/strategies from utopian ideas for the implementation phase? • How can we avoid that inherent necessities “strike back” in the implementation phase and that the free flow of ideas has been in vain?

• How can we motivate hesitant participants who are afraid of the requirements of implementation?

The critique phase – always the best beginning?

From the learning psychology’s point of view, all the critique and sinking into difficulties maysurely have a de-motivating effect. Why not starting by collecting positive examples, if oneintends to design a better world? It is the aim of the critique phase to acquaint the group with all details of the problem. This method should be in keeping with the real facts and must not obligingly be in critical form. Here, the “funnel principle” of the method must not be forgotten. That is, the group must work its way from a very broad basis to the essential points. If the workshop starts in a balancing way (e.g. with the question “what do we like and what not?”), then the participants will find themselves in a position for better solutions, since they arecollecting the positive arguments and ideas rather than having the negative dialectics. From his own experiences in the environmental section, we recommend to define the “critique phase” asthe “problem-finding phase”.

The effects of creative techniques – a prescribed utopia?

It is doubtful, if a group of participants can be transferred into a state of overflowing ideas oncommand or merely by methodical tricks. Even creative techniques have limits. Much depends on the general atmosphere and also on a relaxed and easy going moderator. Frequently, the participants lack the courage to abstract from inherent necessities. Anything that is produced in the fantasy phase, might already exist in reality. If it is possible to free the group or the individual persons from any inhibitions or blocks so that they can develop a undisturbed “normal” group productivity, the workshop can be called successful. The factor of time pressure (e.g. during the brain writing) and the changed perspective in the role plays, during the painting, etc. make at least sure that a lot of ideas are produced and so the group can bring more about as if they are just debating with each other.

The time factor – same measure for different processes

Communication, understanding, agreement and acceptance, etc. are cognitive performances that take their own time. This can be proved by experiences already made in seminars. E.g. the critique phase is fairly good to plan. As mentioned above, a relaxed atmosphere and unusual presentation forms are indispensable for creative work which cannot be forced into a rigid time schedule. Ideas might be better found under pressure of time than if the time is unlimited. Also a night’s break between two workshop phases and a relaxed evening together might noticeably change the group’s dynamics and the object-orientation.

The realisation of the realisation – who will support the group “afterwards”?

Usually, the solutions and strategies found in innovative future workshops exceed “normal” or present strategies and therefore their realization has to face stronger resistance. Their realization is far more difficult than the realization of “normal” solutions and sometimes this task may asktoo much of the actors defined in the action plan. Therefore, the realisation of unconventional

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strategies might fail without a continued process attendance. When planning the workshop, a later subsequent attendance that can be prepared as a process support for the realisation should be arranged by all means. The role of the moderator

The assignment of the moderation of a future workshop to a person is not only a question of the assumed professionalism of the moderator but also a question of confidence between the groupand the moderator. In the ideal case, there should be an intensive preparatory talk with most of the potential participants and after that the group can decide if they are willing to venture a future workshop with this moderator. Also in advance, the aims of the moderation should be determined and as well which conclusions should be drawn after the moderation.

The stimulating role of the moderator whenever the critique, the ideas or the evaluation of strategies are stagnating, is a tight rope walk between mental support and manipulation. Is it the aim of the phases to bring out everything that lies within the possibilities of the participants or should the moderator try to elevate the participants with additional stimuli to a “higher level” which he himself just manages to have a clear view of?

An important function and relevant for the outcome is the form of the transition between the phases and the initial questions (e.g. the form of the fantasy question and/or the task for the fantasy phase). Here, the moderator is highly responsible for the success of finding a solution.

Dealing with hierarchies and disparate objectives

As a general rule, all participants of a group are regarded as equal and this rule applies of course also for the participants of future workshops. In a civil action group, there are of course differentparticipants regarding their social status, their education and training, their sex and their age, but in their intention they are equal and like minded persons. The “Alliance concepts” which is today much in demand, should serve to produce something common out of many differentideas and not merely bring down the lowest common denominator of all participants. Is the “classic” future workshop capable to fulfil this? In the alliance model, one has to set out frommany facts that can be accepted or refused. Instead of asking, “what concerns us all?” one can also ask e.g. “how can we find a middle course?” The fantasy phase, too, requires a basic ideawhich is at least to a certain degree homogenous. Otherwise, the utopian vision of one person might be regarded with horror by another.

(Inspired by Heino Apel, Deutsches Institut fuer Erwachsenenbildung)

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An example of a ‚Future Workshop’

Goal: developing new activities and ideas / project(s)

Duration: 1,5 – 2 days (every day about 5-6 hours)

Material: several pin boards, large flipchart papers or other large papers, moderation cards,enough marker, pens, coloured pens (crayons), needles, tape, sticker points, balls

Description:

This ‘Future Workshop’ has a structure of 2 days and is focussing on youth work. The title of the Future Workshop in this case is: ‘Active, creative and powerful: our youth work in Bethlehem (Jerusalem)’.

First dayPreparation and introduction phase: 1,5 hourFor the preparation phase you have to prepare the seminar room with 3 or 4 pin boards and a circle of chairs. In addition you have to prepare for the welcoming some ‘Brainstorming poster’ with beginning statements, which the entering participants are invited to complete.Here examples for three ‘Brainstorming poster’:

• To be young in my community / society means to me:……………….• To be a member of a Youth group or Youth organizations means for me:………..• To encourage young people for social or political participation in our community

needs:…………..

After all participants have been welcomed through this first‘warming up’to the topic of the FutureWorkshop the trainer gives an overview about the concept of the Workshop and introduces the schedule.In the case the participants don’t know each other very well, here is a short introduction game:All participants are standing in a close circle and the trainer announces his/her name – together with a short movement which expresses / shows something what he/she loves to do (hobby). For example: ‘My name is…….and I like………….very much’. Now it’s the turn of the person to the left who has to repeat the name and the movement of his/her neighbour and to continue in the same manner…….etc. etc. until everyone introduced his/her name with a movement.

A second game for introduction and group building:Prepare 5 small balls (like tennis balls or jiggling balls). The trainer starts to throw one ball to one of the participants – calling his/ her name. Important for the flew of this ball game is thateveryone receives the ball ones (not twice…). This needs concentration. Let the participants play this ball flew 2 or 3 times – and now throw the second ball into the group: in the same order.And again: after a while throw the third ball into the group…..and the fourth…..the fifth…….If you want to make it more difficult: prepare two other balls – each in another colour. Now giveone ball to the right: it’s the ‘Planet’! – And to the left give the other ball: it’s the ‘Satellite’……So that the participants have to concentrate to the flew of five balls and in addition to the ‘planet’and ‘satellite’ to the right and the left!

The ‘Critique phase’: 3,5 hours

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Now the critique phase starts in order to focus on the main critical issues (regarding Youth concerns) and in order to get the ‘brain free’ for the later ‘Fantasy phase’.Distribute 3 moderation cards and marker pens to everyone: now they have to reflect thefollowing question and to note three different key points on the three cards (request them towrite just clear words / terms in a visible way on the cards). The question in this case is:‘What are the major obstacles for young people to develop activities / to participate in youth work in my community?’

Advise: request the participants as well to work individual – instead of starting already a discussion…..After 15-20 min. ask the people to stop writing. Now everyone is invited to introduce his/her cards. The cards will be pinned on the board. If this introduction circle is finished the differentkey points should be ‘clustered’ in main subjects / titles. Ask the participants to support this process until the group is satisfied with the main ‘key points’.In order to support the ranking (priorities) distribute ‘sticker points’: everyone receives two sticker points (red colour) and is invited to glue the points on his/her favourite cards. The role: either to glue the 2 points on 2 different cards or to glue them on one card!Now there should be a visible ranking of the major problems / obstacles!

Split now the whole group into 2 or 3 working groups and choose the 2 or 3 most categorized topics / obstacles for the tasks. The next step for the working groups now will be a creative task: Ask them to raise their fantasy and to think about a symbol for their major obstacle / topic. For example: if one group’s major topic is ‘There is no space / no place for youth to meet…..’ let them draw this problem as a ‘tree’ or ‘bus’ or ‘house’ etc. The task can be expressed like:‘How looks the obstacle / problem like if it is a tree….(or bus, house, ship….)?’In this case the tree might not have enough water, leaves, is starving and thirsty……..The groups usually need half an hour for this creative step. Let them present and explain their creative works. The last step during this ‘critique phase’: the participants have to reflect how their ‘tree, bus, ship,house…’ should look like in order to have it complete and in a good shape!!! What is needed? What is to add? What to do?

Pin all paintings on the wall if this step is finished!

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Second day

‘Fantasy phase’: 3,5 hoursNow we enter the step of creating an utopia: mostly it is hard to escape from reality and to create a new way for our work. For a real ‘warming up’ in order to mobilize all our fantasy we start with a ‘crazy’ game: the ‘Inventor game’! The task for the participants is to create ‘A crazy innovative tool for youth work in Bethlehem / Jerusalem’. The participants will divide again in small groups and before starting to work out this crazy tool they will receive 10 different cards with terms from certain categories: materials,sensory perceptions, simple activities, objectives / things and characteristics / attitudes (see the attached page with the terms). Let the groups take 2 cards from every subject (2 x 5 = 10 cards). The terms on the cards should not be visible, so that they don’t know the terms before. Now the groups start their work. Usually the people start complaining about the crucial group of terms and that they are not compatible for one tool. Sometimes it needs some ‘push’ or some examples to raise the fantasy for this task.The groups have to use all 10 terms for their one tool / thing.They should present their ‘crazy tool for youth work’ also in a creative way: a picture, a model, a sketch……Hang the posters, drawings, models again in the room. Now the room looks already like an exhibition.

The group will continue now with the second part of this ‘Fantasy phase’: again in the small groups the participants have to start on working about ‘best ideas’ for the youth work. Therefore they receive specific tasks (put them in an envelope):

• ‘Active, creative, powerful & encouraging: an event for young people in Bethlehem / Jerusalem’

• ‘Active, creative, powerful & encouraging: the award 2007 for the best and innovative Youth project’

• ‘Active, creative, powerful & encouraging: a youth program for a new youth club’.

The groups have to collect in a brainstorming step at first the ideas for their tasks, then to developa first draft of the concept of this project– and at least they have to think about a visible way forthe presentation.You can also support the creativity for the presentation: distribute again another task for the presentation: the groups have to present their ideas as a ‘Talk show’ or as a ‘Publicity spot’ or as a speech (Laudatio for example).Create an appropriate atmosphere for the presentation.

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Implementation phase: 2 hoursBefore you switch from the ‘Fantasy phase’ to the ‘Implementation phase’ you should plan a real break with some snacks, drinks and relaxation.The main task now is to achieve ‘how to come from a vision to reality’!Let the groups answer the following questions:

• What is the core of this idea / project?• What is so attractive / new and important that we don’t want to ‘cancel’ it…?• What is not so important or less attractive / new?• What is unrealistic and not possible right now? Why not?• What are our suggestions for a starting point?

Now it’s up to the trainer to give an Input about ‘Project development’: you will find this shortintroduction in the following pages. After this introduction ask the participants to gather again in their groups and to specify now their idea / project in a detailed ‘project plan’.Important: the project plans have to include clear measurable steps and agreements (see also START in the Project development paper).

For the final closing and summing up the trainer should also prepare a nice creative way ofevaluation: one way is to express the viewpoints through ‘footsteps’. Therefore you have to cut out of coloured cartoons footsteps for all participants. The question for the feedback marks on the footsteps may be:

- ‘One concrete aspect you gained from this Future Workshop…..’ or:- ‘One important aspect you take home from this Future Workshop….’

Close this 2 days workshop with some sweets or something special!

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‘Raising creativity & fantasy’:the Inventor game in the Future Workshop

Simple Activities:to balanceto pushto raise/ to liftto limpto jumpto climbto paddleto runto slideto swingto staggerto pull

Sensory Perceptions:to winkto shoutto whisperto listento whistleto smellto sniffto screamto singto squintto speak/ to talkto feelto touchto caress

Different Materials:tree/branchbeamwireicesoilcolourfeather/fleecerock/stoneglass woodloammudmetalshellspearlssand

barkgravelclothwatercottonbrickscork

Characteristics / Attitudes:flat and crookedfine and coarsesmooth and roughtall and smallhard and softlight and darkhigh and lowloud and quietluxurious and thriftyopensimple and decoratedthin and largepointed/tippy and flatfast and slowheavy and lightbluntdry and humidfemale and malelarge and narrowsmall and bigdelicate and bulky

Objects / Things:carrod/poleexcavatorbankflowerdrill/gimletboatbusfireplacebottleaerostoolpillowcorkscrewcrane

stove/ovenpaddlestake/postwheelrocketoartoasterchaircouchthronecask/barreldrumstowerscalecart/wagontrain……….

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Project development

We speak about a project:

- if there is a clear and concrete description / definition of a goal- if a project has a starting point and an end- if the project is also calculated / financed

For a project is also needed:

- a clear project organization and responsibility- a plan, a frame and a timetable

What is a project – goal?

‘Who does not know, where to go to, should not be astonished, if he/she arrives at another - not expected place….’!

- Goals should be fixed in a written description - Goals should be measurable- Goals should be fixed in a timetable / schedule- Goals should be also flexible- Goals should be realistic and worthwhile- Goals should be accepted by the participants- Goals should be understandable and clear to the participants

Planning of a project

- Brainstorming of ideas / activities- Collection / Summary of activities / ideas- Looking to other existing experiences- ‘Decision making’: to decide about priorities- ‘Clustering’ of the planned project into parts- Defining the steps of the project / timetable- Concrete measures / activities of the steps- Defining the responsibilities- Agreements about: ‘Who, when, where, with whom, what is else needed……?’

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SMART

Defining the aim in a project plan

A common and helpful tool in defining an aim is the so called SMART structure:

• Specific: the objective needs to be described specifically and detailed.• Measurable: measuring the results of projects and activities remains difficult. Mostly this

remains a quantitative measure – but the steps of the project development should be visible and measurable.

• Attractive: the goal should be attractive and interesting for the participants as well for other involved persons. If the project aim looses the interest the people will drop out.

• Realistic: it will be very hard for the involved persons if the goal is not achievable and realistic.

• Timely: a clear timeframe has to be set. The involved people need to know their tasks and timeframes.

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A helpful raster for a project plan

Title of the project:

Goal and concrete activities: The target group:

My own contribution to the project: What I / we need to start and to do it:

1. Step:

2. Step

3. Step

4. Step

5. Step

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• Conflict Understanding / What is a conflict?• Communication and conflict• Patterns of behaviour in conflict situations• A method for Conflict transformation: Mediation• Exercises

Before introducing general principles of constructive conflict transformation and suggestingseveral exercises to this topic it is important to focus to the Palestinian context. As already mentioned in the introduction the Palestinian society is based on the principal of collectivity. For example, a representative of the collective takes the responsibility in case of a conflict. TheSulha, a traditional Middle Eastern method for conflict resolution, is rooted to this concept ofcollectivity and addresses the representatives. Women are usually excluded.This clear structured patriarchal approach makes it very difficult for people to express theirindividual needs and their feelings as well as assume individual responsibility. The maintenance of dignity and honour in public is another important factor what we have to take in consideration if we tackle with conflict management in the Palestinian context.The violence associated with the Israeli – Palestinian conflict deeply influences the whole society.The new generation of young people grew up with the wall and an increasing violence – also within peer groups and families. The violence that the majority of Palestinians experienced through the Israeli occupation and military confrontation effects the Palestinian society fromwithin.

Due to the daily confrontation with military violence and occupation the majority is sufferingfrom frustration, stress and trauma. Giving training about conflict transformation means to takethis fact into consideration: according to the still ongoing conflict trainers have to be aware andsensitive. It is always an ambivalent role for the trainer between being very careful and not forcing participants to deal with their own violent experiences - and supporting and empowering them that they are able to transform conflicts.A suitable definition of ‘conflict’ is not easily done: violence takes not only place in a visible waybetween two or more people, groups, organizations or communities. Violence can take place furthermore through one side which defines the other side as incompatible with their thoughts,values and intentions and starts interfering with its own thoughts and intentions. Sometimes people don’t define a conflict while others define the same situation as a clear conflict. Besidethe need to define if there is conflict among people, conflict transformation needs a clearaim. If for example participants expect to solve the Israeli – Palestinian conflict throughout atraining program frustration is not far. And a ‘win – win’ result is mostly the aim during a conflicttransformation processes – but this is also not always possible to achieve.

The differences between “competition” and “conflict”:

“Competition” usually brings out the best in people, as they strive to be top in their field, whetherin sport, community affairs, politics or work. In fact, fair and friendly competition often leads tonew sporting achievements, scientific inventions or outstanding effort in solving a communityproblem. When competition becomes unfriendly or bitter, though, conflict can begin - and thiscan bring out the worst in people.

PART

IV

The importance of Constructive ConflictTransformation

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Common causes of conflict:Causes or sources of organisational conflict can be many and varied. The most common causesare the following:

- scarcity of resources (finance, equipment, facilities, etc)- different attitudes, values or perceptions- disagreements about needs, goals, priorities and interests - poor communication - poor or inadequate organisational structure - lack of teamwork - lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities - Conflict between individual

People have differing styles of communication, ambitions, political or religious views anddifferent cultural backgrounds. In our tense society, the possibility of these differences leadingto conflict between individuals is always there, and we must be alert to preventing and resolvingsituations where conflict arises.Conflict between groups of people:Whenever people form groups, they tend to emphasise the things that make their group “better than” or “different from”other groups. This happens in the fields of sport, culture, religion and theworkplace and can sometimes change from healthy competition to destructive conflict.Conflict within a group of people:Even within one organisation or team, conflict can arise from the individual differences orambitions mentioned earlier; or from rivalry between sub-groups or factions. All leaders and members of the organisation need to be alert to group dynamics that can spill over into conflict.

How to identify signs and stages of conflict

“Disputes of right” and “disputes of interest”:Especially in the workplace, two main types of disputes have been noted (although these two types may also happen in other situations). These are:“disputes of right”, where people or groups are entitled by law, by contract, by previous agreement or by established practice to certain rights. Disputes of right will focus on conflict issues such asemployment contracts, legally enforceable matters or unilateral changes in accepted or customary practices. A dispute of rights is, therefore, usually settled by legal decision or arbitration and not by negotiation. “disputes of interest”, where the conflict may be a matter of opinion, such as where a person orgroup is entitled to some resources or privileges (such as access to property, better working conditions, etc). Because there is no established law or right, a dispute of interest will usually be solved through collective bargaining or negotiation.

Stages of conflict

The handling of conflict requires awareness of its various developmental stages. If leaders in thesituation can identify the conflict issue and how far it has developed, they can sometimes solveit before it becomes much more serious. Typical stages include:

- where potential for conflict exists - in other words where people recognise that lack ofresources, diversity of language or culture may possible result in conflict if people are notsensitive to the diversity;

- latent conflict where a competitive situation could easily spill over into conflict - e.g. at a

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political rally or in the workplace where there are obvious differences between groups ofpeople;

- open conflict - which can be triggered by an incident and suddenly become realconflict;

- aftermath conflict - the situation where a particular problem may have been resolvedbut the potential for conflict still exists. In fact the potential may be even greater thanbefore, if one person or group perceives itself as being involved in a win-loose situation.

Signs of conflict between individuals

In the organisation leaders and members should be alert to signs of conflict between colleagues,so that they can be proactive in reducing or resolving the conflict by getting to the root of theissue. Typical signs may include:

- colleagues not speaking to each other or ignoring each other - contradicting and bad-mouthing one another - deliberately undermining or not co-operating with each other, to the downfall of the

team

Signs of conflict between groups of people

Similarly, leaders and members can identify latent conflict between groups of people inthe organisation or the community and plan action before the conflict becomes open anddestructive:

- cliques or factions meeting to discuss issues separately, when they affect the wholeorganisation

- one group being left out of organising an event which should include everybody - groups using threatening slogans or symbols to show that their group is right and the

others are wrong

How to build teamwork and co-operation (…and so minimise the possibility of conflict)

Teamwork and co-operation are essential in an organisation which aims to be effective andefficient, and not likely to be divided by conflicting factions. The best teamwork usually comesfrom having a shared vision or goal, so that leaders and members are all committed to the same objectives and understand their roles in achieving those objectives. Important behaviours in achieving teamwork and minimising potential conflict include a commitment by team membersto:

- share information by keeping people in the group up-to-date with current issues - express positive expectations about each other - empower each other - publicly crediting colleagues who have performed well and

encouraging each other to achieve results - team-build - by promoting good morale and protecting the group’s reputation with

outsiders - resolve potential conflict - by bringing differences of opinion into the open and facilitating

resolution of conflicts

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How to manage and resolve conflict situations

Collective bargaining Especially in workplace situations, it is necessary to have agreed mechanisms in place for groups of people who may be antagonistic (e.g. management and workers) to collectively discuss and resolve issues. This process is often called “collective bargaining”, because representatives of each group come together with a mandate to work out a solution collectively. Experience has shown that this is far better than avoidance or withdrawal, and puts democratic processes in place to achieve “integrative problem solving”, where people or groups who must find ways ofco-operating in the same organisation, do so within their own agreed rules and procedures.

Conciliation The dictionary defines conciliation as“the act of procuring good will or inducing a friendly feeling”.Example: in South Africa labour relations legislation provides for the process of conciliation in the workplace, whereby groups who are in conflict and who have failed to reach agreement,can come together once again to attempt to settle their differences. This is usually attemptedbefore the more serious step of a strike by workers or a lock-out by management is taken; and it has been found useful to involve a facilitator in the conciliation process. Similarly, any other organisation (e.g. sports club, youth group or community organisation) could try conciliation as a first step.

The difference between negotiation, mediation, and arbitration

Three methods of resolving situations that have reached the stage of open conflict are oftenused by many different organisations. It is important to understand these methods, so thatpeople can decide which methods will work best for them in their specific conflict situation:

Negotiation: this is the process where mandated representatives of groups in a conflict situationmeet together in order to resolve their differences and to reach agreement. It is a deliberateprocess, conducted by representatives of groups, designed to reconcile differences and to reachagreements by consensus. The outcome is often dependent on the power relationship between the groups. Negotiations often involve compromise - one group may win one of their demands and give in on another. In workplaces Unions and management representative usually sue negotiations to solve conflicts. Political and community groups also often use this method.

Mediation: when negotiations fail or get stuck, parties often call in and independent mediator. This person or group will try to facilitate settlement of the conflict. The mediator plays an active partin the process, advises both or all groups, acts as intermediary and suggests possible solutions. In contrast to arbitration (see below) mediators act only in an advisory capacity - they have no decision-making powers and cannot impose a settlement on the conflicting parties. Skilledmediators are able to gain trust and confidence from the conflicting groups or individuals.

Arbitration: means the appointment of an independent person to act as an adjudicator (or judge) in a dispute, to decide on the terms of a settlement. Both parties in a conflict have to agree aboutwho the arbitrator should be, and that the decision of the arbitrator will be binding on them all. Arbitration differs from mediation and negotiation in that it does not promote the continuationof collective bargaining: the arbitrator listens to and investigates the demands and counter-demands and takes over the role of decision-maker. People or organisations can agree on having either a single arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators whom they respect and whose decision they will accept as final, in order to resolve the conflict.(inspired by Education & Training Unit Cape Town / South Africa)

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Basics assumptions for constructive conflict transformation

The following assumptions definethenatureofconstructiveconflicttransformation.Allmentionedaspects play an important role when learning about constructive conflict transformation andshould be promoted during a learning process. There is no particular order because all of them play an important role.

1) Work on Self – Awareness, Confidence and Respect for oneselfBeing aware about oneself, the personality, the weaknesses, the strengths, the reactions in various situations etc. is a crucial point for one’s own conflict transformation capacity. Throughawareness and reception of the feelings of oneself and others, of the own body and behaviour, a stable self – confidence is established. Especially for youth this is very important as their self– awareness is still in process of development. A positive image of oneself helps to break out of a vicious circle of negative enforcement in situations of conflict and violence.

2) Take responsibilityWe are all part of a system and therefore all actors within this system. This makes it actually impossible to think in categories of good and bad and right and wrong. We are part of each conflict that we get into and the violence around us. It might be hard to accept this but at thesame times opens many possibilities. Being part of a system means, that if we change, it also changes! Therefore it is crucial to assume responsibility for our situation and ourselves. If we keep on blaming the others to be responsible for our situation, nothing will change. Why should the others change things for us? Only if we take action and work on the situation ourselves things will start changing.

3) Be aware about the solution being with each one of usTeachers and counsellors cannot resolve the conflict for students! The solution is already with theconflict parties. A solution is only sustainable if it is in accordance with their needs. Usually, theconflict parties know best about their own needs. All it possibly needs is a facilitator to supportthe opponents in realizing their needs and finding their solution. This is where teachers andcounsellors play an important role.

4) Separate person and problemIt is important to separate problem and person. The aim is not to change the other person but to work on the problem. It is not that we dislike the person , much more, we dislike what he/she has done. Respect for the person enables us to work together on the problem rather than getting caught up in accusations and blaming.

5) Be aware about the existence of several truthsOur truth – or the way we perceive and explain reality – is certainly subjective, coined by our values, upbringing, and culture, political as well as historical background. There certainly is a truth of the other and maybe even a third party. Accepting the truth of the other however, does not mean to agree with. Yet, it is important to give empathy to others in order to understand where they are coming from.

6) Look for transformations to conflict beyond victory and defeatConstructive Conflict Transformation renounces violence as a way to deal with conflicts andsuggests looking for a solution beyond victory and defeat. That does mean one should remain passive or simply not use violence. It needs to be replaced by a very conscious action. The very common way of dealing with conflicts is to absolutely fight in order to achieve what we want.

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Mostly this happens at the expense of the other (win-loose). This approach is very aim-orientated: end the conflict, end the violence. It bars us from looking at the process: what are the interestsor needs behind the action of the other, what is the history of the conflict, what aspects areinvolved in the violence, what are the relationships? If we manage to step back from the victory – defeat approach, we are much more open to explore the backgrounds and achieve surprising solutions.

7) Understand conflict as an opportunity for change and growthIt seems hard to accept conflicts as a opportunity. However, first they have an indicator ofsomething that is not right. Thus, they can be understood as an opportunity for improvement. This helps us to look at the context of a conflict rather than just at our aim. It clearly depends onus if we make something of this opportunity or not.

8) Listen to and understand othersSuccess in conflict transformation is based on many things. One of them is the ability to receiveand name ones feelings and thoughts. On the other side, it is also important to be willing to listen carefully to others. The more the level of relationship is clarified the better a solution onthe formal level will be.

9) Work on cooperation and group buildingA well functioning group usually deals with conflicts in a constructive way. Therefore, it isimportant to work on building relationships within the group. There is a need to deal with issues like trust building and the ability to cooperate. Cooperation means working together on a common goal while letting go of individual and egoistic interests.

10) Be clear about the aimIt is not the aim to obliterate conflicts and not possible to make violence totally disappear.Constructive Conflict Transformation and non-violence is a way to deal with conflicts and to exita cycle of violence, not the solution. We should understand CCR not only as a tool. It needs to be filled with life every day. We also cannot change the whole world, not even the society. It isimportant to limit the work on a clearly limited task and group in order to achieve some concrete results. Constructive Conflict Transformation accordingly asks for a great deal of self-control,creativity and democratic abilities such as participatory decision making or accepting diversity as an opportunity of development, just to mention some of them. It also requires one to be able to deal with ambiguity and diversity. Common interest and responsibility should be in the center of a sustainable and future orientated conflict transformation. This does not mean thatsomeone who has not internalized all above listed points is incapable of dealing with conflict ina constructive way. Each one of them represents a building block and is part of a life long process of learning: Conflict Transformation is the way, not the solution.

(All basic assumptions inspired by: ‘Sabine Koerner, Monika Engel: Zivile Konfliktkultur undKonfliktmanagement’/ Germany 2001)

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Mediation

How to work as a mediator

An effective mediator needs certain skills in order to achieve credibility and results:- preferably a proven record of success in mediation or negotiation - the ability to gain the trust, acceptance and co-operation of conflicting parties- clear thinking in identifying the real problems and offering practical solutions- knowledgeable about the organisational structures, strategies and attitudes of the

conflicting parties; as well as any relevant laws or agreements- tactful and diplomatic with the necessary powers of persuasion and strong character to

nudge the participants progressively towards an agreement.

How to run a mediation process The mediation process can be broadly divided into the following three stages:

Stage 1: Introduction and establishment of credibility During the first stage, the mediator plays a passive role. The main task is to gain the trust andacceptance of the conflicting parties, so that they begin to believe that he/she will be capableof assisting them fairly as a person on whom they can rely at all times. An experienced mediator will leave most of the talking to the disputing parties, but will listen attentively and ask probing questions to pinpoint the causes of the dispute, obstacles to a possible settlement and to identify the issues in order of priority. Once credibility is achieved and sufficient background knowledgegained, the mediator may begin to persuade the parties to resume negotiations, possibly with a fresh perspective.

Stage 2: Steering the negotiation process In the second stage, the mediator intervenes more actively in steering the negotiations. He/she may offer advice to the parties, attempt to establish the actual resistance point of each partyand to discover areas in which compromises could be reached. The mediator will encourage parties to put forward proposals and counter-proposals and (when a solution appears feasible) will begin to urge or even pressurise the participants towards acceptance of a settlement.

Stage 3: Movement towards a final settlement An experienced mediator will know when to use diplomacy and when to exert pressure towards final settlement of the dispute. Timing and sensitivity to personalities and strategic positions isimportant to maintain credibility and avoid rejection by one or more parties in the process. He/she might use bi-lateral discussions with individuals or groups and during the final stages mayactually suggest or draft proposals for consideration. In the event of a final settlement beingreached, the mediator usually assists the parties in the drafting of their agreement, ensuring that both sides are satisfied with the wording, terms and conditions of the agreement.The process of mediation is dynamic and finely-tuned. A good mediator has to be flexible andinventive, must ensure that his/her personal values are not imposed on the conflicting parties.At most a mediator can advise, persuade or cajole them towards agreement.

Outline for a Mediation SessionThis is a session of at least 2 ½ hours. It is a suggested structure for a formal mediation session around a conflict between two organisations, parties or groups. You should be flexible when youstructure a mediation session, e.g. a more informal mediation, say between two neighbours, will need a different approach.

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In this session, remember that you may want to be flexible with time, for example to allow fortranslation, to allow each side time to caucus (speak among themselves) or to give the mediator time to meet both sides separately. It is always a good idea to structure a break in the mediation for people to have tea and get some fresh air. So, to allow for things like breaks, extra caucussing and translation, you should try to set aside about 4 hours for the mediation session.

1. Opening of Mediation: Welcome Introductions Agreeing to the rules and procedures

15 mins

2. Statement of Positions: Each side presents their position (their point of view) Summarise these positions from the chair Allow clarifying questions Allow responses

30 mins

3. Finding Common ground: What is each side prepared to do - ask for practical suggestions, possible solutions, etc Take responses to these suggestions Summarise common ground and add alternative solutions from the chair (Note: if there is very little common ground at this point, this might be a good time to speak to both sides separately)

30 mins

4. Reassessing Positions: Give both sides an opportunity to caucus on how they feel about suggested solutions

10 mins

5. Reaching Agreement: Ask each side to briefly restate their position and say what they fell aboutthe possible solutions Review the common ground and summarise any points of agreement from the chair Encourage agreement on the remaining points Record and read back whatever agreement is reached

30 mins

6. Closure of Mediation: Facilitate discussion on the way forward, including the enforcement, monitoring and publicising of the agreement, and the need for future meetings Thanks!

15 mins

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Mediation Guideline: Code of Conduct for Participants

During mediation you need some rules on how each side should behave, especially if there are a lot of people involved in the mediation. This is a checklist of rules and procedures which you can get each side to agree on before you start to run a mediation session. To save time, you can get the sides to agree on some of these issues before you start the formal medication sessions.

- Trust and respect for chairperson (i.e. the mediator) and the mediating team (if more that one person)

- Should there be translation and who should do it? - Is the venue secure and neutral? - Do the chairs and tables have to be re-arranged? - Size and leadership of delegations. - Should observers be allowed? - Agreeing to behave in a polite and disciplined way. - No blaming, verbal abuse or shouting. - No physical intimidation (e.g. pointing) and violence. - No presence and carrying of weapons. - Should smoking, drinking and eating be allowed? - No other distracting behaviour, e.g. caucussing while the other side is speaking. - How long should sessions be? - Equal time for each side to speak and who should speak first.- Opportunity to caucus and consult when necessary. - How should the mediation be minuted? - What parts of the discussion should be confidential?- How should the agreement be reported back to members? - Should the outcome of the mediation be publicised and how?

(inspired by Education & Training Unit Capetown / Southafrica)

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‘Crossing the line’

Goal: introducing exercise to handle conflicts

Duration: 30 min

Material: nothing special

Description:

Draw a line on the floor and ask the participants to divide into pairs and line up either side of theline facing each other. Tell them that the purpose is to win and they win by having the person on their side of the line. The Participants may use different methods such as:

- Pulling (competing)- giving in to the other person (accommodating)- not participating (avoiding)- standing with one foot on either side of the line (compromising)- going over to the one side and then to the other and so having both people on one side

then the other, rotating turns (problem solving / consensus).For the evaluation ask the participants how they feel with the different options and how theydiscover their own patterns of behaviour in difficult situations.

‘The sculpture’

Goal: using the body in a physical manner to express the understanding of a conflict

Duration: 30 min

Material: none

Description:

Give a short introduction about the ‘body sculpture’. Now you will be calling out a series of actions and that they have to move their body and should form a sculpture like these:Farm work, ballet dance, computer work, playing basket ball, walking slowly etc. The participants should practise a series of actions so as to familiarize them with body sculpture. After this warming up you start to introduce terms and actions related to conflicts: anger, violence, frustration,conflict etc. Ask the participants to look one after the other at the sculptures for conflict and letthem say what position they had taken. Discuss about what terms they usually use by differentcultures to define a conflict.

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‘A problem? A conflict? Or nothing at all?’

Goal: Reflecting and defining conflicts

Duration: 45 min

Material: prepared statements, tape and cards

Description:

Prepare a tape line on the floor: from one end to the other. One card with the term ‘Conflict’you have to fix at one end of the line, at the other end of the line you fix the card with the term‘Nothing at all’ – and in the middle you fix the card with the term ‘Problem’.Now you read the first statement / example of a possible conflict, problem or ‘nothing at all’. Theparticipants have to choose their place on the line without discussing among each other. They are invited to share with one sentence their decision – but they should not be forced to share. In the plenary session discuss about the different levels and individual perceptions of problemsand / or conflicts.

Examples:

1. You are together in a mixed group with Muslims and Christians, it’s Ramadan and you would like to drink a coffee and to eat a sandwich……

2. You are sitting in a seminar room and you are already waiting for the beginning since half an hour because of some still missed participants….

3. You are just crossing a square while a group of young men is screaming to each other and is starting to attack each other……….

4. You and your colleges are responsible for an event and you are always busy ‘running’ around while the others are drinking a cup of coffee…….

5. You are working with a youth group: you recognize that one girl of the group is sitting beside and that she tries to avoid her tears……

6. You want to start with new activities in your organization / center: but the majority of your group does not support your ideas and suggestions…….

7. You are standing in a cue for entering a bus, it’s very crowded and someone is pushing you to the side…….

8. You are standing in front of a school yard and you are witness how a teacher is beating a school boy…….

9. You spend a nice evening in a restaurant together with friends: suddenly the glass with red wine of your neighbour is falling right now on your new shirt….

10. Your friends decide to go one evening for a concert with a famous singer whom you also like very much, but this concert is definitely to expensive for you………..

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11. Your youth group want to go out for a day trip: you hear a girl saying to her girlfriend that she cannot participate because her father will not let her go…..

12. You are already late for coming home: it’s dark and you don’t feel comfortable with walking through the darkness home……

13. You observe children playing football: one boy is standing outside and you feel it is obvious, that he wants to play with the others…..but they don’t care about him…..

14. Your best friend just bought a wonderful new dress / coat (or something else) – you are a little bit jealous, but you can’t buy new clothes in the moment (because of less money…)

15. You are going to attend your exam: but the final result is a not as good as youexpected….

16. You want to meet in the evening with some friends: but your family (father/mother) wants you to stay at home…..

17. You are going to prepare your children- or youth group / activity: you hear from somebody that one Christian girl doesn’t come because of the Muslim majority in the group…..

18. You are passing the street and you recognize some kids struggling and screaming because of some sweets…..

19. You think about a scholarship for a study abroad: but your parents / family are afraid and they don’t want let you go……

20. You are entering the classroom and you just hear that somebody is talking about you and then immediately stops talking……..

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The ‚Iceberg – Model’

Goal: understanding and analysing conflicts

Duration: 1 hour

Material: this prepared paper with the model

Description:

Distribute this paper with the model of the ‘Iceberg’ and after introducing this model split the participants in small working groups: let them collect examples of own conflicts which theyhave to discuss and analyse through this model.

Visible Conflict behaviours………………….

Less visible or non-visible conflict behaviours…………(regarding to relations, structures, values, emotions, needs and interests…)

Conflict behaviour and conflict reasons are like an ‘Iceberg’: most of the reasons for problems orconflicts are not visible: they might have their origin in history, in perceptions, in different needsand interests…..etc. What we usually only see / perceive is just a small piece of possible reasons – often without knowing the ‘Why’!

Conflict---------------------

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The Triangle of Violence (Levels of violent Conflicts)

Goal: analysing violent conflicts

Duration: 1 hour

Material: the prepared page with the Triangle

Description:

The trainer distributes the page with the model after introducing the ‘Triangle of violence’ and the different levels of violent conflicts. In small working groups the participants have to discussand to analyse examples of known violent conflicts. Let them draw these examples within themodel on a large flipchart paper. The presentation will be in the plenary session.

Cultural (depends from Language, Religions, Traditions…)

- The Cultural level is always ‘working’ and present – but also in process. The cultural level acts direct and indirect and serves often to justify the latter form of violence. A possible definition of culture is a set of rules and customs that one learns early in life (for example theroles of men and women).

- The Personal level is acting in concrete situations / a visible incident for example. The actors are mostly clearly identifiable (perpetrator and victims).

- The Structural is a ‘working process’ and an indirect form of violence like discriminatory laws or social injustice.

Violence

Personal (depends from Biography, Culture, Needs….)

Structural (depends from Status, Functions, Laws….)

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Raster of behaviour in Conflict situations

Goal: reflecting patterns of behaviour in conflict situations

Duration: 1 hour

Material: the prepared raster and the prepared examples, tape

Description:

The trainer starts with an introduction of the typical patterns of behaviour in conflict situations.For the concrete exercise prepare with a tape a quarter on the floor of the room. At each corneryou have to fix a card with one of the patterns of behaviour. Now you start with the first exampleof a conflict and the persons have to move to the place, where they feel this is the ‘right’ placehow they would react in this situation. Let them shortly express the reason for their decision before you introduce the next example.

Fight: very often we ‘fight’ for being a ‘winner’ / avoiding to be a ‘looser’ (competition)

Escape: often we try to avoid a conflict and we escape of the situation…..

Stiffness / Sticking: often we stuck and we feel like ‘a mouse in a cage’…..

To face the conflict: if we face the situation we are aware about the conflict and we try totransform the conflict through talks, negotiations, mediation.

The Conflict

Fight Escape

Facing the Conflict

Sticking

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‘Patterns of behaviour’: to escape, to fight, to stick (stiffness) or to face the conflict!

Examples:

1. You are standing in a cue for entering a bus, it’s very crowded and someone is pushing you in a very unkind way to the side…….

2. You are standing in front of a school yard and you are witness how a teacher is beating a school boy…….

3. You spend a nice evening in a restaurant together with friends: suddenly the glass with red wine of your neighbour is falling right now on your new shirt….

4. Your friends decide to go one evening for a concert with a famous singer whom you also like very much, but this concert is definitely to expensive for you………..

5. Your youth group want to go out for a day trip: you hear a girl saying to her girlfriend that she cannot participate because her father will not let her go…..

6. You are already late for coming home: it’s dark and you don’t feel comfortable with walking through the darkness home……but your friend says: ‘Come on, let’s go…!’

7. You are in the middle of a ‘heating’ discussion and suddenly someone starts to attack another person in an aggressive way…..

8. You are joining the campus of the university and you see a ‘brand new’ painted graffitiwith a very discriminating caricature – it touches you in a negative way….

9. You are witness of a really bad situation in your neighbourhood: a man is screaming and attacking his wife…….

10. Your community or neighbourhood faced in the last weeks several burglaries: you saw just by chance in one situation a guy you know….

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‘Transforming a conflict’

Goal: transforming a conflict through concrete exercises

Duration: 1,5 hours

Material: prepared examples

Description:

Before the group has to work on concrete examples hand out and introduce the following raster of Conflict Analyses and Conflict Transformation way:

• Conflict Analyses: - What is the content of the conflict? What are may be contradictions or different

interests? - What are the patterns of behaviour of the different ‘conflict sides’? How do they act?- Was there also some kind of oppression or violence involved? How are the perceptions

of the ‘other side’?

• Conflict Transformation- Suggestions where the different involved‘sides’/ persons can keep somehow their needs

(so that they don’t have to give up all…) – and where they don’t have to loose their ‘face’.

- Suggestions where is no oppression or violence involved. - Different alternatives and models for possible solutions.

Ask the participants to split in smaller working groups. Hand our two or three examples for every group and let them work out the possible conflict transformations. The presentation of the casesshould be visible on flipchart paper.Evaluation: how was it? How difficult is it to switch to other options and perspectives beside thetypical and common behaviours?

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Examples / Cases for the Exercises

1. ‘Freedom of expression’: you are one of the representatives in the student union – you have to decide about a controversial case. The question is regarding the graffitis outside of thecampus on the wall, if everything should be allowed to express in drawings - or if there should be defined a ‘limit’ (the ‘red line’)?

2. The majority of the Palestinian population is younger than 25 years (65 % ): to take this fact in consideration there should be an appropriate representation and participation of this age in all relevant decision making (government, laws etc.).

3. The state may regulate marriages of individuals regarding age and ‘roles’: not under the age of 18 years and parents are obliged to agree to the marriage – that means they can give a ‘veto’ if they don’t agree…..

4. You are invited in a workshop for teachers about student rights: whether students should be allowed to select the courses that interest them – or teachers should make the schedule because of their knowledge and experiences.

5. You are part of a student group: nice people and you like to spend also your leisure time in this group. You are asked by another student, he / she wants to be part of this group as well. But you know that some people don’t like him so much and you feel ‘in between’…….

6. Weapons in this society and country are almost present, young kids (specially male kids) receive plastic guns or pistols as gifts very often……and meanwhile several dangerous incidents happened because of ‘mixing up’ the situation through soldiers for example……Do you think to ‘ban’ or to forbid plastic guns / pistols are a suitable solution?

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‘The place of my dreams.......’

Goal: dealing with different needs of others, working on compromises and solutions

Duration: 1,5 hours

Material: papers in sizes of DIN A 4 and DIN A 3, colour pens, glue and scissors

Description:

This exercise trains the participants in compromising and decision making. It will run in 4 steps.Everyone receives a DIN A 4 paper and colour pens: now the participants have to draw their individual ‘place of my dream’ (a room, a house, a garden…). In the second step the whole group will be divided in small groups of 4-5 participants. Now they become challenged: they have to transfer all their spaces (‘place of dreams’) together on one DIN A 3 paper. They are allowed to use the scissor in order cut their own papers and to glue. They are not allowed to ‘build’ outside the DIN A 3 paper. The participants of the groups have to explain and to share at first their different‘places of dreams’: if there are things, they don’t want to miss, if there are things, they are willing to take off. They have to discuss and to negotiate before finalizing their new common ‘place ofdreams of the group’. The third step will bring a new challenge: now the two different groups are meeting. Furthermorethey have to find another compromise between them: the two group results will be introducedto each other at first in order to discuss possibilities of sharing and compromising. The sameroles: only one new paper, scissor and glue – without building outside the paper…..The main goal is again to find a compromise where everyone feels ‘okay’ with…

The last step, the plenary session should raise the following questions:- How easy or how difficult was it to come to compromises?- How much did you have to give up? Did you have to give up also essential needs?- Could everybody participate in an equal manner? Was there a decision maker? - How was the step between the small groups and the last final group? How did the groups

deal with their results? Was one group stronger than the other group?

For this exercise the trainer should bring some experiences in conflict transformation and groupdynamics.

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‘Conflict transformation through statue theatre’

Goal: recognizing own conflict skills and transforming a conflict through theatre

Duration: 1-2 hours

Material: none

Description:

What is a statue theatre?Augusto Boal is a Brazilian dramatist and has invented the method of ‘statue theatre’. It consists of a variety of pantomimes designed to express certain issues. This can be a conflict, a social orcultural phenomena etc. However this method is based on pantomime with acting and changing situations – beside talking. It needs a number of people to perform a certain situation by this statue theatre. It is like a theatre sketch that froze at the point of highest tension.

Exercise:The participants split into two groups. Each group thinks about one specific situation of conflictbehaviour. Both groups work out through the method of statue theatre the conflict situationin order to present this example later to the others. The statue can consist of one, two or more persons. That person whose situation was chosen should not be part of the statue, but he/she has to ‘model’ the statue. Now the first group presents their statue while the other participants walk around and observe.During their observations they have to behave quiet. Now they sit down and give their feedback about what they saw / see. The trainer asks now the actors what they represent and how they feel. Also the person who introduced the example gives a feedback. The last step is a short flashlight concerning suggestions for possible other options of behaviourof this conflict situation.Now it’s the turn of the second group – in the same way. In the whole plenary the participants should reflect their typical patterns of behaviour in conflictsituations and how they can improve other options of solving a conflict.

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Evaluation

Example:

My general opinion about all sessions / topics / content of the whole training:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (make a cross: 10 is the highest level)

Which 3 topics or sessions did you find most useful:

1 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Which 3 topics or sessions did you find less / not useful:

1 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

My opinion about the methods and the facilitation:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (make a cross: 10 is the highest level)

What are the skills you could develop from this course:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

My opinion about the group and the group work (cooperation among the group):

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (make a cross: 10 is the highest level)Are you satisfied about your own contribution to the training program / process (Self-perception):

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Appendix

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What could you take or learn also from the group:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Some special experiences during this course (may be something what impressed you very much….or you didn’t expect):

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Your additional advises or ideas for a next training course and/or what could be improved better:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Something what you would like to continue or you wish as a Follow-up:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Thank you for your contribution!

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Sources and Inspirations:

• ‚Constructive Conflict Transformation’ by Stephan Clauss (MEND and Kurve Wustrow),Ramallah 2006

• ‘Zivile Konfliktkultur und Konfliktmanagement’ by Sabine Koerner / Monika Engel / Germany 2001

• ‚Violence, Peace and Peace Research’, Johan Galtung, London 1996

• Education & Training Unit (ETU) Capetown / Southafrica

• ‘Konflikte selber loesen - Mediation fuer Jugendarbeit und Schule’ / Verlag an der Ruhr,Germany 1996

• ‘The Future Workshop’ by Heino Apel / Deutsches Institut fuer Erwachsenenbildung 2004

• Datenbank Internationale Jugendarbeit (dija) 2002

• ‚Palestinian Youth: Politics of the Possible’ by Dr. Norma Masriyyeh (Bethlehem University) in ‘This week in Palestine’ July 2006

• and various unpublished Training material from the ‘LidiceHaus Bremen’ (Anette Klasing & colleagues) Germany

Literature:

• ‘Constructive Conflict Transformation’ by Stefan Clauss (MEND), Ramallah 2006

• ‘Working with Conflict – Skills & Strategies for Action’ by S. Fisher & others, UK 2003

• ‘Zivile Konfliktkultur und Konfliktmanagement’ by Sabine Koerner / Monika Engel / Germany 2001

• ‚Konflikt selber loesen – Mediation fuer Jugendarbeit und Schule’ / Verlag an der Ruhr,Germany 1996

• Education & Training Unit / ETU Capetown / Southafrica.www.etu.org.za

• ‘Peace by peaceful means. Peace and Conflict, Development and Civilisation’ by JohanGaltung, London 1996

• ‘Pedagogy of the Suppressed,’ Paulo Freire / 2000

• ‘Internationale Jugendarbeit’ – Datenbank: www.dija.de

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AcknowledgementsA number of colleagues, friends and networks accompanied and supported my work and my time in Bethlehem / Palestine. Special thanks I like to express to:

• The International Center Bethlehem / Dar Annadwa: Dr. Mitri Raheb and the whole stafffor their hospitality, professional advices and support

• The Willy Brandt Center Jerusalem: Heike Kratt (Coordinator) and Inken Wiese (Board) for their continual support, advices and trust

• The Forum Civil Peace Service: Rainer Zimmer-Winkel for organizing the important frames, networks and counselling

• The participants of the various groups: for their trust, patience and comments

• Tamara Kharroub and Sami Ghazaleh for their support and translations in the firsttraining group

• Christa Seidenstuecker for her support during the writing process

• Mr. Ghazaleh for the translation from English to Arabic

• David Nour for the Design of the Manual

• My colleagues of the ‘LidiceHaus Bremen’ and my partner Willi Derbogen from ‘Arbeit & Leben’: they supported my decision to work as a Civil Peace Servant in Bethlehem and visited with seminar groups the ICB.