CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
Meeting Training Program
Guidance Program Contents:
1. Project goals
2. Program rationale
3. Project meetings – General structure
4. Circle of Friends Project - Details of meetings
1. Project Goals:
· Strengthening the relationship among children and youth who represent varied cultures, religions and ethnic groups in Israel by using scouting activities and workshops.
· Improving communication between children, youth and teenagers by providing information and acquainting them with information about each other’s culture, customs, lifestyles, family, community structure, education features, history, heritage and ideology (religious and non-religious).
The effect: Building of a broad base for cooperation between all the scout organizations in Israel, their members and youth from different cultures of Israel.
· Using graduates from all the scouting organizations of Israel to take part in the implementation of the project in order to establish a healthy, broad and sustainable base that will result in contributing to improve all aspects of cultural cooperation to improve the quality of life in Israel.
· Providing joint scouting experience through ‘The Israeli Boy & Girl Scouts Federation’ (Israel’s umbrella scout organisation).
2. Program rationale:
The guidance program specifies the implementation of co existence workshops covering a wide range of topics whose objective is a continuous development process at different levels.
Ongoing meetings that will result in increased dialogue, understanding and cooperation between the culturally different participants through the breakdown of previously held attitudes, prejudices and stereotypes resulting in the building of cooperations and friendships.
Initially workshops will break down barriers and participants will increase their knowledge of each other’s cultures. Activities will be based on different themes to expose and allow the participants to get to know each other through different directions and activities that are based on the common interests of the participants.
The ‘Circle of Friends’ project will be an integral part of a range of ‘Federation’ projects that will enable continuous and harmonious contact amongst the different scouts associations of Israel and their projects.
The project will provide the graduate with the relevant ‘scouting tag’ the capacities, skills and tools to lead and facilitate ‘Circle of Friends’ activities and allow members of the ‘Hebrew Scouts’ 10th grade members to take an important part of facilitating initial meetings.
3. The project meetings – General structure
Meeting number / Goals / Acquaintance stage / Main theme / Method / HostFirst meeting / · Initial acquaintance between the participants.
· Team building using a common base - the ‘Scout Hood.
· Connecting the participants to the year’s process. / First acquaintance based on mutual experiences. / Scout Hood / Find the link" / The Hebrew Scouts
Second meeting / · Creating a deep acquaintance that is based on the different participant’s knowledge and experiences.
· The participants will learn about the different, religions, cultures and holy days of the participants as a base for intercultural learning and understanding sectors.
· The participants will be exposing to the different religions and ethnic groups that are part of the ‘circle’. / Understanding based on learning and understanding other cultures / Religions / "Circles" / The Catholic Scouts or The Orthodox Scouts
Third meeting / · Getting to know each other family for the purpose of strengthening friendships between the participants
· Increasing knowledge of different regions of Israel to create a common and mutual educational experience and widening their knowledge of different areas of Israel.
· More in depth knowledge about the participants different cultures and communities
· Discussions on family’s different cultural traditions and roles as a tool to change interaction and to stimulate dialogue between cultures. / Understanding based on personal relationships within the family framework. / The state of Israel / "My home is here home" / The Druze Scouts
Fourth meeting / · Applying built friendships and cooperations for positive active citizenship.
· The process and it influence – Summary and evaluation. / Applying the relationships built (friendships and understanding) for active citizenship. / Sport / Conclusion / The Scout Federation (or the Sea Scouts)
First Meeting
Training Program for meetings
First meeting
Table of Contents
First meeting – "Find The Link" – General / 9Framework for the first meeting - Guidelines and Preparations / 12
Division of groups activities / 13
Acquaintance/Understanding activity / 15
Planned Activities / 17
Chefs battle – joint lunch program / 20
A day in my life / 21
Concluding ceremony / 23
Equipment list and needs / 24
First meeting – "Find the Link" – General
Goals:
1. Creating basic friendships among the participants.
2. Team building - using a common base – ‘The Scouts’.
3. Connecting the participants to the year’s program.
Meeting Schedule:
· 10:00-10:20 – Opening Ceremony
Opening speech by the head of the circle, and counselors’ presentations.
· 10:20-10:30 - Division to groups
With the aim of creating homogeneous groups the counselors will divide the groups in advance. Each member will receive, from his original counselor, a puzzle piece.
The members will attach the puzzle pieces resulting in initial acquaintances of group members from different cultural tribes.
· 10:45-11:30 – Theme activity (initial acquaintance in four groups)
The participants will get to know their group members.
Each group member will describe the branch they came from and about themselves.
· 11:30-13:00 – Group (4) team building through scouting missions.
The participants will go through different ‘stations’, each based on a scouting challenge activity.
In each station they will need to show teamwork, punctuality, scouting attributes knowledge and cooperation.
During the activity the participants will collect ingredients that will be used for making lunch.
· 13:00-15:30 - Chefs battle – Joint lunch Activity (in four groups)
The participants will receive a list of recipes that can be made from the ingredients they collected during the previous activity.
The groups will prepare their lunch using cooking equipment that they have received.
On completion of lunch preparation the groups will present their ‘dishes’ to a panel of judges made up of the group councilors.
Judging will be based on taste and attractive presentation of the meals.
· 15:30-16:30 – Friendship building activity - A day in my life(in four groups)
A friendship building activity in groups that will provide the opportunity for the participants to increase their knowledge of each other through daily activities they may have in common (TV shows they like, internet, hobbies and so on).
· 16:30-17:00 – Concluding Ceremony
Announcement of the winners in the challenge scout activity ‘Chefs Battle’.
Advise about the next meeting and separation to buses (to return home).
First meeting Framework – Guidelines and Preparation
Hosting: The Hebrew Branch
Responsibilities of the hosting branch:
a. To prepare the scout challenge activity stations (according to the guiding program).
b. Organize the equipment needed for the activities (according to the Training program manual).
c. Positioning of experienced (older) members at each activity station (10th grade members that have taken part in past activities and briefing them on their responsibilities in this activity).
d. Arrange cooking equipment for lunch and preparing an alternative lunch (for example: hot dogs).
Preparations of the participating branches in the meeting:
a. To prepare list of participant divisions for their different activity groups.
b. Preparation activities in each branch.
c. Briefing the participants.
Division for Group Activities
Goals:
· The participants will divide in an enjoyable and teambuilding method into the groups they will be part of in the day’s program.
Activity schedule:
In preparation to the meeting the councilors will divide the participants of the meeting into four homogeneous groups.
At the beginning of the activity each participant will receive from his original counselor a puzzle piece. The participants will be asked to find others that have pieces from the same puzzle and to assemble the puzzle pieces as quickly as possible.
The participants will be divided into four groups. Each group will complete a puzzle of thirty pieces (or according to the number of group members). On each puzzle will appear a symbol of one of the Federations member organizations, according to the following distribution:
Group - puzzle / The symbol that on the puzzle1 / The Hebrew Scouts symbol
2 / The Orthodox Scouts symbol
3 / The Catholic Scouts symbol
4 / The Druze Scouts symbol
Distribution the puzzle pieces method:
· The counselors will divide the pieces in to four plastic-bags. 7-8 different puzzle pieces in each bag.
· A representative of each Federation branch will be given a number of bags.
· Every councilor will distribute to his group a bag with the different puzzle pieces – it is important to make sure that the pieces hand out will be according to the planed group divisions.
· The councilors will advise participants to search for their group and to assemble the puzzle.
Implementation time: 25 minutes
Points for the counselors
ý Pay attention to a rational division between the different groups.
ý It is important to note that the division of groups is for the full day’s activities.
ý It is possible to write the name of the participants on the puzzle pieces, one name on a piece and to give to puzzle pieces by name.
Equipment list and needs
1. Puzzle pieces
2. Division to group’s page – for the branches counselors.
3. Recording pages – For the groups counselors.
Acquaintance activity
Goals:
1. Making good first impressions and continuation of impact.
2. Creating atmosphere that is open and free.
3. Participants getting to know each other and starting to bond.
Activity schedule:
1. Names game – "a movement and a name" – the participants stand in a circle, at the first round all participants state their name, in turn, and makes a movement (it's worthwhile to try to make a funny and prominent movement). After completion of a rotation one participant says the name of one other participant and makes the other participants movement; the participant that name has been said then choices another participant and makes their movement who then choices another participant and makes their movement and so on….
Implementation time: 15 minutes
2. ‘Names Bingo’ - The counselor prepares bingo sheets (see attached).
The counselor ask the participants a question (see questions attached) and if they have the right answer on their sheet they must ‘check’ it; at the end of the round all the members stand in a circle with their right hand facing the middle of the circle; on the counselor’s advise the participants release their marked sheets and take a new sheet (one that has been used by another participant). This is continued until the sheets are full. When the sheets are full the participants need to find out which participants marked the sheet they now have in their hand, and to collect their signatures on the square of the answer they wrote. The first to finish is the winner.
Implementation time: 20 minutes
3. If there is time at the end of the bingo game, it is possible to do a round of funny/ interesting/ surprising answers that the members found on their sheets.
Points for the counselors
ý This activity can determine the success of the day - remember, there is no second chance for first impressions!
ý In order to overcome the initial embarrassment/shyness it is important that the activity will be implemented quickly.
ý You can change this activity as you wish – but, be sure to do at the beginning of the day a names circle game combined with a game that results in strengthening the participants’ acquaintances.
Equipment list and needs
1. Bingo answer sheets (20 sheets per group)
2. Bingo question cards
3. Pencils for participants
Planned Activities
Goals:
1. Increasing participants’ basic connection by doing challenging activities that require cooperation and teamwork.
2. Strengthening participant’s group dynamics.
Activity schedule:
Mean idea:
The participants will go through different challenge scout activity stations. In every station they will need to show teamwork, punctuality, scout attributes and knowledge and cooperation.
At the beginning of this activity, every group will receive recording cards that show which of the stations they need to go to. The participants will need to get to the station, where a councilor will explain to them what they are required to do.
Activity list:
· Pole and the spiral: a spiral made of rope is prepared on the floor, at the middle of it a vertical pole two meters long. A rope is attached to the pole every 10 cm. the group need to take the pole out of the spiral space under the following rules:
o The participants are prohibited to go inside the spiral‘s zone.
o The participants can hold only the ropes attached to the pole.
o It is prohibited that the pole will touch the spiral rope and it is prohibited that it will go out of the spiral zone.
The group needs to get the pole out of the center of the spiral - every time they fail they need to start from the beginning.
· Thinking with your hands: The participants will receive two logical tasks that are connected to circles.
o First task – ‘Exit the circle’: The participants hold hands when their faces facing the outside the circle. Their mission is that their faces will be facing the inside of the circle, without letting go of their hands.
§ The solution: One neighboring couple need to raise their hands without separate them, creating a "bridge" that the rest of the participants need to go through.
o Second task – ‘Passing the Poles’: There are two poles in the middle of a circle, one is two meters high and the other is one and a half meters high.
The team mission is to pass the poles without separating their hands.
· The Carpet Activity: The participants need to handle three mission demanding teamwork in a limited time.
o Activity 1: ‘Turn the Carpet’: the entire group stands on a big carpet. Their mission is to turn the carpet over without any of the group members getting off it.
o Activity 2: ‘A Glass of Water’: The participants will receive a glass of water that has attached to it a number of strings (equal to the number of the group members). The mission is to bring the glass to a selected point without dropping it. The entire group needs to take part and to keep the strings strung tight.