Families USAConference – The Role of Convening – How to Host an Effective Debrief Session?

Games and Activities[i]

Here are some suggestions for games / activities that may be helpful in the group process for hosting an effective debrief session:

  • Stand Up / Sit Down – Starting the meeting with participants identifying ways they each contributed to outreach, eligibility screening, enrollment, and health insurance literacy by standing up to affirm they participated in certain tasks
  • HEALTH Bingo – A bingo card to get participants circulating and having conversations about successes and challenges and how they handled them
  • Speed Dating – Another way to get people talking especially one-on-one conversations – topic, timer, and mingling – Come back together for a report out on what you learned.
  • What do you want them to share or learn? What suggestions for questions or ideas?
  • Brainstorming / Generating Good Consumer Stories & Value of Assisters – Pose question to the group “When you think about your role as an Assister and times you made a positive difference for a consumer seeking your help, what comes to mind?” or “Tell me about your favorite story of helping a consumer get insurance and why it is your favorite?” or “If you could change one thing that you believe would have make a difference in enrollment or made success easier or more efficient, what would it be?”
  • Flip Charts with Topics – Hang flip charts with specific topics around the space to ask participants to write best practices or tips they have or challenges or things that were barriers in the process. At different points in the discussion, read the items on the flip charts and ask for additional ideas. This method is useful to avoid long report outs but to capture a wide range of ideas. Also more accessible to people who are reluctant to share in big groups – they will write their thoughts down and feel good about participating. Can also break people into groups and assign groups to tackle a topic and then present
  • Discussion tables – Diversify the table groups to ensure not everyone from one organization, have the group complete a handout to summarize the discussion, questions should generate best practices, experiences, and ideas for improvement. Have some report out, but facilitator should well manage report back.
  • Beer with the President – You are sharing a beer with President Obama, just the two of you, and he says, “I greatly appreciate your hard work and help in getting uninsured people covered. Now I know the law and websites aren’t perfect, but from your perspective can you share two things that really need to be changed or improved? Then, how about two things that worked better than last year - - and don’t just say the website, be a little more specific”.
  • Magic Wand – You give each group a magic wand (or stick) and indicate that the wand allows them to change any piece of the process, what would they change? How would that impact the process positively? And in discussing the group’s ideas, which change would have the biggest impact?
  • Role Plays – Important practice skills and / or messaging

[i] Handout was created by Erin Loubier, Whitman-Walker Health, and Allen Gjersvig, Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers