Living Together in the Rainbow Nation

SESSION PLAN

Saturday 29th SeptemberArrival

During the morning the three groups of students travel to the venue and get settled in to the accommodation.

During the afternoon there will be a variety of games and exercises to help the participants become comfortable with sharing in the group.

NOTE: Check that each group has come prepared to present about their community. If they have not, then they need to take time in the afternoon to prepare.

Sunday 30th SeptemberIntercultural Learning Session 1

Where are we from?

During this session, participants will: Each of the three groups will present their pre-prepared presentations on their home community. There will be a short discussion about the obvious differences between the communities. This will be followed by an introduction to the basic concept of ICL.

Materials:Post-It Notes1) Making Culture Tangible PowerPoint

Total Time: 180 minutes

15 min

Where Are We From? (9.00 – 10.30)

Begin by explaining again what the overall aims of the programme are:

To learn about the variety of cultures in South Africa (learning from each other).To learn about changemaking.To see a community project and how they try to bring about change.To begin planning a project to improve something in your home community.To have fun!

Get each participant to write one or two things that they would like to get out of the week (one per Post-It) and put it up on the wall. Everyone takes a few moments to see what people are hoping for.

As a group, generate a list of behaviours that will help the group work together in a respectful way – write up on flipchart.

45 min

Each of the three groups presents about their community.

After each presentation there is a chance to ask questions if there is something that anyone does not understand. Deeper discussion will happen after all three are done.

30 min

Discussion:

What was similar about each community?What was different? Why? (Is it a religious practice, related to a tribe or language group, a result of geography? etc.)What surprised you?What else would you like to learn about the different communities?

30 min

Break from 10.30 to 11.00

5 min

30 min

40 min

15min

Making Culture Tangible (11.00 – 12.30)

Introduction

Facilitator asks participants how they would define culture and writes their ideas on the flip chart.

The definitions should include the following elements:i. Shared characteristics (values, behaviours, beliefs, attitudes, etc.)ii. Learned tendencies or patterns of a group that are transferred from one generation to the next and can adapt slowly over time.

Facilitator asks participants how easy it is to define and/or explain culture to someone else.

Using the PowerPoint presentation, discuss the following concepts:

Visible vs. Invisible (e.g. the iceberg)The different layers of a culture (the onion)The roots of culture (the tree)Culture being the water around you (the fish)

Thinking about the three presentations that the groups made: what was visible what is invisible? What are the roots of the cultures?

Stereotypes and Generalisations

Cultural generalisations involve categorising members of the same group as having similar characteristics. Generalisations are flexible and allow for the incorporation of new cultural information. They are a type of hypothesis, or guess, of what we expect to encounter when we interact with a certain culture. This flexibility can subsequently lead to increased cultural curiosity and awareness and thereby improve intercultural relationships.

Generalisations are a necessary part of intercultural communication as they can help us to anticipate, sort, and make sense of the new information and sensations we experience in intercultural situations. Cultural generalisations can be used as a base to build upon, while we continue to seek out more information about individuals from other cultures.

An example of a cultural generalisation would be “People from Culture X tend to have an indirect style of communication.” Cultural generalisations allow for individual difference and help build cultural awareness. Cultural generalisations must not be applied to every person within a culture group, however, and must not be confused with cultural stereotypes.

Generalisations become stereotypes when all members of a group are categorised as having the same characteristics. Stereotypes can be linked to any type of cultural membership, such as nationality, religion, gender, race, or age. Also, stereotypes may be positive or negative. For example, a positive stereotype would be “Participants from Country Y are good students” or “Host families in Community Z are great hosts to participants.” A negative stereotype might be “People from Country N are criminals.”

Stereotypes, tend to be more negative than generalisations. Also, they are typically inflexible and resistant to new information. They can, and often do, lead to prejudice and intentional or unintentional discrimination. Whereas cultural generalisations give us a starting point from which to continue learning about others, cultural stereotypes do not allow for individual difference and interfere with efforts to understand others.

Discussion:What generalisations do people make about your culture? Do you agree?

What stereotypes do you hear about different people in South Africa? Are they fair? Can they lead to discrimination?

90 min

Lunch from 12.30 to 2.00

Changemaking Session 1

During this session, participants will: See that Changemaking comes about when People come together to use their Passion to address a Problem, and that it just takes work. They will consider the attributes of a changemaker and what makes a leader.

Materials:2) TMP Panyee FC video3) Changemaking Slides 15th Anniversary Powerpoint4) Participants Manual Changemaking (15th Anniversary) (Print Attributes and Skills Handout)5) PFUZE Project Pitch Video (Recycling and Income)Flipchart paper, Markers and Pens

Total Time: 120 minutes (2.00 – 4.30)

5 min

15 min

Begin by showing the TMP Panyee FC video

Reflection: What was the Passion of the kids? They loved football.

What were some of the Problems? No land, only sport was fishing.

What was the Solution? Set up own football team, so had to build their own pitch.

What were some of the Problems with implementation? People didn't believe, laughed.

What Changed? The kids developed great skills because of the hard dangerous pitch, the community got behind them provided kit and supported them, now football is the main pastime.

10 min

10 min

LeadershipWho Are Leaders? Flipchart with the group some famous leaders, at first just list them.Next ask the group why they are seen as good (great?) leaders.

What is Leadership? Using the leadership section of the Changemaking PowerPoint, go through the various quotes and discuss as a group.

20 min

Being a Changemaker. On a piece of flipchart write “Changemaker” on the top. Ask participants:

“What does it mean to be a changemaker?” Write responses on flip chart.

“What skills do you need to be a powerful changemaker?” Write responses on flip chart.

“What characteristics and attributes do you think all changemakers have?” Write responses on flip chart and discuss.

“Why do you think those attributes are important?” Write responses on flip chart.

Things to Consider. Youth Venture defines a ‘changemaker’ as anyone who, through his or her own idea, takes initiative and causes positive change for the greater good. (Do not share this definition until after the participants have had a chance to define changemaker and changemaking themselves.)

30 min

Break from 3.00 – 3.30

10min

Personal Identification Pass out the Attributes and Skills Handout (printed from the manual) to each participant. On one side have them write 2-3 attributes or skills they as changemakers possess. On the other side have them write 1-2 attributes they would like to work on over the next few months as they launch and lead their own Social Ventures.

20 mins

5 min

15 min

10 mins

In their geographical groups, the participants share their responses. Why do they need to work on certain skills? What can they do to develop those skills? How can the other participants help?

PFUZE Project Pitch Video (Recycling and Income)

Flipchart the participants’ answers after the video.

What was the Problem?

What solution did they come up with?

What skills and attributes did they use?

Each participant looks again at the skills and attributes that they put on their handout and thinks whether there is anything that they would like to add.

Monday 1st OctoberChangemaking Session 2

During this session, participants will: Begin to explore how their own skills, attributes and interests can guide them in identifying a Changemaking Venture to develop, and will have some first ideas about what they want to work on.

Materials:6) TEDxToronto - Drew Dudley Leading with Lollipops7) Venture Guide Choosing a Topic Video4) Participants Manual Changemaking (15th Anniversary) (Print Passions and Problems Handout)

Total Time: 210 minutes (9.00 – 1.00)

10 min10 min

5 mins30 mins

35 mins

Show the “TEDxToronto - Drew Dudley Leading with Lollipops” video.

Each participant to spend a minute thinking about Lollipop Moments in their own lives (either giving or receiving). Some of the participants share their moments with the group.

Show the Venture Guide Choosing a Topic Video.

Participants work through the Passions and Problems Handout List of the participant’s Passions, list of problems in the participant's community. Draw lines between to link passions with problems and imagine a venture. Imagine doing those ventures, which excite them? What skills and attributes will it take?

Participants share their individual ideas for a venture with their group to get feedback.

30 min

Break from 10.30 – 11.00

During this session, participants will: Begin to see how many different things within a community have an effect on each other (often in invisible ways) and will investigate possible ways to have an influence upon a situation.

Materials:8) Give a little love Video9) If I Could Change the World Video4) Participants Manual Changemaking (15th Anniversary) (Print Issue Graph Handout Info Sheet 1 and 2 Handout Formulating Your Solution Handout)

10 min

Show the two videos.

20 min

90 min

The “Give a little love” video begins to show the ways in which a single action can cause a chain reaction and affect others around you, a key concept for thinking about ways to have an impact on community issues. Interconnectedness will be a constant theme for the investigation of community issues.

To paraphrase Newton, all actions have reactions, which translated to human interaction means that everything that we do has an effect on the world around us. Sometimes this is something we are trying to do, but other times it is unexpected or even unwanted – and so we need to be able to look in more depth at cause and effect.

What about the “If I Could Change the World” video? Discuss the main points- Many issues, each student had at least one- A long list of who has the power to fix things- MANY solutions and Many ways to do it

In order to get more people involved in a social venture, participants need to be able to communicate what they are doing and why. So, the next stage is to write a Venture Description.

Key elements that should be included:

- What problem is being addressed?- What is the reason for launching the Venture (include a statistic about the issue or a personal story that inspired you to create the Venture).-  What primary/major activities do you intend to carry out in order to achieve your goals?

Generating a Team SolutionThe group looks again at the different ideas generated individually and try and pick ONE PROBLEM that they would like to work on as a group.

First the group should brainstorm the various causes of the one problem that they chose, then they need to brainstorm a range of activities that could be carried out to address the specific cause/issue.

Table Groups then write a Venture Description, a catchy, one-paragraph piece that can be used to promote the venture. With a NAME.

90 min

Lunch from 1.00 to 2.30

Intercultural Learning Session 2

During this session, participants will:Share their ideas for projects and, in doing so, learn more about the communities of the other groups. Share experiences of similar projects in their own communities, discuss how to get communities involved and, as a result, give each group ideas of how to strengthen their project.

Total Time: 120 minutes (2.30 – 5.00)

30 min

30 min

Each group presents its first draft of a Venture Description. Only questions at this stage are for clarification if something is unclear.

Discussion:What do the three different projects tell us about the different communities? Can you find the same issue in your own community?Thinking about the problems/issues identified – what are the various community attitudes towards that issue? e.g. “The surroundings are filled with rubbish because the council does not send people to collect the rubbish – there is nothing that can be done about it…”Why do you think the community has those attitudes?

For each of the issues, brainstorm activities that could get more people involved in the solution. e.g. posters in schools and supermarkets, going on community radio, presentations in churches etc.

30 Break from 3.30 – 4.00

min60 min

Each group is given feedback from the other two about what could be done to make their venture more successful, suggestions of improvements to their Venture Descriptions.

Tuesday 2nd OctoberTrip to a Community Organisation

am What are they doing? How are they creating change?

pm Practical activity in support of the community organisation.

Wednesday 3rd OctoberChangemaking Session 3

During this session, participants will: Look in more detail at some of the causes of the problem that they are addressing and identify what Impact they are hoping to make with their Venture

Materials:10) Colour the World (Recycling and Resourcing Schools) Video“Changemaking Sessions” Powerpoint4) Participants Manual Changemaking (15th Anniversary) (Print Impact Handout SMART Goals Handout)3) Changemaking Slides 15th Anniversary PowerpointFlipchart paper and Marker PensTotal Time: 180 minutes (9.00 – 12.30)

10 min

20 min

Show the Colour the World (Recycling and Resourcing Schools) video and then read the accomplished Venture Description.

Now we are going to look at what impacts you are hoping to make and will revise the venture description in line with that. Part of creating impact is knowing what are the causes of the problem (it is better to treat the cause rather than the symptom).

Fishbone DiagramGo through and explain the construction of a Cause and Effect - Fishbone Diagram from the Changemaking Sessions PowerPoint.

45 min

15 min

Each group produces a Fishbone Diagram and identifies some of the causes contributing to the issue that they have chosen to address in their venture.

Using the example of working with local tailors to produce school uniforms (on the Powerpoint) explain the idea of impacts being felt across a continuum, from Personal impacts to Societal impacts.

30 min

Break from 10.30 – 11.00

30 In order to get somewhere, you need to know where you are going, and you need to know when

min

60 min

you have reached your destination.

With projects, the same thing applies, you need to have goals that you set and you need to be able to know if you have met those goals.

Go through the What is a SMART Goal? handout, explaining the five terms.

Each group then looks at the five examples on the worksheet, decide if they are SMART or not, and explain why. The whole group then goes through the examples to discuss. The Key is then handed out.

Each group then goes back to their Venture Description; considers the various impacts that they want to make, and re-writes the Venture Description - including a number of SMART goals.

90 min

Lunch from 12.30 to 2.00

Intercultural Learning Session 3

During this session, participants will: Learn about different approaches to community in the 5 different African countries where AFS works. They will look at the qualities of various African leaders, and what that means to them as a young leader in their community.

Materials:11) How is Community Viewed in Africa Handout (1 each)12) African Leaders (3 sets)Flipchart paper, pens, glue stick

Total Time: 120 minutes (2.00 – 4.00)

15 min

It Takes A VillageAim: To introduce an ‘African geography of thought’ on the relationship between the individual and the community.Many of you will have heard the phrase "it takes a village to raise a child". Research from a few years ago has shown that very similar phrases or traditional proverbs occur across Africa in at least 4 different languages. That's before one looks at phrases that, in effect, mean the same thing. For example, in Ghana when thinking about the concept of Nkabom, there is the agreement that "a woman only has sole custody of a child while it is in her stomach, after that, it is the community's responsibility to educate and raise the child." One indication of this is that it is members of the community that correct a child if they see that they are doing something wrong.The idea that "it takes a village" is both ancient and modern. For example, in Egypt the approach is Silat Al Rahim (the Bond of the Womb) which is referred to in the Koran, and states that the bond begins with those who have shared a womb (brothers and sisters) but stretches outwards (to cousins and cousins of cousins) upwards (to ancestors) and downwards to children; until it ultimately encompasses the whole universe - so that everyone is connected and everyone is responsible for each other.

Modern takes on the concept can be seen in Tunisia where, following Independence in 1956, a more modern society was imposed and the idea of Waqfa was introduced to connect the modern society with its rural roots, in order to reduce tribalism and division. This means that, while individuals are encouraged to get an education and develop themselves, families still have a big say in the choices made. Or in Kenya, where, again following Independence, President Kenyatta adopted the concept of Harambee, which in Swahili means "all pull together" and is on the coat of arms. The President encouraged communities to work together, for example in raising funds for local projects, with the pledge that the government would provide start-up costs.

In South Africa it is the concept of Ubuntu. Although it is an old idea, it was popularised by Desmond Tutu when writing "a person is a person through other persons"; and it is a very important way of describing community in South Africa. It is the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity; that we all belong to a greater whole and should share what we have.

15 min

If you look at the handout, you will see the different concepts related to the 5 AFS in Africa countries set out in more detail.

Discussion:How would you describe Ubuntu?Does it impact on the life of your community?How does family (and extended family) fit in with Ubuntu?

20 min

10 min

30 min

We talked about some leaders on Sunday. Now we are going to look at them in more detail.Split into 3 mixed groups (i.e. not geographical).Each group has a set of half-page profiles plus A4 photos of African leaders e.g. Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Anwar el-Sadat, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Habib Bourguiba etc. but also leaders who were not Heads of State e.g. Huda Shaarawi, Wangari Maathai, Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei, and Desmond Tutu.

After reading the profiles, the groups discuss the types of leadership that the examples give.

Each group discusses the various profiles, and then chose one leader that resonates with them. We need the participants to consider the range of what leadership is, therefore, only one group can profile a particular leader. Once a group has decided who they want to profile, they write that name on a flipchart at the front, and then no other group can choose that person!

Each group creates a flipchart with the person’s picture to present who they have decided upon, and explain why they chose the person that they did. They will write one or two sentences outlining the person’s values, one or two outlining their mission, and then a quote from that person that sums up what they believed or their approach.

30 min

Becoming a LeaderAim: The participants reflect on what they have learned and vision what they will do.The facilitator sums up what has been looked at – diversity, difference, similar approaches, communitarianism in the different AiA countries, leadership etc.Individuals write down the two key things they have learned during the session and one thing that has inspired them.Everybody shares one of their points.

Thursday 4th October

am Apartheid Museum

pm Gold Reef City

Friday 5th OctoberIntercultural Learning Session 4

During this session, participants will: Reflect on the ICL lessons learned. (About the three communities, stereotypes and generalisations, leadership and Ubuntu, and the struggle for equality.)

Total Time: 90 minutes (9.00 – 10.30)

30 min

30 min

Reflection on the Apartheid Museum visit.

Everyone close their eyes and think about what you saw at the museum yesterday. How did you feel? What did you learn? What surprised you?

If someone who knew nothing about South Africa or its history asked you, how would you describe South Africa then, and how would you describe South Africa now?

30 min

While South Africa has improved, there is still a lot of inequality. How can you use what you have learned (including about stereotypes/generalisations, leadership, and Ubuntu) to help people live together more peacefully and equally?

What will you do (as individuals or as your small groups) when you get back to your schools and communities?

30 min

Break from 10.30 – 11.00

Changemaking Session 4

During this session, participants will: Finalise their Venture Descriptions, including a draft budget, and commit to some actions upon returning home.

Materials:Action Points Handout13) Small Project Budget Template

Total Time: 90 minutes (11.00 – 12.30)

20 min

50 min

20 min

The facilitator explains that there is a budget of R5,000 available for each of the three projects, and explains how to complete the budget template. NOTE: The R5,000 may only be enough to start. If that is the case, then what is the group’s plan to raise the rest?

The groups then finalise their Venture Descriptions and put together some ideas on a budget (this will have to be finalised once they are back home and can find out about costs etc.).

The groups also discuss what are the first three things that they need to do on returning home to move things forward with their Venture.

We do not expect the Venture to be done just by the five people here, so you will need to be able to “sell” the idea. Each group has one last go at presenting their venture to the whole group.

The afternoon is left free so that if more time is needed it is there.

Two things to do for evaluation, 1) complete the Evaluation Form and

2) Make time for each participant to record three sentences:

I am a leader and ...

I am a changemaker and ...

Intercultural Learning is important because ...