Child to child guide

CtCtC

Child-to-Child:A Practical GuideEmpowering Children as Active Citizens

Authors: Sara Gibbs, Gillian Mann and Nicola Mathers

Cartoons: Angela Martin

Contact address: Sara Gibbs, St Giles Hospital, St.GilesRoad, Camberwell, London, SE5 7RN

Email: [email protected] /[email protected]

Website: www.lslhaz.org.uk / www.haznet.org.uk /www.child-to-child.org

CtCtC

ISBN Number: 0-9542671-1-7

Date: May 2002

Designed and typeset by Upstream (TU) A workers’ Co-operative 020 7207 1560

This manual is copyright free. Please feel free to photocopy and use.We ask that you reference the source if quoting the text in furtherpublications.

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Acknowledgements:

This manual is one of the outcomes of the Child-to-Child (CtC)initiative in South London. This three year CtC pilot project wasinitiated by Community Health South London NHS Trust and fundedby the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Health Action Zone(LSLHAZ). It was set up to develop and promote the use of Child-to-Child locally.

The authors, employees of Southwark Primary Care Trust andGroundwork Southwark, are very grateful to both the LSLHAZ and theKings Fund for providing grants towards the cost of the manual. Anyviews expressed in this publication are those of the authors and notnecessarily those of the Kings Fund or the Health Action Zone, whichare not responsible for them.

The methodology outlined here draws on the experience of Child-to-Child programmes both nationally and internationally. The work ofSue Occlestone, based in Manchester, England and of Child-to-Child/ Youth-to-Youth programmes in Canada (special thanks to Erin Smithof Save the Children, Canada) has been particularly influencial.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the children,facilitators and others in the community who have been involved inprojects run in South London in 2000 and 2001. Their ideas andactions have been inspirational and it is their work and commentsabout projects that are reflected in the text.

Finally our most grateful thanks to all those who read and made veryhelpful suggestions about drafts of the manual: Matt Dickson, SarahEvans, Mary Gibbs, Ken Gibbs, Jenny Harrison, Ros Healy, RebeccaMcConnell, Jenny Rankin and Christine Scotchmer.

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11..00 CChhiilldd ttoo CChhiilldd:: WWhhaatt iiss iitt??Child-to-Child (CtC) is an approach to health promotion andcommunity development that is led by children. It is basedon the belief that children can be actively involved in theircommunities and in solving community problems. CtCprojects involve children in activities that interest, challengeand empower them. In so doing, the approach "encouragesand enables children to play an active and responsible rolein the health and development of themselves, other children,their families and communities".1

In CtC projects, "health" is defined in broad terms andrefers to an individual’s overall sense of physical, mental,emotional and social well-being. "Community health" and"community development" refer to efforts made to improvethe physical, social, economic, political and environmentalconditions in which people live.

CtC projects aim to achieve positive change on three levels:

1. Communal impact on families, children, localprofessionals and others, including increased knowledgeand positive changes in health attitudes and behaviours,well as improved relations between adults and childrenor institutions and children.

2. Personal impact on children involved in the project,including increased knowledge and skills, improved self-confidence, and the development and strengthening offriendships and other relationships.

3. Professional impact on facilitators, including increasedrespect for children’s ideas and abilities and increaseduse of child-centred learning and teaching methods.

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1 Child to Child Trust, 2001. www.child-to-child.org.uk/whatwedo

Table of Contents

1.0 Child-to-Child (CtC): What is it? 1

2.0 Who is this Manual For? 3

3.0 History of CtC 6

4.0 Pillars of CtC 7

5.0 Facilitation of CtC 10

6.0 Overview of the 6 Steps of CtC 136.1 Step 1: Group Work 176.2 Step 2: Our ideas 226.3 Step 3: Choose an Issue 266.4 Step 4: Find Out More 326.5 Step 5: Plan and Take Action 396.6 Step 6: Think it Over 44

7.0 What If’s… 49

8.0 Tough Questions to ask Yourself 53

9.0 Setting up a CtC Project 55

10.0 Tools and Techniques for Evaluation 5810.1 Evaluation Tools 6010.2 Reflection Tools 68

11.0 Games 71

12.0 Reading List and Additional Resources 83

13.0 Sample Lesson Plans 85

Some of the intended results of the CtC approach:

3 children feel more able to tackle community problems

3 children feel better about themselves

3 children work better in groups

3 children know more about their chosen issue

3 children and adults communicate more openly with oneanother

3 children being more likely to speak out about issues ofconcern to them

3 children know more about resources and services thatexist in their community

3 the community being more open to listening and involvingchildren

3 family and community respecting children’s ideas andcapabilities

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22..00 WWhhoo TThhiiss MMaannuuaall iiss FFoorr aannddHHooww iitt CCaann bbee UUsseedd

This manual is intended for use by anyone who is interestedin starting a CtC project in their:

3 school

3 neighbourhood

3 community group

3 environmental group

3 after-school club

3 church group

3 health centre

3 youth centre

3 holiday play scheme

3 supplementary school

CtC projects have taken place in all of these differentsettings. In the UK, teachers, school nurses, youth workers,parents, community development officers and child careproviders have used the CtC approach to support children,aged 9-13 years old, in developing and initiatingcommunity projects and awareness campaigns about issuesof concern to them. For a group of around 30 children wehave found 3-5 adult facilitators optimum, as the facilitatorscan then provide more focused support during small groupwork.

This manual can be used to help you set up a project (seesection 9.0), plan the sessions, overcome problems andbarriers if and when they arise. It can also help you achieveyour priorities:

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empowering because it enables children themselves to selecttheir own priority issues. In this way, CtC projects canbroaden community dialogue and include the views ofchildren in significant and important ways.

It is our hope that this manual will evolve, and that users willlet us know what information needs clarification and whatadditional information is required. We will then incorporatesuggestions and update the manual with each new printing.Please let us know what improvements can be made so thatit can be as useful as possible.

Email us at [email protected] and let us know whatyou think.

Teachers can use the CtC approach to achieve manyCitizenship and Personal Hygiene and Social Educationobjectives. CtC activities can also be integrated into othersubject specific teaching, particularly English (Speaking andListening and Literacy Hour) and Numeracy.

School Nurses can use the CtC approach to further theirgoals of health promotion and education about issues suchas nutrition, healthy lifestyles, community development andrelationships.

Youth Workers, Community Development Officers andChild Care Providers can use the CtC approach to engagewith children on issues of concern to them and to activelyinvolve them in the development of solutions to communityproblems.

Parents can use the CtC approach to strengthen theirrelationships with their own and other children, to learnmore about classroom activities and learning methods, andto have fun and learn alongside children.

This manual outlines a structured process for working withchildren on projects that are child initiated and led. It isdeliberately structured in a broad manner in order thatchildren’s ideas and concerns form the framework withinwhich CtC projects take place. As adults, we often askchildren what they think about particular issues, but rarelydo we step back and ask them what things matter most tothem, what they think are the most pressing problems intheir community, and how they would like to be involved insolving them.

The CtC process outlined in this manual provides us with thetools to ask these more general and important questions.While CtC projects sometimes focus on specific issues suchas smoking, drug abuse and environmental care, we believethat the open nature of the CtC process is useful and

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44..00 PPiillllaarrss ooff CCttCCTwo main pillars underlie the CtC process and its associatedactivities as we have used them in London: namely populareducation and child participation.

Popular education, or education for social change, is oneof the key theoretical pillars underlying the CtC approach. Firstarticulated by Paolo Friere in his literacy work with Brazilianpeasants, popular education has been used in both poor andrich countries as a tool to raise people’s awareness of howtheir personal experiences are linked with larger socialproblems. As an educational approach, it helps us to makesense of the world around us by placing our understandingand experience at the heart of learning. It is not about learning"expert knowledge" from others. Instead, it is about buildingon the knowledge that we already have to address issues thatare relevant to us. In this way, learning becomes easy.

33..00 BBrriieeff HHiissttoorryy ooff CChhiilldd ttooCChhiilldd

The CtC approach to health educationwas first introduced in 1978, followingthe Alma Ata Declaration on PrimaryHealth Care and in preparation for theInternational Year of the Child. It wasdeveloped by a team of health andeducation professionals at the Universityof London, with advice from prominent

international advisors, as a way for school-aged children tolearn about and pass on basic health messages to theirpeers and younger siblings. The underlying premise of theapproach is that children, if given the opportunity, can makeimportant contributions to the health and well-being ofthemselves and others. Today, it is estimated that more than250 CtC projects have taken place in more than 70countries worldwide.

Initially, CtC activities were designed for children in theworld’s poorest countries and were focused on primaryhealth care issues such as malaria and diarrhoea. However,by the early 1990s, recognition of the flexibility andappropriateness of the approach for children in othercontexts led to the adaptation and implementation of CtCprojects in Manchester, UK. In 1999, the National HealthService (NHS) chose to build upon this global and nationalexperience and to launch the first CtC projects in London.This work has taken place under the auspices of the HealthAction Zone of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham and todate projects have taken place in primary and secondaryschools, after-school clubs and summer play schemes. Thismanual is based on the experience of the first two years ofthis programme.

To be genuine and effective, child participation meanslistening to children and respecting their views and the wayin which they choose to express them. It involves recognisingand nurturing their strengths, interests and abilities throughthe provision of meaningful opportunities to contribute to theirown development and that of their peers, families andcommunities. In this way, child participation encouragesmutual learning between children and adults as well as theestablishment of respectful relationships across generations.

Adults have a crucial role to play in the promotion andfacilitation of child participation. If children are truly tobenefit from their involvement in community health anddevelopment activities then they need the support andguidance of caring adults who wish to ensure that childrenhave every opportunity to develop to his or her fullpotential. Children gain immense confidence andexperience from adults who are willing to facilitate theprocess of participation and to provide children with thetools they need to learn and contribute to their community.

Popular education is about people learning from oneanother. It is based on learners’ concerns and involves themin choosing what and how to learn. It is an educationalmodel in which there are no "experts" and everyoneteaches and everyone learns.

CtC is based on this model of learning. The approachbegins by drawing out children’s experiences and lookingfor shared patterns of experience and knowledge. Newinformation and ideas are then explored and integrated.Children practice various life skills (e.g. decision making,communication, team work), plan for and take action andthen reflect on what they have learned and how things havechanged as a result of their work. In this way, the CtCapproach facilitates children’s empowerment and inclusionin efforts to make a difference in the world around them.

Child participation is the second theoretical pillar of theCtC approach. In its broadest sense, child participationrefers to children playing a meaningful role in the worldaround them.

The principle of child participation is firmly rooted in theUnited Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC),which asserts that children have the right to participate as fullmembers of society. In short, the CRC recognises that childrenare not merely "adults in training", but people who are able toform and express opinions, to participate in decision-makingprocesses and to influence solutions. This recognition thatchildren have the right to be involved in decisions that affectthem means that community development programmes need tolearn from and engage with children on issues of concern tothem. This process involves children identifying problems intheir community and working to solve them. This view thatchildren have a valuable contribution to make to theimprovement of their communities underlies the CtC approach.

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55..00 FFaacciilliittaattiioonn ooff CCttCCAs mentioned above, facilitation is animportant component of the CtC approach.The term "facilitation" comes from theFrench word facile, which means easy. Thejob of a facilitator is to make a processeasy for a group by planning in advance,listening well, and being flexible.

In CtC projects, adults support and guidechildren through the 6-step process. In so doing, facilitators’efforts are less focused on giving children new informationand facts and more on empowering them to learn through asystematic process. The role of a facilitator is thereforecritical to the CtC approach. Facilitators need to:

3 listen carefully to children

3 take children’s opinions and experiences seriously

3 be flexible

3 be open and approachable

3 give time to the process

3 guide and encourage

3 consider children’s needs

3 keep a sense of humour

3 be patient

3 be creative

3 be democratic

3 listen to criticism

3 provide concrete opportunities

3 give regular feedback

3 share power

3 learn from mistakes

66..00 OOvveerrvviieeww ooff tthhee 66 SStteeppss ooffCCttCC

The Child to Child approach consists of 6 steps that followone another in sequence:

SStteepp 11:: GGrroouupp WWoorrkk

The CtC process begins with ice-breaker activities and co-operative games which build on the children’s group workskills and provide an opportunity to explore issues such astrust and the value of listening to others’ points of view. Thegames and activities in this step are designed to be fun andinformal discussions about them prepare the groundwork forthe rest of the project. The activities used in Step 1are a

Some teaching and learning is about an 'expert' givingknowledge to those who don't have it:

In CtC, teaching and learning is about everyone learningfrom each other:

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leaflets, drama, puppet shows, etc). After they have decidedupon their message and target audience, and planned theiraction, they go out and do it!

SStteepp 66:: TThhiinnkk iitt OOvveerr

Children evaluate the CtC process and activities at everystage in the six step cycle. Nevertheless, the final step isexplicitly intended to provide an opportunity for the childrento reflect on the process, what they have learned, what theyhave achieved, what they would do differently next timeand how they might sustain the action they have taken andbuild on the skills they have learnt. Project workers andothers, such as parents and teachers, who have beeninvolved in the process also contribute to the evaluation ofCtC projects.

BBeeffoorree yyoouu ssttaarrtt

Before beginning a CtC project, it is necessary to haveexplained the process to the children that you work with.Children, like adults, work better when they have an idea ofthe whole picture. It is helpful to discuss not only theimportant role that children can play in their communities,but also the other things that are possible in the project,such as:

3Working together

3Making a difference… and feeling good about it

3 Team spirit!

3Adults listening and learning from children

3Having fun!

Once the children have a good sense of what the project isabout, and have had a chance to ask any questions theymight have, it is best to give them the opportunity to say

valuable part of each step in the CtC process as they helpto ensure the ongoing comfort and co-operation of thegroup.

SStteepp 22:: OOuurr IIddeeaass

Facilitators ask children a focused question about the healthissues that they are concerned about or about the problemsthat they see in their community. Children then share withone another a whole range of issues and these arerecorded and then discussed.

SStteepp 33:: CChhoooossee aann IIssssuuee

From the list of issues generated in Step 2, children prioritiseone or two issues that they feel are most important andrelevant to them.

SStteepp 44:: FFiinndd OOuutt MMoorree

Once the children have decided on an issue, the next step isto find out what they already know about the subject andwhat additional information they would like to know.Children decide how to gather the required information.Examples include interviews with "experts", telephone calls,visiting libraries, conducting surveys and many otherapproaches. Throughout this step, children are supported inrecording the information that they gather so that they canuse it in their action plans.

SStteepp 55:: PPllaann aanndd TTaakkee AAccttiioonn

Drawing on the information that they have gathered in Step4, children decide how best to address the issue or situationthat they have chosen. There is a range of strategies thatthey might choose, including hands-on activities (e.g.clearing litter or building a play structure) and/ordissemination of health messages (e.g. through song, rap,

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66..11 SStteepp 11:: GGrroouupp WWoorrkkThis step is about:

✔ getting to know each other✔ understanding what the project is all about✔ having fun!✔ sharing feelings✔ group work ✔ listening skills✔ getting comfortable with the CtC process

This step is designed to lay the foundation on which the restof the project will be built. One of the core aims of the CtCapproach is to strengthen children's life skills, of whichgroup work and exploring feelings are an essential part.Also, as much of the CtC process is based on group work, itis important that children learn these skills from the verybeginning and that they come to understand the CtCprocess and its 6 steps. Games, activities and discussionform the basis of this step.

There is a good range of resources available oncooperative games. You or the children may know somealready. Be creative! Using games that children alreadyknow can build their confidence and set the tone of mutuallearning that is an important part of the CtC process. Askthe children to teach you the games they like best and withtheir help, alter them if need be. All of the games andactivities listed are explained in detail in Section 11.

Activities and Games to Build Co-operation: Thesegroup work games can be a powerful tool for learning. Besure to discuss them with the children in order to reflect onthe things that helped - or hindered – their ability to worktogether during the game. The importance of skills they usedsuch as listening to each other, taking part, andcompromising can be highlighted.

whether or not they want to take part. In some settings suchas drop-in centres and after-school programmes it isimportant to gain their consent. In schools it is often notpossible to provide children with other activities on aregular basis. You can, however, ask the children whetherthey think the project sounds of interest to them and whetherthey have reservations about any aspect of it. If they do it isimportant to ask them what they think could be done toimprove it. It is also important they know that if they don'twant to take part in particular activities they don't have to,and that as facilitators you want to hear their ideas abouthow to make the project as fun and as engaging aspossible.

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Activities and Games for getting comfortable withthe process: It is important early on to check that everyoneknows what the project is all about and feels comfortablewith it. It may be helpful, for instance, to revisit thediscussion you had before the project started and to outlinethe six steps of the CtC process. If the young people don'tknow each other, name games can be helpful. Activities thatallow the young people to establish ownership of the projectare also important. Giving children the opportunity to namethe project, for instance, works well.

Establishing 'Ground rules' or a 'Guide for working together'is a helpful way of concluding Step One. The children'sreflections on what helped and hindered their co-operationduring the games can be used as a basis for the guide /rules. This can be referred to throughout the course of theproject as an aid to group work during the sessions.

See section 11, page 71 for a description of these groupwork games:

MMooddeell MMaakkiinngg TThhee kknnoott ggaammee

PPooiinnttss ooff ccoonnttaacctt PPaarraacchhuuttee ggaammeess

Activities and Games for expressing feelings: Asthe project will focus on issues of importance to the children,it is best that the group is comfortable talking about theirfeelings from the beginning. Sometimes children choosedifficult and emotive topics on which to work. Having hadthe chance to practice expressing difficult and sensitivefeelings, to explore the different ways in which peoplecommunicate and to get to know more about each other,can help if difficult issues arise throughout the CtC process.

See section 11, page 71 for details of these games:

FFeeeelliinnggss cchhaarraaddeess FFeeeelliinnggss ddiicceePPeerrssoonnaall ppoosstteerr

BBooddyy llaanngguuaaggee CChhaannggiinngg ppllaacceess

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EEvvaalluuaattiioonn QQuueessttiioonnss::

3 Refer back to lesson aims - did we cover what we said wewould?

3 If an aim was to learn something about working together -did they?

3What did the children like most, and least, and why?

3Did the children listen well to one another? Why / whynot?

3Did the children feel listened to by their peers andfacilitator(s)?

TToouugghh QQuueessttiioonnss ttoo aasskk YYoouurrsseellff::

3Do the children know what the project is about?

3Did I help the children select their own name for theproject?

3Have I made it clear that this project is about thechildren's ideas, not mine?

3Am I willing to hand over decision-making to the children?

3Do I feel comfortable letting the children come up with theideas?

3Am I able to let go of the control and let the process bedirected by the children?

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3 It is helpful to have a plan for the day written up for

everyone to see. It gives the groups a sense of structure

and can be useful to go back to at the end of the session

to establish what has been achieved.

3 f you run out of ideas for games, ask the children for their

suggestions

3Debriefing the games is essential to draw out the key

learning points. But don’t overdo it – it can get boring!

3Often working in a big group can be difficult and breaking

it down into smaller groups may be a good idea. There

are many ways to divide a large group up into smaller sub-

groups. See page 81 for some fun suggestions.

3 For the groups that finish their activities first, it is good to

have another activity to do whilst the others are finishing.

3At later stages in the CtC process, you may want to refer

back to some of the games that you played at the

beginning of the project, or play new ones, in order to

draw out particular concerns or issues, such as and

listening and compromising.

HHeellppffuull HHiinnttss

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think, ‘if only we could change that, this would be abetter, happier and healthier place to live?’"

In a large group: Ask for and write down - so thateveryone can see - all the young people's suggestions.

NNBB:: The advantage to this method is that all the childrenhear all the other children's ideas, it doesn't take verylong (half an hour maximum) and does not require verymany materials. Some children may, however, not feelable to contribute in a large group because they maybe shy or uncomfortable sharing their ideas out loud. Ifthis is the case, try doing the activity in small groups.

In small groups: One method you could try is to askeach young person to write down every problem theythought of on a separate piece of card, writing on as manypieces of card as they want. The young people can thenstick the cards down on a large piece of poster paper andgive the poster a title. These posters can be displayed sothat everyone can circulate and look at the issues raised.

NNBB:: The advantage to this small group method is that thechildren may feel more able to contribute their ideas.Remember, though, working in small groups does takelonger and requires materials such as small pieces ofcard, markers, glue, scissors, pens, and poster paper.

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66..22 SStteepp 22:: OOuurr iiddeeaassThis step is about: ✔ Children voicing their concerns ✔ Getting out all the children's ideas about a particular

topic✔ Having fun!

The purpose of this step is to provide children with anopportunity to say what they think are key issues of concernin their community. Which question is asked at this stage isvery important because it will influence the responses thatchildren give. For example, if you ask them what are theproblems associated with drug abuse, you will elicit anarrower range of responses than if you ask the childrenabout the key problems in their neighbourhood.

Many people are concerned that a broad question will bedifficult for the children to answer or that it will elicit toomany or too broad a range of issues. Our experience is thatchildren welcome a broad question. They have clear ideasabout the problems in their community. Their views mayreflect concerns that defy adults' expectations andassumptions. You can ask a broad or more narrowlyfocused question - but remember this sets the whole projectin motion.

Ask children to reflect on issues of concern to them and toshare these with the group. This can be done in a largegroup or in smaller groups. We have found one techniquethat works well is visualisation. You may want to play somemusic, whilst asking the children to:

"…. Imagine that you are about to go to sleep. Foldyour arms, put your head on the table and close youreyes. As you lie there you are thinking back overyour day - about your home, your school, yourcommunity. What are some of the problems that you

QQuueessttiioonnss ffoorr eevvaalluuaattiioonn::

3Did all children participate? Why/Why not?

3How did the children feel about the activities?

3Did the activities encourage dialogue and sharing in thegroup? Why/Why not?

3Did the activities cause tension in the group? Why/Whynot?

EExxaammpplleess

We have found that most children are not short of ideas!Pages and pages of ideas can often be generated. Thefollowing is a typical range of the ideas generated byprimary school children in South London:

TToouugghh QQuueessttiioonnss ttoo aasskk YYoouurrsseellff ::

3Can I hold back my ideas and listen to what the childrenhave to say?

3How will I react if they raise issues that I feel are verysensitive?

3Have I planned the session so that every child, even theless vocal, will have a chance to contribute their ideas orthoughts in a way that is comfortable for them?

3What will I do if one of the children, in discussing issuesof concern to them, discloses that they are being abusedat home? (see Section 7)

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3 Be sure to have a session plan on the wall and ask the

children to identify where they are in the six step process.

3 Think carefully, before this step, which question you are

going to ask and write it on a flipchart so that the children

can read it while thinking about their responses.

3Ask as open-ended a question as possible.

3 In brainstorming there are no right or wrong answers -

anything goes!

3Write things down in the children’s own words, or have

them write their ideas down themselves. (Let them know that

spelling is not important in this exercise)

3 If you decide that the children are to make their own

posters, encourage the groups to move round and look at

all the posters. This can initiate a lot of discussion.

3Don’t forget to fit in a game or two – you could use one of

those listed in section 11.0 or ask the children for their

suggestions.

3 This step can usually be completed in one session.


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DDoottmmooccrraaccyy Children are each given a certain number ofdots (we often give two or three). They arethen asked to place their dots beside thoseissues they feel to be most important. If theyfeel one issue is much more important thanany other they can place all of their dotsbeside that issue. Alternatively they candivide up their dots and allocate themaccording to their various preferences. Onceall the children have placed their dots andthe dots have been counted up the issue withmost dots becomes the issue of choice.

66..33 SStteepp 33:: CChhoooossee aann IIssssuueeThis step is about:✔ Children working together to choose an issue that they

want to address✔ Children discussing their views with each other✔ Having fun!

In this step the children need to decide which of the manyissues they raised is the most important. All the issuesselected in step two are important; they would not havesuggested them unless they were of concern! But it is notpossible to take action on everything. So your role is to helpthe children decide which are the most important to themand which they want to take action on. You can use anumber of different techniques to help the children select theissue/s.

We have found it helpful to break this step into two stages.The first stage is to narrow down the list (perhaps to around6-8 issues, for instance through small group discussionand/or dotmocracy). The second stage is then aboutselecting from the short list the one, or perhaps two, issueson which the project will take place. This can be done, forexample, through a discussion and then a secret ballot.

Narrowing the list down and then selecting one or twoissues to work on can be done in various ways:

DDiissccuussssiioonn In small groups or as one large one, thechildren share their views on and discuss inmore depth the issues that they identified instep two. Part of this discussion can involvethe children saying which issues they feel arelinked and why.

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RRaannkkiinngg The list of the children's issues can be rankedon a scale according to various criteria. Forinstance, you could ask the group to decide,on a scale of 1-5: a) how serious the issue is;b) how common it is, and c) how much theythink they could do about it. The scores canbe added up and the issues selected on thatbasis.

VVoottiinngg This can be done in a variety of ways.Dotmocracy, a show of hands, or with secretballot papers and a voting box.

CCoonnsseennssuuss This hardly ever happens! But if during adiscussion the group comes to a consensusabout which is the most important issue towork on then there is no need to vote toselect one.

TToouugghh QQuueessttiioonnss ttoo aasskk YYoouurrsseellff ::

3Am I prepared to let the children decide which issue ismost important?

3Are the children clear that this step is about them choosingwhat they think is the most important issue for them to takeaction on?

3Are the parents, centre managers and other key adultsaware that the children could select any issue from the listthey generated in step two?

3Have they agreed to that process? In writing?

3Are you prepared to support the children in their decisionif the managers or parents feel that the issue they haveselected is either too sensitive or not serious enough?

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3 In facilitating a discussion about the issues, you could

ask the children: "what exactly is the problem with this

issue", "who is affected by that?", "how serious do you

think this is?"

3 Keep the discussion moving, don’t get bogged down in

too much detail. This can be boring for the group.

3 You don't always have to plan the way in which a

group will select an issue - they can also decide. The

children will have their own ideas about how to

prioritise in a way that is fair.

3A discussion about the different ways in which people

vote - for purely personal reasons or more altruistically -

can be useful at this stage in the CtC process. Doing

so is an important part of the process of learning about

democracy and citizenship.

3 If you think the voting may take some time it can be a

good idea to have a game running in parallel so that

everyone has something to do whilst the young people

go up one by one to vote.

3 For fun you could set up a voting booth, with the

group's list of issues displayed. Give each child a

voting slip to mark and place in a ballot box. Two or

three children could be responsible for counting up the

votes and presenting the count back to the whole

group.

3 It is important at this stage that children and adults

really listen to one another. It can be useful to refer

back to the listening games at this point and the guide

for working together.

3As always it is useful to have a lesson plan and to

make sure that everyone knows which step of the

process we are at, what came before and what is

next.


?

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Because of the tie, there was a final vote on smoking andmurder, murder got 15 votes and smoking got 6. Somechildren abstained as they did not feel strongly one way orthe other.

QQuueessttiioonnss ffoorr eevvaalluuaattiioonn

3How did the children prioritise their concerns? Whodecided the method for doing so, you or the children? Didit work? Why / why not?

3How much influence did you have on the children'sselection of issues?

3Were the children open to listening to one another’sideas? Why/Why not?

3Did the activities cause tension in the group? Why/Whynot?

EExxaammppllee::

In one London CtC project, step two brought out around 80different issues. In this step the children, in small groups,decided themselves how to narrow down their group lists ofissues to two key issues per group. When the groups cametogether to share their key issues there was some overlap. Intotal, five issues emerged. The whole class then voted onthese in a secret ballot.

These are the issues that the class voted on, and the numberof votes they received:

Stop Racism 5Stop Drugs 4Stop Smoking 9Stop Bullying 1Stop Murder 9

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FFoorr eexxaammppllee:: One project prioritized (in step three) theirlocal park. In small groups they answered the abovequestions to help them decide what they wanted to do tofind out more. One group’s answers were:

It is useful to refer to the answers to the first three questionswhen selecting exactly who they want to visit or where theywant to go (question 4). Once that is decided they alsoneed to think how they can go about setting up their visit;what they are going to ask or search for, and how they aregoing to record the information they get.

66..44 SStteepp 44:: FFiinndd OOuutt MMoorree This step is about:✔ Planning what and how to find out more about the

selected issue✔ Finding out more ✔ Having fun!✔ Discussing what is learnt

Now that the children have selected the issue on which theywant to work, the next stage of the process is for them tofind out as much about it as possible. It is an important step!It doesn't follow that just because you know something is aproblem that you know why it is a problem and whatpossible solutions there might be. So it's important that thechildren are able to base their action on the bestinformation they can get hold of.

The children will already have some knowledge of the issue.They will also have ideas about what else it is they wouldlike to know, and how they might go about finding out thatinformation. It may be hard to resist the desire to tell thechildren what you think they need to find out and wherethey could get that information, but this is the children'sproject. Your role is to support them when they need it, butnot to lead it.

The step can be broken down into a number of stages.

PPllaannnniinngg:: The following questions can help structure theplanning stage of this step:

1. What do we already know about this topic?

2. What more do we need to know?

3. Who can we ask and/or where can we get theinformation?

4. So what are we going to do to get this information?

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22.. WWhhaatt mmoorree ddoo wwee nneeeeddttoo kknnooww??3What people think about it.3We don’t know who owns the

park.3 The law (can we make

changes).3Does the Borough have any

money to spend on it & whatis the borough spending itsmoney on.

11.. WWhhaatt ddoo wwee aallrreeaaddyykknnooww??

3 That there is lots of brokenglass there.3 Lots of dog pooh.3No toilets!3 The swings are broken.3 The ground is all cracky and

bumpy.3 The slide is rusty.3Horrible graffiti.3 There is not enough

equipment.

44.. WWhhaatt wwee aarree ggooiinngg ttooddoo iiss……

3Arrange a meeting with theHousing Office to get ourquestions answered.

33.. WWhhoo ccaann wwee aasskk //WWhheerree ccaann wwee ggeett tthheeiinnffoorrmmaattiioonn????

3Children who use the park3Cleaners of the park3 Tony Blair3Ken Livingstone3Council3Housing Office 3MPs3 The police3 People who own dogs

CCaarrrryyiinngg oouutt tthheeiirr rreesseeaarrcchh:: Support the groups incarrying out their tasks, but be careful to ensure that theyare taking the lead role.

PPrreesseennttiinngg tthheeiirr ffiinnddiinnggss:: When all the research iscomplete, ask the groups to reflect on what they have learntand then share that information with everyone else.

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You will probably have lots of ideas about what you thinkwould be best - but this is the children's project! Let themdecide what to do. Of course, provide information andshare your opinions when asked - but let them lead it.

MMaakkiinngg ccoonnttaacctt:: Once the children have decided who tocontact they will need to think through: -

3How they might contact them, perhaps by phone, e-mailor letter.

3How they are going to introduce the project and request ameeting.

3 Fixing a time and place to meet, and once that's fixed…

3What questions they will ask when they actually meet.

Role-play is a fun and effective way to help children practiceany phone calls they may make before they make them. Youmay even want to use props and face paints to bring it tolife!

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Remember this step is about the children finding out more.

However, it is sometimes helpful to find out some general

names and numbers that can help the children in their

research. Only share these with the children if they don't

have their own suggestions (which they almost always do).

When planning for the groups to carry out their research,

keep in mind the following:

3Have you got parental consent for any trips that involve

leaving the premises?

3 If the children are to phone to make an appointment be

sure they have thought through what they will say if the

person is out, not interested, unavailable, etc. What

contact number / name can they leave?

3 If you have a number of small groups all going out to

different places you may need extra support at this stage.

Who might be able to help you here?

3Good planning is essential! Ensure that everyone knows

what is going on. You may have several groups going off

to various locations at different times. This is very exciting

for the children but can be demanding for the facilitators!

3 This step may take several sessions as it involves planning,

doing and reporting back. It's worth it! The children usually

gain a lot at this stage.

3 Scavenger hunt and 'Who am I?' are good games to play

at this step as they are about finding out!


3 How did the children feel about their visits?

EExxaammppllee

A group that had selected to focus the project on their localplayground set up appointments with the following people /organizations to find out more:

TThhee llooccaall hhoouussiinngg ooffffiiccee.. One group met with theofficer responsible for playgrounds on their local estate.

TThhee ccoouunncciill ppaarrkkss ooffffiicceerr.. Another group interviewedthe person responsible for all parks in the borough. Heanswered their questions and also showed them, and theyplayed for a while on, the play facilities in a local park.

TThhee ppaarrkk wwaarrddeennss.. A warden was interviewed aboutwhat he does to keep play grounds well maintained.

AA vvoolluunnttaarryy oorrggaanniissaattiioonn ccaalllleedd FFaaiirr PPllaayy ffoorrCChhiillddrreenn.. Together the facilitators and the children foundout about this organization on the web. The children thencalled the director who offered to come up to London to seethe playground in question and to talk to the children, whichhe did.

Having collected all their information, each of the fourgroups wrote down everything they had learnt and madelarge and colourful posters with the information. This wasthen shared so everyone had a chance to hear what thedifferent individuals and organizations had said.

TToouugghh qquueessttiioonnss ttoo aasskk yyoouurrsseellff

3Do the children know which step they are at and what thisstep is all about?

3How much help is too much help?

3How much support should I give the children at thedifferent stages of preparing for and conducting theirinvestigations? (e.g. suggestions of sources of information,contact details, content about their topic, etc).

QQuueessttiioonnss ffoorr EEvvaalluuaattiioonn

3How much information did the children have about theirchosen topic at the beginning as compared to the end ofthe step?

3Did the children feel that they got sufficient information?

3How receptive were the individuals and institutions thatthe children contacted for information?

3What factors inhibited or enabled the children to collectinformation?

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?

It made me feel proud andbrave because I just went and

asked my question

66..55 SStteepp 55:: PPllaann aanndd TTaakkee AAccttiioonnThis step is about:✔ Planning an action (or series of actions)✔ Taking action ✔ Having fun!

This is an exciting stage, where all the hard work done sofar comes together. First, using the informationgathered in step four, the children plan their action/s toaddress the issue of concern. Then they make it happen,either by communicating health messages or by takingdirect action.

This is a very rewarding part of the CtC process andexperience has shown that the actions children decide totake are usually wide ranging, imaginative, and can makea powerful impact on their communities. Getting out into thecommunity and doing something worthwhile makes thechildren feel good about what they have been able toachieve. There are sometimes barriers - but if you supportthem this can be a good learning experience too.

PPllaannnniinngg ffoorr aaccttiioonn::

The following questions can be used to help the childrenfocus on what action they are going to take and whichmessages they want to give and to whom:

3What is the particular problem that we want to dosomething about?

3What message do we want to give people? / Whataction do we want to take?

3Who do we want to tell / help?

3How do we want to tell them / help them?

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Another group that had chosen to focus their project on theloneliness of the elderly, found out a great deal thatchallenged their stereotypes during the find out stage:

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puppet showsplayssketchesschool assembliesleafletsnewspaperstelevisionradio meetings with decision-makersvisits to community organisations

And some projects have taken direct actions such as:Planting treesVisiting and befriending the elderlyBuilding a play ground with the help of others in thecommunity

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3What do we need to do it?

3When do we want to have this done by?

This will enable the group to clarify exactly what it is thatthey want to do and will help the facilitators know whatmaterials will be needed. Ask the groups to feed back theiraction plans to the class so everyone knows what everyoneelse is doing.

TTaakkiinngg aaccttiioonn::

In previous CtC projects children have spread messages via: postersrapspoemsletters to politicians and civil servants

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EExxaammppllee::

One group took action by displaying their posters andpoems with anti-drugs and violence messages in a localsupermarket. A comments box beside the display invited thepublic to make comments about the work: the following aresome of those received:

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TToouugghh QQuueessttiioonnss ttoo aasskk yyoouurrsseellff::

3Am I willing to hold back my ideas about what would beappropriate action and instead listen to and support thechildren with their ideas about what is appropriate?

3What will I do if the children suggest an action that mightput them at risk?

3What will I do if the children suggest an illegal action(such as fly posting)?

3Have I been open with the children about what supportwe as facilitators are able to give them?


3How was the plan of action decided?

3Were all children involved in the planning of the action?Why/Why not?

3Who was the target group?

3What action(s) did the children take?

3 How did the target group react to the children’s action(s)?

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3 It is useful to review the steps at the beginning of this

session. Have a session plan clearly displayed so that

everyone knows what to expect.

3 Keep an open-mind. Children's ideas may seem unrealistic,

but help them to explore for themselves what may or may

not be feasible.

3Never underestimate what can be achieved!


?

I am amazed and moved by this

fantastic display. Always speak out about what you believe in. It does

make a difference! And by the way, it makes me feel extra happy that I gave up smoking 4 months ago.

Keep smiling. NikkiNikki.

My name is Chad from Dog Kennel Hill Primary School. I

think the posters are really good and I hope someone will see it, take

notice and action.

Your posters are wonderful. Keep remembering when you get big.

Mum and music teacher Mum and music teacher

These are bril liant. You should make it a permanent

fixture and put them up every week. Adults need reminding. Often

kids do this best.

45CtCtC

66..66 SStteepp 66:: TThhiinnkk iitt OOvveerrThis step is about:✔ Reflecting on the project✔ Evaluating the activities and the impact of the work ✔ Having fun!

This is the last step of the CtC process. It is designed toprovide the children with an opportunity: to reflect on whatthey did; and to evaluate what they were able to achieve,what they liked and what they would improve if they wereto do it again. It is a very important part of the process as itallows the children to see the benefits of the project, forthemselves and others, and enables them to voice what theyfeel could have been done differently.

Typical questions that can be asked include:

3What did you learn?

3Did you have fun? Why / why not?

3Would you take part in a CtC project again? Yes / noand why?

3Do you think you made a difference? How?

3What do you think could be done differently anothertime?

3What part of CtC worked well?

3What skills have you learnt? What have you got better at?

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I really liked that I got to go to the police station and find out about all those things

that I did not know about.

66..66

It made me want to do a lot of things and ask a

lot of questions

I learnt that we can help and we can make a difference

I liked having lots of fun! and visiting people.

The thing I liked most was… the feeling

that you have helped, when you go home and think "I just did something really important and I feel proud!". And the way the elderly people’s face

light up when they see you.

I got better at talking in front of people and

I learnt how to compromise

Evaluation helps us to gain confidence because it enables usto think critically and to build on our strengths and learnfrom our mistakes. In this way, it is an essential componentof any CtC project. For a further discussion of evaluationsee section 10.00.

TToouugghh QQuueessttiioonnss ttoo aasskk yyoouurrsseellff::

3Have I designed the activities so that all the children willbe able and comfortable contributing their ideas?

3Have I asked open-ended questions that will give thechildren the opportunity to say what they think, and tochoose the criteria by which the project's success can bemeasured?

3Have I ensured confidentiality where appropriate?

3 If some information is gathered from each individual howand when will I feedback the results to the children?

3What is my role in helping to sustain the work initiated inthis project?

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This step can be a lot of fun! There is a wide range ofmethods that can elicit children's responses to some of theabove questions in a fun way. The following activities areoutlined in detail in the back of this manual and can beadapted for both reflection and evaluation purposes:

Whilst this step is about facilitating children's reflection andevaluation of the whole process it is important for bothadults and children to evaluate activities at every step of theway.

66..66

3 It is important to make this step fun! The use of visual

materials and activities that get children moving about can

really help.

3 To make it more interesting for the children the session can

be designed around a number of workstations. The children

can be spilt into several groups that rotate between the

stations, a different activity taking place at each station.


?

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77..00 WWhhaatt IIffss……It is important to remember that because CtC projects arechild-led, it is not possible as a facilitator to know at thebeginning of a project what issue the children will chooseand how the project will proceed. Despite thisunpredictability, facilitators in many different contexts tendto have similar concerns and have suggested a number ofdifferent solutions. The following list of "What If’s" outlinesthose fears and concerns that have been raised by CtCfacilitators and some suggestions on how to address them.These suggestions have come from discussions held intraining sessions in South London with nurses, teachers,youth workers and others, as well as from the experiencesof those in Canada who have run similar projects.

WWhhaatt iiff……..

…a child says they are bored or does not want totake part in an activity?

3Ask them why? What is the problem?

3 Let them know they don’t have to do anything they don’twant to do and that they are welcome to join in againwhen they want to.

3Ask them for suggestions for activities they would like todo instead.

3Give them a special task, e.g. taking photos of the sessionor writing on the flip chart.

3 Establish whether there is something that they are particularlygood at that they could contribute to the process.


3 Was there any change in the relationship between thechildren and the community? How do you know?

3What activities worked well? Why?

3What activities did not work well? Why not?

3Do the children think they achieved their objectives?Why/Why not?

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I liked the parachute games best. It was FUN

The thing I liked most was going to the council because you can

ask him anything you want.

I didn’t like doing the writing bits. And walking far

on a hot day.

The thing I liked least was… making the posters cos I didn’t know what to put

…the project highlights personal conflict orcontroversial issues in the group or school?

3 Try to depersonalise it

3Don't dodge the issue

3Make sure you work within the school / centre's policies

3 Find a supportive person within the context to assist you infinding a solution

…you lack confidence to do this on your own?

3Ask for help!

3 Start small and keep it simple

3 Find other people to work with

3 Seek a mentor

…the school or centre reduces the project time?

3 Resist! Argue the case

3 Be assertive about the importance of finishing what isstarted

3 Talk to the children about it and make alternative plans

3 Simplify expectations and outcomes

…Children start arguing?

3 If it is about the issue being discussed in the session, askthe group to debate it

3 If it is about something else, ask them to wait until later, orto take a few minutes break to discuss it away from thegroup

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… you are running out of time?

3Discuss with the other facilitators and/or the childrenwhich parts of your session plan could be eliminated,shortened or postponed.

…you have too much time?

3 Bring extra games to play in case there is more time

3Allow the planned activities to go on for longer

3Ask the children for their suggestions of what to do next

…a group can't agree?

3 Point out any overlap there may be on either side of theargument

3Ask the children for a compromise or solution to thedisagreement

3 Refer to or use games which build co-operation andlistening skills

3 Split into different groups, if appropriate

3 Take a more active role in supporting the group

…the children don’t have any ideas or their ideasseem totally impractical?

3 Reiterate the focus of the project and what it aims toachieve

3 Rephrase the question to help clarify

3Give examples or broad suggestions and ideas

3 Break into smaller groups to make the discussion easier

88..00 TToouugghh QQuueessttiioonnss ttoo AAsskkYYoouurrsseellff

Before you decide to become involvedin a CtC project, it is important toreflect carefully on the followingquestions:

3Do you believe that children have ideas andinsights that could contribute to communityhealth and development?

3Are you willing and prepared to supportchildren no matter what issue they select?

3Are you prepared to support children in theaction they choose to take? What if it goesagainst what you think is "right", or iscounter to equality of opportunity (e.g. isracist or homophobic), or is even illegal?

3What will you do if your supervisor,colleagues or the children’s parents object tochildren becoming involved in their chosenissue?

3Are you willing and able to create an environment inwhich every child’s view is listened to and taken intoconsideration?

3Are you willing to learn from and with the children withwhom you are working?

3Are you willing to act as a facilitator of the process, ratherthan just as an instructor or leader?

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…if someone gets really upset?

3 Stay calm and try to find out what is causing the outburst

3 Either take the individual away from the group and offersupport, or ask a co-facilitator to do so

…if someone discloses any kind of abuse?

3 Ensure all workers are familiar with child protectionprocedures before a project begins

3Acknowledge the issue and discuss it privately with thechild (as and when appropriate)

3 Reassure them that you will do everything you can to helpthem

3Don’t promise to keep any secrets

3 Follow the child protection procedures in place in theschool / centre in which you are working

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3What will you do if the children lose interest in theirchosen issue?

3How will you deal with rowdy and disruptive children?

3Do you have all the resources that you need? (Human,time, financial, material).

3Do you need the support of your employer in order toundertake a CtC project? If so, do you have it?

3Are you familiar with your institutional procedures in theevent that a child discloses abuse?

99..00 SSeettttiinngg uupp aa CCttCC PPrroojjeeccttCtC projects can be set up within a wide range of contexts.Here are some of the practical considerations required to setup a CtC project:

SSuuppppoorrtt

For a CtC project to be successful, support must be securedat all levels. Doing so may involve making contact with yoursupervisor, management committee, centre manager,parents, teachers, colleagues, project partners (includingLocal Authority Departments, regeneration partnerships),potential funders and others. It is important to explain thepotential benefits of the project and the process involved. Itis also necessary to explain that it is the children who willchoose the issue that they feel is most important to addressand it is the role of adults (both facilitators and supervisors)to support them in doing so. Children may choose sensitivetopics and this fact needs to be clearly understood andsupported by those who have overall responsibility for thechildren. It is critical that this support be given before aproject gets underway. For many, child-led projects such asCtC are new and may challenge traditional ways ofworking with children. Be sensitive to their questions andconcerns.

CChhiilldd PPrrootteeccttiioonn

It is important that all facilitators are familiar with childprotection policies and procedures before a project beginsso that in the unlikely event that a child discloses informationabout abuse everyone knows how to deal with it. This maymean ensuring that those who are not familiar with childprotection procedures receive training. Agreeing on ashared approach is important as professionals from different

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backgrounds may follow slightly different child protectionprocedures from one another and need to agree how theissue will be managed in this project.

RReessoouurrcceess

In some contexts, additional human and material resourcesmay be required in order to undertake a CtC project:

SSttaaffffiinngg:: It is always useful to have a least one member ofthe team who is known to the children, and is used toworking with them. Experience of working with the group isvaluable when planning and implementing the CtC sessions.Facilitators need not have any specific professionalbackground. However, it is essential that all involvedsubscribe to the philosophy and principles of the CtCapproach. The actual number of facilitators needed for eachproject will depend on the number and age of the childrenyou are working with. Experience would suggest 3-4facilitators for a class of 30 primary school children.

TTrraaiinniinngg:: Training in the principles and practicalities of theCtC approach is available in London. Some people alreadyhave a lot of experience of working in the way described inthis manual. Others with less experience may find that thetraining which complements the guidance given in thismanual is helpful. You can contact us for more details by e-mail at [email protected].

MMaatteerriiaallss:: CtC projects can succeed on a very limitedbudget. Many sessions use little more than a flip chart (orwhite board), paper and pens. These materials are oftenavailable on site. If not, a budget of up to £100 should besufficient.

FFaacciilliittiieess:: CtC projects can take place almost anywhere. Itis important that there is enough space for the children to

move around freely for games and activities. Ideally, itworks well to have several spaces where the children canbreak into small groups but also come together as one largegroup when desired. If the children's work and posters canremain on the wall or in the room between sessions, somuch the better. In most cases, space can be provided bythe school, club, church etc. where the project is takingplace.

FFuunnddiinngg

If you need funding in order to undertake a CtC project,there are a number of funding bodies you could contact.The involvement of children in community improvement is agrowing priority for many organisations, both statutory andvoluntary. For instance, you may want to approach:

LLooccaall AAuutthhoorriittiieess -- departments with responsibility forEducation, Housing, Leisure Services, CommunityInvolvement, Social Inclusion, and Youth Services may beinterested.

RReeggeenneerraattiioonn ppaarrttnneerrsshhiippss ((oorr eeqquuiivvaalleenntt))::organisational objectives often include tackling health,education and environmental inequalities.

CCeennttrraall,, RReeggiioonnaall oorr llooccaall ggoovveerrnnmmeenntt ffuunnddiinnggssttrreeaammss that focus on health, education or environment.

CChhaarriittaabbllee TTrruussttss // vvoolluunnttaarryy sseeccttoorr oorrggaanniissaattiioonnssoften have very specific requirements and interests so it isworth finding out which might be most appropriate.

Examples of funders for past CtC projects in London includea Health Action Zone, a Local Authority HousingDepartment, a local Renewal Team, and a voluntaryorganisation.

CtCtC

These considerations should be kept in mind whendesigning how to evaluate your project.

Evaluating with Children

Key features of evaluation with children in CtC projectsinclude:

3 children’s full involvement in the process

3 children being involved in identifying their own indicatorsfor success

3methods that are simple, open, flexible and FUN

3 results which are shared with the children (in ways thatthey can understand)

3 that it is on-going throughout the CtC process

When working with children to evaluate the activities andprocesses that they have been involved in, it is important touse words and meanings that are simple and clear. Oneway to begin this process is to tell a story and at the end toask children for feedback on a small number of questions.

The exercises outlined below are classified in terms of"evaluation tools" and "reflection tools". However, withsmall changes, each can be used in either capacity.

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1100..00 TToooollss aanndd TTeecchhnniiqquueess ffoorrEEvvaalluuaattiioonn aanndd RReefflleeccttiioonnwwiitthh CChhiillddrreenn

Why evaluate?

When children and adult facilitators who have been involvedin CtC projects have been asked why it is important toevaluate CtC projects, some of their responses have included:

3 to see what has been achieved

3 to identify strengths and weaknesses

3 to share experiences

3 to improve effectiveness

3 to allow for better planning

Evaluation helps us to gain confidence because it enables usto think critically and to build on our strengths and learnfrom our mistakes. In this way, it is an essential componentof any CtC project.

Before an evaluation begins, it is important toknow:

3why it is being done

3who it is being done for

3 the expectations different people have

3when it should be done

3who should do it

3 how it will be done

3 how long it will take

3 how much it will cost

3who the results belong to

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use as criteria for evaluating the project. If the list isparticularly long, it is not necessary to evaluate every oneof the rules, only those the children feel to be mostimportant. For example, if 'be quiet when someone else istalking', 'have a go' and 'have fun!' were chosen by thechildren at the beginning as important issues for the groupto remember when working together, then these can beevaluated using the wheel.

Ask each child to draw a wheel with the same number ofspokes as there are items to be evaluated. Each spokeshould be clearly labelled with the item it is intended tomeasure. Tell the children that they will be evaluating eachitem on a scale of 1-10 (the scale can be smaller foryounger children, or can include "likes" and "dislikes").The centre of the wheel represents a "1" and the outsideedge a "10". For each item to be evaluated, the childrenshould mark the spoke at the appropriate place. Once allspokes have been marked, a line can be drawn betweenthem. The result is a visual way of comparing the children’sview of the CtC project and the template which representsa "perfect 10".

HHuummaann CCoonnttiinnuuuumm::

PPuurrppoossee:: This tool can be used to assist children toevaluate different aspects of a CtC project. Itcan be done during Step 6, at the end ofproject session, or at the end of a particularactivity.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: A room or space large enough for children torun from one end to the other.

TTiimmee:: 5 – 10 minutes, plus discussion.

1100..11 EEvvaalluuaattiioonn TToooollss

EEvvaalluuaattiioonn WWhheeeell ((aaddaapptteedd ffrroomm PPrreettttyy eett aall,, 11999955))

PPuurrppoossee:: This tool can be used to assist children toevaluate different aspects of a CtC project. Itcan be done at the end of the project, i.e. inStep 6, or it can be done throughout the CtCprocess at the end of a session to evaluate theday’s activities.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Paper and pens for each child.

TTiimmee:: 20 minutes, including discussion.

PPrroocceedduurree:: If using the tool in Step 6, discuss with thechildren the guide for working together (ground rules)developed by the group at the beginning of the project.Discuss with them which of these rules they would like to

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NNBB:: This exercise can also be done with pictures and/ordrawings, as different people will often see different thingsin the same picture.

EEvvaalluuaattiioonn SSccoorriinngg::

PPuurrppoossee:: This tool can be used to help children evaluatedifferent aspects of a CtC project. It can bedone during Step 6, at the end of projectsession, or at the end of a particular activity.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: flipchart paper, markers, masking tape andhappy and sad faced stickers

TTiimmee:: 30 minutes

PPrroocceedduurree:: Write all of the different elements to beevaluated on a flipchart and paste it on the wall for all thechildren to see. Go over each of the items to be evaluatedto be sure that the children recall exactly what each itemrefers to. Then give each child five happy faced stickersand five sad faced stickers. Ask them to think carefullyabout each of the things being evaluated. After about 5minutes, ask the children to go up one by one and stick thehappy faced stickers beside those items that they thinkwere the "best" and the sad-faced stickers beside thoseitems that were the "worst". Once all the children haveplaced their stickers on the wall, go through the list of"bests" and "worsts" and discuss why certain thingsworked well and why they liked some activities more thanothers.

NNBB:: If you are concerned that the children will beinfluenced by the selections of their peers, this exercise canbe adapted by giving children happy and sad faced cardsand asking them to place the appropriate cards in smallenvelopes beside each of the items on the list.

PPrroocceedduurree:: Ask children to place themselves along arating continuum. One wall in the room, or part of anotheropen space, represents positive feelings, the opposite wallrepresents negative feelings, and the middle of the spacerepresents neutral. Item by item, the facilitator asks forfeedback on each major part of the project, day’s agenda,or individual activity, by having children positionthemselves along the continuum and asking each to sharewith the group why they placed themselves in a particularspot. It is important to keep the pace fast, allowing justenough time for everyone to get a sense of how everyonefelt about the different parts of the project (or activity).

PPhhoottooggrraapphhss::

PPuurrppoossee:: to provide children with a stimulus fordiscussion and group analysis about theproject, what worked well, didn’t work well,etc. This technique can be used effectively forStep 6. (Photos can also make a nice additionto an evaluation report for a funder, or otherinterested body and can be displayed in theroom where the project is taking place so thechildren can see the project developing).

MMaatteerriiaallss:: camera, film, photographs, masking tape orblue tack.


PPrroocceedduurree:: Try to take photographs throughout the courseof the CtC project, either on your own or with the help of thechildren (or one or two particular children). Be sure todocument the process, and to take photos of activities andevents as much as of people and places. These photos canthen be used at the end of the CtC project to encouragediscussion among children and facilitators. This exercise canbe particularly powerful if the children have taken the photosthemselves, or if they have not seen the photographs before.

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EEvvaalluuaattiioonn BBuuiillddeerr::

PPuurrppoossee:: This tool can be used to help children evaluatedifferent aspects of a CtC project. It can bedone during Step 6, at the end of projectsession, or at the end of a particular activity.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Paper and pens for each child


PPrroocceedduurree:: Draw a person on the flipchart and place it onthe wall where all of the children can see it. On the head,draw a hat and ask the children to think about what theyhave learned from the project (or activity). In the person’shand, draw a tool box and ask the children to think aboutwhat ideas, skills, and other good things they will take withthem from the project. Draw a heart on the person and askchildren to think about what they loved about the project (oractivity). Finally, draw a rubbish bin beside the person’s feetand ask them to think about what they will throw away.

Children can then write their individual responses down onsmall slips of paper and stick them in the appropriateplaces on the wall drawing, or they can take a marker andwrite directly on the person, or shout them out and havethe facilitator write them down.

CtCtC

WWhhaatt II eennjjooyyeedd::

PPuurrppoossee:: to evaluate different aspects of a CtC project.It can be done during Step 6, at the end ofproject session, or at the end of a particularactivity.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: prepared handouts and pens for each child


PPrroocceedduurree:: Give each child a copy of the handout"What I enjoyed about CtC". Ask them to fill it inaccording to the directions on the sheet. (Go over thesewith the children). The following prompts are the kinds thatcan be used:

The thing I liked most about the project was….The thing I liked least about the project was….During the CtC project I learnt….Would you do another CtC in the future. Yes / No and why?

OOtthheerr ttoooollss::

The above tools can be adapted and there are manyothers that can be used as well. The key is to be creative,keeping the tools simple and fun. Examples of othermethods that could be used include:

3Mapping (to find out how things have changed since thestart of the project)

3 Role plays + scenarios (to find out what was valuable)

3 Ranking (to see activity preferences)

3 Focus group discussions

3Drawings (to start conversations or as "before" and"after" tools)

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GGrraaffffiittii EEvvaalluuaattiioonn ((aaddaapptteedd ffrroomm SSaavvee tthhee CChhiillddrreenn FFuunndd UUKK,, 22000000))..

PPuurrppoossee:: to evaluate different aspects of a CtC project.It can be done during Step 6, at the end ofproject session, or at the end of a particularactivity

MMaatteerriiaallss:: flipchart paper, markers, post-it notes


PPrroocceedduurree:: Place sheets of flipchart on the wall with keyquestions written on the top of each piece. Some possiblequestions include:

3what parts of the project worked well?

3what parts of the project did not work well?

3what skills have you learned? What did you get better atdoing?

3what have you found most difficult?

3What have you learnt about … (the issue chosen for theproject)?

3what have you learned about yourself?

3what have you learned about your classmates/peers?

Ask participants to write down their responses on post-it notes(one response per post-it note). Then ask them to stick theirresponses on the sheets under the relevant questions. Onceall of the responses have been placed on the wall, discussand debrief with the children. It is important at this point toseek clarification for any points that may need explanation.

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SSmmaallll CCiirrcclleess ooff KKnnoowwlleeddggee::

PPuurrppoossee:: This exercise works well to help childrenidentify what they have learned, how theyhave changed and what they think the projectset out to achieve. Although it is primarily areflection exercise, this exercise can also beused to identify how an activity or session isgoing.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Adequate space for sitting in small circles


PPrroocceedduurree:: Children form small circles of 5 or 6 people andgo around the circle completing statements such as "Idiscovered that…", "I learned that…", "I want to learn moreabout…", "I liked it when…", etc. Be sure to emphasise the

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HHeeaadd,, HHeeaarrtt,, FFeeeett::

PPuurrppoossee:: To reflect on a session or the CtC project as awhole.

MMaatteerriiaallss: 3 small pieces of paper and pen for eachchild; flipchart paper, markers and maskingtape.


PPrroocceedduurree:: A large drawing of a person, represented bya head, heart and feet, is drawn on flipchart on the wall.Each child is given 3 pieces of paper, one in the shape ofa head, another in the shape of a heart, and another inthe shape of a foot. On the head-shaped paper, each childis asked to write about any new things that they havelearned. On the heart-shaped paper, to write about theirfeelings and changes in views and attitudes. On the foot-shaped paper, to write about what they want to do as aresult of CtC or their involvement in the project. When thechildren have finished writing on their papers, ask them tocome up and stick them to the corresponding body part ofthe drawing on the wall. Once all of the papers are up,ask the children to look at the comments that others madeand to think about how their experience was different orsimilar to that of others.

NNBB:: This exercise can also be done on handouts, if sodesired.

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1111..0000 GGaammeessHaving fun is an essential element of the Child-to-Childprocess. Games have many purposes: relaxing the group,having fun, getting to know each other, learning new skills,etc. It is best to know what you aim to achieve by using agame at a particular time and to choose the gameaccordingly.

It is often helpful to talk about the games once they areover. You can ask the group an exploratory question, suchas: 'what helped your group complete the task so quickly?','what made the game so difficult?'. The responses thatchildren give can be used as a springboard for discussionat any time in the project.

The games listed below have been used in CtC projects inLondon and elsewhere. Each is explained in detail.However, small adjustments may need to be madeaccording to the number, age and abilities of the childrenand how well they work together. During step one you mayfind it useful to play several games in a row and then to talkabout them all together afterwards.

PPeerrssoonnaall ppoosstteerrss

PPuurrppoossee:: To encourage young people to think aboutwhat is important to them, and for them tolisten to others' views.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Each child is given an A3 piece of paper,coloured paper, pens, pencils, glue andmagazines to cut out.

TTiimmee:: 45 minutes + discussion.

PPrroocceedduurree:: Ask the children to use the resources available

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importance of simply listening, i.e.: no commenting, nocriticism, no right or wrong answers, etc. Each child makes acontribution in turn, until all who want to speak have done so.Bring the groups back together and discuss the issues raised.

As a variation on this technique, have one child in each ofthe small groups record the key points. Then, bring thecircles back together and share the learning of each groupby recording one item from each group at a time until allthe contributions are up and the group’s learning is"published". This technique can also be used in only onecircle of children, if the group size is small.

MMoovviinngg CCiirrcclleess::

PPuurrppoossee:: To reflect on an activity, session or the CtCproject as a whole.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Adequate open space for children to form twolarge circles.


PPrroocceedduurree:: Ask the children to form two concentric circles,with the inner circle facing out and the outer circle facingin. Ask children to share their response to a question orcomplete a statement with the person facing them. After twominutes, one circle moves three or four people to the leftand sharing is repeated with different questions/statements.Use questions such as, "Were my hopes for the projectmet?", "What do I want to do as a result of this session (orproject)? Why?", "What was the worst part of the session(or project)? Why?". Use one question/statement at a timeand have the circles shift several times.

NNBB:: This exercise works well as a "before and after"exercise with appropriate, complementary questions.

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SSccaavveennggeerr HHuunntt

PPuurrppoossee:: To develop questioning skills for the researchphase.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: A handout with questions similar to thoseshown below.

TTiimmee:: 10 -15 minutes + discussion.

CCaann yyoouu ffiinndd ssoommeeoonnee wwhhoo……

PPrroocceedduurree:: Give a handout and pen to each child. Askeveryone to move around the room, asking questions ofeach other until they find someone who fits the descriptiongiven in the boxes. When they do, they should write thatperson's name in the box. Make sure everyone knows thatthey can only ask one question before moving onto thenext person. The first one to fill all their boxes should callout BINGO!

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…has the samecolour eyes as you.

…is born in thesame month as you

…can name threeplayers from Arsenalor ManchesterUnited footballclubs.

…has a sister butNO brothers

…is born in thesame month asyou…can make ajam sandwich.

…know the wordsto a verse of aHear Say song.

…likes brusselsprouts.

…can speak twolanguages.

…likes to dance

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to create a poster that is all about them and what isimportant to them (families, friends, hobbies, etc). Then giveeveryone the opportunity to look at each other's posters, orto talk about them (if they want to). Discuss the importanceof listening to each other and sharing what is important tothem in their lives. Personal posters often appeal to youngpeople: no one can be wrong, they know their subjectbetter than anyone and can be as creative as they like!

FFeeeelliinnggss ddiiccee

PPuurrppoossee:: To help children feel comfortable speakingabout their feelings.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: A dice (easily made from squares ofcardboard stuck together) with one feelingwritten on each side. Include some positiveand some negative feelings, for example:excited, happy, nervous, proud, angry, sad,and pleased.


PPrroocceedduurree:: This game is best played in small groups.Each person rolls the dice and shares an experience thatmatches the feeling shown on the dice. Make sureeveryone knows that they can pass if they want to.Discussion afterwards can focus on the importance oflistening to one another and respecting each other'sfeelings.


OObbjjeecctt cchhaarraaddeess // MMooddeell mmaakkiinngg

PPuurrppoossee:: A great game for strengthening team-workingskills.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Large empty space, a range of cards with oneobject written on each.

TTiimmee:: 30 minutes.

PPrroocceedduurree:: Small groups of about 4 or 5 works well.Each group is given one card with an object written on itand then has 10 minutes to work out how to mime theobject for the rest of the group to guess. Objects couldinclude a rowing boat, a fire engine, a rubbish lorry, atelephone box, etc.

1111

FFeeeelliinnggss cchhaarraaddeess

PPuurrppoossee:: To develop listening skills and to help childrenfeel comfortable talking about their own feelings.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: A set of cards with a different feeling writtenon each card.

TTiimmee:: 15-30 minutes + discussion

PPrroocceedduurree:: Arrange seating in a semi-circle, in small orlarge groups. In turn offer the cards face down, asking aperson to choose one. That person then mimes the feelingfor everyone else to guess what he or she is feeling. Makesure everyone knows that they can pass if they want to.Make sure everyone has a go if they want one.

KKnnoott ggaammee

PPuurrppoossee:: A fun icebreaker activity which can be used todemonstrate the qualities of listening andworking as a team.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Large empty space.


PPrroocceedduurree:: A group of around 6-8 people works well.The group stands in a circle and puts their hands out intothe middle of the circle so the tips of their fingers aretouching. A volunteer or facilitator randomly links up all thehands or the children can be asked to reach out and joinhands with others across the circle from them. The groupthen works to untangle the knot, without anyone letting goof the hands, until the group is standing in a completecircle, holding hands. One person can volunteer to helpthe others out of the tangle by giving suggestions. NB: ifyou are working with a mixed group, you may come upagainst resistance to boys and girls holding hands.

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1111

BBooddyy LLaanngguuaaggee

PPuurrppoossee:: A fun game which can be used to discussbody language

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Pen, Paper and a good imagination!

TTiimmee:: 15 mintues +

PPrroocceedduurree:: Divide into two groups. Ask each member ofthe first group to write one feeling on a piece of paper andto fold it up and place it in a bag. Ask everyone in the othergroup to write down one body part on a piece of paper andfold it up and place in a separate bag. Then in turn eachperson selects one body part and one feeling. Withoutspeaking the person acts out, for instance, a happy arm, sadleg, nervous chin etc. and the rest of the group tries to guess.

CChhaannggiinngg ppllaacceess

PPuurrppoossee:: A good energiser this game gets peoplemoving about. It can also helps the group findout more about each other.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: One chair for each group member

TTiimmee:: 15 minutes +

PPrroocceedduurree:: Ask each group member to get a chair, forma circle with them and sit down. One person thenvolunteers to put their chair to the side and stands in themiddle. They then share something about themselves,something they like, dislike, something they are wearing,etc. asking everyone to change places if they also like /dislike that particular thing. One person, usually a differentone, is left in the middle to say something about themselves.At the end you can discuss differences and similarities andwhether people liked being in the middle or not.

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PPooiinnttss ooff ccoonnttaacctt

PPuurrppoossee:: A good game for group working skills.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Large empty space.


PPrroocceedduurree:: Groups of 4 - 6 work well. The aim is for allmembers of the group to form a shape, holding themselvesstill, with only a certain number of points of contact withthe ground. For example a group of 5 could be asked tohave only 4 points of contact with the ground, groups of 4only 3 points of contact, etc.

WWhhoo aamm II??

PPuurrppoossee:: An investigative game that enables the playersto practice asking good questions.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Make up a set of cards with the name of afamous person, or an animal, on each. Youcould get the group to do this themselves.


PPrroocceedduurree:: This game is suitable for small or largegroups and can be played in different ways. Each personcan have a card with an animal or a famous person stuckonto his or her forehead or back. Everyone then rotatesasking questions of one another, which can only beanswered 'yes' or 'no', to determine who they are. Youcould limit the number of questions to 20. Alternatively in agroup one person can be given a card that they then actout. The people in the group then take it in turns to askquestions.


AAiirr ccoonnddiittiioonniinngg:: a variation of the above, those in thecircle continue to make the parachute go up and down(but not too far down!), whilst a few people lie on the floorunder it, experiencing the rush of air over their bodies.

SSwwaapp sshhoopp -- stand in a circle as above. The parachute ismade to balloon up, and as it reaches its full height thefacilitator or one of the children call out a characteristic ofappearance e.g. blue shoes, white socks, people wearinga watch, etc. Whilst the parachute is still in the air,everyone with that characteristic has to swap places.Repeat the game. If children are all given a number (saybetween 1-5) before the game starts, when their number iscalled they can all change places.

MMaakkiinngg aa tteenntt -- Lift the parachute into the air andwhilst it is falling to the ground everyone puts their edgebehind them and sits on the edge of the parachute on thefloor, making a huge tent. You can then play other gamessuch as swap shop.

MMeexxiiccaann wwaavvee -- you need a ball for this game. Holdthe parachute at waist level. Participants raising andlowering the parachute one after the other can create awave. If a ball is then placed on the parachute, the aimcan be to keep it rolling around the edge without it fallingoff or ending up in the middle.

BBoouunncciinngg bbaallll:: everyone holds the parachute at waistlevel, the ball is placed on the parachute. You bounce theball on the parachute. If the ball comes your way you tryto stop it, if it is moving away from you, you try to roll itoff the opposite edge.

PPiiggggyy iinn tthhee mmiiddddllee -- one person at a time takes it inturn to stand under the parachute. That player has to try toknock the ball off the parachute, whilst those in the circletry to keep it on. Whoever is nearest the ball when it fallsoff the canopy has to swap into the middle.

1111

BBiirrtthhddaayy lliinnee uupp

PPuurrppoossee:: This game raises awareness of non-verbalcommunication.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: A clear space big enough for the group toform a single line in.


PPrroocceedduurree:: Ask the group to organise themselves into aline in order of their birthdays. No one is allowed to talk.You can talk about the different ways people madethemselves understood after the game is finished.

PPaarraacchhuuttee ggaammeess

PPuurrppoossee:: Building teamwork skills.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: A parachute. You can buy one from educationsuppliers (for around £50) or better stillborrow one! Alternatively, any large roundsheet of lightweight material will do. You willneed a big space for this and some games usea football or several small balls.

TTiimmee:: 20-45 minutes + discussion

PPrroocceedduurree:: MMuusshhrroooomm:: Everyone stands in a circle atevenly spaced distances, holding onto the edge of theparachute. Hold the parachute taut at ground level, thenone person counts down '3,2,1,mushroom!' at which pointeveryone in the circle stands up and raises their arms intothe air. The parachute billows up into a mushroom andthen slowly comes back down. Take it in turns to call out.

1111


GGaammeess aanndd aaccttiivviitteess tthhaatt ccaann bbeeuusseedd ttoo ffoorrmm ssmmaallll ggrroouuppssSmall group work is an important part of the Child-to-Childprocess. There are a number of ways in which facilitatorscan instruct a large group to get into several smallergroups. The participants can be asked to self-select theirgroups or they can be randomly selected or asked to joinpre-allocated groups. It is good to vary the ways in whichgroups are formed and a few suggestions are listed belowof how this can be done in a fun way.

FFrruuiitt SSaallaadd

PPuurrppoossee:: Helps energise everyone and provides a goodtransition to small group work.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: One chair for each group member


Procedure: Ask each group member to get a chair, form acircle with them and sit down. The facilitator stands in themiddle of the circle and asks participants in sequence for thenames of different fruits (or you could use animals). If youwant to break into four small groups afterwards, get thenames of fours fruits only and then ask everyone to repeat insequence (e.g. banana, apple, orange, pear, banana, apple,orange, pear, banana etc….) The person standing calls outthe name of a fruit and then all those of that fruit changeplaces. The person left in the middle calls out the name ofanother fruit and all of them change places. People can alsocall out fruit salad in which case everyone has to move. Wheneveryone has had a chance to move about the facilitatormakes sure they are left in the middle at the end of a changeover so they can ask the apples to form a group, all the pearsanother etc. so moving into small groups for the next activity.

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AAss aanndd BBss

PPuurrppoossee:: This is simply an energiser for the group - aquick exercise that will get people moving.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: None

TTiimmee:: 5-10 minutes

PPrroocceedduurree:: Ensure you have a large clear space andinvite everyone to stand there. Ask everyone in the groupto look around and silently choose one person in the groupto be their 'A' and another person to be their 'B'. Theydon't have to use any special criteria to select individuals,they can select anyone they want.

Once everyone has made their choices ask everyone to tryto get as close to their 'A' person as possible and as faraway from their 'B' as they can. People can move asquickly as they like but they should not be allowed to holdonto anyone. After a few minutes you can change itaround so that everyone has to try to get as close to the'B' and as far away from their 'A' as possible.

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AAllpphhaabbeettiiccaall nnaammeess // bbiirrtthhddaayyss

PPuurrppoossee:: Good for learning or helping to memorisenames or for forming a group identity aroundbirthdays.

MMaatteerriiaallss:: none


PPrroocceedduurree:: Ask group members to form a circle startingwith people who have a name beginning with A, followingon through the alphabet, ending with anyone whose namebegins with Z. Then separate out into groups of the desiredsize, starting with the first person in the circle. The samecan be done asking group members to form a circlestarting with birthday’s in January and ending with thosein December.

PPoossttccaarrdd JJiiggssaawwss

PPuurrppoossee:: A fun and active way of getting into groups

MMaatteerriiaallss:: Postcards / pictures – as many as the numberof groups required


PPrroocceedduurree:: Cut up as many postcards / pictures asgroups to be formed, with one piece for each member.Jumble these up. Everyone is then asked to take one pieceand then to find the other pieces of their jigsaw tocomplete the picture. Once the jigsaw is completed themembers remain in that group. This can be done randomlyor if the facilitators wish to select who goes in which groupthe name of each individual in a group can be written onthe back of each piece of the jigsaw.

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1122..00 RReeaaddiinngg LLiisstt aanndd AAddddiittiioonnaallRReessoouurrcceess

Chambers, R. (ND) Twenty-one ways of forming groups,Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex,Brighton, UK.

Freire, Paolo 1972. The pedagogy of the oppressed,Penguin books, UK.

Jeffs, Tony & Smith, Mark 1999. Informal Education,National Youth Agency

Johnson, Victoria et al. 1998. Stepping Forward: Childrenand Young People’s Participation in the DevelopmentProcess. London: Intermediate Technology Publications.

Mann, Gillian & Smith, Erin. 1997. Youth to Youth: AProgram Guide. Toronto: Save the Children Canada.

Masheder, Mildred 1989. Lets Play Together, Green Print,UK

Miller, Judy. 1997. Never Too Young. London: Save theChildren.

Occleston, Sue & King, Pat. 1998. Shared Learning inAction: Working Towards Empowerment in Education.Manchester: Shared Learning in Action.

Pretty, Jules. 1995. A Trainer’s Guide for ParticipatoryLearning and Action. London: IIED.

Save the Children Fund UK. 2000. Children andParticipation: Research, Monitoring and Evaluation withChildren and Young People. London: Save the ChildrenFund.

1133..00 SSaammppllee LLeessssoonn PPllaannss

Projects vary in length. You can plan your sessionsaccording to how long you have. We have found that aweekly 2 hour session over a period of about 12 weeksworks well. Below are two sample session plans, listed hereonly as examples of what sessions might consist of.

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Scott, Kim. 1996. Evaluating Child to Child: A CanadianField Guide. Ottawa: Health Promotion Directorate, HealthCanada.

UNICEF 1998. Games and Exercises: A manual forfacilitators and trainers involved in participatory GroupEvents, UNICEF, New York and Nairobi.

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SSaammppllee LLeessssoonn PPllaann ffoorr SSeessssiioonn OOnnee ((SStteepp OOnnee:: GGrroouupp WWoorrkk))

Aim: to understand what child-to-child projects are all aboutand to learn about what makes a group work well together.

By the end of today's session you should:

3 be able to tell your friends and family about Child-to-Child.

3 have thought about what makes a group work well

3 have had fun!

5 mins introduce the session - (using flip chart ofaims as above).

10 mins video (of previous CtC projects).

10 mins Discussion: from watching the video and fromwhat we said last week, ask the children whatthey think the project is all about. Write theirideas down on a flipchart.

10 mins Aims of Child-to-Child: explain these are to:have fun; learn something about working ingroups; to do something about a problem in yourcommunity; and to feel good about having donesomething important to help others in yourcommunity.Steps of the project: go through the 6 steps on aflipchart (asking the children what they think thesteps might be about).

25 mins Feelings cards: Break into small groups (ofabout 5/6 – random selection numberingeveryone 1-5 and then asking all the ones, twosetc to form groups). Make sure everyone has apiece of paper and a pen and give everyone a

86 CtCtC

few minutes to complete the sentences (seeabove). Then in pairs discuss your answers witheach other. Then your partner introduces you toeveryone in the small group. Have the questionswritten up at the front of the room.

Briefly draw out: the importance of listening toeach other, learning things about each other,different people have different skills, everyone hassomething to offer and contribute to the project.

25 mins Charades: ask everyone to get into groups of5/6 (let them choose their own groups) and worktogether to figure out how to mime a: rowingboat / rubbish lorry / space ship / motorbike /steam train…then act it out to everyone else and see if theycan guess what they are.

15 mins Develop a Guide for Working Together:referring back to the feelings cards and thecharades ask: what helped the groups work welltogether? What was missing when they weren'tworking so well? What do they think are themost important things for a group to do if theyare to work well? Write down their ideas andexplain that this will form a guide for workingtogether which will be used to help us during thewhole project.

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II wwiisshh tthhaatt...... II’’mm ffrriigghhtteenneedd ooff......

IIff II wwaass aann aanniimmaall IIwwoouulldd bbee aa......

II’’mm rreeaallllyy ggoooodd aatt......

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SSaammppllee LLeessssoonn PPllaann ffoorr SSeessssiioonn TThhrreeee((SStteepp TTwwoo:: IIddeeaass ffoorr CChhaannggee))

Aim: Think about all the things that you would like to seechanged to make your community a better place.

By the end of today's session you should have:

3Made a group poster of all your ideas.

3 Share your groups' ideas with the other groups.

3Had some fun!

5 mins Recap: What did we do last week? What didyou learn about working in groups… point to thegroup guide for working together. Outline planfor the day / go through aims as above.

50 mins Get into 4 groups using the postcard / jigsawmethod (see games section for detail on how todo this).

(put music on for the visualisation) Askthe children to:

"…. Imagine that you are about to go to sleep.Fold your arms - put your head on the table -imagine it’s the end of the day - you're in bedand you are thinking back over your day. Whatare some of the problems in your community,around where you live, at home, at school?What are some of the problems that you think, ‘ifonly we could change that - this would be abetter, happier and healthier place to live?’"

Ask the children to take a few minutes to thinkabout it - then write each idea they have on aseparate piece of card. Then as a group,

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5 mins Finish: Take a minute to go through the sessionobjectives, then ask:

3 If somebody asked you 'What is Child-to-Child?' could you tell them? - ask them to run toone side of the room for "yes" and another for"no". Ask some of those who answered yes toshare with the rest of the group what theywould say.

3Have you learnt anything about how to work ina group? Run to different parts of the room asabove. Ask what it is they learnt to those whofelt they did learn something. And to those whodidn't, why didn't they.

3Did you have fun? If you had lots of fun give us5 fingers / quite a bit - 4 / average -3 / notreally -2 / no fun at all - 1. Ask what theyliked, and what they didn't and if they haveany suggestions for how to make it more funnext time.

Back-up plans: If there is time after the charades - playthe human knot game. If running short of time - leave theforming of a group guide until next week

PPrreeppaarraattiioonn//cchheecckklliisstt

✔ Venue: Book the room: try to get a large room.

✔ Facilitators: Check everyone knows where and whenthe session will be.

✔ Materials: Session plans for facilitatorsFlip chart paper and markersName badges, if appropriateAny other materials for the games,activities and evaluation

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working together, make a poster by sticking alltheir ideas on the piece of paper. They can givethe poster a title and lay it out and illustrate it asthey want.

15 mins Show posters to class. The groups feedbackto the class showing and reading out the bits oftheir posters. Facilitators to feedback – reflectingperhaps that there are lots of similar issues on thedifferent posters and some different ones too –and that all are important. Let them know thatnext week they will need to narrow it down a bit– and start to think about choosing the issues thatare the most important.

15 mins Scavenger hunt (see games section) – inplayground weather permitting.

15 mins Debrief the scavenger hunt. So - who speakstwo languages? And who likes brussel sprouts?Who finished first? How did you manage tocomplete it so quickly - what helped? Draw outthat these are the kinds of things that might helpthem when they do the finding out step.

Revisit the objectives of the session and ask themto place themselves on a scale to evaluate howmuch / little they liked the scavenger hunt andwhy.

10 mins Finish by explaining that next week the classwill vote to select just one of the issues presentedin the session - refer to the flip chart of the steps.

Back-up plans: If there is time after the scavenger hunt -play the chair game. If running out of time shorten thediscussion after the scavenger hunt.

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PPrreeppaarraattiioonn//cchheecckklliisstt

✔ Venue: Book the room, including a large room /playground for scavenger hunt.

✔ Facilitators: Check everyone knows where and whenthe session will be.

✔ Materials: Session plans for facilitatorsFlip chart paper and markersPoster paperGlueColoured pens for writingSmall pieces of paper / cardTape recorder Scavenger Hunt sheetsMarkersMasking TapeTape of relaxing music!

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Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Health Action Zoneis a partnership of health, social services and the voluntary sector. Togetherwe are working to improve services for local people. To achieve this we arefocusing on:

3 reducing the health inequalities experienced by local people;3 supporting and strengthening disadvantaged communities; 3 encouraging community involvement, including the participation of children

and young people; and, 3 ensuring that the experience gained through these areas of work is shared

across the partnership to promote sustainable change.

For more information see www.lslhaz.org.uk, email [email protected] or call 020 7716 7000 ext. 7513.

Groundwork Southwark is part of a federation of Trusts in England,Wales and Northern Ireland, each working with their partners in deprivedareas to improve the quality of the local environment, the lives of local peopleand the success of local businesses.

Each year Groundwork involves tens of thousands of children and youngpeople in a range of activities designed to bring them into contact with otherpeople in their community and to increase their own confidence and self-esteem. Our aim is to get young people interested in the place where theylive and to help them play a full and active part in society. We do this byencouraging them to take part in practical activities such as making videosabout life in their neighbourhood or planning and designing their own playareas or youth shelters. Some of these activities are specifically targeted inareas where there are high levels of crime as a way of harnessing youngpeople's energy and diverting them away from anti-social behaviour.

Child to child guide

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Transcript of Child to child guide