A CREATIVE WRITING MANUAL

FOR ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.
Seamus Heaney, Digging
With the support of the
Youth in Action
Programme of the
European Union
The manual is a result of WRITE NOW, WRITE OUR FUTURE project
co-ordinated by !ie"o #arin Romera
Written by
Tausha $% $ohnson
!esi"n and layout
&uis 'lberto (ermejo Recio
)o*er
+osem #artine, (elmonte
-pecific contributions on content Nurullah (al, (eri (erescu, Ed.ard
$% (radley, -amuel T% /laddin", Iunia 0asca, -arah 0otter, Eliya
-toyano*a Ran"elo*a, #ar1 Wa1eham
This manual .as created .ith the financial support from the European
)ommission% This publication reflects the *ie. only of the author, and the
)ommission cannot be held responsible for any use .hich may be made of the
information contained therein%
Reproduction of material from this publication is authori,ed for non-commercial
purposes only and on condition that the source is properly referenced%
2
For
All those who participated in Write Now, Write Our Future, including participants of
the European outh !u""it and staff # $aharia Nett% Anareea, Daniel Ast&ur%, 'fu(
)altas, *arius )eri )erescu, *arco )erton, Francesco )itonti, Iwona Do&ins(a,
+laudia Dragulin, Adrian Du"itrescu, ,anna Gors(a, Nicoleta -uglan, E"rah .oca(,
-a(u& .oscians(i, Ina Lolescu, Iunia /asca, Ilenia /osteraro, Irene .ethelin Aline
*e00adri, Andrea Nuila ,er"annsdofer, Gi0e" !ahin, ouri 1a(ouls(%, -oanna
1anderhoe(, *algor0ata Wo2ciechows(a, and )ilal a3as4 A giant Tsuna"i wa3e for
each of %ou4
One "illion &esos to Diego *ar5n Ro"era for his trust in "e and &elie3ing in the
pro2ect, "% facilitation of the creati3e writing wor(shops and in writing this "anual.
And for Luis, who alwa%s helps turn "% world right6side up4
7*uch5si"as Gracias8
3
+ontents
'sing +reati3e Writing For Acti3e +iti0enship9
Introduction4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444:
Fra"ewor( of acti3ities444444444444444444444444444444444444;<
Issues selected4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444;<
A citi0en writer=s tools and techni>ues44444444;<
For"s of writing used in this "anual44444444444;?
Writing6&ased Ice&rea(ers4444444444444444444444444444444;@
Getting to .now ou, Getting to .now All
A&out ou444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444;@
!now&all Fun4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444;A
The @B Word )iograph%444444444444444444444444444444444;C
!iD6word *e"oir444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444<B
Writing /ro"pts444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444<?
/ro"pt E;F /oe" in a )all of !tring4444444444444<?
/ro"pt E<F In *% Drea"s 44444444444444444444444444444<G
/ro"pt E?F Huotation !tations44444444444444444444<G
/ro"pt EGF Go3ern"ent=s Interest44444444444444<@
/ro"pt E@F What=s in a !%"&olI4444444444444444444<@
/ro"pt E9F our First Ter" in Office4444444444<@
/ro"pt EAF /lanet ,trae44444444444444444444444444444444<9
/ro"pt E:F Throw awa% the .e%s4444444444444444<9
/ro"pt ECF The Donation444444444444444444444444444444<9
/ro"pt E;BF /eople Watching444444444444444444444<9
/ro"pt E;;F *etaphors44444444444444444444444444444444<9
/ro"pt E;<F The Inheritance444444444444444444444444<9
/ro"pt E;?F The /rotest4444444444444444444444444444444<9
/ro"pt E;GF What if444I4444444444444444444444444444444444<A
/ro"pt E;@F The Good !a"aritan4444444444444444<A
/ro"pt E;9F T1 Writer44444444444444444444444444444444444<A
/ro"pt E;AF +ircle !tor%44444444444444444444444444444444<A
/ro"pt E;:F ItJs All !ci6fi to "e44444444444444444444<A
/ro"pt E;CF /ractice What ou /reach444444<:
/ro"pt E<BF First Lines4444444444444444444444444444444444<:
Acti3ities K Writing EDercises44444444444444444444444444?B
/heno"enal +iti0en4444444444444444444444444444444444444444?B
1isions of De"ocrac%4444444444444444444444444444444444444??
A /icture and No *ore than a Thousand
Words4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444?9
Tweet *e a !tor%44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444?:
*issing 1oicesF The @ o=+loc( News4444444444444GB
+o"ic .a&a"844444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444G<
Tal(in= &out a Re3olution4444444444444444444444444444444GG
Writing Against 1iolence44444444444444444444444444444444GA
Rightside 'p World44444444444444444444444444444444444444444GC
+iti0enship K +i3il Diso&edience4444444444444444444@<
Legends, *%ths K Fol(lore44444444444444444444444444444@@
LetJs Go !urfing NowF Online Acti3is"44444444@A
*% Own /ri3ate De"ocrac%44444444444444444444444444@C
De"ocrac% Ti"es444444444444444444444444444444444444444444449;
EDtra, EDtra Write All A&out It444444444444444444444449?
'nited or !eparateI44444444444444444444444444444444444444449@
Once 'pon a Ti"e44444444444444444444444444444444444444444449A
I )u%, Therefore I A"44444444444444444444444444444444444444AB
To Wonderland, A Guided I"ager%44444444444444AG
+reati3e Ethnograph%, A /ortrait44444444444444444AA
The )ridge44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444AC
!o"eone ElseJs !(in4444444444444444444444444444444444444444:;
A 1iew fro" the +ontinent4444444444444444444444444444:@
One *o"ent, One World444444444444444444444444444444::
The Gi3ing )oo(44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444C;
Dear *e444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444C?
Resources44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444C9
+haracter )uilding Wor(sheet4444444444444444444444C9
+onstructi3e +riti>uing Language Wor(sheet
4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444CA
Internet In3estigation Wor(sheet4444444444444444C:
First Lines4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444CC
The European !ocial +harter44444444444444444444444;BB
E' +harter of Funda"ental Rights444444444444;B<
International +o3enant on +i3il and /olitical
Rights44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444;BG
International +o3enant on Econo"ic, !ocial
and +ultural Rights444444444444444444444444444444444444444;B@
Where do we go fro" hereI /u&lishing K
De3eloping a +o""unit% of /ractice4444444444;B9
Glossar%4444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444;BC
4
Poets are the unrecognised legislators of the world
Percy Bysshe Shelly
Using Creative Writing For Active
Citizenship
Creative Writing, whether in the form of a story, memoir, poetry or song, plays a powerful role in
promoting democracy and active citizenship. From the ancient Greek playwrights to modern
poetssuch as war poets or songs by ob !arley " our words and stories have been one of
humankind#s most persuasive instruments to move and mold our thinking and our world.
We only have to think of the metonymic adage $%he pen is mightier than the sword& to
understand that scribes have long used their writing to actively look at society, communicate
ideas and illuminate others to aspire towards social 'ustice or change. (ccording to the
(merican writer ).. White, $Writers do not merely reflect and interpret life, they inform and
shape life.& *o one can deny the immense impact narrative has played in forming how we think
and feel about an issue as is evident in the world#s response to The Diary of Anne Frank. +er
story has awakened in us an ideal for today and a hope for future generations.
,n a global world, where it is easy for an individual to feel unheard and incapable of making a
difference, writing provides an easy, accessible, and personalized approach to issues that may
otherwise appear overwhelming. y being able to e-press thoughts and viewpoints, to share
realities and visions simply and honestly, the writer not only finds him or herself empowered and
making a contribution, but also opens a door for others to e-perience new realities. %hrough
identification with a character or narrator, the writer and reader form a connection that can
create a greater capacity for empathy and understanding. ,t is this rousing of empathy that can
either validate or even alter the stance of others and perhaps encourage positive action. .eople
actively taking part for the betterment of their communities and the world is the nature and value
of democracyand writing is active participation. /ur stories, our words, can awaken in others
a willingness to say no to social in'ustice and make a lifetime commitment towards defending
the values of democracy such as social e0uality, 'ustice, dignity and freedom. /ur stories have
the power to influence others which can lead to action and result in transforming lives and our
world.
5
As more and more citizens express what they think, and defend it in writing, that will
change the way people understand public issuesThe writing of ideas, argument, and
criticism improves democracy. Lawrence Lessig
ut creative writing is not e-clusively for poets, 'ournalists, novelists, or dramatists. Creative
writing is for all citizens. We all have a story. We all have ideas and concerns, hopes and
dreams. .erhaps the nature of a story may be shocking or too difficult to convey through simple
speaking. %he emotions shared through a character in a story, poem, song or memoir can make
it easier for stories to be told. Creative writing enables us to engage with characters rather than
feeling the necessity to divulge personal e-perience. (nd when a work is written honestly and
from the heart, we are able to e-press ourselves without boundaries, communicating across
geography, politics, gender, race and religion. What it comes down to is a story that reminds us
we all have a connection. We are reminded we are all human, which can inspire and move us to
act in promoting a world that is more tolerant, understanding and compassionate.
ou write in order to change the world! if you alter" e#en by a millimetre" the
way people loo$ at reality" then you can change it. %ames Baldwin
6
Introduction
Where it all began1
,t was over a plate of !oroccan tagine during a +uman 2ights workshop in 3pain that a number
of participants encouraged me to introduce creative writing as a tool for promoting active
citizenship to youth in )urope. $What#s preventing you from doing it4 ,f you really believe in it,
then you have to try.& , didn#t need to convince myself. , knew creative writing could change
lives. ,#d been teaching writing in secondary schools for years and knew by e-perience the
positive impact it had on my students. +ow could , ever forget 5ohn, the school#s tormented
rebel, whose stone e-pression transformed to child6like delight when he discovered he could
write poetry. +e later became the editor of the school#s literary magazine and an inspirational
mentor to younger students. /r )ddie, the boy who was considered to have a learning
challenge, but gained the admiration and respect of his peers through his rap songs. 5ohn and
)ddie were only two pupils among the hundreds whose lives were transformed though the
power of their writing. %ime after time, there are stories of young people being healed and
desire to reach out to others because of what they have discovered about themselves through
writing. !any of these stories have even been been made into +ollywood films, such as The
Freedom Writer's Diary, a film about secondary school teacher )rin Gruwell who brought diary
writing into a classroom of $at6risk& students.
(long with creative writing, , also taught works by the literary giantsGeorge /rwell, ,bsen,
(rthur !iller, +arper 7ee, 3eamus +eaney1 , remember how students became emotional
about the in'ustice on Animal Farm and outraged by the scapegoating in The Crucible. $+ow
could this happen4& they asked. $(nd why are the pigs the only animals who can read and
write4&
y the time we finished the tagine, ,#d convinced myself and everyone at the table that
facilitating creative writing workshops was a meaningful approach to 8emocracy and
Citizenship )ducation, especially in today#s climate of economic, political and social crisis when
the foundations of democracy are being challenged. ,t is during such times that it is all the more
imperative to provide more accessible, immediate and personalised approaches to civic
participation.
%hat informal dinner ignited a spark that 0uickly developed into Write *ow, Write /ur Future " a
one year pro'ect funded by the )uropean Commission. %he aim of the pro'ect was to e0uip
youth, youth facilitators, educators and youth workers with the knowledge and skills concerned
7
with rights and responsibilities of citizenship in con'unction with creative writing workshops to
promote positive participation in civic life. ,n turn, the si- partner countries involved in the
pro'ect " 3pain, ,taly, .oland, 2omania, %urkey and the *etherlands " ran workshops in their
home countries to promote participatory citizenship and build a community of practice of citizen
writers. (s part of the programme, a )uropean 9outh 3ummit was held in !arch of :;<= in
Caravaca, 3pain to provide an open space of dialogue among youth and policy makers. Writing
Reloaded and the participant#s creative writing, which , am proud to announce can be viewed
at http>??www.writenowwriteourfuture.com? is our response to those meeting.
Writing 2eloaded@
Welcome to Writing Reloaded, the manual on using creative writing to promote the values of
democracy and active citizenship@ (s the title suggests, , believe that our words and stories are
powerful ammunition to shape our world and the future. Words have the power to create or
destroy. %hroughout history, governments and totalitarian regimes have used words to
manipulate and instil feelings of fear and suspicion among citizens. We only have to look at
current propaganda to see the present is no different. Words like $illegal aliens& and $terrorists&
demonize and promote the idea of $the other& or $them& and not $us& or $we&. ,n the (ge of
,nformation and global communication when we should be sharing and learning from one
another, words are used to separate and disconnect humans. *ow, more than ever, it is time to
$reload& our writing with the aim of making a positive change that will inspire connection and
unity. , hope Writing Reloaded will encourage you to use writing to promote our connection.
%he activities and writing e-ercises are designed to inspire and motivate you to venture into the
world of creative writing as a way to contribute to your community and to encourage others to
become active as well. %he manual provides a wide range of tried and tested activities used in
Write *ow, Write /ur Future workshops and pilot workshops in )uropean partner countries. ,
strongly believe that because the nature of creative writing is a personal process and facilitates
self6e-pression, activities are inherently relevant, accessible and personalised and are suitable
for both formal and non6formal education environments. ,t is my hope that through creativity and
playfulness, facilitators and educators will adapt and perhaps even change activities to suit the
needs of group members. , highly encourage tweaking, modifying and e-perimentation so as
not to stifle imagination and creativity.
.roducing Writing Reloaded has proven a highly creative pro'ect. %hough writing has been
used to reflect, evaluate and shape societies, the creative writing approach in Citizenship
)ducation is relatively limited in materials. While there e-ists a multitude of books, guides and
student te-tbooks on citizenship, books focusing e-clusively on creative writing workshop
activities as a tool for active citizenship are not so readily available. ,n this conte-t, Writing
Reloaded is the first manual of its kind. /f course, the research and references have been
inspirational, and acknowledgement is given when possible. , apologise and do appreciate that
you contact me if there has been an omission. %hose familiar with this line of work may
recognize some activities have been adapted with an e-tended writing activity. , have included
these activities with the mind that their effectiveness is too valuable to be e-cluded.
Writing 2eloaded is not a book on how to write. 2ather, it is a manual of creative writing
workshop activities that focus on relevant themes and topics to improve our world. %he writing
e-ercises include pre6writing games and activities to stimulate and facilitate writingA and though
many writing e-ercises are collaborative, they can also be done as individual writing. !y hope is
that these activities will help you clarify your ideas and share your stories in a way that will
increase empathy and inspire people into action for positive change.
8
Writing Reloaded has been published in )nglish and 3panish and translation to other
languages is encouraged to e-tend the community of citizen writers. ,t is deliberately not
copyrighted in solidarity with those involved in non6formal 8emocracy B Citizenship )ducation
and community organizing. (ny non6governmental organization or educator may duplicate,
adapt, translate and distribute this manual with acknowledgement to Writing Reloaded. We
would also appreciate receiving a copy of any adaptation or translation. %he distribution of the
handbook at profit, however, is strictly prohibited.
We have taken good advantage of the manual being on6line to make it readily accessible, as
well as to update and create links to training courses working in the line of civic activism. (s our
goal is to promote action, we welcome feedback as to how students or participants respond to
activities. 9our feedback can further help us ma-imize the value and effectiveness of activities
and writing e-ercises.
.roducing Writing Reloaded is only the first step. %raining courses are being organised at
regional and national levels that are promoting collaboration and a community of practice
among )uropean citizens. For information regarding citizen writers# communities, please
consult the Write *ow, Write /ur Future site at http>??www.writenowwriteourfuture.com?.
9:
0art 9
Frame.or1 of
acti*ities
99
Framework of activities
Issues seected
%he activities and writing e-ercises for this manual have been structured around eight
citizenship6related issues.
Democracy Citizenship
Social Justice & Equality Globalisation & Interdependence
Sustainable Development Peace & Conflict
edia Environment
Within each issue, of course, there are many topics to be e-plored. For e-ample, within 3ocial
5ustice B )0uality come topics such as social rights, poverty, health, employment, education,
gender B race e0uality, and discrimination B pre'udice. (lthough each activity focuses on a
particular issue, they are designed in such a way to allow crossover into other related topics,
allowing for easy adaptation for a specific target group.
A citizen writer!s toos and techni"ues
( writer will use many tools and techni0ues to motivate and inspire ideas for a piece of writing.
%he variety of techni0ues included in this manual not only promote a fun and creative
environment, but also show there can be many avenues of inspiration. elow are a list of the
tools and techni0ues. .lease refer to the glossary at the end of this manual for a fuller
description.
rainstorming> !ind mapping B lists
Free writing
5ournalling
9;
%heatre games
Films, Cideos and %C commercials
3torytelling
8ebates and discussion
!usic
(rt B .hotography
!edia
Guided ,magery?Cisualisation
Writing prompts B First lines
Forms of writing used in this manua
, have also included a wide selection of writing forms to give you an opportunity to discover
which form best matches your talents and preferences.
3hort 3tory 3ong 7yrics !agazine?log articles Flash Fiction
!emoir 5ournal entries 7etters /pinion pieces
+aiku .oetry .ersonal
*arrative?)ssay
%C advertisement
3cripts Dfor plays and
filmsE
Children#s book Comics B Graphic
3tories
Fables B Fairy tales
*ews stories Folklore, !yths B
7egends
3i-6Word 3tory
92
0art ;
Writin"-based
Icebrea1ers
93
Writing#$ased Ice$reakers
%etting to &now 'ou, %etting to &now A A$out 'ou
%his is a fun and artistic way for participants to introduce each other on the first day. ,t allows
participants to e-perience creative writing in a safe and non6intimidating environment while
learning about others.
(ims
%o stimulate lateral thinking and creativity
%o get to know others in the group
!aterials
3heets of (F paper
Crayons, markers and coloured pencils, pens
,nstructions
<. %ell participants that for this warm6up, they need to be sitting ne-t to someone they don#t
know. Give participants a minute to move to a new seat.
:. )-plain that they will be sharing information about themselves as an introduction to the
rest of the group. ,t is best to have a mock up made to show participants an e-ample.
=. 8istribute a sheet of (F sized paper to each participant then have them fold the paper in
half twice so that when it is opened the creases will give the paper four sections.
8emonstrate with the mock up.
F. )-plain that each section of the paper will represent some information about
themselves. For e-ample, section <> Family B ackground, :> +obbies, likes B dislikes,
=> ,ssues B ,deas that matter to you, F> Closet dream. %hese titles are only suggestions.
Feel free to play around with other themes and topics. Write topics on the whiteboard so
participants can have a visual reference.
G. *ote> ,n my e-perience, many participants are confused about the e-act meaning of
closet dream Despecially if )nglish is not their native languageE. )licit the meaning and
clarify if they are still uncertain. ( closet dream> ( dream 'ob or e-perience that usually
94
you don#t tell to others. For e-ample> +er closet dream is to buy a fishing boat and live
on the !editerranean sea.
H. %ell participants they must draw their information. %hey can /*79 use drawings. *o
words@
I. 8istribute Crayons, markers, coloured pencils and tell participants they have <G minutes
to complete their drawings.
J. /nce the <G minutes have passed and everyone has completed their drawings, have
participants e-change their paper with someone they#re sitting ne-t to. %his means
participants should take the paper of the person they have given their own paper to, and
*/% simply pass it to the person on the left.
K. )-plain that their task now is to write a short biography about the person#s paper they
have received. %hey cannot 0uestion the person whose paper they have, but must write
about what they interpret from what#s drawn on the paper. %ell participants they have G
minutes to write. %hey can write on the back on the paper they received.
<;. .ens down@ +ave participants meet with their partner to share what they have written
about each other. *ow they can find out if there are any misconceptions and what the
truth is about their partner. Give participants enough time to share their information.
<<. *ow have each pair introduce their partner to the rest of the group@ (s well, participants
are free to show the drawings and share what they originally thought was true.
*ote@ ,f you have a large group this activity can be time consuming, so you may want to
have them share only one item about their partner. +ave them choose an item that
surprised them or that they found fascinating.
)-ample
95
Snow$a Fun
(n energetic and bio6dynamic activity to learn more about others in the group. est played in a
large space or outside. .articipants won#t know what hit them.
(ims
%o get to know even more about others in the group in an informal and playful
atmosphere.
!aterials
.hotocopies of <; Luestions Worksheet, pens
,nstructions
<. )-plain that this activity will provide the opportunity to learn more about each other.
8istribute copies of the <; Luestions Worksheet and ask them to take a few minutes to
answer the 0uestions, but they should */% put their name on the worksheet as part of
the activity is to guess who the paper belongs to once they have completed it.
:. +ave participants wad up their paper into a ball.
=. %ell participants the rules of the 3nowball Fun. 7ike a snowball fight, the goal is not to
have a paperball touch you.
F. %o get the paperballs mi-ed up, allow 3nowball Fun for a minute or two, then, tell
participants that if they are hit, they must take the paperball, open it and make sure it is
not their own. ,f it is their own, they continue to play until they have someone else#s
paperball. /nce they are hit, they must keep the ball that hit them and sit out of the line
of fire. %he snowball fun is over once everyone has a paperball that is not their own.
G. (sk participants to read their paperballs to themselves. !ingling, they must find the
original owner of the paperball.
H. When everyone has found their partner, have each participant share with the entire
group what they have learned about their partner.
%ip@
ecause the activity is inspired by the traditional $snowball fight& and participants may
feel disinclined to throw paper at people they don#t know, depending on the group, it
may be best to do this activity a day or two after they have become more familiar.
Cariations
(s well, this is a fun activity to do for creating fictional characters. +owever, instead of
simply trying to find out who the snowball belongs to, pairs e-change ideas for a story
where their two characters cross paths.
+ave participants as a group come up with a list of <; original 0uestions.
96
Example
!" #uestions $or%sheet
<. What is one thing about yourself that you would like others to know4
:. What is your star sign4 8oes it reveals anything true about you4
=. *ame three songs that would be included on the soundtrack of your
life.
F. ,f you had to live in any other country, which country would you like4
Why4
G. ,f you were ever put in 'ail, what would it be for4
H. What have you done in your life that makes you feel proud4
I. ,f thereMs such a thing as reincarnation, who do you think you were in
a past life4
J. ,f you were to write a book, what would the tittle be4
K. Where would you like to be in <; year#s time4 What do you see
yourself doing4
<;. What story does your family always tell about you4
97
(he )* Word +iography
%his a subtle way to get group members writing on a sub'ect they know well " themselves@
(ims
%o encourage written e-pression
%o share our stories with others
%o practice brevity in writing
!aterials
.aper, pens
,nstructions
<. ( good way to approach this icebreaker is to begin with a brief discussion about
creative writing. (sk participants if they have much e-perience writing, what form of
writing, etc. %his is a good time to address any doubts or fears they may have.
:. %ell participants they are going to start with a simple writing activity to get to know each
other better.
=. %o begin, have them make a mind map De-plain mind mapping here if it has not already
been practisedE on the sub'ect !). Give them a few minutes to create their mind maps.
F. (fterwards, ask them to silently read through their mind maps and circle what
information is most relevant if they had to write a biography about themselves for a blog
or an article they have written.
G. Give participants <;6<G minutes to write their biography with this guideline> their
biography has a ma-imum word count of G; words. ,f they ask why only G; words, you
can tell them this is the guideline given by most online publishers.
H. 3hare biographies. +ave them save biographies to use for their published work.
Cariations
%his activity can be livened up having them swap biographies. %hey can present a
partner, or play guess who.
,f they already know the basic information about each other DWhere they are from, their
work, publications, where they live, etc.E you can adapt the activity for other getting to
know you topics. For instance, have them write about moments that were meaningful to
them and shaped who they are.
98
Si,#word -emoir
%he adage $7esser is more& is applied here as participants creatively describe themselves in
only si-6words.
(ims
%o introduce the 3i-6word 3tory as a way to get to know each other
!aterials
3trips of paper, pens or markers, tape
,nstructions
<. 3ee activity &'eet me a Story for a full e-planation of the si-6word story. %ell
participants they are going to share their life in si- words and that words can be very
powerful even if theyMre only si- words. )-plain that the 3i-6word !emoir was a pro'ect
started by the N36based online storytelling magazine 3mith !agazine. %hey wanted to
give a personal twist to the si-6word story. !any pro'ects took off as a result and
publishers and websites are now dedicated to the form. %he form has been used as an
e-ercise by teachers and university professors and +arperCollins, a ma'or publishing
house, has created a teacherMs guide to encourage the form as a teaching tool. 3i-6word
stories have also been employed in hospitals and published on 9ou6%ube.
:. .rovide participants with e-amples. elow are some e-amples, but better still is to write
your own.
Two Christmas trees later, unemloyment again!" writer unknown
#ears e$erything! %elie$es nothing! &eaks $olumes!" writer unknown
$Regan childhood, %ush youth, Can we'" %ausha 5ohnson
Couldn't coe, so ( wrote songs!" (imee !ann
$ig world. *o flat to live.& *urullah al
;:
=. %ell participants that you would like to have them write at least three si-6word stories. %o
provide a starting point, you could suggest they write one about their hometown or
childhood, one about their work or studies, and one about their character.
F. )-plain that because itMs a warm6up they should spend no more than five minutes on
each story for a total of <G minutes. (lso, they should not share their stories with other
participants until told to do so. %his is very important for the second part of the activity
when group members will guess the writers of the stories.
G. While everyone is writing, distribute three strips of paper to each participant. %ell them,
to write one story on each strip.
H. Collect the strips, mi- them up and place them on the floor so all stories can be seen
and read.
I. (s they read, participants can guess who the story belongs to. %hey also can pick up
strips and tape them to the person they believe wrote it. )ach participant will have three
strips taped to them by the end. When everyone has three strips, have them sit in a
circle.
J. /ne by one, each participant reads the strips theyMve been given. %hey must say if any
are their stories and if not, the participant who the story belongs to can now say it is
theirs and take it.
K. When everyone is with their original si-6word stories, you can briefly discuss what they
found surprising or interesting about others in the group or how others saw them.
<;. %heir stories can be displayed on a poster with drawings. Why not publish online@
;9
0art 2
Writin" 0rompts
;;
Writing .rompts
%hese prompts are intended to stimulate writing which may lead to a longer or more refined
piece. .rompts break writing blocks and often incorporate free6writing. %hey can be used as a
writing warm6up prior to an activity and writing e-ercise.
.rompt /01 .oem in a +a of String
%his prompt is a tactile group activity that is e-cellent as a first day warm up before actual
writing begins. /ne person will need to be designated as the writer. Nsing a ball or string Dor a
ball of yarnE tell participants that you will begin with a word or phrase and, still holding on to an
end of string, throw the ball to someone else. %he ne-t person cannot pass the ball until DsEhe
has repeated the previous wordDsE and added a word or phrase. For e-ample, the facilitator
might begin with the phrase $8emocracy in )urope.& %he second person would repeat
$8emocracy in )urope& and might add, $is a sinking ship...& %he ball should be passed until all
participants have added their own word or phrase and everyone is holding onto the string so it
;2
has created a web. %he designated writer need only write the added words or phrases to read
as a poem.
.rompt /21 In -y 3reams
You may say Im a dreamer, but Im not the only one.
John Lennon, Imagine
What is your dream for the world4 %ake one line from the song, and write how you imagine the
world would be if it were true. For instance, imagine a brotherhood of man. What would this
mean4 +ow would we behave toward one another4 What would day to day life be like4 ,magine
yourself in a specific scene Dwork, school, on an aeroplane1E and write what occurs.
/r1Write about a dream you once had that has stayed with you even today.
.rompt /41 5uotation Stations
+ave participants form small groups or stations. (t each station is an envelope containing wise
Dor perhaps not so wiseE words by historical figures. Give participants a moment to read through
the 0uotations and select one they would like to free6write about for <G minutes. What does the
0uote mean to them4 +ow does it make them feel4 /r, begin to develop a short story that
includes the 0uote or the theme of the 0uote.
(n e-cellent site to find 0uotes of your own choosing is %he )mily Fund at>
http>??www.emilyfund.org?doonething?0uotes.htm
.ossible 0uotes>
Education is an indivisible part of the prosperity of the nation. he more
educated and cultured people there are in a country, the more flourishing and
thrifty the country is.
!apitalism has defeated communism. It is no" "ell on its "ay to defeating
democracy. #avid $orten
%o social stability, "ithout individual stability. &ldous 'u(ley, )rave %e"
*orld
& passive and ignorant citi+en "ill never create a sustainable "orld. &ndre"
,aines
It is not al"ays the same thing to be a good man and a good citi+en. &ristotle
)y pursuing his o"n interests, he fre-uently promotes that of the society
more effectively than "hen he really intends to promote it. &dam .mith
/a0e the lie big, ma0e it simple, 0eep saying it, and eventually they "ill
believe it. &dolph 'itler
If "e don1t believe in freedom of e(pression for people "e despise, "e don1t
believe in it at all. %oam !homs0y
.e(ual, racial, gender violence and other forms of discrimination and violence
in a culture cannot be eliminated "ithout changing culture. !harlotte )unch
he greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be 2udged by the "ay its
animals are treated. /ahatma ,andhi
;3
&bove all it is important to point out that "e can only maintain our prosperity
in Europe if "e belong to the most innovative regions in the "orld. &ngela
/er0el
It is not only "hat "e do, but also "hat "e do not do, for "hich "e are
accountable. /oli3re
.rompt /61 %overnment!s Interest
8oes the government really look after what is in the interests of the people4 8o you feel your
needs are being met4 ,f not, what need?s are being overlooked4 Why do you feel it is the
government#s responsibility to ensure these needs4
.rompt /)1 What!s in a Sym$o7
3how a number of images of logos and symbols. 9ou could include the )uropean Nnion flag,
the monetary symbol for the )uro, !c8onald#s logo, 3tarbucks, (pple logo, *ike, the (merican
flag, the peace symbol1 (sk participants to make a list of words and phrases for whichever
symbol?s strike them. (fter they have made their lists, free6write for <G minutes. What does this
symbol or image say to you4 +ow does it make you feel4 (s e-tended writing, participants may
want to develop a poem or short story based on the symbol. /r, they may chose the setting of
their piece to be in a 3tarbucks or !c8onald#s.
.rompt /81 'our First (erm in 9ffice
9ou have unanimously been voted .resident of you country. ,t#s your first day in office. What is
going through your head4 What changes do you plan to make4 /r, the .resident of your
country has specifically asked for your advice. What advice would you offer4
;4
.rompt /:1 .anet Htrae
9ou#ve 'ust won a two week trip to the planet +trae. Write about what you see. y the way,
+trae is earth spelled backwards. ,magine you are a visitor to earth. What customs, behaviours,
beliefs or ideas do the inhabitants have that may seem strange or backwards4 Write about your
e-perience.
.rompt /;1 (hrow away the &eys
9ou#ve 'ust been thrown in 'ail for something you don#t believe should be illegal. What have you
done4 Why do think it shouldn#t be considered illegal4
.rompt /<1 (he 3onation
9ou have 'ust inherited OG;;,;;; from a relative you didn#t know e-isted. +owever, the
inheritance comes with a condition. 9ou must give half of the money to a worthy cause or start
your own organisation. What do you decide to do with the money you must donate4
.rompt /0*1 .eope Watching
3pend some time in a place where people are e-ercising their rights, for e-ample, an
unemployment or immigration office. Court houses, hospitals and police stations are also
interesting places for observation, but keep in mind you may have to e-plain what you are doing
and get permission. %ake detailed notes on your observations, anything that will help paint a
picture of the e-perience. e as descriptive as possible. What kinds of things do you see4 What
are people doing4 What do they say4 8oes anything happen that seems unusual, ordinary or
interesting to you4 +ow does the place smell4 What sounds do you hear4 9ou may also include
any thoughts you may have. (t the end of your observation, take your notes and write a creative
piece. %his can either be a poem, short story, personal narrative, etc.
/r1 Write in the moment. Write your creative piece while you are in the environment.
.rompt /001 -etaphors
7ook at the following word associations> 8emocracyPwolves, FreedomPbags, +atePmoney
Write for at least <; minutes connecting these words.
.rompt /021 (he Inheritance
Write about a $value& or $ideology& that has been passed down through your family. ,t can be
anything from an appreciation for diversity to sharing or even a political bias. %hink about both
the positive and negative implications, and how this inheritance has influenced you.
.rompt /041 (he .rotest
Write a story?scene that takes place at a demonstration. 9ou could begin by describing the
sounds you hear. !ake it interesting> have your main character change his?her opinion about
an issue by the end of the story.
;5
.rompt /061 What if===7
we genuinely believed there was enough for everyone in the world4
men and women were really e0ual4
we worked a F6day week and nothing changed4
we stopped producing nuclear weapons4
we stopped using money4
we erased all the worldMs debt4
learning, mutual respect and generosity became more valued than material
possessions4
.rompt /0)1 (he %ood Samaritan
Write a list of all the times you helped someone or gave something to someone. Chose one
point on the list and write a story that tells what happened to the person who received from your
generous act or gift. +ow did it change their lives4 (lthough you may not know the true effect it
had on the person, invent a story where it positively changed his?her life and perhaps the lives
of others. 9ou may wish to write your story from the perspective of this person. /r... Write about
a time someone helped or gave you something. +ow has it changed your life4
.rompt /081 (> Writer
Find a %C programme on internet or turn on the %C and watch for G6<; minutes on mute. %he
programme should not be well know, so participants wonMt fall into the trap of writing dialogue
they know well. First watch without writing. ,magine what is being said. %hink about who the
characters are, their relationship to each other, what they want, what is the conflict and how it
will be resolved. Watch a second time while writing the dialogue. (s a variation, the facilitator
could provide a topic, so the writing will be more focused on an issue. .erhaps use a headline
from a news article as the topic the actors are discussing@ .erhaps they are discussing the
fundamental causes of an issue, or the long term conse0uences. )-tend the dialogue to a short
story with a non6violent resolution. ,f given the topic, some fun %C programmes for comedy
could be old episodes of The A)Team, &tarsky * #utch, Three's Comany, or &+, sketches.
.rompt /0:1 Circe Story
egin to tell a story. /nce upon a time... Continue around the room with each person adding to
plot, character, etc. uild the story. Writing on the board the key points " setting, character,
conflict. /nce it is on the board have participants take out their 'ournal. %hey can continue the
story but should resolve the conflict. ,f youMd like the story to stay focused on an issue, give each
participant a word that should be incorporated into their part of the story. For e-ample> racism,
colour6blind, hate, invisible, free, etc.
.rompt /0;1 It?s A Sci#fi to me
!ake a list of all the things youMre afraid could happen in the future. Write a story where one of
these things happens to your character. What is the situation4 +ow does your character deal
with the situation4 ,s there a positive resolution, or is your character doomed4
;6
.rompt /0<1 .ractice What 'ou .reach
%here are many people in the world Dourselves includedE who say one thing then do the
opposite. %his includes many who preach love, acceptance and tolerance. /ften, many are
intolerant, especially when it comes to religion. Create a story in which the main character does
not practice what he?she preaches but comes to understand their hypocrisy and the meaning of
tolerance.
.rompt /2*1 First @ines
.rovide participants with an opening line from a novel, story, song, poem, or film that has some
relation to a topic you would like them to e-plore. Given the first line, have them free6write for :;
minutes. For e-amples see (irst )ines $or%sheet under 2esources.
;7
0art 3
;8
Activities A Writing B,ercises
.henomena Citizen
4oets are the unac0no"ledged legislators of the "orld.
Percy Bysshe Shelly
/verview
( pre6writing and writing activity to get participants thinking about
effective citizenship, and how our writing and our stories can make a
difference in our world.
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship
(ims
%o increase participants understanding of what it means to be an
effective citizen
%o raise participants awareness of how active they are as a citizen
%o introduce creative writing as a valuable tool for effective citizenship
Writing form 5ournal writing
!aterials 5ournals, pens
,nstructions
.art <> What makes an effective citizen4
<. Write on poster paper or the whiteboard $(n )ffective Citizen&. (sk participants to make
a mind map in their 'ournals e-ploring their ideas of what they think constitutes an
effective citizen. What 0ualities or traits would characterize an effective citizen4
2:
)ncourage them to write down whatever words, phrases, or statements come to them.
%ell them they can also mind map what an effective citizen is not to help them.
:. 2e6group and write down all suggestions on the board.
=. 8iscuss and have participants choose seven words, phrases or statements that would
make up a I key criteria for an effective citizen. +ighlight their final choices.
F. Compare the list to /-fam#s definition of a Global Citizen Dsee belowE. 8o participants
agree with /-fam4 Would they alter any of their own list of characteristics4
G. (sk participants to rank listing in order of importance.
H. +ow effective are you4 +ave participants rate themselves <6<; D<; being the highest
markE according to their I key criteria.
I. ,n pairs, participants can share their rating, where they feel they are strongest or
weakest and why.
*+fam,s definition of a Global Citizen-
aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as a world
citizen
respects and values diversity
has an understanding of how the world works
is outraged by social in'ustice
participates in the community at a range of levels, from the local to the
global
is willing to act to make the world a more e0uitable and sustainable place
takes responsibility for their actions.
3ource> /QF(!Ms Cool .lanet, What ,s Global Citizenship4
www.o-fam.org.uk?coolplanet?teachers?globciti?whatis.htm
.art :> Writing> 3tories that have influenced my life
<. 3hare 0uote> $.oets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.& 6 .ercy ysshe
3helly. riefly discuss what this means to them and if they agree or disagree.
:. +ave participants take out their 'ournals and e-plain that you would like them to
free6write for <; minutes about a book, story, film or song that has influenced them in
some way. ,f they cannot think of a book or film, tell the they can also write about a story
they may have been told from a parent, relative, or friend. D,f free6writing has not yet been
introduced, ask participants if they are familiar with the techni0ue, then introduce the
basic principles Dsee Glossary> Free writingE. 2emember to always set a time limit to
29
free6writing. Dfor this activity <G minutes is sufficientE. %heir focused free6write should
include a brief description of the story and the message it conveys.
=. (sk volunteers to share their writing or discuss what they wrote. %he aim here is to
stimulate titles that demonstrate how a written work may have influenced their thinking or
values.
F. egin a brief discussion about how stories raise awareness, influence change and can
even shape our beliefs and values. 9ou may wish to introduce popular titles from
childrenMs stories, novels, songs or films that reinforce this idea.
G. %ell participants that although we may not all want to be a novelist or songwriter, we all
have stories. We all have ideas or thoughts we want to share, and through our stories we
can also make an impact on others. 2emember, it is always more effective to offer
personal e-perience to relate this. For e-ample, in my own case, the stories my
grandmother told me as a child greatly influenced who , am today. 3he told me many
stories about the Great 8epression and how poor people lived. 3he told me a story of a
little girl whose family couldnMt afford to buy her underwear and how the girl was teased
at school. !y grandmother, whose own family was suffering, stitched and cleaned some
of her own underwear and gave it to the girl. (s a child, , was deeply touched by this
story, and it taught me the valuable lesson of generosity and caring. y sharing our
stories, we can influence others and perhaps even make a difference is someoneMs life.
!aking a difference in one personMs life can bring about action which, in turn, can impact
entire communities. (nd communities can impact nations and the world.
8ebriefing and evaluation
Give participants time to comment on their writing, how it influenced them, and discuss how the
process was for them. +ow was their e-perience with free6writing.4 Was it easier than they
e-pected4 Why4 8o they feel the stories they wrote about could influence others4 8o any of
their stories fall under any of the points of /-famMs definition of a Global Citizen4 ,f so, how4
.erhaps our stories raise awareness about an issue or perhaps they tell of a social in'ustice.
Whatever the case, writing is an active form of citizenship. Writers care enough to take the time
to put into words what hopefully will move others to action.
2;
>isions of 3emocracy
hin0 t"ice before you spea0 because your "ords and influence "ill plant the
seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.
Napoleon Hill
/verview
.articipants make a collective mind map on democracy related issues to
stimulate ideas for a collaborated poem about 8emocracy and )urope
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship, 3ustainable 8evelopment
(ims
%o bring awareness about the issues affecting youth today
%o collaborate on a common vision on what is happening in )urope in
general
%o collaborate on writing a $8emocracy in )urope& poem
Writing form .oetry
!aterials
Flip6chart paper or poster paper
F sheets of coloured paper Deach being a different colourE
3ticks of glue
!arkers, coloured pens
,nstructions
.art <> !ind mapping the topics
<. .ut participants in groups of F people. 8istribute one large poster paper or flip6chart
paper to each group. )ach group should also be given G sheets of paper, each being a
different colour.
:. )-plain to participants they are going to make a collaborative mind map on a topic you
are going to give them. 8raw on the board or flip6chart what you would like to see them
do with their materials. D3ee below.E
=. %o make it more visually stimulating, write the topics on various coloured paper and
paste on the poster?flip6chart paper.
F. /nce each group has constructed their poster paper, tell them that each group member
will be given one minute to mind map words or phrases for each topic. )ach member
should choose a starting topic and write. (fter the minute is over Dthe facilitator will call
out $%ime&E each member should rotate to the ne-t topic, and continue this rotation until
everyone has completed the circuit of topics. %ell them they can briefly read what has
already been written, but they should spend most of the minute adding to the mind map.
22
(lso, if they feel stuck and unable to put pen to paper, you could in'ect 0uestions such
as> $What does DtopicE feel like4& $What does it smell like4& $What does it taste like4&
%ell them not to be afraid to write whatever comes in their mind, even if it doesnMt seem
to relate to the topic. ,n fact, it 'ust might have an association that will make sense later.
G. When the mind map is complete, participants, in their groups, should read through what
they wrote and e-plain why they wrote certain words or phrases if it is unclear.
.art :> %he .oem
<. %ell participants they are going to use their mind maps to write a poem about
8emocracy and )urope. %hey have all the words and phrases, they 'ust need to
organise and shape them into a structure.
:. %he poem should be four stanzas. ( stanza for each topic. ,t is up to them how many
lines they want per stanza, but generally =6F works well. %ell them, they are free to add
words or phrases that were not included on their mind maps to make the poem more
cohesive. (s well, they should think about what mood or feeling they want to leave with
the reader. ,s it a positive message4 ,s it bleak4 8oes it ask 0uestions4 /r does it
provide solutions4
=. 2emember> .articipants should be encouraged to be creative. %he four stanza structure
is only to guide them. %here are no $rules& to this e-ercise, and they are free to let their
imaginations run wild.
F. )lect one group member to write down the collaborated poem. %hey should write their
final version on a clean sheet of paper and give their poem an original title.
G. Group members should chose one person in their group to read their poem aloud to
everyone.
23
8ebriefing and evaluation
Give participants time to comment on the poems and discuss how the process was for them.
Was writing a poem easier than they e-pected4
,n the writing process, did they all share a common vision of the topics4 ,f not, how did
they agree on what should be included in the poem, and what should not4
+ow could this activity be adapted to other target groups4 What other topics could be
used4
+ow could their poems be used as active citizenship4 +ave poems really ever changed
the way we view issues4 %he facilitator should point out that the first step in human
social progress comes when people who are dissatisfied with the status 0uo start trying
to persuade others that change is necessary. %he people who are the most persuasive
are generally the people who elo0uently use words and language to radically change
thinking. !ost social progress begins with writers. For e-ample, Charles 8ickens
Dwriting about child labourE and William lake Dwriting for love and toleranceE were
highly influential in not only changing the views in their own times but were also the
inspiration to many modern activists, social leaders and contemporary poets and
songwriters. lakesM writing highly influenced the thinking of 8r. !artin 7uther Ring 5r.,
5ohn 7ennon, (rthur !iller, and ob 8ylan, among others. When you read their words, it
will become obvious why they were able to influence the world for the better. 3o our
voices and our poems can also play a valuable role in active citizenship in that they are
used to persuade others to think in ways that will lend to a more tolerant and 'ust future.
3o, how do we share our poems so they are made visible to the public4 eside print
and online publications Dblogs, online magazinesE, how else could we share our poems4
Democracy and Europe
8)!/C2(C9 )C/*/!9
)8NC(%,/* 9/N%+
24
A .icture and Co -ore than a (housand Words
If only I had thought of a $oda05 I could have flashed that glimpse of the
6nder7"orld in a second, and e(amined it at leisure.
H.G. Wells, he ime /achine
/verview
.hotographs play an important part in forming our attitudes towards other
people, events and our world in general. %hey can be used to great effect
with all ages to prompt 0uestions and challenge e-isting beliefs. (lthough
they can be used to manipulate and create fear, they can also be used to
build empathy and develop respect for ourselves and others. %he beauty
of photography is that it captures one moment to create a whole reality.
(s the viewer, we are left to our imaginations to create more to the story
than that one snapshot moment.
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship, 3ocial 5ustice, .eace B Conflict, !edia
(ims %o promote solidarity, understanding and respect for diversity
Writing form Flash Fiction
!aterials ( selection of photos, participantsS 'ournals, pens
,nstructions
<. We have included a few e-ample photos, but feel free to use a photo appropriate to your
target group. )-plain to participants they are going to free6write to a picture prompt.
:. (llow participants a moment to look carefully at the photo?s and ask them to think about
what is happening. )ncourage them to write about whatever comes into their mind and
turn off the inner writing critic. %hey may want to write about what happened before the
photograph was taken and what is happening now or what happened afterwards. %hey
are free to write in past, past or futurewhatever is most natural for them. (llow <G6:;
minutes to free6write.
=. (fter the allotted time, have participants silently read through their writing and circle or
underline words, phrases or passages that catches their interest. %his also gives them
time to tidy up anything that is unclear or doesnMt make sense.
F. (sk if anyone would like to share their free6write.
G. %ell participants they are going to give their free6write more form and develop a piece of
flash fiction. 3ee Glossary> Flash fiction.
H. Give participants sufficient time to develop the first draft of their flash fiction.
25
I. /nce they have completed their first draft, form small groups D:6F peopleE to read what
they wrote. %he facilitator should offer guiding feedback 0uestions. For e-ample, write
on flip6chart paper>
Luestions the Writer answers> <. What do you feel works well in your piece4 :. ,s
there anything youMre uncertain about and feel you might change4
Luestions the 2eader answers> =. What did you like about the piece4 :. Was
there anything that confused you4 /ffer suggestions for the writer to consider to
make the piece stronger.
,mportant@ 2emind participants that any time they are criti0uing or responding to
someoneMs writing it is imperative to be constructive and gentle with our
language. Words are powerful and harsh words can be highly damaging. ,f you
havenMt already, you may, as a group, put down some rules of criti0uing
language. Nse Constructive Critiquin. )an.ua.e $or%sheet page as a
guide.
J. 2e6group and ask if any one would like to read their flash fiction to the whole group.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart with a brief review of the activity then go on to discuss the notions of media use of images
and how they may influence our interpretation of an event or group of people. (ddress the
following 0uestions Deither in plenary or you can have smaller groups if neededE>
Were participants surprised by how others interpreted the photo4
8id people change their minds about how they viewed the photo during the discussions
in small groups4 ,f so, what made them interpret the photo differently4 .eer pressure4
Good arguments4
,f there is a general agreement about what is happening in the photo, why is that4
What does flash fiction give to the reader that a newspaper article or news story cannot
offer4
esides blogs or literary magazines, where or how else could flash fiction be made
visible to a wider audience4
Cariation> )nter the .hoto
3tick a photograph in the middle of a large sheet of paper. ,n small groups D:6=E, have
participants discuss what might be happening around the photo that we can#t see. (fter
discussion, each participant can draw on the paper around the photo to e-tend the image.
.articipants may also like to make drawings of themselves so that they are part of the new
frame. Continue with the e-tended writing activity.
26
(weet -e a Story
he -ualities that ma0e "itter seem insane and half7ba0ed are "hat ma0es
it so po"erful.
Jonathan Zittrain, Professor of Law at Harvard
/verview
.articipants are introduced to the 3i-6word story and write a few
issue6focused stories. %he stories will be published on %witter and various
online sites, as well as innovative, not6so6 traditional publication sites
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship in general
(ims
%o introduce the 3i-6word story as a uni0ue writing tool that can easily be
made publicly visible
%o generate ideas and e-press viewpoints about 8emocracy B
Citizenship related issues
Writing form 3i-6word story
!aterials
)-ample si-6word stories
5ournals and pens
Carious images, words, ob'ects related to 8emocracy B Citizenship
Coloured pencils, markers
(F sheets of paper or poster paper
,nstructions
<. (sk anyone if they are familiar with the 3i-6word story. )-plain that the form first
appeared in the <K:;s and the legend is that )rnest +emingwayMs colleagues bet him
he couldnMt write a complete short story in si- words. +emingway wrote> For sale- baby
shoes, ne$er worn!" +emingwayMs friends paid up and +emingway said he considered it
his best work.
:. .rovide participants with a few e-amples. 9ou could have them written on a white board
or flip6chart>
.our coffee, my week, same rice!" ) ,unia .asca
/011 2 3eole falling from clouds!" 6 eri erescu
Collasing emloyment olitic, abandoned countries again!" )liya 3. 2angelova
%ang4 %ang4 &tudents are running chaotically!" 6 eri erescu
27
=. )licit from participants what they notice about the si-6word story besides being e-actly
si- words Dthey have a story or message behind them, so they could be e-tended to a
full storyE.
F. %ell participants they are going to write their own si-6word stories, but to get them
thinking you are going to offer them various prompts.
G. .lace on the working space, whether a table or the floor, various pictures, images,
cut6out words or ob'ects that might stimulate si-6word stories. Nse images, ob'ects and
words that link to 8emocracy B Citizenship related issues Danything from pictures of
famous civil leaders, citizen rights, environmental issues, etc.E (sk participants to
chose at least three items.
H. +ave participants spend G6<; minutes mind mapping word associations or phrases for
their items.
I. (fter the mind mapping, encourage them to create their si-6word stories. %ell them if
they are having problems thinking of a story, they could free6write for a few minutes
about a topic, then use the free6write to help them with a si-6word story.
J. /nce participants have completed their si-6word stories, distribute one piece of (F
paper to each person. +ave them write their stories on the paper and encourage them to
add artistic visuals for a museum walk. /r, using poster paper create a graffiti wall.
K. .ost the papers on the wall and have a museum walk@
8ebriefing and evaluation
Give participants time to comment on the stories they read and discuss how the process was
for them. 3hare with them that besides twitter, there are dozens of sites online that publish
si-6word stories and because they are so compact, there is limitless possibilities to share them
with the public.
Where else could they do to make these stories visible4 3hare what has been done in other
countries and cities> public buses and bus stop poetry, printed on coffee cups, t6shirts, etc.
)-tended Writing
Choose one si-6word story and write a short story with a beginning, middle and end.
28
-issing >oices1 (he ) o!Cock Cews
.ince an informed citi+enry is the basis for a healthy democracy, independent
non7corporate media are more crucial today than ever before.
Dahr Jaail, !nvesti"ative Jo#rnalist, $#thor
/verview
%his is a fun activity that gets participants focusing on a topic and news
issues so writing and imagination is unblocked.
%hemes !edia, 3ocial 5ustice, .eace B Conflict
(ims
%o develop critical and lateral thinking and media literacy skills
%o encourage cooperation and creativity
%o develop empathy with those whose voices are not represented
Writing form *ews writing, 7etter writing
!aterials %C?internet news programme with various headlines, paper, pens
,nstructions
<. )-plain to participants that they are going to watch a %C news programme, but as they
watch they have the task of noting on a paper brief details of stories that involve some
conflict. D*ote> 3how a programme containing at least four or more stories.E
:. (fter watching the programme ask the following 0uestions>
What were the conflicts of each story4 +ow was the conflict portrayed4
+eroically, as something to be admired, as negative or violent, or neutrally4
Was it biased or unbiased4 !ore fact or opinion4
+ow does the use of language influence how you feel about the conflict4
What images are used4 What effects do they have4
Who is providing the information4 Who has a voice4 Who doesn#t have a voice4
What would the news story sound like if it was written through those $missing& or
unheard voices4
=. 8ivide the group into :6= smaller groups Ddepending on the number of participants. ,f a
small group, you can have them work in pairsE. Within each group, participants select a
news story and re6write it to show the viewpoint of the $missing& voice?s.
F. /nce participants have re6written their news stories, have them present the news.
G. (s an e-tension to this activity, participants write letters to local news or radio stations
regarding how violence or conflict was presented in a particular story. (s a concerned
3:
citizen, e-press your belief that the story was not fairly accurate and why. (s citizens,
we have a responsibility to report when $bad news writing& occurs to manipulate or for
the sake of boosting ratings.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart with a brief review of how the activity went. (sk each group in turn to feedback about how
they organized the writing tasks and how they felt about the writing in general. Was everyone
involved4 8id every one feel that they participated4 %hen go on to discuss the following
0uestions>
+ow does this viewpoint change how you feel about the conflict4
8o you think if the unheard voices became the heard voices, it would be too biased and
not simply factual4 +ow would it change our perceptions of the world and reality4
+ow do you think the news should be presented4
(re there independent news programmes online that allow for multiple opinions to be
e-pressed within the same programme4 /r are independent new programmes also
one6sided4
8o you feel letters to local broadcasting stations have any influence on how news could
be written4
39
Comic &a$amD
/verview
.articipants e-plore the )N Charter of Fundamental 2ights and create a
comic pertaining to a right and its implications
%hemes )N Citizenship and fundamental rights
(ims
%o understand fundamental rights and freedoms as framed in the )N
Charter of Fundamental 2ights through co6operation and creativity
%o promote rights through graphic writing
Writing form Comic strip
!aterials
)N Charter of Fundamental 2ights Dunofficial summaryE
.aper
)-amples of comic models ? 3toryboard templates
*ewspaper and magazines DoptionalE
Coloured pencils, pens and markers
,nstructions
.art <> )-ploring /ur 2ights
<. (sk participants if they know about the )N Charter of Fundamental 2ights. %he Charter
guarantees rights and freedoms which concern all )uropean Citizens and )N residents
in their daily e-istence. %he rights are divided into H sections. )licit from group members
how they think the rights have been grouped and write on the whiteboard or flip6chart
Ddignity, freedoms, e0uality, solidarity, citizensM rights, and 'usticeE.
3;
:. )-plain that within each right, there are specific articles of rights. For e-ample, under
CitizensM 2ights we have the right to vote, the right to work in any )N country, etc. 9ou
can elicit from the group what they believe might be some of the articles and then
include them on the flip6chart.
=. 8istribute copies of the Nnofficial )N Charter of Fundamental 2ights Dunofficial
summaryE 3ee (ppendi- <. Give participants time to read through the summary. (s they
do so they should be given the task of highlighting any they do not understand and
checking any they feel are not being protected.
F. Carry on with a discussion of these rights to clarify or share views and opinions on these
rights. (re these rights being protected4 (re there cases when these rights have not
been protected4
.art :> )-plaining /ur 2ights through Graphic Writing
<. %ell participants they are going to promote a right through graphic writing or creating a
short comic strip. ecause traditional superhero comics have an element of violence,
our challenge is to offer a strongly effective but peaceful solution.
:. +ave participants work in small groups of :6= people. %ogether, they must select an
article from the )N Charter and create a story in which there has been an obstacle and
a solution. %ell them they can use real people? political bodies as their characters or
invent fictitious characters. .erhaps their superhero is 3uper Citizen or Captain )N. %ell
them they can be as creative as they like, but they should think of a target audience and
have the language be appropriate to that audience. %heir comic doesnMt necessarily
have to be for adultsA they could chose children or teenagers.
=. ,t is always nice to show group members e-ample templates of comic structures to give
them a visual idea. %hey are easily accessible online as well as comic language and
terms.
F. 8istribute materials and give participants sufficient time to brainstorm ideas, write the
story and draw it@
G. /nce everyone has finished, share and read comics@
8ebriefing and evaluation
%ogether have the group discuss what they thought of each other#s comics and how the
e-perience of creating a comic was for them4 3ome 0uestions may include>
%o what effect can comics change one#s thinking or even shape oneMs values4
What variations or adaptations could be made to this activity if you were doing this
activity with other groups, for e-ample with children4 What themes or topics could be
written about4 +ow could you inspire comic writing without violence being the solution4
32
(akin! $out a Eevoution
!reativity and artistic endeavours have a mission that goes far beyond 2ust
ma0ing music for the sa0e of music.
Her%ie Hancoc&
/verview
.articipants will write an original song e-pressing a citizenship6related
theme.
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship, 3ocial 5ustice, .eace B Conflict
(ims
%o promote interest in a Citizenship related issues
%o encourage co6operation and involvement through song6writing
%o develop empathy with those whose voices are not represented
Writing form 3ong6writing
!aterials
3ample songs from various genres
.ens, paper
!usical instruments or ob'ects to be used as musical instruments
DoptionalE
,nstructions
<. 3hare with participants the lesson ob'ective and elicit song titles they are familiar with
that may e-press a citizenship6related theme or issue. D$Get Np, 3tand Np& ob !arleyA
$War& ruce 3pringsteenA $/ne& N:A $Nprising& !useA $%imes (re a Changing& ob
8ylan, $%alkinM out a 2evolution& %racy ChapmanA $,magine& 5ohn 7ennon, etc.E
:. Form groups Da bandE of F6G participants.
=. %ell participants they will be doing a few short activities to stimulate the song6writing
process. +ave them choose a Citizenship issue that they feel passionate about or has
the strongest emotional appeal for them Ddiscrimination, racism, gender issues,
homelessness1E and create a short pantomime on the issue. %hese pantomimes can be
presented to the whole group and all can guess what is happening in the mime. What
title would they give to each pantomime4
F. Free6write> ,ndividually, participants free6write about the mimed situation, describe it,
how did they feel about it4 What is their attitude regarding the issue4
G. Nsing the title given to their pantomimes, or a title of there own choosing, mind map
words and phrases that relate to their title. For e-ample, the title of my song is .eople
it#s %ime. 3ome words and phrases may include> rights, life, democracy, action, moving,
people out on the streets fightin# for their rights, marchin# to the parliament?police
bashing the innocent, poor man diggin# through trash for a bone or a treat, politicians
33
living on a throne?eating that poor man#s bone, down on my luck? haven#t got a buck,
government forgetting to give, people only wanna live, people it#s time1
H. *ow have participants make a list of contrasting words and phrases. For .eople it#s
%ime , might use slavery, discrimination, hate, nothing, stifled, no change, and use
contrasts such as> people living together, good times, feeling good, all our needs are
takin# care of, nothing to be afraid of1
I. ack it their groups, have participants share their words and phrases. +ave them
highlight or circle a catchy phrase that could become the hook for the song. 8o they
think another title is more appropriate for their song4 (ccording to their words and
phrases what genre of song would work well4
J. 3till in their groups, have them create and write 0uestions that they would like their song
title to answer. For .eople it#s %ime , might ask %ime for what4 Why is now the time4
Why wouldn#t another time be better, say ne-t year4 Who are the people4 2esponses
may be> ,t#s time to demand our rights. When people are hungry and cold on the streets,
it#s time. , am one of the people. We are the people.
K. 3ong 3tructure> )licit from participants possible structures for a song. Cerse? chorus ?
verse ? chorus ? bridge ? chorus. 9ou may want to distribute e-amples of possible songs
for participants to make reference to. 9ou may even want to e-plain what composes a
verse, chorus, and a bridge.
Cerse> Cerses contain the ma'ority of the lyrics. (ll verses have the same
melody, but different lyrics. Cerses tell the story and give information about
feelings and the situation.
Chorus> %he heart of the song, containing the message. !ay be repeated three
or four times.
ridge> !elody varies and provides a break from repetition and may give
revealing information.
<;. ,n groups, participants collaborate on their words and phrases to write a chorus.
Continue to mind map if more words or phrases are needed for the verses. 8o groups
want to write the story of their pantomime4 Write the song@
Cerse <> What are you Dor the characterE feeling4 What or who are you feeling it
about4 What is the problem4 +ow did it begin4
Cerse :> Can the problem be solved4 +ow4 +ow are you feeling4 +ow do you
think it will end4 What direction or steps are taken4
Cerse => What happens in the end4 ,s there resolution4
<<. Create a melody, rehearse, and perform@
8ebriefing and evaluation
egin by asking participants how they felt about writing a song. Was everyone able to
participate and contribute4 8id anyone feel left out4 What could have been done to ensure
everyone contributed e0ually4 Would they have preferred to write their own song, why or why
not4
8id the pantomime and free6writing activities help stimulate the writing of the lyrics4
34
,s music an effective form of active citizenship4 +ave songs played a role in creating our
values or do they simply reflect our society4 +ave any songs shaped your values4
)-tension (ctivities
,f participants know musicians, they could collaborate and perhaps even make a personal C8
of their songs@ Why not take the songs to the streets4 +ave the public be your audience.
roadcast on 9ou%ube@
35
Writing Against >ioence
he pen is mightier than the s"ord.
'dward B#lwer(Lytton
/verview
.articipants reflect on and write about an incident when they were
affected by violence
%hemes .eace B Ciolence, 3ocial 5ustice, 8emocracy B Citizenship
(ims
%o share and e-press feelings about violence related issues
%o identify what constitutes violence and develop awareness that we, as
individuals, may not only be victims but initiators of violence
%o promote responsibility and tolerance
Writing form 3hort story
!aterials 5ournals and pens
,nstructions
<. )-plain that in this session, they will have the opportunity to share their thoughts and
feeling about violence and how violence may have affected their lives.
:. Write $Ciolence& on the board. (sk participants to make a list or a mind map in their
'ournals on what they consider are acts of violence. For instance> hitting, throwing and
breaking things, war, fighting, murder. (llow a few minutes for brainstorming.
=. (s a group, elicit e-amples and write their ideas on the board. 2ape, hate crimes,
vandalism, police brutality, bullying, slapping a child, etc.
F. %ell participants that before discussion they will free6write D:; minutesE to reflect about a
personal incident when>
a. 3omeone acted violently towards them.
b. %hey acted violently towards someone else.
c. %hey saw someone else being violent but didn#t intervene.
d. %hey saw someone else being violent but did intervene.
G. (fter the free6write, allow participants a few moments to read through their writing. %hey
may wish to edit or add to the writing to make it clearer.
H. (sk for volunteers to read their writing aloud. ecause the nature of the writing can be
highly personal and sensitive, tell them that all that is shared will remain confidential.
2emind participants to remain respectful when others are sharing, even if content may
36
be perceived as intolerant or offensive. %here will be time to discuss differences of
opinion during the debriefing.
Cariation
+ave participants write about the incident but do not write how the story ended. .articipants
e-change papers and the story is completed by someone else who offers a non6violent
resolution.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a discussion about the writing and whether participants found the topic difficult. ,f so,
why4 8id writing about the incident make it easier than simply speaking about it4 Would it have
been easier writing a fictional piece4 %ell participants that stories, even when they are fiction,
are always more impacting when we tap into our personal emotions regarding a topic. %he
nature of writing is to get into the shoes of the other, not 'ust to describe what the other sees,
hears or smells, but to feel what the other feels. %his is how we create empathy and
understanding with our readers. 3ome other 0uestions to consider might be>
+ow do stories shape our understanding of the topic4
What effect does our writing have on the readers4 +ow does it affect the writer4
,s writing an effective way to $combat& violence4 +ow4
+ow did the stories read to the group effect them personally4
Can writing change our attitude towards violence4 %hink of other forms of writing and
how it influences our thinking about issues> screen6writing, news reporting,
documentary writing, etc.
)-tended writing
8evelop the free6write into a flash fiction or short story. %ell participants to feel free to write in
the third person if it feels more comfortable or appropriate to the story.
)-tension activity?pro'ect
Nse the theme of violence to write a storybook for children. %here are many e-amples of
children#s books that e-plore issues of violence, but encourage participants to be creative and
original, choosing a message they feel is pertinent and necessary.
<. ,n small groups, brainstorm a story idea. Who is the protagonist4 What is the setting4
What other characters are involved4 Conflict4 2esolution4
:. Create a storyboard.
=. .rovide e-amples of children#s books to see format. 2emember to use language
children can understand.
F. 8esign and illustrate your book@
37
Eightside Up Word
&ll I need is a sheet of paper and something to "rite "ith, and then I can turn
the "orld upside do"n.
)riedrich Niet*sche
/verview
Nsing rights set out in the )uropean 3ocial Charter participants will
collaborate and write a poem affirming visions of a better future and
publish it on their blogs.
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship in general
(ims
%o become more familiar with our rights as set out in the )uropean 3ocial
Charter
%o collaborate and generate ideas and e-press viewpoints of what an
ideal future would look like
Writing form log poetry
!aterials
Copies of $Ciew of 8usk at the )nd of the Century& from )duardo
GaleanoMs book 5side Down- A 3rimer for the ,ooking)6lass World
)uropean 3ocial Charter Dunofficial summaryE
Computers DoptionalE? pro'ector DoptionalE
Coloured pencils, pens, markers
(F sheets of paper
3tickers " stars, smiley faces, etc. DoptionalE
,nstructions
<. %ell participants you would like to share with them an e-cerpt from the book 5side
Down by )duardo Galeano. (sk if anyone is familiar with the book or writer and what
they know about it or the author. riefly e-plain that )duardo Galeano is a Nruguayan
author who was greatly impacted by the political turmoil during the :;th Century military
regimes in 7atin (merica and was forced into e-ile in 3pain and (rgentina. ,n his
non6fiction book 5side Down, Galeano e-plores themes such as modern education
systems, racism, se-ism, poverty, economics, work and societal fear and asks the
reader to rethink the contradictions of society and reconsider the understandings many
people hold, which, in turn, informs the way such people view things.
:. 8istribute copies of $Ciew of 8usk at the )nd of the Century& and read aloud.
=. riefly discuss whether they agree with GaleanoMs vision. 8o they agree4 8isagree4
+ow does the writing make them feel4 8oes it leave them feeling hopeless4 ,s there
anything they like about it4 (lthough it is a strong piece of writing, it is bleak look at the
38
world. ,f it is not mentioned in the discussion, tell participants that people can also be
motivated to action by affirming visions of a better future than the one theyMre
e-periencing now.
F. .ut participants in pairs. %ell them they are going to write with their partner what the
future should look like rather than focusing purely on the negatives.
G. )-plain they can use $Ciew of 8usk& as a model. ,f it hasnMt been done in the discussion,
point out words Galeano chooses, $.oisoned& $*o& $8espair&. %heir task is to use
positive, affirming words. *otice as well how comparisons are set up. .articipants could
also write in comparisons, but the result should be positive. 2emember itMs the world we
would all like to see.
H. %ell participants to use the )uropean 3ocial Charter to generate ideas. ,f they are
unfamiliar with the charter, give a brief e-planation and allow a few minutes to discuss
and clarify. .rovide your own e-ample> $*o factories, but forests. *o evictions, 'ust
admissions...& 2emind participants to be creative. %hey could even write a poem
focusing on only one issue and e-pand on it.
I. .articipants should post their poems on their blogs with images and present them to the
rest of the group. (lso, have them share on other social media if they have accounts. ,f
youMre working with a group with no computer access, have pairs write their poem on (F
paper and add images before sharing. ,f you do a museum walk, why not give
participants small sicker Dstars, smiley faces, etc...E and have them place a sticker on
lines of the poems they like@
/ie' of Dus% at the End of the Century
from Upside Down by Eduardo Galeano
.oisoned is the earth that inters or deters us.
%here is no air, only despairA
*o breeze, only sleaze.
*o rain, e-cept acid rain.
*o parks, 'ust parking lots.
*o partners, only partnerships.
Companies instead of citizens.
(gglomerations instead of citizens.
*o people, only audiences.
*o relations e-cept public relations.
*o visions, 'ust televisions.
%o praise a flower, say> $,t looks plastic.&
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a discussion about the activity in general. 8id they find if difficult4 Was using the model
helpful4
4:
How might this influence their readers? Is this just another form of bumper sticker activism or
slacktivism or is it valuable? Can it really influence change or promote a future we want to
see? How? emember! even if it moves one person to take action! there is always a
multiplying effect"
49
Citizenship A Civi 3iso$edience
6n2ust la"s e(ist, shall "e be content to obey them or shall "e endeavour to
amend them and obey them until "e have succeeded, or shall "e transgress
them at once8
Henry David +horea#, !ivil #isobedience 9 :ther Essays
/verview
.articipants will e-plore through playwriting the concept of civil
disobedience and whether the concept is a viable form of citizenship or
simply anarchist behaviour.
%hemes Citizenship, 3ocial 5ustice B )0uality
(ims
%o e-plore how literature, plays and films have related the concept of
citizenship and civil disobedience to e-pose social in'ustice and promote
'ustice
%o encourage participants to use scriptwriting as a tool for active
citizenship
%o produce a short script and monologue to e-press feelings about
in'ustice
Writing form 3criptwriting, monologue writing
!aterials .aper and pens
,nstructions
.art < 8oes good citizenship mean always obeying the law4
<. +ave participants free6write for <; minutes on the 0uestion> 8oes good citizenship
mean always obeying the law4
:. (fter the free6write, allow participants some time to share their ideas.
=. %ell participants that thoughts of what it means to be a good citizen have been around
since ancient times and that we can read about these ideas in the writing of the
ancients. (sk if they know the story of (ntigone by the Greek 8ramatist 3ophocles.
+ave a participant briefly tell the story, or the facilitator should briefly summarise.D3ee>
(ntigone, a summary below.E
F. (sk if they can see how the theme of citizenship is e-pressed in the play4 Ring Creon
says, $%here is nothing worse than disobedience to authority&. +ow does (ntigone
respond4 3he responds with the idea that state law is not absolute, and it can be
broken through civil disobedience in e-treme cases. %he concept clash of citizenship
appears clearly. Creon defines citizenship as obedience to the will of the state. (ntigone
allows more room for individualism within the role of the citizen.
4;
G. 9ou should e-plain that the ancient Greeks considered burial a sign of recognition of
citizenship, and Creon#s decree to leave .olyneices unburied is a statement, in itself,
about what citizenship means. Creon believes that .olyneices has turned against his
society, and prohibits anyone from treating him as a citizen and burying him. %his, in
fact, revokes his citizenship.
H. (sk participants if they can name any modern e-ample of stories, plays or films that
touch on the theme of citizenship or civil disobedience. riefly discuss what messages
theses stories are sending.
.art :> Writing the script
<. ,n small groups, give participants a few moments to share their thoughts Dor writingE
about civil disobedience. From these thoughts, tell participants they should come up
with a G minute dialogue, including scenario, conflict and characters in which someone
shows an act of civil disobedience. What is the act of disobedience4 Who confronts the
person?s who are being disobedient4 What happens4
:. )licit ideas from the groups possible scenarios. .rotests, strikes, sit6ins, not paying
ta-es, blocking roads are the traditional acts but the possibilities are limitless.
)ncourage participants to be creative@
=. 3uggest improvisation to help them get started on the storyline for the script.
F. +ave groups practice and perform their G minute plays.
G. )-tended writing> +ave participants individually write a monologue from the point of
view of one of the characters about what happened. 2emember to hook the reader by
including the characters personal thoughts and feelings of the incident@ %hese
monologues can either be performed or read, and published on blogs@
0nti.one1 a summary
Greek %ragedy, written by 3ophocles in FF< .C.
Ring /edipus of %hebes has died. %hrough a prophecy, (ntigone knows that
her brothers, )teocles and .olyneices, will kill each other in battle for the
throne to %hebes. (ntigone has been away, but returns to %hebes with the
intention of helping her brothers and avoiding the tragedy that was
prophesied. Npon her arrival in %hebes, (ntigone learns that both of her
brothers are dead. (ntigoneMs uncle, Creon, has inherited the throne. Creon
has given )teocles a proper burial, but has issued a royal edict banning the
burial of .olyneices, who he believes was a traitor. (ntigone goes against
CreonMs law and buries her brother. 3oon, she is caught. When Creon locks
her away in prison, (ntigone kills herself.
!eanwhile, not realizing (ntigone has taken her own life, the blind prophet
%eiresias, CreonMs son and (ntigoneMs fiancT +aemon, and the Chorus plead
with Creon to free her from prison. Creon finally relents, but not before it is
too late. (ntigone is found dead in her 'ail cell. /ut of despair, +aemon and
Creon#s wife have by now also killed themselves. Creon is left in distress and
sorrow.
42
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a discussion about the activity in general. 8id they find their viewpoints differed about civil
disobedience. 8id anyone have to compromise their beliefs4 ,f so, why did they compromise4
,s scriptwriting an effective way to alter attitudes about laws4 Why or why not4
+as creative writing itself ever been seen as an act of civil disobedience4 Why have so
many books been banned or challenged throughout history4 .rovide e-amples> (nimal
Farm, %he Rite 2unner, %he Color .urple, , Rnow Why the Caged ird 3ings, (nne
Frank> %he 8iary of 9oung Girl, <KJF, ( rave *ew World, ,nvisible !an, Grapes of
Wrath, ury !y +eart at Wounded Rnee, etc.
8o they believe their own script or monologue could influence other#s viewpoints or
values4 +ow so4
43
@egends, -yths A Fokore
4ay heed to the tales of old "ives. It may "ell be that they alone 0eep in
memory "hat it "as once needful for the "ise to 0no".
J.,.,. +ol&ein, he Lord of the ;ings
/verview
.articipants will look at folklore from their country and e-amine how it has
influenced their culture as well as write a contemporary folk tale to
promote a belief or value.
%hemes 3ocial 5ustice B )0uality, 8iversity B ,nclusion, )nvironment
(ims
%o e-plore how folklore models created beliefs and values in various
cultures
%o follow the writing process to create an original contemporary folklore
applying themes related to active citizenship
Writing form Folk tale
!aterials
)-amples of folklore
.aper and pens
*ewspapers, a selection of 0uotations
Folklore worksheet
,nstructions
.art <> 3haring folk tales
<. Form groups by country. %ell groups they are going to share a folklore from their country
through oral storytelling or play acting, their choice. .rovide e-amples of well known folk
tales, and tell them that folklore deals with adventures, both believable and fantastic
often to teach values and lessons of behaviour. Folk tales also tell something about a
group of people, their beliefs or the origins of world phenomenon and can, like myths,
e-plain the human condition and reasons for suffering. Give them time to research the
internet if they cannot think of folk tales from their countries.
:. (llow time for rehearsal before groups perform their country#s folk tale.
=. riefly discuss with each group what they think is the message of their folk tale and if
they believe it mirrors a group of people or a value.
.art :> Writing an original folk6tale
<. *ow participants have the opportunity to create their own modern folk tale. /ne way to
get participants thinking about topics or themes is to review the 0uotations from Writing
44
.rompt U: Luotation 3tation. %hey can create an original folk tale on how the 0uote
originated. !i- in some newspapers as well to stimulate ideas.
/ariation> .articipants can write a story retelling a classic myth set in contemporary
times. Who are the characters in their contemporary version4 8oes the story end in the
same way as the original myth4
:. 8istribute copies of the folklore worksheet. ,n small groups, participants collaborate on
ideas and together write the story.
=. .articipants could be given the option to write their folk tale in the form of a picture book
or they can present them to the others as a play, shadow puppets, or in the tradition of
oral storytelling. e creative@
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a discussion about the activity in general. What did they like?dislike about the activity4
+ow did they come to a decision about the theme they chose4
+ollywood has interpreted many folk tales and myths. +ave they stayed with the original story
or have they put a contemporary slant on the issues4 Why do these stories stand the test of
time4
$ritin. a (ol% &ale $or%sheet
%itle of Folk tale> VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Create a !ain character>
What is the name of your character4
What are the personality traits of your character4
What does your character want or need4
+ow will his?her personality affect the story4
What is the message or theme of your folk tale4
D+ere#s an idea> %hink laterally@ For instance, if your folklore touches on the theme of
violence, why not create a folk tale that promotes non6violent ways of dealing with
things.E
3tory?.lot>
2emember to have an engaging beginning
,nclude conflict or moral tension " something that needs to be resolved
)nding> provide resolution
Write a short summary of your folk tale
Who are the characters involved4 Where does the story take place4 What are
the problems4 +ow is the problem resolved4 !ake notes or create a
storyboard.
45
@et?s %o Surfing Cow1 9nine Activism
he internet affects democracy<&s more and more citi+ens e(press "hat
they thin0, and defend it in "riting, that "ill change the "ay people
understand public issues.
Lawrence Lessi"
/verview
.articipants will e-plore through writing an opinion piece their beliefs on
the effectiveness of online activism and determine whether it can affect
democracy or if it is only armchair activism.
%hemes !edia, %echnology B Globalization
(ims
%o stimulate the interest for freedom of e-pression
%o e-plore what freedom of e-pression means in the :<st Century
%o promote active citizenship through written e-pression
Writing form 5ournalling, log Writing?/pinion piece
!aterials
5ournals
Coloured pens or pencils
Computers, pro'ector DoptionalE
,nternet ,nvestigation Worksheet DoptionalE
,nstructions
<. +ave participants write for <G minutes responding in their 'ournals to the following
0uestions>
8oes the internet promote freedom of e-pression and communication, making it a
catalyst for democracy and activism4 ,s the net tilted towards 8emocracy and
participatory society4 !eanwhile, do services like Facebook and %witter encourage
virtual and superficial involvement over dedication to the kind of activism that makes a
difference4 /r does it 'ust take people off the streets, blogging safely in their homes
where they no longer threaten repressive regimes4
:. egin a discussion based on their writing and responses.
=. +ave participants go back to their writing and e-pand on their ideas or eliminate what
they feel is a weak and cannot be substantiated. %hey may also wish to take time to
research on the internet sites and read what others may have written on the sub'ect. For
e-ample, what has been written about the power of social media in relation to the
)gyptian 2evolution4 /ccupy Wall 3treet4 %he !6<G !ovement in 3pain4 %he more
concrete e-amples they can come up with based on factual data, the stronger their
46
piece will be. ,f you decide to have participants e-plore the internet, use the Internet
Investi.ation $or%sheet to assist them.
F. .articipants should write a second version of their articles so it is legible and others can
read.
G. .ut participants into small groups of =6F people. ,t is important that if participants are
writing in different languages to group them with participants from their own country as
they will be reading and providing feedback on written pieces. +ave them e-change
writing. Nsing a different coloured pencil or pen from the written te-t, tell them they can
edit for spelling errors, confusing sentences or arguments and make suggestions.
.lease remind them to use language that is constructive. 8econstructive critical
commentary will only deter someone from writing. %he goal is to show that our words
and ideas have meaning and are valued. 2efer to Constructive Critiquin. )an.ua.e
$or%sheet.
H. (fter criti0uing, allow time for participants to read the criti0ues and discuss for any
clarification.
I. Give participants sufficient time to write and post their articles on their blogs.
8ebriefing and evaluation
riefly discuss their final blog postings. 3ome participants may wish to share their online posts.
Nse a pro'ector if available.
,n the end, what were the topics of their final postings4 8id their topics change from the
original sub'ect matter4 ,f so, how?why did it change4
8o they feel sharing their articles is a form of activism4 Why or why not4 What if they
kept their writing in their 'ournals and never shared or made it accessible online4
47
-y 9wn .rivate 3emocracy
*hen it1s good, cinema can be one of the most important things in a person1s
life. & film can be a catalyst for change.
Gael Garcia Bernal
/verview
,tMs movie time@ .articipants write a script centring on 8emocracy and
video it for viewing.
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship, Globalization
(ims
%o e-plore visions of democracy and share these visions through video
%o use screen writing to e-plore thoughts and ideas about democracy
Writing form 3creen Writing
!aterials
.ens and paper
)-amples of short screenplays
Cideo cameras, or mobile telephones with video option
,nstructions
<. Give participants the following task and ask a volunteer to read it out loud for the entire
group>
Congratulations4 Democracy Today %roadcasting Comany 7DT%C8 has
commissioned you to roduce a fi$e)minute film or documentary on democracy in your
country, 9uroe or the world today! %ecause of the influence of mass media and
globalisation, it is easy to think that democracy means the same all around the world,
but our $ision and ideas may not be e:actly the same! The truth is the meaning of
democracy has been redefined throughout the ages and continues to be adated to fit
the changing climate of each country and culture! Whether you li$e in a country that
has a long history following a democratic model or is still in the rocess of defining
e:actly what democracy means, your own $ision may e$en be different from that of
your own go$ernment! .our task is to make a three to fi$e minute film 7this is
aro:imately ; to < ages of scrit8, that will be $iewed by fellow articiants!
:. +ave participants form small groups.
=. .re6task> ,f participants have already done Cisions of 8emocracy or 8emocracy %imes
they should review their writing and could use it as a foundation for their scripts.
F. 8istribute copies of short screenplays or send them to an online site to analyse the
structure. (n interesting site is a blog by (le- Whitmer. 9ou can find his short
screenplays at> http>??thestarvingdramaturge.wordpress.com?screenplays6short?
G. %ake time to analyse the format and language of the screenplay.
48
H. Give participants a set time to brainstorm. Where do they want to shoot4 What
characters do they want to play4 %hey should write out a basic script ? storyboard
before filming and rehearse if necessary.
I. Groups begin filming@
J. Get out the popcorn and en'oy the films@
%ip to facilitators
%his activity is best done in a city or town setting rather than in the workshop space or room.
(llow participants time outside, strolling city streets to be inspired and find a location to shoot
their films.
)-tend the vision to democracy and )urope in general. %his allows groups to be more diverse
and share ideas about a collective vision of what democracy looks like in )urope today. /ther
possible groupings could be> regions of )urope, e-63oviet 3tates, the female vision compared
to the male vision, younger participants and older participants. (nd, of course, the topic doesnMt
necessarily have to be democracy@
8ebriefing and evaluation
(sk and discuss how the e-perience of working together to write a script and make a film was
for each group.
+ow did they arrive at the message or vision of democracy they wanted to share4 8id
everyone agree their messages came through, or could their films be interpreted
differently4
Was it necessary to write a script before filming4 +ow specifically did it help4
+ow did the films affect the viewers4
What effect can sharing our visions through film have4
)ncourage participants to post their videos online Dwebsites, Facebook, blogs,
9ou%ube, etc.E
5:
3emocracy (imes
he media1s the most po"erful entity on earth. hey have the po"er to ma0e
the innocent guilty and to ma0e the guilty innocent, and that1s po"er. )ecause
they control the minds of the masses.
-alcol .
/verview
.articipants collaborate on writing the front page of their own newspaper
covering issues and how youth are responding and taking action. (n
e-cellent activity to begin the workshop.
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship related issues, !edia
(ims
%o stimulate the interest in 8emocracy B Citizenship related issues
%o promote awareness about topics and encourage participants to
e-press their opinions through writing
Writing form /p6ed
!aterials
*ewspapers
Flip6chart or poster paper
3cissors, glue, pens, coloured markers
,nstructions
<. %ell participants this activity will allow them to share their opinions on topics they are
already well6informed about or would like to investigate. ut to start, have them do a
focused free6write for <G minutes about an issue that matters to them, the current
situation and what they feel must be done about it.
:. Form small groups to share their writing. %his allows participants the opportunity to learn
about what is happening in various countries.
=. 8istribute to groups a piece of flip6chart paper. %ell them that they must use the paper to
create the front page of their newspaper. (s a group they will decide how to organise
the front page, but each group member will write an op6ed about a topic of their choice
and include it in the newspaper. 9ou should e-plain that an op6ed is abbreviated for
$opposite the editorial page& and it is a piece of writing that e-presses the views of a
named writer.
F. +ave the following points pre6written on the flip6chart or whiteboard. %he writing should
be brief DIG; words or less and less is always betterE but should address the following>
/.6)8
Choose one issue. )-plain what the issue is in your first paragraph. e brief.
)-press your opinion, using factual, researched or first6hand knowledge.
59
e controversial, but not over the top and ranting. 9ou are a rational person, not
a lunatic.
e personal and natural. (lso you can be humorous if your topic lends itself to
humour.
.rovide insight and understanding. 9ou want to educate and enlighten your
readers.
,n the final paragraph, re6state your position and issue a call to action.
2emember> get straight to the point and stay on the topic.
e creative@ 9ou can open with an anecdote or 0uote or you can even tell a story
so long as the main point of the story is central to your argument. %he idea is to
grab the readers attention.
G. %ell participants to look back at their free6writes. Give them sufficient time to go back
and edit and make their op6eds stronger. (lso, they may want time to do some research
on internet to include facts etc.
H. ,n their groups, participants create their front page with their op6eds. %hey can cut out
photos from newspapers or make drawings for visuals. (n interesting design for the
front page could be to cut the flip6chart paper in the shape of their country or )urope.
I. 8isplay front pages on the wall and have a museum walk@ /r... +ave each group
present their newspapers.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a brief discussion about the activity and what they read. /r, you could even begin with a
written reflection and then share with the group.
Were they surprised by what they read4 ,f so, what op6eds touched them specifically4
Why4
8id any calls to action strike them4
(re op6eds conducive to promoting action4
8o they feel confident they could write an op6ed to their local newspapers4 Where
could they send their op6eds4
5;
B,tra, B,tra Write A A$out It
4oetry is nearer to vital truth than history.
Plato, Ion
/verview
( granddaddy of workshop activities, participants may be familiar with
this one in other conte-ts. For those who are new to creative writing, this
is a great activity to get their feet wet before taking the plunge into the sea
of their own words. /f course, this tactile activity can inspire the
seasoned writer as well@
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship, Globalization, !edia
(ims
%o stimulate the interest in 8emocracy B Citizenship related issues
%o stimulate creativity and collaboration on writing a thematic poem
Writing form .oetry
!aterials
*ewspapers, political magazines, general magazines, 'unk mail, etc.
3cissors
Glue
3heets of (F paper or construction paper
Coloured markers
Glass 'ars
,nstructions
<. Form small groups of :6= people. 9ou can always be creative in forming groups. For
e-ample have participants pick a word from the hat. Words can include topics for
poems> 8emocracy, Citizenship, Globalization, .eace B Ciolence, ,mmigration... D!ake
sure there are at least : or = of the same words and the e-act total number of words for
the number of participants.E
:. /nce in their groups, tell participants they are going to collaborate on creating a
8emocracy themed poem. %heir poem may or may not be the word they chose from the
hat.
=. +ave participants search through old newspapers, magazines, advertisements, etc. %ell
them to cut out words or phrases that are interesting and relate to the theme of their
poem and put them in their 'ar.
F. When each group has enough clippings, tell them to take their words out of the 'ar and
spread them across a flat work surface. 7ook through the words, placing different words
and phrases together to see how they sound.
52
G. /nce everyone in the group agrees on the order, have them place clippings on a piece
of paper, arrange them into a poem, and glue to paper.
%ip@ )ncourage participants to be creative with the shape of their poems. For e-ample,
if their poem is about violence, perhaps the poem could be shaped as a gun, or if it#s
about citizenship it could be the shape of a human face or body. (lso, participants could
use magazine picture clippings for visual imagery.
H. Frame it, put it on the wall, and have a museum walk@
8ebriefing and evaluation
(fter a museum walk, some participants may have 0uestions about particular poems, or want to
e-plain something about their own poem. Give participants sufficient time for 0uestioning and
answering. 3ome 0uestions to consider>
8id their poems surprise them4 ,f so, how4
/verall, do the poems e-press a similar perspective4 ,f so, why4
+ow could this activity be adapted to a different target group, say for children4 What
topics would be appropriate for children4
2emember to encourage participants to publish poems on blogs or online publications@
53
United or Separate7
&ll for :ne and :ne for &ll.
$le/andre D#as, he hree /us0eteers
/verview
%hrough debate and discussion, group members reflect and gather ideas
for writing a story centred on a citizenship related issue.
%hemes )N Citizenship, 3ustainable 8evelopment, )nvironment, 3ocial 5ustice
(ims
%o stimulate interest in Citizenship issues
%o develop critical and lateral thinking
%o promote the feelings of responsibility, 'ustice, e0uality, and create
empathy
%o write a thematic short story
Writing form Flash fiction, 3hort 3tory
!aterials .aper, pens
,nstructions
.art <> +owMs the )N doing4
<. Write on flip6card or whiteboard> ,s )urope better off acting as a united body or as
separate countries4 ,n their 'ournals participants make two lists. 7ist one for why it is
better as a united body, and list two for why it is better as separate countries.
(fterwards, have participants free6write for <; minutes about their personal opinion.
:. (fter free6writing, participants form a .eople Wheel. %his is where people sit or stand in
two circles of e0ual numbers, one circle inside the other so each person in the inside
circle faces someone in the outside circle. %he inside wheel can rotate left or right so
that each person can address another person in the group on a one6on6one basis. Give
a specific time limit for participants to share their viewpoint before rotating the wheel.
=. 2e6group and discuss overall feelings regarding this topic. 8o they share the same
opinions4 /r do their viewpoints differ4
.art :> Creating the character
<. %ell participants to look again at the lists they made in .art <. +ave them imagine a
character who would hold a firm belief. For e-ample, perhaps your character is a .olish
farmer and his view is that it is better to act a separate countries. (sk yourself why a
.olish farmer might believe this.
54
:. Create a situation with a conflict for this character. For instance, the .olish farmer has
gone to the market and is told he can no longer sell his cabbage because it is no longer
up to )uropean standard.
=. Write a piece of flash fiction or a short story around this character and conflict. What is
the resolution4
F. Colunteers may read aloud their short stories.
Cariation
Write a piece where the character#s viewpoint is not what would be e-pected. .erhaps the
.olish farmer believes it is better to be unified. What would be the scenario4 ,n this situation,
think about list : and the cost of non6)urope.
2emember stories must always have some conflict, even if it#s an internal conflict of one
doubting one#s own system of beliefs@
8ebriefing and evaluation
%ogether have the group think back to .art < of the activity. 8id it help stimulate ideas for their
writing4 3ome 0uestions to consider>
Was the topic challenging4 What did they think about the topic in general4 ,t may be
useful here to e-plain that part of the responsibility of effective citizenship is not only to
investigate issues and to become informed but also to challenge and 0uestion the
system so that it is always in check and governing correctly to ensure the well6being of
the citizens. ,s it the best model4 For whom4 Why4
8o participant#s stories e-press a common theme4 What effect does their themes have
on the reader4 What does the practice of writing do for the writer4
What variations or adaptations could be made to this activity for different target groups4
55
9nce Upon a (ime
=airy7tales are more than true, not because they tell us that dragons e(ist,
but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.
G.0. 1hesterton
/verview
,f there are any stories we remember from beginning to end, they are
fables and fairy tales. %hey have endured through the ages and have
influenced our values and stereotypes. ,n this activity participants will
collaborate on writing an original fairytale aimed at an adult audience.
%hemes
8emocracy B Citizenship, 3ocial 5ustice B )0uality, 8iversity,
)nvironment
(ims
%o stimulate the interest in Citizenship issues
%o collaborate and use creativity to convey a social message
%o promote values of 'ustice, e0uality, and non6violence
Writing form /riginal Fairy tale or Fable
!aterials
(= paper, pens, coloured pencils and markers
,nternational Covenant on Civic and .olitical 2ights DsummaryE
,nternational Covenant on )conomic, 3ocial, and Cultural 2ights
DsummaryE
,nstructions
.art <> ,ntroduction of Fairy tales
<. ( great way to begin this activity is by telling a fairy tale or fable that may not be so
familiar. +ave fun with this by $putting on& the characterMs voices and intonation. ,f you
are a group of facilitators perhaps you could tell the story together through drama.
:. (sk participants if they are familiar with the story you told. What did they think of its
message4 8id they feel there were any values, moral lessons or ideas that could
impress children4 For e-ample, there are many fairy tales where the step6mother is
portrayed as 'ealous and evil. !any of our preconceived ideas regarding people and
situations actually came to us as children through these stories.
=. egin a brief discussion on fairy tales and fables that have instilled in us a stereotype or
way of thinking. ,n many stories, you could point out, that youth and beauty are e0uated
with goodness, lying is wrong, meanness is punished, monsters always lose. 9ou may
need to e-plain the difference between a fairy tale and a fable. Fairy tales are stories
that typically feature folkloric fantasy characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls,
dwarves, giants, mermaids, or gnomes and usually contain magical elements or
56
enchantments. %hey are used also to describe something blessed with unusual
happiness Da happy endingE. Fables use animals to represent humans or human
behaviour to teach a lesson about human weakness or folly. !ost fables include a moral
at the end of the tale.
F. )-plain to participants they are going to choose a contemporary issue and write an
original fairy tale or fable. /r they can choose an already e-isting story and change its
themes and message for the audience of their choice. )licit titles of children#s stories
then discuss what the main problems are in several stories. For e-ample, in The Three
,ittle 3igs and ,ittle Red Riding #ood, the wolf wants to eat the characters. ,n
6oldilocks and the Three %ears, a little girl makes a disaster of the bearsM house.
2emember, if they decide to use an already e-isting story, their task is to change the
original story#s problem to a contemporary issue. ,n The Three ,ittle 3igs, it could be the
pigs are the ,!F, %he )uropean Central ank, and the )uropean Commission, and the
wolf represents the citizens.
.art :> Writing the story
<. ,n groups of :6= people, groups choose a theme of their own, or they can use the
,nternational Covenant on Civil and .olitical 2ights and %he ,nternational Covenant on
)conomic, 3ocial and Cultural 2ights to focus on an article. D*ote> (lthough fables are
traditionally written with animals representing humans, tell them they can use other
living or non6living things as their characters. For instance, they may want to have a
tree, a mountain, a cloud, or a river as characters if they are writing about the
environment.E
:. +ave groups write their fables on (= paper or in picture book form and illustrate it to
make it visually attractive as well.
57
=. ( fun way to share this with the entire group is to have actors pantomime during the
narrator#s reading.
8ebriefing and evaluation
(sk and discuss how the e-perience of working together to write a fable or fairy tale was for
each group. +ow did they arrive at the message or lesson they wanted to teach4 8oes
everyone agree their messages come through4
(re fables? fairy tales effective for conveying or teaching4 Why or why not4
+ow can these stories be shared with a wider audience4 Delicit> theatre productions,
composing a book of fables, posting on websites and blogs, etc.E
Could these stories be e-tended into a longer piece of writing4 Nse the e-ample of
George /rwell#s Animal Farm.
58
I +uy, (herefore I Am
You 0no" that "e are living in a material "orld<
-adonna, /aterial ,irl
/verview
.articipants will watch various television announcements, analyse the
strategies used and its targets to prompt writing their own advertisement
selling a social value.
%hemes !edia, Globalisation, Corporate 3ocial 2esponsibility
(ims
%o collaborate and use creativity to convey a social message
%o develop critical thinking skills about social values
%o promote the feelings of responsibility, 'ustice, e0uality, and create
empathy
Writing form %C advertisement
!aterials
Carious %C adverts to be shown on computer?pro'ector
Copy of e-cerpt from 5im Wallis# %he 3oul of .olitics
Copy of (dvertising %echni0ues worksheet
Cideo cameras or mobiles with video recording
,nstructions
.art <> Citizens or consumers4
<. %ell participants that in this activity they are going to e-plore how effective advertising is
in constructing or reinforcing social values and consumerism. %o begin, tell them you
are going to read an e-pert from 5im Wallis# book The &oul of 3olitics, and after the
reading they will form a human thermometer. ,f you have not already done so e-plain
that a human thermometer is a reading of opinions. 9ou may like to have the front of the
room represent <;;W in agreement, the back in absolute disagreement and the middle
G;W. .articipants should stand, forming a line, to indicate their position on the e-cerpt.
:. 2ead the e-cerpt. (llow participants a moment to take their positions.
=. Give participants a moment to e-press why they selected the position they did.
2emember this is not a debate or formal discussion, so do not spend too much time
discussing opinions " they will have plenty of opportunity to speak about the topic
throughout the e-ercise.
6:
E+cerpt from The Soul of Politics 23e' 4or%- &he 3e' Press1 !55671
Jim $allis
XCitizenship itself has been replaced by consumption. 3hopping has
become our great collective activity, and consumerism has invaded and
usurped our civic life. .eople feel they no longer have the power to change
their communities or their nation, only to make choices among products.
.olitical participation has waned dramatically, 'ust as the rituals of
consumption have come to dominate more and more of our social life...
We don#t participate in the debate over ideas, the formulation of the public
policy, and the construction of the social order. ,nstead we shop. /ur
consumer voting is merely among the endless goods and gadgets offered
to us, and democracy has been reduced to the freedom to decide among
forty brands of toothpaste.
*ews has more and more become entertainment, fed, of course, by
advertising1 (nd even our political voting feels more like shopping for
candidates, who have been packaged and sold by the same methods and
people who bring us everything else.X
.art :> Watching and discussing %C advertisements
<. %he average )uropean is e-posed to hundreds of advertisements for consumer goods a
day. *ot only do we see advertisements on television, but it is all over our computer
screens. ,n the (ge of ,nformation, we are on advertisement overload. (ccording to
studies, it is estimated that children see an average of GG advertisements per day selling
products on %C alone. 9et how many announcements do they see about being a good
citizen, participating in their communities, or helping their neighbour4 (lthough many of
us may feel immune to the bombardment, for many what we own and what we wear has
become our identity.
:. %ell participants they are going to watch various %C advertisements, but before
watching, ask why they think advertising is so effective. )licit ideas and write them on
the flip6chart. %ry to elicit both strategies?advertising techni0ues and target groups. D3ee
(dvertising %echni0ues WorksheetE
=. +ave participants write a chart on a piece paper with the following 0uestions>
What is the ad trying to sell4
,s the product a basic need or lu-ury4
What strategies are used to get people to buy more4
Who might be the target group of the ad4 Why4
F. 3how adverts. , personally like to use a variety for each target group. %C adverts for the
fourth target group " ,nner 8irected 7ifestyle " , find is more interesting when
Corporations are selling their product as socially responsible. For e-ample> !c8onald#s
69
advertisement on how it is so much more than food, but also has the 2onald !c8onald
+ouse. /r, 3tarbucks promoting the grassroots movement in $3tarbucks asks (re you
in4&
G. 8iscuss the advertisements. +ow did they make you feel4 What are they really selling4
8o these adverts reinforce particular social values4 Why or why not4
.art => Writing the %C (dvertisement
<. ,n small groups DF6G people per groupE, participants write their own %C advertisement.
+owever, the challenge is */% to sell a product, but to sell a social value. 3ome values
might be> %o become a more active citizen and less of a consumer, to promote
volunteering, to encourage voting in general, to promote peace and e0uality, etc.1 )
C2)(%,C)@
:. 2ehearse %C advert and then video.
=. Watch and en'oy@
8ebriefing and evaluation
%ogether have the group think back to .arts < and : of the activity. 8id it help stimulate ideas
for their writing4 3ome 0uestions to consider>
+ow easy or difficult was it to write a %C advertisement about a social value4 What
did they think about the topic in general4
+ow could their own advertisements be publicised4 Dwebsites, 9ou%ube,
Facebook1E
6;

0dvertisin. &echniques $or%sheet
(dvertising 3trategies
<. 3logans?.uffery> phrases?songs?images that sound great but
mean little
:. 2ational (ppeal> logic or reasoning to convince consumers to buy
=. )motional (ppeal> famous people endorsements, claims that
everybody is using the product, well being, health or beauty
improved by products, se- appeal
Y/ne or all of these strategies are used in an ad to convince consumers to
buy.
%argeted Groups
<E elonger> lifestyle traditional values, conservative, old fashioned
:E )mulator lifestyle> impressionable group, in search of identity,
seeking group acceptance, important to Xbe coolX, often younger
people
=E (chiever lifestyle> !aterialists, successful professionally,
frustrated by being stuck 'ust under top rung of economic ladder,
Ring or Lueen for the day
FE ,nner 8irected lifestyleA seeking personal fulfilment, X, am meX,
e-perimental, socially?environmentally conscious, self constrained
in purchasing power, hard group to target with ads but we are
seeing a lot more of this as corporations are now trying to present
themselves as $3ocial Corporations&.
Y(ds may target one or more of these lifestyles. ( product may have
different ads to reach different audiences.
3ource> Concepts developed by 32, ,nternational D!enlo .arkE
62
(o Wonderand, A %uided Imagery
If I had a "orld of my o"n, everything "ould be nonsense. %othing "ould be "hat
it is because everything "ould be "hat it isn1t. &nd contrary7"ise> "hat it is it
"ouldn1t be, and "hat it "ouldn1t be, it "ould. You see8
&lices &dventures in *onderland
/verview
%he creative benefits of guided imagery and creative visualization have
been e-tensively studied and well documented. +ere, the process is
intended to help participants tap into their imaginations in a rela-ing and
safe environment.
%hemes .eace, )nvironment, 8emocracy B Citizenship in general
(ims
%o provide a gentle, but powerful techni0ue that focuses and directs the
imagination
%o provide stimulus for an e-tended piece of writing
Writing form 3hort story, flash fiction or poetry
!aterials
Wonderlandia guided imagery script
!usic of choice
5ournals and pens
,nstructions
<. ,f possible, itMs best to have the room set up prior to participants entering the workshop
space. Clear the floor so there is an open space, so participants can have room to lie
down. 9ou may have the lights dimmed and wish to light candles to set the mood.
:. When group members enter the room, ask them to find a comfortable place on the floor.
=. )-plain that the purpose of the ne-t e-ercise is to help them clear their minds and tap
into their imagination.
F. (sk them to lie down and close their eyes. %ell them it is not a sleeping activity, so they
should resist the desire to fall asleep. ,f they follow and stay with your voice, they will be
able to discover a part of their creativity and imagination that may have been blocked.
G. 3tart the music Dsomething calming and without words or lyricsE and begin to read the
Wonderlandia guided imagery script. *ote> %he script should be read slowly with breaks
between some of the passages to allow participants time to imagine the scene. ,f you
are not familiar with guided imagery, you can listen to various online scripts to give you
an idea of how the script should be read.
H. (fter the guided visualisation, continue playing the background music for a few minutes
to give participants time to return to the workshop space.
63
I. /nce participants have opened their eyes and are sitting upright again, have them get
their 'ournals and free6write for <G 6:; minutes about their 'ourney to Wonderlandia. %ell
them they are free to write in the first person as a 'ournal entry or if they prefer they can
write in the form of a story or poem.
J. (sk for volunteers to share their writing.
8ebriefing and evaluation
(sk participants how they felt about the guided imagery e-perience. ecause this can be a very
powerful e-perience, it is suggested to give e-tra time for the debriefing and encourage
everyone to e-press their impressions. /ther possible 0uestions to consider>
Was it difficult to write immediately after the visualisation4 /r was it easier to write4
Was it valuable to write about the e-perience4 Why4 D!any may e-press something
insightful they realised about themselves that they didnMt notice during the e-perience.E
What other topics could be used in a guided imagery to prompt writing4
$onderlandia Guided Ima.ery Script
$Close your eyes and take a deep breath. .ay attention to your breath and notice how your
stomach rises and falls. 7ike the oceanMs tide, your breathing rises and falls. (s you
breath, stay with me and let your imagination create the details of the story. *ow imagine
your body becoming very heavy. 9our legs are so rela-ed they have become as heavy as
large trees. 9ou try to lift them, but because you are so rela-ed, it is too much effort. %his
weight and rela-ation slowly moves up your legs, releasing all tension from your calves,
from the back of your calves, up to your knees... to your thighs... %ension is released from
the back of your thighs, from your buttocks1the freeing of all tension travels to your
abdomen1the rise and fall of your breathing is even and calm.... 9ou begin to feel this
weight travel through your arms... letting go of all tightness and stress. %he weight
continues through your hands...moving to the tips of your fingers. 9our arms are too heavy
to lift, your fingers too heavy to move. ,n this weight there is deep rela-ation1%ravel to
your chest and imagine your heartMs centre. Calm and rela-ed, you see that at the centre of
your heart is a door. ,t may be locked, but you have a key. %ake the key and unlock the
door.../pen the door...ehind this door, you find yourself deep in a forest. %he light of the
sun shines through the branches of the trees warming your face. ,t is warm and you feel
comfortable and safe. %he air smells fresh and clean. %he smell of pine trees and flowers.
%he earth below your feet is soft, nature#s warm, comfortable bed. 9ou feel you could stay
there forever. 9ou have the sensation that someone or something gentle and kind is there
with you to made sure you are safe. 9ou feel in peace. 9ou look up at the sky. ( perfect
64
blue, cloudless sky. 9ou look deeper into the forest and see that someone is with you.
%here is someone behind a cluster of trees. !aybe a man or woman or a child. !aybe it is
an animal. 9ou watch for a moment and begin to feel your watcher is of no threat. +e or
she seems peaceful and you feel curious and drawn in. 9ou notice there is a calmness
and peace that seems to shine from this being. 9ou wonder where this being came from. ,t
motions for you to follow and turns to move deeper into the forest. 9ou feel no fear but
willingly follow. 9ou begin walking down the path. *otice how the ground feels below your
feet. ,t is solid and secure. 9our senses " what you see, hear, smell 66 become intensified.
%he sounds of the birds1 the smells of the forest1 3oon you come to a wall of trees. %hey
are thousands of years old and so tall they block the sky. $Come,& you hear and see the
being you#ve been following open a door that has been carved out of one of the trees.
(gain, it motions for you to follow. 9ou enter and are surprised by what you see. %here is a
town, but unlike any town you#ve seen before. $Welcome,& you hear. $Welcome to my
home.& 9ou begin to walk together down streets, viewing the citizens at work and play.
%here is a serenity here, unlike anything you#ve ever e-perienced. 9ou wonder, what is it
about this town that feels so inviting4 $Come, you will learn everything here,& you hear as
you come to a building. 9ou are aware there is something very valuable to be learned
inside the building. 9ou reach for the door handle, open the door and step inside1. *ow
that you are inside, walk through the corridors, walk through the rooms...e-plore and
discover what is inside1&
D(llow participants a few moments to e-plore this world in silence before bringing them
back to the workshop space.E
$9ou have seen and have learned many things, but it is time to return to your home a
share what you have discovered1 When you are ready, begin to move your fingers1your
hands1feel the weight lifting off you. ( lightness begins to travel up your arms to your
chest and down through your stomach and abdomen to your legs. 7ightness moves
through your thighs, the back of you thighs, your knees, your calves, the back of your
calves. 9our legs are like air. 9ou can begin to move your feet and toes. %he lightness
spreads throughout your body. When you are ready, open your eyes and come back to a
seated position.
65
Creative Bthnography, A .ortrait
I "ant to understand the "orld from your point of vie". I "ant to 0no" "hat
you 0no" in the "ay you 0no" it...
Jaes P. Spradley
/verview
.articipants will use the techni0ues of %heatre of the /ppressed as a
means of promoting social change that can be documented in a written
piece of work.
%hemes 3ocial 5ustice B )0uality D2acism, .re'udice, Gender )0ualityE
(ims
%o e-perience first6hand a 3ocial 5ustice B )0uality related issue
%o observe a scenario of social in'ustice and document the findings
Writing form .ersonal )ssay, Flash Fiction
!aterials
.rops for invisible theatre
5ournals and pens
,nstructions
.art <> %heatre of the /ppressed
<. %he following activity is loosely based on a common type of research and writing activity
used by anthropologists called ethnography. $)thnography& literally means> a portrait
DgraphyE of a group of people DethnosE. (n ethnography is a social, political, and?or
historical portrait of a particular group of people or a particular situation at a particular
period of time. Nsually ethnographies are a result of an anthropologist#s long6term
research or study called fieldwork.
:. %ell participants they are going to have a chance to play anthropologist and do a bit of
their own field work. %hey will observe and e-perience first6hand social ine0uality and
in'ustice. +owever, they are going to create the scenario using the techni0ue of %heatre
of the /ppressed. ,f participants are unfamiliar with this techni0ue, e-plain. D3ee>
Glossary> %heatre of the /ppressedE
=. ,n small groups, participants brainstorm various scenarios. 3ome e-amples might
include> .articipant ( accusing .articipant Dwho is playing an immigrantE of stealing a
wallet. .articipant C Dthe partner of (E eventually arrives with (#s wallet. /r, .articipant
( verbally abusing .articipant Da homeless personE. Give groups <;6<G minutes to
brainstorm.
F. 2e6group and share ideas. +ave the group select two or three scenarios they would like
to preform in a public setting.
66
G. 3elect who will be the actors and what will be the role of the other participants. .erhaps
some participants try to interfere, others should point out the situation to people in the
environment, and others may simply observethey are the public observers
DanthropologistsE making notes in their 'ournals. %hese observers should make notes of
events and human activities such as people#s reactions, behaviour and things said.
H. 8ecide locations or if participants are not familiar with the town where the workshop is
being held, the facilitator should decide beforehand where the ideal situations and times
would be. 2ehearse scenarios until participants feel confident enough to act it out
publicly.
I. .erform@
.art :> )-tended Writing
<. (fter the performance, participants will want to talk about the e-perience. 9ou may also
ask the observers who took notes, to share their writing and impressions. 3ome
0uestions to consider> +ow did they feel during the performance4 Were the observers
surprised about onlookersM reactions4 /r did they behave as e-pected4 8o they feel
their scenario provoked people to act in a way that promotes 'ustice and e0uality4
:. *ow is the participantsM chance to document the scenario in writing. %ell them they are
free to write a personal narrative or a flash fiction in the third person point of view, but
they should recreate the setting as though it was a natural event and not a pre6planned
theatre activity. (lso, if they want to be really creative, they can change the ending if
they would like. %o get them writing, you could offer some e-ample beginning
sentences. (llow participants sufficient time to write a first draft.
=. /nce participants have a first draft, ask volunteers to share their writing in the large
group or in small groups, as you prefer.
F. (fter a reading, participants may comment on what they liked and what worked well in
the writing. 2emember to encourage participants to keep comments positive and
constructive@
8ebriefing and evaluation
(sk participants how they felt about the overall activity.
8id the first part of the activity motivate them to write4 8id they discover anything about
themselves through the writing process that surprised them4
Could their writing influence how a reader might feel about the issue4 8oes it connect
the reader to the character and the situation4 ,f so, e-plain.
67
(he +ridge
0
Li0e a bridge over trouble "ater, I "ill lay me do"n.
Sion and Garf#n&el, )ridge :ver roubled *ater
/verview Nsing art and writing to connect problems to solutions
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship in general
(ims
%o visually stimulate solutions for social concerns and possible solutions
%o encourage collaboration and group writing
%o write, post and publish letters to political representatives
Writing form 7etter writing
!aterials
Flip6chart or poster paper
Coloured markers, coloured pencils
Writing paper and pens
,nstructions
.art <> 8rawing the issues
<. !ake small groups of =6F people and distribute a piece of flip6chart or poster paper to
each group. (sk that each group fold their paper into = sections.
:. )-plain that in the first section, they should draw issues or symbols of issues that they
are concerned about Dissues can range from housing to social ine0uality to issues that
directly affect their livesE. 9ou should have a model to show them, but remember at this
time only show them the first section. Fold the model so they cannot see sections : and
=. 9ou could also draw your model directly on a whiteboard if you have one.
=. /nce they have completed the first section, e-plain that they should now draw in the =rd
section what they#d like to see if the issues were resolved. For e-ample, if they have
drawn a book and a graduation hat to represent higher education in section <, they
could draw a student holding a diploma in section =.
F. (sk them draw a bridge between section < B =. )ncourage participants to draw symbols
or words around the bridge that are blocking movement or are seen as obstacles. ,n the
e-ample above, they could write /7/G*( .2/C)33, money symbols or show a
scale with heavy privatisation on one side and public education up in the air.
G. Finally, have them draw on the bridge words or symbols that offer solutions to
overcoming the obstacles.
< 3ource> %his activity has be adapted from $%he ridge& by 3amuel %. Gladding, Wake Forest
Nniversity.
68
H. 2e6group and allow time for each group to share and e-plain their drawings.
I. ( short debriefing could be done at this time, noting what issues were most significant.
8id they find it difficult to come up with solutions or ideas to overcome the obstacles4
.art :> Writing letters
<. %ell participants they are going to write a letter to political representatives concerning an
issue they all feel passionate about and offering solutions. (sk them who they think the
letter should be addressed to> (n )N 2epresentative4 ( local politician4 *ote> %hey will
also have to research the address and appropriate title for the addressee.
:. riefly outline the letter together as a group, using their ridge drawings to offer content
if they chose to use an issue from it. 2emind participants that to make the letter
effective, they should write personally, e-plain how the issue concerns them and offer
their solutions. !any templates and e-amples can be found online, but keep in mind the
most effective letters do not insult or condemn. ,n fact, they best ones show great
empathy and give positive options or possibilities. 5ust imagine if you were the one
receiving the letter. Certainly, youMd feel more inclined to read the letter that shows
understanding and concrete solutions. ,tMs a well known fact that the irate letter most
likely will end up in the rubbish.
=. Give participants sufficient time in small groups to write a letter together.
F. +ave letters e-changed among groups for feedback. )ach group should read the other
letters and with a different colour of pen or pencil add comments, suggestions, and note
what they think works well in the letter or what should be developed.
G. 2eturn letters to their original groups.
H. *ow, with a draft letter, participants can, as well, individually write a letter that will be
sent to their representative and post it on their website?blog.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a brief discussion about the activity in general.
8id the bridge activity help them in brainstorming possible solutions to the issues4
+ow was the e-perience of small group letter writing4 8id they all collaborate e0ually4 ,f
not, why not4 What should they have done to ensure e0ual collaboration4
What did they like?dislike about the activity4
+ow do they feel about letter writing in general4 8o they believe their letters will be
effective4
Could the bridge activity help them with other activities or other writing forms4
Could their own letters be used as a writing prompt for other forms of writing4
7:
Someone Bse?s Skin
You never really understand a person until you consider things from his
point of vie" ? until you climb into his s0in and "al0 around in it.
Harper Lee, o $ill a /oc0ingbird
/verview
.articipants will $step inside the shoes& of another and take on a new
identity to see life through a different perspective
%hemes
3ocial 5ustice B )0uality, 3ustainable 8evelopment, 8emocracy B
Citizenship
(ims %o recognise diversity, legal status, norms and values
Writing form Flash fiction, short story
!aterials
.repared cards with personalities and 0uestions
.ieces or cake or cookies D'ust enough to feed a few of the
participantsE
5ournals and pens
,nstructions
.art <> Getting into Character
<. )-plain to participants that for this activity, everyone will receive a card with a new
personality? identity.
:. +ave participants with their new identities stand in one single line in the room.
=. )-plain they will hear a series of 0uestions. ,f they feel their new identity can answer,
$9es, , can,M to a 0uestion they should move one step forward. ,f their response is
$no& they must remain in their position. Without any e-planations and discussions,
the facilitator continues with the series of 0uestions " and the participants have to
decide again if they can move a step further or not.
F. (fter finishing all the 0uestions, and some have moved far ahead of the others, have
participants share their identities.
G. 8iscuss the status of these identities and why some moved ahead while others
stayed behind. 7egal status, economic situation, gender related status should be
discussed and how the participants perceive diversity, e0uality and 'ustice in this
conte-t.
H. (ctivity> %he cake debate. efore continuing on to the writing activity, take a break
for the cake debate. %ell participants that there is cake Dor cookies, your choiceE, but
as we eat, it is important that they remain in character. )ach participant should
behave and interact with others according to their character. For e-ample, if you are
79
playing a homeless person, you may be inclined to ask someone for spare change.
+ow would a banker or a businessman react to someone asking for spare change
from them during their cake break4 /f course, these are stereotypes, but it is
important that they get a feel for what it would be like to be this person, even in
these stereotypical situations. *ow hereMs the catch> %here are only a certain
number of pieces of cake or cookies. /nly some of the participants will get cake,
and they all want it@ Who will decide who gets a piece and who doesnMt@ (s a group
they decide, but they must remain in character@
.art :> Writing (ctivity
<. (fter the cake has been eaten by the chosen few, have participants free6write about
their feelings and e-perience but in the voice of their character.
:. (fter the free6write, ask participants to re6read their free6write and circle words,
phrases or passages that strike them as insightful or important about this
characterMs e-perience.
=. Nsing the emotions and feeling they wrote about in their free6write, have them place
their character in a more usual setting and situation where they are faced with an
obstacle preventing them from achieving their goal. ,t may be a place or situation
mentioned in the line activity. +ave participants write a flash fiction piece.
F. /nce participants have the first draft of their flash fiction, ask volunteers to read
their stories aloud to the large group or in small groups for constructive feedback.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a brief discussion about the various parts of the activity.
What did they like?dislike about the activity4
8id the cake activity help them to e-perience what it could be like to be someone else4
8id it help the writing process4 +ow specifically4
Were they surprised about their own writing4 %he writing of others4 8id their writing
bring about some change in attitude4 /r confirm an attitude4 Could these stories
possibly change the attitude or thinking of others4
2emember, the aim of the writer is to connect readers to others. (nd what should
surprise a reader, should first surprise the writer. Were they surprised by their
writing4 ,f so how4 (nd if not, what could they do to make them more connected to
the character4
7;
Cameron, :G, 2/!(, no formal
education or training
Charles, <J, soldier
(hmed, G:, political refugee
from .alestine
2obert, =K, 7eader of local *eo6nazi
party.
*adia, :<, illegal immigrant,
prostitute
!ariana, migrant worker originally
from )cuador
.hil, G;, supports communist
party
!ohammed, =:, !uslim immigrant.
5oseph, FG, !edical surgeon. Georgina, :F, recent university
graduate, few 'ob prospects
Grace, FJ, 2epresentative on
the Council of )urope
arbara, =G, home6maker, no prior
work e-perience
!aZuel, IG years, no living
family. 2eceives F;; )uros a
money from government.
5ay, =<, homose-ual, activist for gay
rights. Worked in sales. Currently
unemployed.
George, university student, <I.
3tudying law.
Canessa, <J, one child, no money for
university, currently unemployed.
5ohn, FJ, homeless. (le-, =;, illegal immigrant.
%om, <K years, left school at <H.
Worked in construction, but
currently unemployed.
2ichard, FG, C)/ of investment
banking firm.
Fatima, <H years old, !uslim
immigrant, going to public
school in your country.
.ascal, :J years, (frican, legal
immigrant, Christian.
.ossible 0uestions for the e-ercise>
<. ,f you want to buy a house, could you get a bank loan to help you4
:. Can you travel outside the country and come back in freely without obstacle4
=. Can you e-pect good treatment in a hospital if you become ill4 Can you afford
private medical care4
F. Can you vote in the ne-t regional and national elections4
G. ,f you need credit from a bank, would you be approved4
H. Can you afford to go to university or pay for higher education4
I. Can you get married, freely, without obstacle4
72
J. Would you be treated well if you were arrested4 Can you afford a personal lawyer4K.
(re you eligible for unemployment benefits or social security4
<;. Can you plan your future for the ne-t G years4
<<. Can you afford to go on holiday?vacation4
<:. Can you apply for work4
<=. Can you practice your religious traditions publicly4
<F. Can you practice your political ideology publicly4
<G. Can you show your se-ual inclination publicly4
<H. (re you entitled to a pension4
<I. Would you be taken care of and treated well if you didnMt have a pension4
73
A >iew from the Continent
,reat drama is great -uestions or it is nothing but techni-ue. I could not imagine
a theatre "orth my time that did not "ant to change the "orld.
$rth#r -iller
/verview
%he stage is a magical place. 7ive actors and a live audience make for
an immediacy no other art of the written word can duplicate. %he
ancient Greeks and 2omans believed that the dramatic XpoetX had the
power and the duty to Xteach and to pleaseX. ,tMs a tradition that lives on
to this day. ,n this activity, participants collaborate on writing a
%en6minute play dealing with a social issue of their choice.
%hemes 8emocracy B Citizenship in general
(ims
%o raise awareness to issues that directly impact their lives
%o collaborate in the writerMs process from concept to final production
of a %en6minute play
Writing form .laywriting
!aterials
.aper and pens
3elected props and costumes
,nstructions
.art <> %he <;6!inute play, an introduction
<. %ell .articipants in this activity they are going to be looking specifically at playwriting
and will have the chance to write a %en6minute play.
:. egin by asking if participants are familiar with plays that have commented on social
issues and that may even have been banned because of the challenging themes
they raised. 9ou could provide classic e-amples such as +enrick ,bsenMs A Doll's
#ouse which shook the foundations of society in itMs treatment in the status of
women in )uropean societyA (rthur !illerMs The Crucible which was written in <KG=
as a parable for the events of the communist fearing !cCarthy era in the N3(A or
contemporary plays such as Clybourne 3ark about the clash of racial relations in the
N3A or War #orse which originally was a novel and later adapted for the screen by
3teven 3pielberg.
=. efore writing, it is important to become familiar with the structure of the <;6minute
play. )-plain that %en6minute plays have become very popular in recent years with
the advent of %he (ctors %heatre of 7ouisville contest. %here are numerous sites
online that publish and hold contests for these plays. %here are even sites that sell
74
these plays for a small price. )-plain that a good ten6minute play is not a sketch or a
comic scene like you would see on %C programmes, but rather a complete, compact
play, with a beginning, middle and end. ,t typically takes place in one scene and
runs no more than ten pages. ,n fact, because many contests dis0ualify entries with
more than ten pages D<,G;;6<,I;; wordsE participantMs should aim at staying to the
ten page limit.
F. (s a group, read or watch an e-ample <;6minute play. %here are many online,
chose one that is appropriate for your group. ( good place to start is
<;6minute6play.com.
G. riefly discuss what they notice about the playMs structure. 9ou can write on the
flip6chart any thing that stands out in regards to structure.
H. ,f participants have not already mentioned $conflict& tell them it is 'ust as important in
the <;6minute play as in any form of writing. Conflict is the basis from where we will
start.
.art :> 5ournalling conflict and creating structure
<. +ave participants mind map in their 'ournals using the word $Conflict& as their focus.
%his mind map can include personal conflicts they are e-periencing, conflicts that
others are facing, conflicts within )urope or the world at large. !ind map for G
minutes.
:. /nce participants have their mind maps, have them silently read through and
highlight what strikes them as something they might want to focus on for a
%en6minute play.
=. .ut participants into groups of :6= people. (s a group they should share what they
have highlighted on their mind maps. %he group should agree to one $conflict& that
deals with a social issue that concerns many people. ,t should be an issue they feel
strongly about and want to e-plore.
.art => 3tructuring and writing the play
<. /n the board, write out the page by page structure of a <;6minute play.
<;6!inute .lay 3tructure
:
.ages <6:> 3et up the world of your main character. 5ump right into the action.
.ages :6=> 3omething happens to throw your characterMs world out of balance.
.ages F6I> 9our character struggles to restore order to their world.
.age J> 5ust when your character struggles to restore order, something interferes to
make things complicated.
.ages K6<;> 9our character either succeeds or fails.
D/f course, this is only one of many possible structures. .articipants should not feel
restricted and can create a structure they feel may be more suitable to their play.E
: $%en6!inute .lay 3tructure& originally appeared at http>??www.<;6minute6plays.com? written by
Walter Wykes.
75
:. ,n their groups, participants decide who their characters will be and a possible setting
and resolution for the conflict. ,f participants are having difficulty generating ideas, have
them improvise various scenarios.
=. +ave participants outline?character sketch and write a synopsis for their play.
F. Write the play@
G. /nce participants have written their plays, have them rehearse before performing.
,nclude props and costumes if necessary.
H. reak a leg@
.roducing or publishing
.articipants may like to video their performances and post on 9ou%ube. %hey could also
research various online <;6minute play publishers or contests to enter. /r, they may wish to
publish themselves on their blogs.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a brief discussion about the activity in general. What did they like?dislike about the
activity4
+ow do they feel about playwriting in general4 What does playwriting allow that others
forms of writing donMt4 D(lthough playwriting does not have to be a collaborative effort,
theatre is. %he playwright depends on actors, actors have a director as well as an
audience, etc.E
Was it easy to agree on a conflict in their groups4 +ow did they come to decide what
their conflict would be4
8id everyone collaborate e0ually4 ,f not, what should they have done to ensure e0ual
collaboration4
What other activities could stimulate writing4 D%heatre games, improvisation, role play,
etc.E
+ow could this activity be adapted to different target groups?ages4
76
9ne -oment, 9ne Word
*ords can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the -uality of deeds.
'lie Wiesel
/verview
.articipants are introduced to haiku as a tool for connection and share
their moments of connection on various online sites and blogs.
%hemes )nvironment, .eace, ,nterdependence
(ims
%o introduce haiku as a uni0ue tool for clarity and connection
%o share our ideas and moments of connection
Writing form +aiku
!aterials 5ournals and pens
,nstructions
.art <> ,ntroduction to +aiku.
<. )-plain to participants that writing to effect change doesnMt necessarily have to be
grand pieces of literature. 5ust as the fiction writer or 'ournalist can effect change,
sometimes the smallest observations are the most powerful. ,t is through observing
that writers gain insight and clarity to move and connect with others. (nd the writer
must first feel connected before he or she can move their readers.
:. riefly introduce participants to the haiku. ,t is not a lesson on how to become a
haiku writer, so only a basic introduction will do. )-plain that haiku is a short poem
that started in 5apan over I;; hundred years ago and that it is used to convey the
essence of an e-perience of nature or a season and its link to the human condition.
We can think of haiku as a snapshot, taking one moment and our connection to that
moment and putting it in words. %he purpose is to communicate and bring about
awareness. 7ike other writing it conveys feeling and impressions to others. (lthough
traditional 5apanese haiku is about nature or a season, contemporary haiku can be
about anything. /ur haiku can even concern citizenship related issues.
=. .rovide participants with e-ample haiku. 9ou can use both traditional alongside
contemporary that relate to various topics. ,Mve included e-amples of contemporary
haiku concerning citizenship6related topics here since this is the theme of the
manual.
F. (sk participants what they notice about the haiku. %hey may point out there are only
three lines and that some of the haiku total <I syllables. 3ome follow a syllable count
of G6I6G, but you can point out that it does not have to be the case. ,n )nglish haiku
77
the average is about <= syllables. ,t is suggested that a better measure is that when
read aloud, a haiku can be completed in one breath. .articipants might also point
out>
there are two distinct phrases DFor e-ample, ,s this happiness? aluminium
canE ,n 'u-taposition the two phrases seem to be about dissimilar sub'ects
but the puzzle is how to separate them.
verbs are in present tense
.art :> %he walk
<. %ell participants they will have an opportunity to write their own haiku, but before
doing so, they are going to do an activity to help them calm and clear their minds.
%here are two possibilities. , chose one or the other depending on the workshop
location.
(E ,f we are in the countryside or a natural setting, , suggest a walk to a special site.
8uring the walk, , ask participants to walk silently and tell them to try to 'ust observe
without getting too lost in their thoughts. %ry to be in the moment without being
'udgemental. 9ou may find that some participants donMt feel comfortable being in
nature and may even complain of knees hurting or being uncomfortable with insects
or being cold. 9ou can tell them these are great observations about themselves in
this environment. )ncourage them, tell them however they are feeling is okay, 'ust
be aware and see it they can do it without being too critical of themselves. /nce you
arrive to the destination, have participants find a comfortable place to sit down.
*ow, write some haiku@
E 3low6walking. %his activity can take place anywhere " outside or inside. 9ou 'ust
need to have a clear space to make a path or circle. +ave participants walk in very
slow motion, about as fast as a snail, and 'ust notice what is around them without
speaking. +ave them slow walk for at least <; minutes. (fterwards, have them sit
down and begin writing haiku@ *ote> ,f they have done the slow walk outside, it is
always nice to have them return to a room that is calm and inviting. .erhaps light
some incense, dim the lights, have some rela-ing music in the background.
CE ,f you would like them to focus on writing haiku about a particular issue or topic,
offer cut outs of pictures or words to inspire them. Why not do a gallery walk Dsee
glossaryE and have them write haiku for each image@
:. Finally, ask if anyone would like to share their haiku.
8ebriefing and evaluation
3tart a brief discussion about the e-perience. What did they like?dislike about the activity4 What
would they do differently4 3ome other 0uestions to consider>
Was it difficult to write haiku4 What was difficult about it4 What was easy4
What is the value of haiku4 For the writer4 For the reader4
+ow could this activity be adapted to different target groups?ages4 Children4 9outh
offenders4 !inorities4 What topics could be e-plored4
78
What can we do with our haiku to promote visibility4 Desides publishing online, you
could suggest photo or art e-hibits with haiku, etc.E
E+ample 8ai%u
(s this hainess,
sorting through discarded trash'
aluminium can!
Giovanni 29S07
&till being ali$e
seems to be a sin for me
#iroshima Day
4asuhi%o Shi.emoto
Change4" 2 =oter's leading
brings less that is good, while more
ta:es we're bleeding!
Ed'ard J: ;radley
Fi$e ercent hold all
( ask myself, (s that fair'
+inety fi$e without'"
ar% $a%eham 29<7
hay bumble bee
neonicotinoid)free
garden rockery
Sarah Potter 29<7
8:
(he %iving +ook
It is the "riter "ho might catch the imagination of young people and plant a
seed that "ill flo"er and come to fruition
!ssac $siov
/verview
.articipants will write a childrenMs picture book concerning various
issues discussed throughout the workshop.
%hemes )nvironment, .eace, ,nterdependence, 3ocial 5ustice B )0uality
(ims
%o promote creativity
%o introduce writing for children as a way to promote respect for all life
%o create an illustrated childrenMs picture book
Writing form Writing for children ? ChildrenMs book
!aterials
Construction paper
Carious intriguing pictures
(F paper
!arkers and coloured pencils, pens
)-amples of childrenMs books
,nstructions
.art <> %he Gallery Walk
<. egin a discussion about books or stories that participants heard as children that
touched them or that they felt emotional about. , like to share two stories that were
meaningful for me> +ans Christian (ndersenMs The ,ittle >atch 6irl and The 6i$ing
Tree by 3hel 3ilverstein. , may even read to them one of the stories.
:. (sk them why they think the stories were meaningful for them. 8id they learn
something4 8id they identify with the main character4 /r was it because the
message was moving and may have even made them think differently4
=. %ell participants they are going to have the opportunity to collaborate on writing a
childrenMs book, but to get their creative 'uices flowing, they are going to do a brief
activity known as a gallery walk Dsee glossaryE. *ote> ( gallery walk is not the same
as a museum walk.
F. .ut group members into pairs or groups of =. )ach pair?group is given a picture.
%hese pictures should be intriguing and stimulate a lot of ideas and thoughts. (s
well as the picture each participant should have their own (F piece of paper. %ell
them they should start a story based on the picture, but the story is for children, so it
is important to pay attention to language and vocabulary. %hey can begin anyway
they would like> $%here once was.... /nce upon a time...& %hey will be timed D:
89
minutesE so they should 'ust write and not get wrapped up in thinking what to write.
,f they are at a loss for words, remind them of the W+6 0uestions> Who, Where,
What, Why, +ow, When.
G. (t the end of the : minutes, participants leave their written work with the picture and
rotate to the ne-t picture station. %ell them to read what has already been written
and continue the story. D,ncrease the time to provide sufficient time for reading.E
H. .articipants continue to rotate to the various picture stations. !ake sure when they
reach the final station, they write a conclusion to the story.
I. +ave participants return to their original station. ,n their pair?groups, have them read
the completed stories which they started.
J. (sk them if they feel any of their stories could be written as a childrenMs book. ,n their
groups have them chose one of the stories they would like to develop or that has
inspired them. /f course, if there was another story they would prefer to write about,
they are free to do so.
.art :> %he ChildrenMs ook
<. 2efer to the books you may have shared in .art <, step <. .oint out how sentences
are written and how dialogue is included throughout.
:. %he stories they have written of course need to be developed, but they should also
think about the following 0uestions> What is the theme of the story4 What is the
message they want to share4 What age group do they want to target4
=. 3uggest creating a basic storyboard if they do not want to use the stories that were
written in .art <.
F. %ell participants to be as creative as they want when making their book. For children
itMs important the book is illustrated@
G. /nce all groups have completed their books, have story6time@ ,f you have
participants with children, why not schedule time to invite them for story6time and
get their feedback.
3ote> 9ou may also want to introduce participants to 3torybird at storybird.com to
give them a place to publish online with artwork already provided@
8ebriefing and evaluation
egin a discussion about how the activity was for them for each stage> +ow did they feel
about the gallery walk4 8id it facilitate .art : of creating the book4 What did they dislike
about the activity4 What would they change4 +ow did they arrive at the message or
lesson they wanted to teach4 8oes everyone agree their message comes through4
What do they feel their impact would be on children4
+ow can these stories be shared with a wider audience4 Delicit> theatre productions,
creating an e6book, etc.E
8;
3ear -e
)e the change you "ant to see in the "orld.
-ahata Gandhi
/verview
.articipants will write a personal letter to themselves that will be
opened at a future date. (n e-cellent activity during the final days of
the workshop.
%hemes 3elf6development
(ims %o promote writing as self6reflection and positive self6development
Writing form 7etter to the self
!aterials
Writing stationery B envelopes
.ens
,nstructions
<. %ell participants they are going to write one last letter, but this time to themselves. We
have been writing to influence others, and while our writing for others helps to
understand what we feel or confirm our own values, writing for ourselves is a valuable
form of reflection and self transformation.
:. +and out writing stationery or paper. (sk participants to think about> where they would
like to be in one yearMs time> their personal growth, their work, what they want to
accomplish, and the hope they have for themselves.
=. What advice will you give to your future self4
F. What is presently happening in your life that you want your future self to remember4
What personal issues would you like to work on4
G. +ow do you think you will be different from the person you are today4 +ow will you have
changed4
H. What dreams or goals do you hope will be realized4
I. What would you like your connection to others to be like in the future4
J. +ow is your health and spirituality in the future4
K. +ow will you contribute to your community4
<;. What specific actions will you take to improve yourself and your community4
<<. 8istribute envelopes and have participants address their letters to themselves. %ell
them they will receive their letters from the past in one year.
82
8ebriefing and evaluation
(sk if participants would like to share anything about what they wrote with the rest of the group.
8id any of them write about topics that were not included in the 0uestions above4
%his is a fun activity, but is in any way beneficial4 ,s writing as self6reflection valuable to
self6development4 +ow4
83
0art 4
84
Eesources
Character +uiding Worksheet
Character ;uildin. $or%sheet
CharacterMs *ame>
ackground Dfamily, country, education, age...E
Calues and eliefs
What does this person want4
What does this person need4
What is at stake4
What is preventing them from getting what they want4
+ow is this character similar to you4
+ow is this character unlike you4
85
Constructive Criti"uing @anguage Worksheet
.articipants may not realise how damaging their words can be or how their tone of voice can be
misunderstood. ,nsensitivity, hurtful language and even MhowM we e-press our opinion can shut
down creativity and may even deter one from ever writing again. /ffering e-ample phrases can
help avoid any harmful confusions. 2emember, always stress what you do like about someoneMs
writing to balance what needs to be developed. We want enlightening, inspiring, and
constructive words@ +ave participants add their own phrases to those provided.
0/*ID=== Instead1 say:::
, donMt like this@ .erhaps you could....
, donMt understand this@ ,t may 'ust be me, but ,Mm not sure ,
understand...
%hatMs no good@ What do you think about....4
%hat doesnMt make any sense@ , really like what your doing here, but
maybe...
%his story doesnMt work for me. %his story has a lot of potential. .erhaps
if you...
%rust me, , know what ,Mm talking
about.
2emember, anything , say is only my
opinion.
%his writing needs a lot of work@ %his is a nice idea, with a some
tweaking DeditingE youMll have a strong
piece.
WhatMs the point of this4 ,Mm a little confused, and probably 'ust
me, but could you e-plain...
,Mve been published before, so
believe me when , say, you need
to start again.
2emember, everything , say is only my
opinion. %his is your story, and only you
know what is right for it.
%hat part isnMt good. %ake it out@ %his is 'ust one personMs opinion, so
take whatever suggestions you like and
toss the rest.
86
Internet Investigation Worksheet
Internet Investi.ation $or%sheet
,ssue>
Websites>
<.
:.
=.
%he most surprising thing , learned was1
/ther relevant information , learned1
Facts or statistics regarding the issue>
What is currently being done regarding the issue1
,nformation , couldnMt find but am interested to learn about...
What still needs to be done regarding the issue>
3olutions offered by others....
3olutions , would like to add...
87
First @ines
@. It "as the best of times, it "as the "orst of times... !harles #ic0ens, & ale of
"o !ities
A. hose bastards in their mansions B to hear them shrie0, you1d thin0 .imon
&rmitage, hose )astards in heir /ansions
C. It "as a bright cold day in &pril and the cloc0s "ere stri0ing thirteen. ,eorge
:r"ell, &nimal =arm
D. I am an invisible man. ;alph Ellison, Invisible /an
E. .omeone must have slandered Josef $> for one morning "ithout having done
anything "rong, he "as arrested. =ran+ $af0a, he rial
F. hey shoot the "hite girl first. oni /orrison, 4aradise
G. :nce upon a time there "as a "oman "ho discovered she had turned into the
"rong person. &nne yler, )ac0 *hen *e *ere ,ro"nups
H. In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that
I1ve been turning over in my mind ever since. =. .cott =it+gerald, he ,reat
,atsby
I. he past is a different country> they do things differently there. L.4. 'artley, he
,o7)et"een
@J. Justice8 ? You get 2ustice in the ne(t "orld, in this "orld you have the la".
*illiam ,addis, & =rolic of 'is :"n
88
(he Buropean Socia Charter
3ummary
The European Social Charter (revised) of 1996, which entered into force on 1 July 1999, emodies in one
instrument all ri!hts !uaranteed y the European Social Charter of 1961, its additional "rotocol of 19## and
adds new ri!hts and amendments adopted y the "arties$ %t is !radually replacin! the initial 1961 treaty$ The
Charter !uarantees ri!hts and freedoms which concern all individuals in their daily e&istence$
The basic rights set out in the Charter are as follows'
Housing:
access to ade(uate and affordale housin!
reduction of homelessness) housin! policy tar!eted at all disadvanta!ed cate!ories
procedures to limit forced eviction
e(ual access for non*nationals to social housin! and housin! enefits
housin! construction and housin! enefits related to family needs
Health:
accessile, effective health care facilities for the entire population
policy for preventin! illness, includin! the !uarantee of a healthy environment
elimination of occupational ha+ards so as to ensure that health and safety at wor, are provided for
y law and !uaranteed in practice
protection of maternity
Education:
free primary and secondary education
free and effective vocational !uidance services
access to initial trainin! (!eneral and vocational secondary education), university and non*university
hi!her education, vocational trainin!, includin! continuin! trainin!
special measures for forei!n residents
school inte!ration of children with disailities
access to education and vocational trainin! for persons with disailities
Freedom to work:
prohiition of forced laour
prohiition of the employment of children under the a!e of 1-
Special wor,in! conditions etween 1- and 1# years of a!e
the ri!ht to earn one.s livin! in an occupation freely entered upon
Fair working conditions:
an economic and social policy desi!ned to ensure full employment
access to wor, for persons with disailities
fair wor,in! conditions as re!ards pay and wor,in! hours
protection in case of dismissal
protection from se&ual and psycholo!ical harassment
Collective rights:
9::
freedom to form trade unions and employers. or!anisations to defend economic and social interests)
individual freedom to decide whether or not to /oin them
promotion of /oint consultation, collective ar!ainin!, conciliation and voluntary aritration
the ri!ht to stri,e
Legal and social protection:
le!al status of the child
treatment of youn! offenders
protection from ill*treatment and ause
prohiition of any form of e&ploitation (se&ual or other)
le!al protection of the family (e(uality of spouses within the couple towards children, protection of
children in case of family rea, ups)
the ri!ht to social security, social welfare and social services
the ri!ht to e protected a!ainst poverty and social e&clusion
childcare
special measures caterin! for the elderly
Movement of persons:
the ri!ht to family reunion
the ri!ht of nationals to leave the country
procedural safe!uards in the event of e&pulsion
simplification of immi!ration formalities
Non-discrimination:
the ri!ht of women and men to e(ual treatment and e(ual opportunities in employment
!uarantee to all nationals and forei!ners le!ally resident and 0or wor,in!, that all the ri!hts set out in
the Charter apply re!ardless of race, se&, a!e, colour, lan!ua!e, reli!ion, opinions, national ori!in,
social ac,!round, state of health or association with a national minority
prohiition of discrimination on the asis of family responsiilities
ri!ht of persons with disailities to social inte!ration and participation in the life of the community$
The Charter has a mechanism of control ased on the presentation of national reports y state parties (1991
"rotocol) as well as a system of collective complaint (199- "rotocol) which allows 1inter alia2, trade unions
and non*!overnmental or!anisations to present collective claims$ The European Committee of Social 3i!hts
(ECS3) is the ody responsile for monitorin! compliance in the States party to the Charter$ The
Committee is composed of 1- independent, impartial memers who are elected y the Council of Europe.s
Committee of 4inisters for a period of si& years, renewale once$
9:9
BU Charter of Fundamenta Eights
Nnofficial summary
The Charter of 5undamental 3i!hts reco!nises a ran!e of personal, civil, political, economic and social
ri!hts of E6 citi+ens and residents, enshrinin! them into E6 law$
%n June 1999, the Colo!ne European Council concluded that the fundamental ri!hts applicale at European
6nion (E6) level should e consolidated in a charter to !ive them !reater visiility$ The heads of
state0!overnment aspired to include in the charter the !eneral principles set out in the 19-7 European
Convention on 8uman 3i!hts and those derived from the constitutional traditions common to E6 countries$
%n addition, the charter was to include the fundamental ri!hts that apply to E6 citi+ens as well as the
economic and social ri!hts contained in the Council of Europe Social Charter and the Community Charter
of 5undamental Social 3i!hts of 9or,ers$ %t would also reflect the principles derived from the case law of
the Court of Justice and the European Court of 8uman 3i!hts$ The charter was drawn up y a convention
consistin! of a representative from each E6 country and the European Commission, as well as memers of
the European "arliament and national parliaments$ %t was formally proclaimed in :ice in ;ecemer<777 y
the European "arliament, Council and Commission$
%n ;ecemer <779, with the entry into force of the =ison Treaty, the charter was !iven le!al indin! effect
e(ual to the Treaties$ To this end, the charter was amended and proclaimed a second time in ;ecemer
<77>$
Content' The charter rin!s to!ether in a sin!le document ri!hts previously found in a variety of le!islative
instruments, such as in national and E6 laws, as well as in international conventions from the Council of
Europe, the 6nited :ations (6:) and the %nternational =aour ?r!anisation (%=?)$ @y ma,in! fundamental
ri!hts clearer and more visile, it creates le!al certainty within the E6$
The Charter of 5undamental 3i!hts contains a preamle and -A Brticles$
Bmon! the rights of individuals guaranteed b the Charter are'
;%C:%TD
human di!nity
the ri!ht to life
the ri!ht to the inte!rity of the person
prohiition of torture and inhuman or de!radin! treatment or punishment
prohiition of slavery and forced laour
53EE;?4S
the ri!ht to lierty and security
respect for private and family life
protection of personal data, the ri!ht to marry and found a family
freedom of thou!ht, conscience and reli!ion
freedom of e&pression and information
freedom of assemly and association
freedom of the arts and sciences
the ri!ht to education
freedom to choose an occupation and the ri!ht to en!a!e in wor,
freedom to conduct a usiness
the ri!ht to property
9:;
the ri!ht to asylum
protection in the event of removal, e&pulsion or e&tradition
EE6B=%TD
e(uality efore the law
non*discrimination
cultural, reli!ious and lin!uistic diversity
e(uality etween men and women
the ri!hts of the child
the ri!hts of the elderly
inte!ration of persons with disailities
S?=%;B3%TD
wor,ersF ri!ht to information and consultation within the underta,in!
the ri!ht of collective ar!ainin! and action
the ri!ht of access to placement services
protection in the event of un/ustified dismissal
fair and /ust wor,in! conditions
prohiition of child laour and protection of youn! people at wor,
family and professional life
social security and social assistance
health care
access to services of !eneral economic interest
environmental protection
consumer protection
C%T%GE:S. 3%C8TS
the ri!ht to vote and stand as a candidate at elections to the European "arliament and at municipal
elections
the ri!ht to !ood administration
the ri!ht of access to documents
European ?mudsman
the ri!ht to petition
freedom of movement and residence
diplomatic and consular protection
J6ST%CE
the ri!ht to an effective remedy and a fair trial
presumption of innocence and the ri!ht of defence
principles of le!ality and proportionality of criminal offences and penalties
the ri!ht not to e tried or punished twice in criminal proceedin!s for the same criminal offence
9:2
Internationa Covenant on Civi and .oitica Eights
Nnofficial summary
This covenant was adopted y the 6nited :ations Ceneral Bssemly on 16 ;ecemer 1966 and entered into
force on <H 4arch 19>6$ @y 4ay of <71<, the Covenant had een ratified y 16> states$ The Covenant
elaorates further the civil and political ri!hts and freedoms listed in the 6niversal ;eclaration of 8uman
3i!hts$ 6nder article 1 of the Covenant, the states commit themselves to promote the ri!ht to
self*determination and to respect that ri!ht$ This article reco!ni+es peoples ri!ht to freely own, trade and
dispose of their natural wealth and resources$
Bmon! the ri!hts of individuals !uaranteed y the Covenant are'
Brticle <' The ri!ht to le!al recourse when their ri!hts have een violated, even if the violator was actin! in
an official capacity$
Brticle H' The ri!ht to e(uality etween men and women in the en/oyment of their civil and political ri!hts$
Brticle 6' The ri!ht to life and survival$
Brticle >' The freedom from inhuman or de!radin! treatment or punishment$
Brticle #' The freedom from slavery and servitude$
Brticle 9'The ri!ht to lierty and security of the person and freedom from aritrary arrest or detention$
Brticle 11' The freedom from prison due to det$
Brticle 1<' The ri!ht to lierty and freedom of movement
Brticle 1A' The ri!ht to e(uality efore the law) the ri!ht to e presumed innocent until proven !uilty and to
have a fair and pulic hearin! y an impartial triunal$
Brticle 16' The ri!ht to e reco!nised as a person efore the law$
Brticle 1>' The ri!ht privacy and its protection y the law$
Brticle 1#' The freedom of thou!ht, conscience and reli!ion$
Brticle 19' The freedom of opinion and e&pression$
Brticle <7' "rohiition of propa!anda advocatin! war or national, racial or reli!ious hatred$
Brticle <1' The ri!ht to peaceful assemly$
Brticle <<' The ri!ht to freedom of association$
Brticle <H' The ri!ht to marry and found a family
Brticle <A' The ri!hts for children (status as minors, nationality, re!istration and name)$
Brticle <-' The ri!ht to participate in the conduct of pulic affairs, to vote and to e elected and access to
pulic service$
Brticle <6' The ri!ht to e(uality efore the law and e(ual protection
Brticle <>' The ri!ht, for memers of reli!ious, ethnic or lin!uistic minorities, to en/oy their culture,
practice their reli!ion and use their lan!ua!e$
The Covenant is le!ally indin!) the 8uman 3i!hts Committee estalished under Brticle <# monitors its
implementation$ The 5irst ?ptional "rotocol estalishes an individual complaint mechanisms for the %CC"$
@y 4ay <71<, the protocol had een ratified y 11A states$ The Second ?ptional "rotocol entered into force
in 1991 and aims at the aolition of the death penalty$ @y 4ay <71< it had een ratified y >A states$
9:3
Internationa Covenant on Bconomic, Socia and Cutura Eights
Nnofficial summary
The %nternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural 3i!hts (1966), to!ether with the 6niversal
;eclaration of 8uman 3i!hts (19A#) and the %nternational Covenant on Civil and "olitical 3i!hts (1966),
ma,e up the %nternational @ill of 8uman 3i!hts$ %n accordance with the 6niversal ;eclaration, the
Covenants reco!ni+e that 1$$$ the ideal of free human ein!s en/oyin! civil and political freedom and
freedom from fear and want can e achieved only if conditions are created wherey everyone may en/oy his
civil and political ri!hts, as well as his economic, social and cultural ri!hts$2 The Covenant entered into force
in 19>6 and y 4ay <71< it had een ratified y 167 countries$ The covenant is monitored y the 6nited
:ations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural 3i!hts$
Brticle 1' Bll peoples have the ri!ht of self*determination, includin! the ri!ht to determine their political
status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development$
Brticle <' Each State "arty underta,es to ta,e steps to the ma&imum of its availale resources to achieve
pro!ressively the full reali+ation of the ri!hts in this treaty$ Everyone is entitled to the same ri!hts without
discrimination of any ,ind$
Brticle H' The States underta,e to ensure the e(ual ri!ht of men and women to the en/oyment of all ri!hts in
this treaty$
Brticle A' =imitations may e placed on these ri!hts only if compatile with the nature of these ri!hts and
solely for the purpose of promotin! the !eneral welfare in a democratic society$
Brticle -' :o person, !roup or !overnment has the ri!ht to destroy any of these ri!hts$
Brticle 6' Everyone has the ri!ht to wor,, includin! the ri!ht to !ain one.s livin! at wor, that is freely chosen
and accepted$
Brticle >' Everyone has the ri!ht to /ust conditions of wor,) fair wa!es ensurin! a decent livin! for himself
and his family) e(ual pay for e(ual wor,) safe and healthy wor,in! conditions) e(ual opportunity for
everyone to e promoted) rest and leisure$
Brticle #' Everyone has the ri!ht to form and /oin trade unions, the ri!ht to stri,e$
Brticle 9' Everyone has the ri!ht to social security, includin! social insurance$
Brticle 17' "rotection and assistance should e accorded to the family$ 4arria!e must e entered into with
the free consent of oth spouses$ Special protection should e provided to mothers$ Special measures should
e ta,en on ehalf of children, without discrimination$ Children and youth should e protected from
economic e&ploitation$ Their employment in dan!erous or harmful wor, should e prohiited$ There should
e a!e limits elow which child laor should e prohiited$
Brticle 11' Everyone has the ri!ht to an ade(uate standard of livin! for himself and his family, includin!
ade(uate food, clothin! and housin!$ Everyone has the ri!ht to e free from hun!er$
Brticle 1<' Everyone has the ri!ht to the en/oyment of the hi!hest attainale standard of physical and mental
health$
Brticle 1H' Everyone has the ri!ht to education$ "rimary education should e compulsory and free to all$
Brticle 1A' Those States where compulsory, free primary education is not availale to all should wor, out a
plan to provide such education$
Brticle 1-' Everyone has the ri!ht to ta,e part in cultural life) en/oy the enefits of scientific pro!ress$
9:4
Where do we go from here7 .u$ishing A
3eveoping a Community of .ractice
0s 'ith many 'or%shops1 participants may have .ro'n close and have e+pressed
sincere intentions of stayin. in contact: &hey hope to collaborate on future pro>ects1
but as there is nothin. in the 'or%s1 often times communication is lost: 0lthou.h this
is natural in terms of any .roup or short term 'or%shop situation1 the beauty of
'ritin. is that it can easily translate into an on.oin. community of practice as is
evident in so many online publications1 'riters? .roups and 'riters? communities:
3o' that .roup members have >ournals full of inspired 'ritin.1 carefully edited
material1 and .roup collaborated 'ritin.1 there comes the question- $hat can 'e do
no'@
0s 'ell as developin. an online community of practice 2an online ma.azine1 a
net'or% of blo..ers1 etc:71 I al'ays feel it is important to dedicate a session durin.
the 'or%shop to brainstorm ideas: <eep in mind1 participants may even 'ant to have
a fe' sessions 'or%in. on buildin. their community 'ebsite1 blo. or ma.azine:
;ut besides an online community1 'hat else can be done@ &here are a thousand
thin.s participants can come up 'ith durin. brainstormin. sessions: 8ere are a fe'
ideas-
*r.anise play'ritin. 'or%shops in your community and produce a play:
*r.anise live poetry readin.s: $hy not hold it at your 3G* and ma%e it a
cultural e+perience 'ith food and drin%s= Send out invitations online and ma%e
fliers:
*r.anise local creative 'ritin. 'or%shops and invite established 'riters to
spea% about 'ritin. and citizenshipArelated issues:
*r.anise an artBphotoBpoetry e+hibition:
8old 'ritin. contests in your community to encoura.e citizens to 'rite:
Provide a topic and publish all entries on your blo. or 'ebsite: ;e creative
'ith prizes for the 'inners:
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*r.anise a letter 'ritin. ni.ht about a topic that concerns residents in your
community and bombard local politicians 'ith your letters: Children?s letters
are often effective1 so 'hy not ma%e it a fun event for the 'hole family:
Create an antholo.y of poetry dedicated to citizens? issues: Sell the boo%s as a
fundAraisin. activity:
8old 'or%shops on campai.n 'ritin.:
8old son.A'ritin. 'or%shops: Collaborate 'ith musicians and ma%e a CD or
hold a concert:
Combine dance 'ith poetry readin.s:
Create an antholo.y of modern fol%lore from your country: Illustrate it:
*ffer script'ritin. 'or%shops and collaborate in producin. short films to be
posted online: Enter the short films in festivals=
Organise a Poetry for the People Day. Write or print various poems on strips of
coloured paper. Make it aesthetically pleasing and offer poems to citizens as a
gift. Or organise Poetry in the Park. This could include: poetry readings, theatre
performances, puppet shos, storytelling, stands here poets rite poems for
the people, music, a poetry contest !ooth for kids...
"emem!er, riting is movement, riting is involvement, riting is active citizenship#
With a pen, paper and your imagination, the possi!ilities are limitless...
9:6
/lossary
9:7
%ossary
(dvocacy
%o publicly support or argue in favour of something, such as a cause, idea, or policyA active
support.
rainstorming
Writers use variations of brainstorming techni0ues all the time. rainstorming can be
particularly useful when a new, fresh idea is needed. ,ts main goal is to produce a long list of
ideas from which one or more can later be chosen. %he more options you have the better
position you are in.
E+ample brainstormin. activity- $hy is there so much in>ustice in the 'orld@
,t#s the :<st Century, but still in'ustice e-ists on a grand scale. 3ome people have everything, while the
ma'ority are 'ust trying to survive. asic social rights are being taken away everyday. Nnemployment
is increasing, ta-es are increasing, salaries are decreasing1 the list goes on. (sk participants why
there is so much in'ustice, when citizens say they want a more 'ust world.
%here is so much in'ustice because the government is corrupt1 *o one really cares about anyone but
themselves1 %hese may be some immediate responses. +ave participants brainstorm this 0uestion
for a few more minutes. %hey should let their minds run wild. )ven if an idea may sound ridiculous,
write it down. eing imaginative leads to the most original stories. elow are some possible ideas that
might be derived from a good brainstorming session.
$,f citizens are truly interested in making the world a better place, then why does so much in'ustice
e-ist4&
1 .eople are not truly concerned about everyone#s well being. %hey only care about themselves. ,t#s
human nature to be selfish.
1 ,t#s a cursed earth " the ible tells us so.
1 /ur political leaders are only doing what we want them to do. %hat#s why we allow them to stay in
power.
1 %he people in power are really aliens from another gala-y controlling our minds.
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1 %his is our destiny. ,t is impossible to change what#s already written in the stars.
1 We are still evolving. /ne day in'ustice will be wiped out and we will become the enlightened beings
we are meant to be.
1 %his world is already fair, what are you talking about4
7ooking through this list of ideas Dand this is a very short listE we see a broad collection of ideas that
could suit many creative writing forms. %he idea that it#s human nature to be selfish could inspire a
dystopia, or the idea that we are still evolving into a utopia. /r perhaps our leaders as aliens could
become a science fiction. !ost of these ideas will be discarded, but the more participants have to
choose from, the better their chance of finding one they can develop. (s an e-tension, participants
might take one idea from their list and make that the new topic of a brainstorming session. For
e-ample, they could further brainstorm $Why do we allow corrupt politicians to stay in power4& %his,
then, could lead to an insightful, creative article about our true desires. (fter a good brainstorming
session, participants may be genuinely surprised and delighted with some of the new ideas they have
generated. %hey may discover they are truly creative and have ideas that could highly impact others#
thinking and feelings.
umper 3ticker (ctivism
%o tell the world what they should be doing and what you think by plastering your car with
bumper stickers to that effect. 3ee 3lacktivism.
Citizenship
<E a legal relationship between an individual and a state, resulting in mutual rights and
responsibilities :E used to describe the general relationship between individuals and the state or
an association of states, including e-pected forms of behaviour and attitudes.
Civil rights Dsometimes referred to as civil libertiesE
( category of non6political rights and freedoms that protect individuals from unwarranted
government action and ensure their ability to participate in the civil life of the state without
discrimination or repression. Civil rights laws include> 7aws ensuring peoples# physical integrity
and safety and laws to make sure that people are not forced into labour. 7aws protecting people
from private Dnon6governmentE discrimination Dbased on gender, religion, race, se-ual
orientation, etc.E 7aws providing e0ual access to health care, education, culture, etc.
Clima-
%he clima- is the moment of great intensity in a story or literary work that brings events to a
head leading to the conclusion of the story.
Conflict
( struggle a character faces that creates tension and must be resolved. Conflict is imperative in
literature because it provides the foundation for how the plot will unfold. Without conflict, little
occurs. Conflict can arise between other characters, a system or community, nature, or even
between the character and him?herself Dinternal conflictE.
Council of )urope
(n international organisation founded in <KFK to promote co6operation between all )uropean
countries in the areas of human rights, democracy, development, culture, and the rule of law. ,t
has FI member states with some J;; million citizens, and is an entirely separate body from the
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)uropean Nnion, which has :I member states. Nnlike the )N, the Council of )urope cannot
make binding laws.
Creative Cisualization and Guided ,magery
Creative Cisualization and Guided ,magery are known as transpersonal techni0ues, or a
techni0ue which can facilitate a [deeper# understanding or e-perience. %hey use an individual#s
imagination to create a mental image. %he image is triggered either by a scene or situation
which has been described orally Dguided imageryE or which has been created in [the mind#s eye#
through a less detailed and less directed stimulus Dcreative visualizationE.
8emocracy
( form of government where the authority to govern is determined by the people, either by
direct referendum or by means of representatives elected by the people entitled to vote. %he
original Greek word was derived from demos, meaning Xthe people,X and kratein meaning Xto
rule.X 3o it means MMruled by the peopleMM or MMthe people rule.MM
)uropean Nnion D)NE
(n economic and political union of :I member states located in )urope. %he )N was
established by the %reaty of !aarstricht in <KK=. ,tMs de facto capital is located in russels.
Flash fiction
,s a style of fiction of e-treme brevity. %here is no widely accepted definition of the length of the
category. 3ome markets for flash fiction impose caps as low as three hundred words, while
others consider stories as long as a thousand words to be flash fiction. ,n China the style is
fre0uently called a Xsmoke longX or Xpalm6sizedX story, with the comparison being that the story
should be finished before the reader could finish smoking a cigarette. /ther names for flash
fiction include sudden fiction, micro fiction, micro6story, short short, and postcard fiction, though
distinctions are sometimes drawn between some of these terms.
Free writing
,s a pre6writing techni0ue in which a person writes continuously for a set period of time without
regard to spelling, grammar, or topic. ,t helps to overcome writing blocks often created by fear
and self6criticism.
(t times a writer may do a Focused Free write, letting a chosen topic structure their thoughts.
)-panding on a topic, the thoughts may make connections and associations to create more
views on the topic. Writers use the techni0ue to collect initial thoughts and ideas on a topic often
as preliminary for formal writing.
.rinciples of Free writing>
<. Write continuously without thinking about what you want to say. Reep the pen
moving.
:. Reep the internal critic out@ 8o not edit@ 2esist the temptation to cross out or fi-
spelling or grammar.
=. (llow thoughts to come through your pen onto the paper. ,f it does not make sense,
so what. 5ust keep writing.
F. ,f nothing is coming to you, write about why you think that is. ,f you feel like
wandering off into a senseless tangent, do it. 5ust keep writing@
FreytagMs %riangle
/ne way to understand the structure of a story is to follow the model of FreytagMs triangle.
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)-position> %he e-position introduces the reader to the main character and provides
background information to prepare the reader for the conflict the character is or will
face.
,ntroduction of the conflict and rising action> %he conflict is met with a series of events
that complicates the main characterMs situation.
Clima-> %his is the moment when the character is forced to make a decision or follow a
course of action.
Falling action> %he conflict begins to resolve itself.
2esolution DdenouementE> %he final outcome of the story.
Gallery Walk
*ot to be confused with the !useum Walk. ,n the Gallery Walk, groups rotate around the
working space to various stations. (t these stations there may be pictures, first lines, 0uestions,
etc. to stimulate discussion or writing. .articipants should write their responses on a piece of
paper that will be left for the following group to add to or continue writing. )ach group is given a
specified amount of time at each station before rotating to the ne-t station. /nce each group
has had time at all stations, allow time for group discussion and reading of writings.
Globalisation
Generally describes the worldwide movement toward economic, financial trade and
communications integration. %he term also refers to international integration, designed to fulfil
the interests of the private, corporate and financial sector.
+aiku
+aiku is an unrhymed, syllabic poem adapted by the 5apanese, typically containing three lines
of G,I,G syllables. %raditionally haiku invokes an aspect of nature or the seasons, though
contemporary haiku has incorporated a wide range of topics.
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+uman thermometer
%his is a method of ranking useful to see the level of agreement or disagreement among group
members before discussion. .articipants are asked to imagine an invisible line crossing from
the front to the back of the room. %hey should stand at the front of the room if they are <;;W in
agreement. ,f they completely disagree, the should stand at the back of the room. .articipants
should position themselves anywhere on the line they feel represents their level of agreement.
!ind mapping
( diagram used to visually outline information. ( mind map is often created around a single
word or phrase, written in the centre, to which associated ideas, words and more phrases are
added. !ind mapping uses the concept of Xradiant thinkingX " that is, thoughts radiate out from
a single idea. ranches or lines flow backwards and forwards from and to the central idea.
!a'or categories radiate from a central node, and lesser categories are sub6branches of larger
branches.
!useum Walk
*ot to be confused with the Gallery Walk. ,n a !useum Walk, group members have writing
displayed Dusually with illustration or drawingsE on the walls. Writings are usually poems, or
shorter pieces of work. .articipants silently move around the room and read as they would do
so in a !useum with artwork. .articipants may leave comments on .ost6its or place small
stickers on phrases or lines they like.
*on Formal )ducation
(ny planned programme of education outside of the formal education system that has been
developed to improve a wide range of competences and skills, for e-ample youth work or
continued adult learning.
/p6ed
/pposite the editorial page Dthough commonly mistaken as an opinion editorialE is a newspaper
article that e-presses the opinions and views of the writer who is not usually affiliated with the
newspaperMs editors. %hey are signed by the writer.
.eople Wheel
( way to group people for pair discussions. Group members either sit or stand in two circles of
e0ual numbers, one circle inside the other so each person in the inside circle faces someone in
the outside circle. %he inside or outside wheel can rotate left or right so that each person can
address another person in the group on a one6on6one basis. ( specific time limit is given to
share viewpoints before rotating the wheel.
.lot
%he actions and events in a work of fiction. %he order of events in a given work constitutes the
$story&, but as soon as we discuss how these events relate to one another and how they are
achieved to produce particular results, we are talking about plot. Within larger works, several
sub6plots take place simultaneously within the main plot.
.olitical 2ights
%he rights of individuals to participate in the political life of their community and society, such as
voting or running for office.
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2ole6play
2efers to the changing of oneMs behaviour to assume a role to fill a social role or to act out a
part. 2ole playing is typically improvised and allows players to step into another personMs skin
and e-plore situations and possible solutions to issues.
3etting
%he location and time frame in which the action of a narrative takes place.
3lacktivism
,s a portmanteau of the words slacker and activism. %he word is usually considered a pe'orative
term that describes Xfeel6goodX measures, in support of an issue or social cause, that have little
or no practical effect other than to make the person doing it feel some amount of satisfaction.
%he acts tend to re0uire minimal personal effort from the slacktivist. %he underlying assumption
being promoted by the term is that these low cost efforts substitute for more substantive actions
rather than supplementing them, although this assumption has not been born out by research.
3lacktivist activities include signing internet petitions, 'oining a community organization without
contributing to the organizationMs efforts, copying and pasting of social network statuses or
messages or altering oneMs personal data or avatar on social network services. 2esearch is
beginning to e-plore the connection between the concept and modern activism?advocacy, as
groups are increasingly using social media to facilitate civic engagement and collective action.
3tanza
( stanza consists of two or more lines of poetry that together form one of the divisions of a
poem and are used like paragraphs in a story. 3tanzas are usually of the same length and
follow the same pattern of meter and rhyme or rhythm.
3toryboard
( MblueprintM or se0uence of rough sketches that depict event?scenes Dincluding setting,
dialogue and actionE of a story. /ften used in creative writing for television, advertising or film. (
storyboard helps writers visualize the overall story.
%heatre of the /ppressed
8eveloped by razilian theatre practitioner (ugusto oal, %heatre of the /ppressed is a form of
theatrical performance Dusually not improvisedE that is enacted in a place where people would
not normally e-pect to see one Dfor instance, in the street, restaurant or shopping centreE and
often with the performers attempting to disguise the fact that it is a performance from those who
observe and may choose to participate in it, thus leading spectators to view it as a real,
unstaged event. %he techni0ue is used to make a point publicly as a means of promoting social
and political change and gives the actors a sense of what a realistic reaction might be to a
certain scenario, such as a heated argument over a political or social issue.
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