Take a step forward

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For this activity, inform participants that they are going to assume the random role that appears when you share this activity with them.

Ask them to reflect on the role they have been given and get into it by thinking about the lifestyle they would have.

Once they are ready, it’s time to play! Participants ARE THE PANDA 🐼 The rest of the animals represent other random participants and also will be moving according to their life situation.

Ask them to think deeply about each presented situation above the blue road.

For each statement, they should press “TAKE A STEP” if their answer is YES, or “STAY” if their answer is NO.

Click here to go the the participant’s part or press the share button

Did You Know…?
Tips For The Facilitator
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2024 © Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them

Did you know...?

The way you and the youth you work with talk can create an atmosphere that is conducive to respect for all human beings and their rights, or not. Hate speech is a way of normalising violence and separating people into ´us´ and ´them´. Thinking that the people in the other group are somehow different and more difficult to empathise with and experience as fully human. Can you imagine that you have the power to influence the young people you meet, the leaders of tomorrow, to respect, empathise, and see the human in everyone.

Tips for the facilitator

Ask participants to get into the role randomly given. To help, read out some of the following questions:

  • What was your childhood like? What sort of house did you live in? What kind of games did you play? What sort of work did your parents do?
  • What is your everyday life like now? Where do you socialise? What do you do in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening?
  • What sort of lifestyle do you have? Where do you live? How much money do you earn each month? What do you do in your leisure time? What do you do during your holidays?
  • What excites you and what are you afraid of?

Debriefing: Start by asking participants about what happened and how they feel about the activity and then go on to talk about the issues raised and what they learnt.

  • How did people feel stepping forward – or not?
  • For those who stepped forward often, at what point did they begin to notice that others were not moving as fast as they were?
  • Did anyone feel that there were moments when their basic human rights were being ignored?
  • Can people guess each other’s roles? (Let people reveal their roles during this part of the discussion)
  • How easy or difficult was it to play the different roles? How did they imagine what the person they were playing was like?
  • Does the exercise mirror society in some way? How?
  • Which human rights are at stake for each of the roles? Could anyone say that their human rights were not being respected or that they did not have access to them?
  • What first steps could be taken to address the inequalities in society?