Red and Blue Cooperation

Red and Blue Cooperation
-(Facilitation Technique, Communication, Enhancing Group Dynamics)-

This is a game that we can used to describe about conflict and importances to do cooperation-negotiation to achieve personal and group goals. It also describe that sometimes we have to choose between to take care all mistakes behind first, or to move forward with new system that everybody trust.

We did this game a couple weeks ago with Woman Group in Cimande - Indonesia. I choose this method to show participants that by cooperate together they can achieve greater result (for all), rather than working alone.

Needs
Cards : red and blue for each group.

Method
- Divide participants into 3 groups.
- Give instructions that each group must choose between show blue card or the green one in each round. There are 10 round in this game.
- They must not speak to other groups, but they can have discussion between group members to decide card color each round.
- Give them instruction to collect highest score in total 10 rounds by stick into this rules:

a. All groups choose red card, everyone get 2 point
b. All groups choose blue card, everyone get 1 point
c. 2 groups choose red card (@1 point), 1 group choose blue card (3 point)
d. 2 groups choose blue card (@1 point), 1 group choose red card (2 point)

- Facilitator make a table to show groups score
- Give 2 minutes to all groups in every round to make a strategy
- This game is over after 10 rounds

Situation
- Generally, each team will compete againts each other in first 5 rounds to collect highest score but the result will show the oposite, that while one group collect good score, the other one will get bad score.
- Participants will get aware, in round 1-3 they will play this activity as a game only - hardly understand the purpose of this game. As facilitator you must explain this game further after round 3, to show them that they collect bad score.
- Do short break after round no 5. Tell them to send negotiator (1-2 person) to have discussion with other negotiator to maximize group score.
-  Start again this game for round 6. After round 7 do another short break, and tell each group to send negotiator once more, to negotiate and make a strategy how to improve group score. You, as facilitator should encourage or give them hints how to get win-win situation in this break.
- The game is finish after round 10. Summarize all score and have a discussion.

Hints
- If all groups stay in point A (choose red card all the time), all of them will get full point (20 point) after round 10, or a total score of 60 for all group score. But this situation rarely h appened cos usually everybody compete each other in round 1-5.
- After round 5, after short break sometimes they start to realize that they should cooperate. Maybe they will play just the same as before if the negotiation failed, or play in another direction (cooperate) if the negotiation success.They can choose play point A (choose red card) or try to close the gap between each group.
- A short break after round 7 should make them cooperate and choose point A, but there is possibility that they still try to close the gap between groups. Just let the situation happened.

Discussion / Refflection
- You may make an analogy about group player as multistakeholder, working unit, or individual in the community
- How they deal with internal/external conflict and personal interest?
- How they deal with technical mistake (like taking wrong card),time limitation, decision making process in the game? Do they meet same problem in their daily activity?

Folding Paper

Folding Paper
-(Improve Listening and Observation, Facilitation Technique, Communications)-

This is a game that we can use to demonstrate that it easy for even simple instructions to be misinterpreted by the recipient, especially if ambigous words are used, or the recipient does not (or cannot) ask for clarification.

My friend Abdul Waheed Jamali from Pakistan used this method in a training held by ANGOC a year ago. My friend from Indonesia also used this method a couple years ago, so I think it is a universal game that has been played everywhere.

Needs
Several square / rectangle paper sheets

Method
- Give paper to all participants.
- Tell participants to obey these two rules: 1. each person must close their eyes during activity, and 2. they may not ask any questions
- Instruct them to fold their paper:

a. Fold in half and tear off the bottom right corner of the paper.
b. Fold the paper in half again, tear off the upper right hand corner.
c. Fold the paper in half again, tear off lower left hand corner.
d. Fold the paper in half again, tear off in the middle of paper.

- Instruct them to open their eyes and display the unfolded paper to each other and all the audience.

Discussion
There is a great probability that they will not all be the same. Use the following questions to start teh debriefing:
- What words in the instructions could be interpreted in different ways?
- How could the directions have been clearer to reduce the ambiguity?
- How can we encourage people ask for clarification when they do not understand something?
- Also relate this exercises with posibility that sometimes it is not instructor fault, but also depend with participants (community) ability to interprete instructions. Local knowledge, language barrier, experience also affect their action.

And hey, don't forget to clean all the paper after finish doin all this thing ^_^

Source : Participatory Learning and Action, A Trainer's Guide by Jules N Pretty, Irene Guijt, John Thompson, Ian Scoones - modified by Indra N Hatasura 

Knotty Problem

Knotty Problem
-(Enhancing Group Dynamics, Facilitation Techique, Communication)-

This game is a game to show that groups empowered to solve their own problems are much more succesful than if instructed by outsiders. I used this method when we had a meeting / training a couple days ago with woman group in Cimande - Bogor. This is a group that proclaimed itself as "CAHAYA" or "the light" in English and produce hand made bag to generate extra income for their family.

I used this game cos this group has a problem that sometimes they depend to much to outsider to solve their problem. And I think they must do something. I try to encourage this group to do internal communication and problem solving rather than ask somebody from outside to tell them what they must gonna do (I think they have learn before this and this exercise will refresh their memories and encourage them to do better).

Needs
Some ropes (I use simple plastic ropes, about 50 cm long and as much as participants).

Method
- Select one, two or three participants to act as managers. They are asked to leave the room while you instruct the rest of the group.
- Ask the remaining participants to make a circle and tie themselves into as entangled knot as possible by using plastic rope. Just tie each one hand into another participant hand sporadicly until it everybody get tied.
- They must not let go of each other's hands at any cost.
- Tell the participants to follow the manager's instruction literally and not make it easier for them by doing what they have not been told to do.
- Once the knot is complete, the managers are asked to return and to unravel the knot, using verbal instructions only.
- Instruct the managers to hold their hands behind their back. They are not allowed to touch the group, only instruct them verbally.
- The first attempt is generally not successful and sometimes even produce a more complex knot. After 5 minutes, repeat the exercise without the managers (insider). Tell the participants to "get out of the knot yourselves".

Hints
The second untying process is usually much easier and quicker. Ask participants to comment on what relevance this has to the real world. Some key questions that you can asked:
- What does the game tell us about the role of outsider/insider manager?
- What does the exercise tell us about the effectiveness of "outsider" and "manager" in organizing people?
- What does the game imply for facilitating participation in community development?

Source : Participatory Learning and Action, A Trainer's Guide by Jules N Pretty, Irene Guijt, John Thompson, Ian Scoones - modified by Indra N Hatasura  

Glass Marble Method

Glass Marble Method

-(Communication, Encourage Children, Nature Game)-

This is my personal experience using Glass Marble Method, to deal with children. Glass Marble Method is a reward and consequence technique that I learned from "Nanny 911" show. I modified some of this method to make it more interesting. Just enjoy your own modified method and make sure that it works. Play with peanut, bean, hazelnut rather than use marble, so you can explain more about environment.

The basic idea of this method is by giving one marble after your children doing something right, not giving any marble if the situation is neutral, and take one marble if your children doing something wrong.

I have two transparent jar. One is bigger than the other one. I use the small one to collect marbles for one month, and then transfer it into the big one once a month (I assume that the big jar is enough to collect all marbles for 6-12 months).

I put all the jar in a place where they can see it, but having difficulty to touch it. Rule number 2: you must make this marbles is "sacred". It means that you should have discussion with your children how to treat this jar and marbles with respect.

What really happened in real situation when we start to do this activity?
- First, she start to complain about the number of the marble she think she deserved when she do "right" things, and said that she don't want to play this game if she only get one marble.
- After a conversation, she said "allright then..." where we must put this jar?
- Day one-three, I put a marble everyday, to encourage her to do right thing, and yes-she helped a friend, ask for apologize to her mom (cos she said something bad before)...
-Day four, no marble... cos she get angry in the night, although s he helped a friend in the school before.
- Day five, no marble... cos she play with pen in my T Shirt, talking bad with her mom. I think she start to wonder... why I don't get any marble this day. She start to be more careful...
-...and life goes on ^_^ , que sera sera...

Hints:
- Don't stick to much with the rule. You also should know your time when you put one extra marble, or to take two marble at once.
- Use silver, white marble; or replace normal size marble with a bigger one. Just like my first hint, you should know the time.
- Discuss with kids, in the night-why you put or take marble(s). It's an important stage that you should do in this activity. Sometimes you get new informations from your kids, and you will understand better about their behaviour.
- Discuss with your partner, about this game. (S)he can give you another perspective how to deal with your boy/girl.
-  IMPORTANT: don't threat - like say : "I will take your marbles if you don't say you're sorry!" Just be calm and take the marble in the night. You should explain to your kid nicely without shouting :)

Picture taken from http://mypassporttostyle.blogspot.com

Clam Opener

Clam Opener

-(Encourage Children, Communication, Trust Building, Facilitation Technique)-

:) yes, I use "Clam Opener" term to describe the game we play in the night before sleep. The purpose of this game is to make children tell their story, opinion, experience, feeling in their daily life, to help us understand better about our kids. This activity also increase their writing ability and develop their imagination.

If you have same problem with us: come home late, limited time to communicate, or if your children have unique character to express their feeling, you should try this method.

We can play this game in the night, before sleep, or if you come home late everyday, at least you can play this game in the holiday. It only cost 15-30 minutes, and after that you can discuss more (I used to use before sleep time in the bed, to make conversation with them, and I think it's suite for you too ^_^).

Charmanta loves this game

Needs
Paper, pen, 2 or more person

Method
1. Find issues that is important (such as social relation with friends, teachers; feeling; attitude, etc)
2. Try to build and arrange questions that have direct / non-direct relation with that issues.
3. Ask the questions, tell them to write in the paper, and let them speak their answer after that.
4. Let somebody answer the questions too, so it just like a quiz that everybody participate.

This is an example to know social relation between your child and her/his friends:
1. What is your favorite food?
2. McD, Kentucky fried chicken, Gaya Tunggal Noodles, Klenger Burger. Which one do you choose as place to eat for dinner?
3. What is your favorite pet?
4. If you have money, where will you go with your family?What activity will be held?
5. Mention 3 names of your best friend.
6. Why do you pick them as your best friend?
7. Do you believe extra terestrial life? Why?
8. Honest, discipline, kind, funny, wise, friendly. Pick two character that can describe yourself? Why?
9. Writer, doctor, pilot, farmer, breeder, police, secretary. Pick two job that you love most? Why?
10. What is your favorite color?
11. Is there any friend that you don't like in the school? Why you don't like her/him/
12. You saw a kid cheating during an exam. What will you do then: tell the teacher, pretend that you don't see anything, make a talk with the student, or what?
13. Tell me about your dream when you grow older...
14. Who is your favorite teacher in the school? Why?
15. Animation character that describe you better: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald Duck, Scrooge, Pluto, Sponge Bob, Patrick, etc. Why you choose them?

Hints
- Modify your own questions. Mix fun questions with "main issue" so you can create fun atmosphere
- You can play this game with a whole family too, and everybody can create his/her own question too
- Find any interesting fact? Use "before sleep" time to share and discuss with your kid. Hear more, rather than talk more.
- Modify this method for grown up. You can build trust among each other with this activity 

Do this activity again and again in comfortable condition. Maybe you will find that after this your kid will ask for this Clam Opener game for one more time, just like Charmanta... :)

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 ^^)

Message In a Row

Message In a Row
-(Nature Game, Improve Listening and Observation, Communication)-

Message in a row is is a communication skill game, that can be modified into "a more nature game". The game is quite fun and easy to play too. I got the old version from my friend M. Yasin in RMI, and I modified it to discuss about reproduction, genetics, mutation and environment issues.

Needs
Nothing, 10 participants or more (better)

The game is simple. We must send a message from behind to the front of our group by tapping in our friend back / shoulder. No words are saying or we will get disqualified. For the front man, they will tell the message saying by do some move (we will learn the move later).

For 20 participants or more, we can make a competition between groups. Divide participants into groups of 10 people.

After children / adults make a fine row, they will face to the front. For a competition game, make a distance between groups. Then you tell them the orders (remember the move! Demonstrate the move )

3 taps : front man will do a sit up
4 taps : front man will shout "HEY !!!" loudly (to one of their opponents if this is a competition game)
5 taps : front man will stand in a chair and do salute (you also provide a chair in front of the front man)
6 taps : front man will do attack mode (like ULTRAMAN attack mode, you decide what it's like)
7 taps : front man will stand up in a chair and pose like a body building model ( ^_^)

After they repeat the order by themselves (so they will remember the move), the game will begin. First, you go to the back, tell the last man the number by writing (then you go to the front again, and in your order, let the game begin). Don't forget to tell them, there are no sound beside the clap sound.

After the first man (the man in the first row) do a move you are agree with, you ask to the group, is the message correct? Do some rounds (5 to 8 round) to look is there any change in their strategy. For the competition game, speed and correct answer will decide which group is the winner.

To relate this game to environment topics (well, beside communication we also can relate it to other topics) you can ask :
- If the process describe us about living creature reproduction (breeding, etc) and genetic's, try to relate it with mutation...
- What is mutation ?
- Try to find nature factors that can increase mutation probability
- Try to discuss evolution and mutation topics
- What is the benefit and disadvantage of the genetic code modification by human?
- You go on... try to relate it with another issues...

Picture taken from http://1.bp.blogspot.com