Five Wind Directions

Five Wind Directions
-(Nature Game, More ESD Activities, Facilitation Technique, Discussion, Communication, Enhancing Group Dynamics, Improve Listening and Observation, Analysis )-

This is a very interesting game we played about a year ago in ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) training in Bogor. This is a method that we can play again and again for many topics because its flexibility with issues.

Mr. M Saleh from JPL (Jaringan Pendidikan Lingkungan) / Indonesian Environment Education Network show us this game and we do a lot of discussion in this game regarding some hot issues.

This "Five Wind Direction" (sorry, I rename this game cos I don't know its real name) I think is one of the game that very effective to share information between participants.

There is no conclusion in this game since the goal of this game is to collect information and to brainstorm participants

Needs
About 15-50 participants (advance level)

First you must tell a story, and ask questions. Let say:
"In Bogor (where they lived), particularly in Pamoyanan village (where most of them have school), there is a plan about building a big factory complex. Many people feel happy cos they think it will open many opportunities for people who seek job, and the other thinks the opposite: it will pollute the river, destroy the small forest near the village and damage water reservement"

Ask participants
- Who agree (>75%) with factory complex build stand in north point
- Who disagree (<25%)>
- Who "kind of agree" (>50%) with factory complex build stand in west point
- Who "kind of disagree" (<50%)>

After first step ask someone who wants to give opinion about their stand. Facilitate other participants to give other opinion and let them exchange information and discussion.

Participants can move and stand in other direction after some opinions (let say, after every 5 opinions given, or every 3 minutes).
You will see that there is some change about their stand after some opinions being talked.

As facilitator you can give some new information while the discussion happened. Ask key questions to participants when they give opinion.

Don't worry... yes, maybe it can be a hot discussion between participants... keep be a good facilitator ^^ ! Don't forget to do some hand shake between participants after this game...

Ah yes, why I name this game: five wind direction, because sometimes there are participants who become extremely poled, or a participant who didn't choose any direction (always moving every time) - that's the fifth wind direction: extreme pole, or as a wanderer (joke ^^)