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Youth Club Activities ManualPeace Corps LiberiaIntroductionAbout this ManualThis manual is an all-encompassing tool meant to help facilitators successfully help youth develop self-confidence, leadership skills, knowledge about reproduction, their bodies and how to keep themselves healthy. There are also activities that dive into gender awareness, the issue of gender based violence and how to combat the inequity of power dynamics. Other activities include sessions on critical thinking, how to think outside of the box, as well as expanding skills surrounding financial literacy and planning. The purpose of this manual is to develop the minds, skills, and knowledge of youth in Liberia, so that together both young women and men can successfully grow together to their highest potential. Table of ContentsClubs Checklist ....................................................................................................... 3Ice Breakers& Teambuilding Activities ................................................................ 6Self-Confidence for Girls ...................................................................................... 14Self-Confidence for Boys ..................................................................................... 25Leadership ........................................................................................................... 41Gender Awareness ............................................................................................... 58Youth Sexual & Reproductive Health (YSRH ..................................................... 69Gender Based Violence (GBV) ............................................................................ 152Critical Thinking ................................................................................................. 188Financial Literacy ............................................................................................... 201Checklist: ClubsClubs are a powerful tool for youth development. They help youth to foster traits outside of formal schooling, such as problem-solving skills, a positive identity, self-esteem, and leadership. These soft skills are valued by employers, and help youth to seek higher education and be more civically engaged.When clubs are implemented effectively, participants feel safe, and youth are supported to take on leadership roles and learn these valuable new skills. For girls and young women who may not otherwise have opportunities, clubs can provide unique learning opportunities that are critical to their future success. The checklist below includes the Peace Corps’ recommendation to link clubs and camps as a reinforcing system to support youth with the consistent, long-term development of new knowledge, skills, and behavior change. This checklist can be used by Volunteers and other counterparts and community members who are supporting a club, as well as by youth who are running a club.Italics indicate that the action is also included as a quality standard that Volunteers report on under the GenEq/LGL CSPP in the VRF.Needs AssessmentClub activities are based on an assessment of youth needs, interests, and the resources of the local community.Youth are involved in conducting the needs assessment.StructureMembership is clearly established and attendance is taken at each meeting in order to monitor members’ participation.Meetings have clear and consistent beginning and end times.Club timeframe is appropriately scheduled for maximum youth participation.Meetings have clear objectives identified by the youth and approved by the adults.The club meets regularly over the course of at least 6 months.Youth leadershipYouth leaders are elected by the members.Female and/or male youth are involved in club design and the identification of club goals.Rules and expectations are developed by youth who have responsibility for their enforcement.Meeting agendas and activities are organized by youth club members.The club is co-led by youth and, ideally, two adults (Volunteer and host country national). Community engagementThe school and community leadership are aware of and take an active role in helping to sustain club activities.Youth reach out to build supportive relationships with adult leaders and mentors in the community.SafetyThe meeting area is reviewed to ensure physical safety, including the safety of participants traveling to and from meetings.Youth and adult leaders are aware of existing child protection codes of conduct of their respective organizations.Contingency plans are established for emergencies.Participants have permission slips on file that cover parental approval and emergency contact information.Based on observations obtained through ongoing club monitoring, club members consider the club safe.SupportFun social activities are planned and are a regular part of every meeting. Members are regularly and publicly recognized for their achievements and development.Members establish a common emblem, shirt, or other sign such as a cheer, song, or chant to unify the club and recognize each other in public.Skill-buildingClub activities build on each other and are increasingly difficult, in order to foster skills development.Club activities are well structured and planned around themes to meet a clearly outlined goal.Club activities include a focus on life skills such as goal setting, communication, and critical thinking.Diversity and inclusionIf the club is co-ed, both boys and girls are active members and encouraged to hold leadership roles.Barriers to participation for girls and boys are identified and actively addressed. To the extent possible, youth with special needs and disabilities actively participate in activities and leadership.To the extent possible and appropriate, youth from different ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups are encouraged to participate in activities and leadership roles.Club activities are appropriate for the targeted age group and developmental stage.If the club is co-ed, both sexes actively participate in selecting the club location and design.Based on observations obtained through ongoing club monitoring, club members consider the club inclusiveFostering the camps and clubs cycle The same youth participate in camps and clubs as a way to continue developing their leadership and life skills.The youth take on increasingly more responsibility and leadership roles through their continued participation in camps and clubs.Activities are designed to be easily adapted and replicated in later camps or clubs, with session plans and templates munity members are consulted about the camp location and design.If the camp is co-ed, female and/or male youth are involved in the camp design and the identification of camp goals. Based on the participants’ final evaluations, campers consider the camp to be inclusive and safe.Participants create an action plan for how they intend to share what they learn with members of their community and/or club. Icebreakers & Teambuilding ActivitiesGames are fun, help students to learn about each other and help to build a friendly, team atmosphere. They can also help open up relevant conversation and provide a way to start meaningful discussions. Always finish a game by asking students to comment on what they see to be the key messages. Cross-Hand Pass Objective: To encourage cooperation and teamwork and to have fun. Materials: 2 balls Activity Overview: The group forms links between each other to pass a ball down the line using teamwork. Divide the group into two teams Within the teams have the participants chose a partner. Have the participants line up across from their partner, facing each other. Have the participants link hands with the person directly in front of them. Each team starts the ball at the end of the line and tries to pass it down the line, everyone keeping their hands together. If the ball is dropped, the partners must pick it up with their hands still held together. The first team to get the ball all the way down the line wins. Discussion Questions:What were the difficulties of working together in this activity? Despite these difficulties, what are the advantages of teamwork? How does this apply to the real world? Telephone Objective: To make people laugh, to help the participants understand how easy it is to misunderstand what someone has said. Activity Overview: Participants whisper the same message around the circle, one to the next. Then the finished version is compared with the original. Think of a phrase to whisper beforehand and whisper this to the participant next to you. Then the participants go around the circle and whisper the phrase to each girl/boy next to her. This should be repeated until the phrase has been whispered around the whole circle. Girls/Boys can’t ask for repeats. The last girl to receive the message says the phrase out loud. Then announce to the group what you originally said. Ask another girl to come up with a phrase and play again (as many times as you want). Discussion Questions: Point out how easy it is for messages to be misunderstood. This is how gossip/rumors happen. Discuss the problems with gossip/rumors Spider Web Objective: To encourage listening and friendship Materials: A ball of yarn/stringActivity Overview: The group forms a circle and throws the ball of yarn/string to each other creating a web. Each participant states a fact about themselves when they throw, and upon disentangling the web, each participant must state the fact back to the person who said it. Have participants form a circle. Give one participant a ball of string or yarn and ask this participant to state her name and one other piece of information about herself, such as a hobby or favorite food, etc. After she states these two pieces of information, she must toss the ball to someone else. Each participant must state their name and a piece of information and then toss the ball. Once everyone is connected, they must disentangle the web in reverse order. Have each participant try to repeat the information that was presented by the person they are throwing the ball back to. Discussion Questions: What were the difficulties of completing this activity? Was it easy or hard to listen to each other and remember what the other person said? Discuss the important of listening to friends. Zoom, Zip Objective: To encourage listening and direct communication.Activity Overview: This activity highlights the complications of balancing the many factors related to listening and direct/clear communication, while creating a fun and lively environment. Have participants form a circle. Tell the participants that listening closely and speaking clearly and loudly will be very important in this activity. Inform the participants that you will start the activity by turning to the person to your right and saying “Zoom!”. The person to your right will then turn to the next person and say “Zoom!”, so that the word gets passed around the circle. (Reminder: keep the word at a slow pace for now.) Begin the game. Let the word go around the circle at least twice. Ask the participants to increase the speed in which they pass the word, so that it gets faster each time it goes around the circle. After a few increases in speed, say that they will now send the word “Zip!” around to the left. Start with only using the word “Zip!”After the word has gone around the circle at least twice, inform the participants that both “Zoom!” and “Zip!” will be used together now. The participants can now say “Zoom!” to the person to their right or “Zip!” to the person to their left. If someone says the wrong word with the given direction, they are out. Mingle, Mingle, MingleObjective: To encourage and to get everyone talking with each otherActivity Overview: The facilitator will ask participants to mingle around and when they say stop find a new partner and talk about a series of predetermined questions.(Great as a getting to know you activity – below questions may need to be modified for this goal)Participants will mix around the room saying mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle and when the facilitator says “stop” they find a partner and talk about one of the following questions (or any set of questions). After 1 minute, the facilitator calls “PAUSE” they find another partner and talk about a different question. Repeat until all questions have been answered and participants get to talk to several people. What is one thing you can do well?What is something you’re scared of?Who can encourage you in your life?Ask for feedback and what they learned.Group CountingObjective: Participants experiment with what it means to be both a leader and a follower. Activity Overview: The group will try and count to 20 but only one person can speak at a time nor can you say a number if the person next to you has just spoken.Invite participants to form a circle facing each other. Say:“I’d like to start with a game that I think you will find very hard. We are going to count to 20 out loud as a group, with different people taking turns saying a number. Here are the rules:Only one person can be speaking at a time. If more than one person talks, we have to start over at one. You can say, as many numbers as you wish as long as you don’t say two or more in a row. If the same person says two numbers in a row, you have to start from one. You cannot say a number if the person standing next to you has just said a number.If we have to start over, someone should just say the number ‘one.’After they play the game, have the group sit back down for a brief discussion. Say:What made this game difficult? What helped us be successful?How does this relate back to leadership?Compliment Chain Objective: To learn how to support each other and build team unity.Activity Overview: Sitting in a circle, Participants will give positive affirmations, words of admiration or encouragement to the person sitting next to them.Tell the participants to get into a circle. Say:“You are going to go around the group and give a compliment to the person you are next to. Tell them what you admire about them.”Have the groups sit back down to talk small about what just happened. Discussion Questions:How did that make you feel when someone says something positive to you? How does it make you feel when someone says something negative?The Mine Field Objective: To build trust and teamwork.Activity Overview: Participants, working in pairs, will guide each other across an obstacle course created by the facilitators. Each pair will have one girl/boy blindfolded and the other will act as the guide.Put several objects on the floor of the classroom, and then divide participants into pairs. One girl/boy will put a scarf or piece of cloth around her/his eyes so that s/he cannot see. The other girl/boy will attempt to lead her/him across the room in a way as to avoid having her/his stepping on any of the objects scattered across the floor.Human KnotObjective: To promote positive communication and teamwork.Activity Overview: Club members will have to work together untangle themselves after Have participants stand in a circle, facing inward, each person standing shoulder to shoulder.Instruct everyone to lift his or her left hand and reach across to take the hand of someone standing across the circle. Have everyone lift their right and reach across to take the hand of another person standing across the circle. Make sure that no one is holding hands with someone standing directly beside the person.Participants work together to untangle the human knot without letting go of any hands. The goal is to end up in a perfect circle again. They can go over or under each other's arms, or through legs if needed! Encourage them to do whatever they want, as long as they don't break the chainPass the Clap Objective: To build respectful relationships and teamwork.Activity Overview: A leader claps in one direction and the clap is then passed around the circle in a chain reaction, but it can change directions. Add words like respect and friendly to the clap to add difficulty.Arrange the class standing in a large circle (or if space is limited, ask the class to stand in smaller circles around their desks). A leader claps in one direction and the clap is then passed around the circle in a chain reaction (demonstrate with one group). In a second round, show how the direction in which the clap moves can be changed by clapping back toward the direction from which the clap came. Now start the clap game again, but add the word ‘respect’ which must be said at the same time as the clap. Start a new round in which the word ‘friendly’ is said. DISCUSS: What are the key messages in this game? In this game we pass the clap or the word – but in real life – how do ideas get passed on about how to behave and how to treat others? What does a game like this say about how we influence others? Anyone who…Objective: To help understand differences between people in the group.Activity Overview: The facilitator will call out anyone who with some information and all participants of this category will jump up and find a new seat.Seat students on chairs arranged in a circle (remove any spare chairs). As the teacher, start by standing in the center of the circle. Explain that you are going to call out ‘Anyone Who...’ and then add some information (e.g. ‘Anyone who likes eating ice-cream). All the people of this category must jump up and find a new seat. Start the game by making the first call (e.g. ‘Anyone who is wearing white shoes’). As students run to find a different chair, make you sure take one of the empty chairs so that one student is left without a chair in the middle. This student will make the next call in the game (for example, she might say ‘Anyone who walked to school today’). Then all those who walked to school must swap to new seats. Play a few rounds of the game. By this time students will be seated in a mixed arrangement and some differences and similarities will have been noted. Ask students what key messages they see in this game that might be relevant to the theme that everyone is different. DISCUSS: What is the key message in this game? Highlight that there are many differences between people in the group. Different people bring different ideas and strengths. We need to respect those who are different as well as those who are similar to us. ?How does our differences and similarities affect us as a club?Greetings GameObjective: To create a sense of belonging and friendship.Activity Overview: Participants, working in pairs, will create their own special greetings and then share their greetings with other members.Remind the class that it is important that we are friendly and welcoming of everyone at our club meetings, at school and in our communities. Explain that this game is about friendship and belonging. Ask group to walk around the classroom. When facilitator says ‘stop’ they take a nearby person as their partner (then check to see that everyone has found a partner. If there are odd numbers, make a trio). This person is Partner Number 1. Each pair has about one minute to make up and practice a special greeting in the form of a handshake, or special movement or sign. The greeting should is the sign that they belong to the same special group. It should include a sound as well as a form of physical contact. Ask the pairs to practice their greeting a few times. Then ask them to walk around in the space. When the teacher says ‘stop’ they are to find their partner as quickly as they can and do their special greeting. Once this is done, ask the group to walk on again. Say ‘stop’. Now the students must find a new partner. This is Partner Number 2. Together they must design a completely new greeting. Give them one minute to practice it three times. Ask them to move on. When the Facilitator says ‘stop’ again they are to find the partner Number 2 and do that greeting. Then they must find their Partner Number 1 and do that greeting. Repeat with another round, but in final round have them form a group of four and do the greeting for the four people to do together. DISCUSS: Ask students to identify some of key messages in this game? In this game we have a special welcome from our group. What helps us to feel welcome when we come to our club meeting or when getting girls and boys together in our communities? Explain to the group that it is good when people receive a friendly greeting as everyone likes to know that they are welcome. Encourage them to give a friendly greeting to everyone they see– whether they are younger or older or similar or different from ourselves!Linked Together GameObjective: To build communication skills and teamwork between club members.Activity Overview: Participants, working in pairs, will have to balance a pen or stick between their fingers and move around the room.Materials: Pens with lids or sticks– one per pair, plus some extrasIf possible make some space so the class has room to move. Explain that this game will test their skills of partnership. They will work in pairs to balance a pen (or stick) in between their fingers as they move around the room. Place the students in pairs and provide them with the equipment. Ask for a volunteer to demonstrate the activity with you. Place the pen between your finger and your partner’s finger. Lead your partner in moving up and down and then around the room. Arrange for pairs to practice. Using music, have students move around the room balancing their pen/stick. Once partners have had a chance to practice and begin to master this challenge, add in other pens/stick to link pairs together with other pairs, until you have the whole group in a single line moving around the room. DISCUSS: How did you help each other to succeed in this game? (e.g. watched each other, communicated to ask to go slower or faster) What did you do to improve your skills during the game? When do you use these same skills at school? In your home? With your peers?Conclude by noting that the skills of listening, noticing, co- operating, communication, and practicing something over and over are skills that are needed both in the classroom and the playground. These teamwork skills help people to learn and to have fun. They help to make the classroom a happy and safe place for everyone. The I Like to…Objective: To learn how others express themselves (cheer up or calm down).Activity Overview: Participants, working is small groups or as one group, act out response to I like to cheer myself up by… or ‘I like to calm myself down by...’ or other sentences.Arrange students in groups of six or seven standing in circles around desks. Demonstrate the activity with one group. One person starts. They say ‘I like to cheer myself up by...’ and then mime the actions of the thing they like to do (e.g. mime playing the guitar/dancing/singing etc.) but without saying the words. The other people in the group must guess what is being mimed. Once someone guesses correctly, it is the next person’s turn. Give students time to go around the group. Once groups have finished the second round, ask them to identify If you have time, invite students to play a second round, this time saying ‘I like to calm myself down by...’. DISCUSS: Explain that there are lots of different things that we can do to cheer ourselves up if we are feeling sad or calm ourselves down if we are feeling angry. It is good to have lots of strategies and to share these strategies with our friends. Explain that in this game we have to guess what our friends are doing. Sometimes though, if peers are having a difficult time, it is hard to guess what they are thinking. If we are worried about a peer at school, it is important to do our best to help them. Moving As OneObjective: To explore what is leadership and discuss what is positive and negative leadership.Activity Overview: Participants, as a group, will follow slow movements of one leader. Acting out the same movements like the leader is looking in a mirror.Ask students to stand in a large circle (or stand at their desks facing the front if space is limited). Explain that in this game, everyone follows the leader, trying to copy them exactly, just as if they were part of a giant mirror. The leader moves in slow motion. Begin a slow movement, checking the class to see that they can keep up. Keep movements slow. After a while you can name a student to take over as leader, emphasizing the need for slow motion. Invite them to pass the leadership on to another student when they have had a turn. DISCUSS: Ask students to identify some key messages in this game related to working together to achieve positive change and make the world a better place? How do we know who to follow, and who not to follow in our social behavior? Explain that we need to work together as a group to change some harmful behaviors of our peers, siblings and neighbors our community and look for ways to follow positive leadership, not negative leadership. There will also be times each of us is called on to be the leader in our social situation, and to be a positive role model for others. ReferencesPeace Corps Leadership and Life Skills Manual, 2016Connect with Respect: Preventing Gender-Based Violence in Schools, 2016Peace Corps Zambia GLOW Manual, 2015Self Confidence Building for GirlsThe Importance of Self-Confidence BuildingYouth empowerment is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They do this by addressing their situation and then take action in order to improve their access to resources and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and attitudes.(Peace Corps, Life Skills and Leadership Manual)Self-Confidence Building Activities Girl’s Activity 1: Internal & External Barriers Girl’s Activity 2: My Positive Attributes Girl’s Activity 3: The Skin I’m InRecommended Icebreakers/Teambuilding ActivitiesSpider Web Compliment ChainI Like toGirls Activity 1: Internal & External Barriers1 hourObjectives:Be able to identify the difference between internal and external barriers and be able change negative messages into positive messages that build self-confidence. Materials:Flipcharts or ChalkboardTapePreparation:There should be enough for each participant to get at least two pieces.Write definitions of internal barriers or external barriers on a flipchart(s).Write identifying negative messages sentence frames on a flipchart.Motivation – Mingle, Mingle, Mingle!Participants will mix around the room singingmingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle and when the facilitator says stop they find a partner and talk about the following questions: What is one thing you can do well?What is something you’re scared of?Who can encourage you in your life?Do three or four rounds, so participants get to talk to several people. Ask for feedback and what they rmation – Internal & External BarriersSay: “We all have talents, good qualities and things we can do well and we all also have things that make us feel bad and things we need to improve on. “It makes us feel good to hear positive things from our friends. Just like it can make us feel bad if someone means us. Some things that make use feel bad from others and some things come from what we tell ourselves. These can all affect our self-confidence. These are internal and external barriers.Define Internal and external barriers on flip chart or chalkboard: Internal Barriers challenges that come from inside of yourself and that you can change and control. External Barriers challenges outside of yourself that is hard or sometimes impossible to control. Practice identifying the INTERNAL and EXTERNAL barriers in these scenarios and have a group discussion if they are internal or external. Have participants vote by crossing their arms across your chest if they believe it is internal or put your arms out wide if they believe it is external.Paulina feels like she cannot talk to her friends about sex because she is afraid that her peers will think she likes man business too much. INTERNAL: Musu can overcome the feeling of fear deep inside of her, and speak her mind to educate her friends.Musu’s father flogs Musu sometimes when she talks, so whenever she is home she is shy and quiet. EXTERNAL: The challenge is coming from an outside factorMusu’s father. The flogging is not in her control. Rose never raises her hand in class, because she is scared that she will say the wrong answer. INTERNAL: Rose has a fear of shame deep inside of her, but it can change if she thinks in a different way! Elizabeth cannot go to night school because the distance is far from her house, and she does not feel safe walking in the dark. EXTERNAL: Unfortunately, distance from the house is a challenge that she cannot control. Elizabeth can explore other options for school.Quita is discouraged because she just found out that her aunty is sick, and can no longer pay Quita’s school fees. EXTERNAL: Quita is not in control of her Auntie’s health, and money business of other people is not always in her control. Joanna is scared to start a girl’s club because she thinks that her friends will not listen to her. INTERNAL: Joanna has a fear of shame inside of her that can change with a different attitude!Lovetee is scared to register for the 9th grade next year, because she knows that she will be older than many of the rest of the students. INTERNAL: Lovetee’s age does not matter, and will not stop her from learning. She has a fear of shame deep inside of her that can change if she thinks in a different way. Say:We mentioned that most of these girl’s internal barriers can be fixed if they “think in a different way.” Many of these girls had internal barriers that made them feel shame and feel bad. Deep inside of them, they were thinking bad things about themselves…. making their self-esteem and confidence very low. Example: Lovetee felt like she was unimportant, Joanna felt small, etc. There is ONE person that can make us feel the best at all times or the worst at all times. The person who can make you feel the worst is YOURSELF. We talk to ourselves all day long inside our heads. Sometimes we say good things like ‘Today I look fine-o!’ or they can be bad things like ‘My hair is looking ugly. I really don't like the way that I look.”Practice – Identifying Negative MessagesSay:I want you to take a moment, and write down messages that you have told yourself in these situations. If you don't remember or this has not happened to you, try to think what you would say to yourself. Be honest! If you remember saying something negative, then write it down!What did you tell yourself when you had a problem: At school? At home? With your friends?Have the girls share some of their answers to the questions....Say:“YOU can decide what you want to say to yourself. You can choose to be POSITIVE when you're talking to yourself. That's how we create healthy confidence and self-esteem!If I tell myself that I'm stupid every time I make a mistake or don't do well at something, then I will start to believe it. Instead I could say, "I'm not happy that I failed that quiz, but getting 60% is better than 0%. I just need to be serious and work harder."Say:“Now Write three messages you could tell yourself every day to help with your self-confidence! “ Have these sentence frames on a flipchart or on a chalkboard.If I’m feeling bad at school, instead of saying something negative I can say _________If I’m feeling bad at home, instead of saying something negative I can say _________If I’m feeling bad about my friends, instead of saying something negative I can say _________Try to take these messages, and when you're not feeling fine, be careful what you're talking to yourself. Try to be kind to yourself. Say POSITIVE THINGS.Key MessageI have the power the to change negative messages into positives ones. What I say to myself can build my self-confidence.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of girls out total # of girls who can successfully identify internal and external barriers during I do/You Do section while discussing examples. (Count number of girls who vote correctly)# of girls out of total # of girls who can successfully change negative messages into positive messages using sentence frames during We Do section. (Through observations and facilitator circulation)IndicatorsED-035-C: Students – Confidence and Motivation through ParticipationNumber of students, out of the total number of students the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated increased confidence or motivation (through increased participation) in class, club or camp.Girls Activity 2: Your Positive Attributes1.5 hourObjectives:To understand self-confidence and the importance of using positive attributes when describing themselves. Materials:Flipcharts or ChalkboardTapePaperAssembled Love CubeMarkers or CrayonsPreparation:Write definitions of all positive attributes on a flipchart(s).Write each positive attribute on several pieces of paper that the girls can choose their own. Make sure to have multiple copies of the same word.Write positive attribute sentence frame on a flipchart.An assemble large box for group “Love Cube” gameFacilitator Notes:Make sure to tell your girls that during the compliment chain activity, not to only repeat what their friend has said or what you said in the example. Also, emphasize that they should talk about what positive qualities their friends have and not only focus their physical appearances.Motivation – Compliment ChainTell the participants to get into a circle. Say:“You are going to go around the group and give a compliment to the person you are next to. Tell them what you admire about them.”Have the groups sit back down to talk small about what just happened. Say:How did that make you feel when someone says something positive to you? How does it make you feel when someone says something negative?Information & Practice – Your Positive AttributesLets talk about what isself-confidence? Does anyone have any ideas on what is self-confidence? Read the definition of self-confidence: SELF-CONFIDENCE: trusting and respecting yourself, your abilities, and your qualities as a human being.Explain WHY self-confidence is IMPORTANT.Say:“It makes us feel good to hear positive things from our friends. Just like it can make us feel bad if someone means us. But when that happens, we don’t have to go around those negative people anymore. But there is ONE person we can never get away from. There is ONE person that can make us feel the best at all times or the worst at all times.The person who can make you feel the most bad is YOURSELF. We talk to ourselves all day long inside our heads. Sometimes we say good things like ‘Today I look fine-o!’ or they can be bad things like ‘My hair is looking ugly. I really don't like the way that I look.”We are going to introduce some positive words/attributes that you all can use help yourselves overcome negative feelings! (Have these written on the poster sheet or on a chalkboard and go through the definitions) *Be energetic when you go through these definitions, put actions to them and get the girls moving, if possible. STRONG Determined, focused even when many things are against youPOWERFUL ability to motivate people; influential INTELLIGENT smart about decisions made in life, aware of consequencesINNOVATIVE find your own solutions, even if you have little supportBRAVE Not afraid to make a changePASSIONATEmotivatedRESILIENT does not give up, even when pushed down at timesOUTSPOKEN speaks out about what you believeAGENT OF CHANGE ability to make something better for yourself and othersPIONEERability to make a path for othersWrite each attribute several times on pieces of paper and post them all around the room or spread them on the ground/floor. Each participant will pick two that she identifies with the most. Have the girls then go sit together and in the sentence framework say:“I BELIEVE THAT I AM WHEN . ”Make sure they give a specific life example. You might have to model this for them. Application– Love Yourself CubeStand in a circle with everyone, and toss this cube to a person across the circle. Whatever side lands face up in the person’s hands, will be the question that they answer. Sides of the cube include:I am ____________________________!!!!!! (must be yelled )One positive attribute that describes me best is ________________.I was _________________________ when I ________________.My mentor can support me when ___________________________________.I am _________________________ because __________________After everyone has gotten a change to say something with the cube, bring all the participants together and ask them how they felt saying the positive attributes about themselves.Key MessageKnowing my positive attributes will help me be more confident and build my self-esteem.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of girls out of total # of girls who can successfully complete the I believe I am…when… at the end I Do- We Do section (Through observation).IndicatorsED-035-C: Students – Confidence and Motivation through ParticipationNumber of students, out of the total number of students the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated increased confidence or motivation (through increased participation) in class, club or camp.YD-001-A: Life Skills – Positive Identity & Self-EsteemNumber of youth, out of the total number of youth that Volunteer/partner worked with, who described or displayed three or more of their own personal strengths or assets as evidence of improved sense of self-esteem or self-worthGirls Activity 3: The Skin I’m In1 hourObjectives:Be able to define self-confidence, explore different ideas around what is beautiful and work with their peers to explore ways in which one gains an increased sense of positive self-confidence. Materials:FlipchartTapePaperPreparation:Make “agree and “disagree” signsFacilitator Notes: Ask a Liberian woman/girl what they consider to be beautiful and what is self-confidence?Motivation– Mingle, Mingle, Mingle!Participants will mix around the room singingmingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle and when the facilitator says stop they find a partner and talk about the following questions: What is a fine woman?What do you do well?What kind of woman do you wish to be?Do three or four rounds, so participants get to talk to several people then ask for feedback and what they rmation & Practice– What is Self-EsteemOn one side of the room put a sign that says “Agree” and on the other put a sign that says “Disagree”. The girls will listen to the following statements and walk to the side of the room that corresponds with their opinion about the statement.1. A woman must wear make-up to be beautiful2. A woman must have a small waist and large hips for a man to love her 3. It is important to hide that you are on your period?4. A woman is dirty when she is on her period?5. Girls help each other to feel good about their bodies6. Natural hair is beautiful?7. Girls make other girls feel bad about the way they look 8. Dark skin is not as beautiful as lighter skin?9. You must have a boyfriend to feel beautiful?10. A girl should try to feel more beautiful than her friendsAfter all the statements are read, have the girls sit down and debrief using the following questions:Did any of these statements make you feel bad? Why?What statement do you want to talk about more?Why do some women use bleaching cream?How do you see yourself?Discuss their answers to the questions.Write the definition of self-esteem on the board or flipchart.What is self-esteem? Confidence in your own abilities and worth, self-respect.Explain that self-esteem is: how we value ourselves – our self-worth,our attitude to ourselves – how happy we are with the type of person we are and our confidence in our own abilities, how we see ourselves in our community and society – how we compare ourselves to others, and connect with those around us.Low self-esteem—means that we do not value ourselves. Say: This can lead to feeling like we are not important and do not have anything good to say or do. This makes success in life more difficult. Can anyone give an example when they have felt this way? What can we do to feel more confident?High self-esteem—can mean we are comfortable with who we are and with our bodies.Say: People with high self-esteem often have the confidence to make decisions, to be who they are and to find success in life. Can anyone give an example when they have felt this way? How can we help others feel more confident?Application– Group BrainstormCreate groups of 3 or 4 girls: Have 2 groups discuss each topic.Ask the girls to brainstorm and write down what they think of for these topics:Groups 1, 2—How can girls help each other to feel good about the way they look? Groups 3, 4—How can girls help each other to have confidence in themselves at school? Groups 5, 6—How can believing in yourself help you in difficult times?After about 10 minutes, ask each group to share their ideas.Have participants do the mingle, mingle, mingle game again, this time have them tell their friends -Why they think they are beautiful? and How they are going stay self-confident when they feel bad?Key MessageLoving the skin I am in is key to building my self-confidence.Close with the key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of girls out total # of girls who as a group successfully answer discuss and present on their how to build self-confidence during group brainstorm in We Do section.IndicatorsED-035-C: Students – Confidence and Motivation through ParticipationNumber of students, out of the total number of students the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated increased confidence or motivation (through increased participation) in class, club or camp.YD-001-A: Life Skills – Positive Identity & Self-EsteemNumber of youth, out of the total number of youth that Volunteer/partner worked with, who described or displayed three or more of their own personal strengths or assets as evidence of improved sense of self-esteem or self-worthSelf Confidence Building for BoysThe Importance of Self-Confidence BuildingYouth empowerment is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They do this by addressing their situation and then take action in order to improve their access to resources and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and attitudes.(Peace Corps, Life Skills and Leadership Manual)Self-Confidence Building Activities Boy’s Activity 1: A Man’s Self-ConfidenceBoy’s Activity 2: Redefining ManhoodBoy’s Activity 3: Expressing My EmotionsRecommended Icebreakers/Teambuilding ActivitiesSpider Web Compliment ChainI Like toReferencesBRO Manual Swaziland, 2016Engaging Boys and Men in Gender Transformation: The Group Education Manual, 2008Project H – Working with Young Men, 2002 Boys Activity 1: A Man’s Self-Confidence2 hoursObjectives:Be able to define self-esteem; Identify 5 different causes of low self-esteem; Identify 5 ways to improve their self-esteem; develop a plan to increase self-esteem in their school or community. Materials:Flipchart/Chalkboard ?Markers/Chalk?Preparation:Review Flomos Story or write you own about a time you were experiencing low-esteem.Review scenarios.Prepare Flipcharts Print My Personal Strengths Handout or write on a flipchart/chalkboard.Facilitator Notes: Think about how you built you own self-confidence as an adolescence and reflect back on a time when you had low self-confidence, what did you do to pick yourself up? Ask a Liberian boy/man what they think self-confidence is and how they build their self-confidence.Motivation– Mingle, Mingle, Mingle!Participants will mix around the room singingmingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle and when the facilitator says stop they find a partner and talk about the following questions: What is one thing you can do well?What is something you’re scared of?Who can encourage you in your life?Do three or four rounds, so participants get to talk to several people. Ask for feedback and what they learned. “I Do”/Information– Defining Self-EsteemPlace flipchart with the word ‘self-esteem’ written on the top of the chart where everyone can see. Ask the participants to come up with words that define self-esteem for them. Create a working definition and make sure all participants agree on the definition. Self-Esteem: Confidence in one’s own worth or abilities; self-respectRead Flomos Story (see below) or tell personal story about a time when you were experiencing low self-esteem and how you raised your own self-esteem. ?Write on board or flipchart ‘Causes of low self-esteem’ and on the other side write ‘Ways to improve self- esteem’. Have participants identify from the story the causes of low self-esteemFlomo was experiencing and how Flomo they improved his own self-esteem in Ways to Improve Self-Esteem. ?Ask members if they have any other causes they have experienced or can think of for low self- esteem and how they improved their own self-esteem or ways to improve the self-esteem of others. Some examples can include: Causes: Harassment, Embarrassment, Negativity, Unsupported, etc. Improve: Encouragement, Love, Support, Compliments, etc. *Give space to participants to reflect on their own experience and share their story. “We Do”/Practice– Role PlaysNow we are going to practice different scenarios and see if we can identify the cause of low-esteem and ways to improve our self-esteem. Divide the group up into 3 groups and give each group a role-play to act out the various scenarios. SCENARIO 1: A boy having trouble deciding if he should join the schools football team because he smaller than everyone. He gains confidence by seeing other small professional players be successful in the sport.SCENARIO 2: A man loses his contract and no longer can buy as much rice as he use to. He is down for a bit but finally realizes he has other trades he can use to make money.SCENARIO 3: A young adult being pressured to have a child/ have a woman but he is not ready. He realizes that he does not need a woman to define who he is. Have each group act out a scene where they display a cause of low self-esteem and how that person improved their own self-esteem. What was the cause of low self-esteem? ?How did the people raise their own self-esteem? What did they do? ?Was there a specific thing or person they went to for help? ?How can you help other people increase their own self-esteem? ?After the scenarios have the participants think about ways they can improve their own self-esteem and the self-esteem of others in their school or community. ? “You Do”/Application – Your Personal StrengthsGive students Handout #1 or write on a flipchart/chalkboard for students to copy into their notebooks.Now let’s look at ourselves; what are some of your personal strengths? What qualities and abilities to we have? Each member write down three or more of their own personal strengths and have them keep these papers somewhere they look every day. Note: Make sure that participants are identifying qualities and not only abilities – this can be done by asking what skills they need to do their ability, like a good listener, smart, fast- thinking, etc…How I can improve others self-esteem…Key MessageI can overcome low self-esteem by recognizing my qualities and abilities. Close by saying: People with high self-esteem are people who are motivated to take care of themselves and to work towards the fulfillment of personal goals and ambitions. Those with low self-esteem tend to let important things slide and to be less tough when overcoming difficult times. Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of boys out of total # of boys who can successfully identify causes of low self-esteem and ways to improve self-esteem during scenario debrief in We Do section.# of boys out of total # of boys who can three identify their own qualities and abilities as they fill out/write My Personal Strengths during You Do section.IndicatorsED-035-C: Students – Confidence and Motivation through ParticipationNumber of students, out of the total number of students the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated increased confidence or motivation (through increased participation) in class, club or camp.YD-001-A: Life Skills – Positive Identity & Self-EsteemNumber of youth, out of the total number of youth that Volunteer/partner worked with, who described or displayed three or more of their own personal strengths or assets as evidence of improved sense of self-esteem or self-worthFlomos StoryFlomo was a 15-year-old boy who had two smart and beautiful sisters. Flomo was a very slow learner and failed all his mathematics and science exams. He had a long nose and people at school called him names. Flomo didn’t have any friends at school, and he thought he was useless and good for nothing. At the end of term, Flomo’s father went to the school to collect his report. Flomo had failed. His father got angry and said: “You are a good for nothing stupid boy. Look at your sisters, they are smart and beautiful. You are going to be like your uncle, Kollie, who sits at the palm wine station all day with nothing—no job or money.” During the next term, Flomo had a new math teacher, Mr. James. When Flomo got his math test back with only 2 out of 10 answers correct; he was upset. That day during break he sat to the back of the class, his eyes full of tears. Mr. James saw that something was troubling him and said “Flomo, I have noticed that you are unhappy, and you don’t do well in class. Please tell me what the problem is”. Flomo replied “I am good for nothing, and I am not gifted in academics. I am thinking of leaving school, because nothing I do ever goes right. I don’t even have friends. What’s the point of studying?”. Flomo told this to his teacher as tears streamed down his cheeks. The teacher immediately said “That’s not true, Flomo. There is something good that you can do. Look at those beautiful pictures you’ve drawn on your books. Please do me a favor,” Mr. James continued. “I want you to decorate the class with your pictures, and in return, I will help you with your math and spelling. Come in early and we will do extra lessons. Deal?” “I’ll try, but what if they laugh at me?” he said.?No one is going to laugh at you. Let’s try it out and see what happens.” Mr. James insisted. The very next day, Flomo started decorating the classroom and everyone admired the drawings. Everyone in the school wanted to know who drew the pictures. No one expected Flomo to be the talented artist, not even Flomo. With a little help from his teacher in math and spelling, Flomo got 80% on his next spelling test. Flomo was very happy. Mr. James had helped him discover his abilities; and as a result, he went on to complete high school and university. My Personal StrengthsThings I am good at:Qualities I have:Key MessageI can be the man that I want to be.How will I improve others self-esteem?At School:At Home or in my Community:Boys Activity 2: Redefining Manhood1 hourObjectives:To discuss definitions, ideas, and perceptions about manhood; to consider how these perceptions affect people’s behavior Materials:Flipchart/Chalkboard Markers/Chalk Paper/Pens TapeHandout: Possible Manhood CharacteristicsPreparation:Be able to have an accurate definition of manhoodPrint Possible Manhood Characteristics Handout or write characteristics on poster sheet or on a chalkboardFacilitators Notes: To prepare for this lesson, talk to a Liberian man about what he describes as being a man so you understand what the Liberian perceptions are around manhood and masculinity.Motivation – Mingle, Mingle, Mingle!Participants will mix around the room saying mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle, mingle and when the facilitator says stop they find a partner and talk about the following questionsWhen does a boy become a man? What does he have to do to be a real man? What happens if the expectations for a man are not met? Do three or four rounds, so participants get to talk to several people. Ask for feedback and what they learned Information & Practice– Group Discussion about ManhoodDebrief the motivation questions, when does a boy become a man? What does he have to do to be a real man? What happens if the expectations for a man are not met? Give a couple of examples to get people started, if necessary. Some examples or ideas might include the following: Being circumcised Having sexual experience Fathering a child Fathering several children with different women Using alcohol and/or drugs Getting a good job and earning money Owning a car or home Moving out of his parent’s house Hanging out all night Reaching a certain physical size Getting respect from his peer group Record all comments on a flipchart/chalkboard, being sure to use the language that the participants offer. Encourage each participant to add to the list. Do this brainstorming exercise quickly, without lingering over any of the comments. For each item that you have recorded on the flipchart, ask the men to talk about how and if it is important in achieving manhood. (For example, how does a sexual experience turn a boy into a man?) After this discussion, ask: “What, if anything, do you think we should take off the list? Why?” Follow with these discussion questions: Why do you think many men relate their manhood to pursuit of women? At what age should boys be educated about manhood? What should be said to them? Who should be responsible for helping boys make the transition to manhood? Can single mothers help boys make it effectively without fathers? Has our talk today affected your opinions about manhood? How?Distribute the handout “Possible Manhood Characteristics” to all the participants. Give each participant a piece of paper and a pencil or pen. Ask the participants to define their own sense of manhood identity. Give the following directions: Write the following heading on your blank piece of paper: “My Personal Definition of Manhood.” Think about what characteristics best describe the man you want to be. You can choose from the list of potential manhood characteristics on the handout or develop your own ideas. As you identify characteristics, write them on your paper until you have listed 10 characteristics. *Boys can also draw the different their characteristics instead of write them. Just make sure they can explain them.Look at the 10 characteristics you have identified, and put a star (*) beside the three characteristics that are most important to you. Explain that each person will have a different sense of manhood and that this is okay. Emphasize that the important thing for the participants to do is to begin to think carefully about the type of man they want to be. Application – Sharing our Definitions of ManhoodAfter about 10 minutes, have volunteers share their definitions of manhood. Comment on similarities and differences in the definitions the men report. Close the activity by asking the following discussion questions: Which of the characteristics that you selected from the list do you feel you already have? Which do you want to develop? How much does your current behavior fit with your new definition of manhood? Do you think men can express their feelings to other men without being seen as soft or weak? Why or why not? What must you work on to become the man you want to be? (For example, do you have trouble expressing feelings, such as anger or emotional pain? Do you want to support your children more?) What would you want to teach a son about how to be a man? It is our duty to challenge how Liberian boys should act. The way we were raised and what society says a man should be affects the way we act as men. We need to think about the ways society makes us act and challenge that. Key MessageI can be the man I want to be. Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of boys out of total #of boys who successfully identify at least three characteristics of manhood as they write down My Personal Definition of Manhood during We Do section (through observation and facilitator circulation).IndicatorsYD-001-A: Life Skills – Positive Identity & Self-EsteemNumber of youth, out of the total number of youth that Volunteer/partner worked with, who described or displayed three or more of their own personal strengths or assets as evidence of improved sense of self-esteem or self-worthPossible Manhood CharacteristicsThe characteristics below represent qualities that men might list in defining their sense of manhood. On a blank piece of paper, construct your “Personal Definition of Manhood” by thinking about these and other possible characteristics of someone who has achieved manhood. Identify 10 characteristics that best define the man you want to be. Then put a star (*) next to the three characteristics that are most important to you. CaringFlexible, able to compromiseStylishGood ListenerSelf-reliant: Can cook, clean, wash clothes, Teaches and guides childrenAthletic – good at sportsBeat his girlfriend/wifeOutspokenRespects othersWorks to build the communityHardworkingDoes what he say he will doEmpatheticWell-educatedHonestMakes decisions quickly/aloneIgnores sickness and physical painFights when disrespectedTreats women as equalsTake of the your childrenFun loving, has sense of humorMakes decisions with his partnerProtects family from harmBoys Activity 3: Expressing My Emotions1 hourObjectives:To recognize the difficulties men face in expressing certain emotions and the consequences for themselves and their relationships.Materials:Flipchart/Chalkboard Markers/Chalk Slips of Paper Emotion papers (ideas listed below)Preparation:Prepare Emotion papers Review Emotion Ranking and how it worksCut half sheet paper for participants to use their rankingFacilitator Notes:Prior to the session, it is recommended that the facilitator review this activity and reflect on his or her own ways of expressing emotions. Motivation – Emotional Charades Each boy picks an emotion paper. They do not show it to the group. ?Without speaking they must act out the emotion. ?The group must guess what the emotion is. ?Whoever guesses correctly goes next. ?You can also do this in teams.?Follow-Up Discussion Topics: How do people show their emotions in real life? ?How much communication do people do without talking? ?What were the challenges/successes of this activity? ?Examples for Emotions Papers:?Sad, Happy, Angry, Calm, Worried, Shy, Scared, Excited, Nervous, AggressiveInformation & Practice – Emotions RankingDraw 5 columns on flipchart paper and write the following emotions as headings: Fear, Affection, Sadness, Happiness, and Anger (see below Sample of Ranking Emotions an example of how to arrange the words and ranking described below) Explain to the participants that these are the emotions that they we will be discussing in this activity and that they will be thinking about how easy or difficult it is for men to express these different emotions. Give participants a small piece of paper and ask them to write down the 5 emotions that are being discussed, in the order that you have written them on the flipchart paper. Next, read the following directions: Think about which of these emotions you express with greatest ease. Put a number one (1) next to the emotion that is the easiest for you to express. Then think about the next easiest emotion for you to express and put a number two (2) beside it. Put a number three (3) next to the emotion that is third easiest; it is may not be too hard, but it also may not be very easy. Put a number four (4) next to the emotion you have even greater difficulty expressing. Finally, put a number five (5) next to the emotion that you have the most difficulty expressing. After the participants have finished ranking their emotions, collect the pieces of paper and write down the rankings in the columns on the flipchart paper (See Sample of Ranking Emotions Below) With the entire group, reflect on the similarities and differences found among the participants. Explain that: The emotions that we numbered as 1 and 2 are the ones we have often learned to express more and easily. Numbers 4 and 5 are those that we have learned to express less, or maybe even to repress or keep hidden Number 3 may represent the emotion that we do not express or repress but probably deal with more naturally Facilitate Discussion using the following questions: Have you discovered anything new about yourself from this activity? Why do people express or repress certain emotions? How do they learn to do this? What are the consequences of expressing or repressing emotions? Are there similarities in how men express certain emotions? Are there differences between how men and women express emotions? What are the differences? Do you think women express certain emotions more easily than men? Why do you think this is? Why do men and women have different ways of expressing emotions? How does the way we express our emotions influence our relationships with other people (partners, family, friends, etc.)? Why are emotions important? Give examples: Fear helps us in dangerous situations; anger helps us to defend ourselves. Ask the participants for examples. How do you think expressing your feelings more openly can affect your well-being? Being able to express your emotions without causing harm to others helps to make you stronger individuals and helps you to relate better with the world around you. People express their emotions differently. It is common for men to hide their fear, sadness, and even their kindness. But it is common for them to express their anger through violence. Although you are not responsible for feeling certain emotions, you are responsible for what you do with what you feel. It is critical to distinguish between “feeling” and “acting” in order to find forms of expression that do not cause damage to yourselves or to others. ?Key MessagePeople express their emotions differently and it is important to know who I handle my own emotions. I am responsible for what I do with what I feel.Close with the key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of boys out total # of boys who successfully rank their emotions and can identify one thing they learned about themselves during debrief discussion after emotions ranking. IndicatorsYD-001-A: Life Skills – Positive Identity & Self-EsteemNumber of youth, out of the total number of youth that Volunteer/partner worked with, who described or displayed three or more of their own personal strengths or assets as evidence of improved sense of self-esteem or self-worthSample of Ranking EmotionsBelow is an example of how to organize the columns of emotions and participant responses. During the discussion, the facilitator should help the participants identify similarities and differences in rankings. For example, the table below shows that there is almost an even split in the number of participants who find it easy to express anger and those who find it difficult. This could lead to a discussion of why these differences might exist, and whether or not men, in general, find it easy or hard to express anger. It could also lead to a discussion on the implications for men’s relationships with family, friends, and partners. Another interesting pattern in the sample below is that most of the participants find it difficult to express fear. Often, men are expected to be brave and fearless and this example would be interesting to use as a basis for discussion about socialization and gender norms. FEARAFFECTIONSADNESSHAPPINESSANGERMember 154321Member 223415Member 341325Member 443521Member51324Note: It is important to remember that the collection and listing of rankings on the table should be anonymous. That is, each line of the table above should represent a different participant’s ranking but should not include his name. As in the example above, the facilitator can instead write a number to which the participants can easily refer during the discussion. LeadershipThe Importance of LeadershipIdentifying and valuing leadership qualities are developmental assets. Youth who are able to describe and display leadership qualities are more likely to engage in positive, constructive behaviors and avoid negative, destructive behaviors. (Peace Corps, Life Skills and Leadership Manual)Leadership Activities Activity 1: Building a Tower Activity 2: Types of Leadership Activity 3: Power of Vision/Blind Football Activity 4: Conflict ResolutionRecommended Icebreakers/Teambuilding ActivitiesGroup CountingCross-Hand PassMine Field Human KnotPass the ClapLinked Together GameMoving as OneActivity 1: Building a Tower1 hourObjectives:To recognize the importance of collaboration and communication among groups and how to work as a group to achieve similar goals.Materials: Paper or Plastic CupsPipe Cleaners/StrawsPlain PaperMasking TapeScissorsPaper Clips*You can use any materials available. Preparation:Preparation requires that all materials are divided up into group packets. Materials should not be divided equally, but the team with less of one item should be compensated by being given more of another item. For example, if one team has 10 cups, the opposing team should be given more construction paper, etc. Ensure that one essential item is shared, either masking tape or scissors. Facilitator Notes:Work with materials, which are readily available to you. If you are running short on any of the suggested materials, listed above then allow participants to use materials around them (branches, blocks, stones, etc.). Motivation – Group CountingInvite participants to form a circle facing each other. Tell them that you'd like to begin with a simple game. As a group, they need to count to 20, with different people taking turns to say each number. Here are the rules:Only one person can speak at any given time. If more than one person speaks, you have to start over.You can say, as many numbers as you wish, as long as you don't say two or more in a row. If the same person says two numbers in a row, we have to start over.You must take turns at random. You can't just go around the circle, or signal each other to speak.If we have to start over, someone should just simply say 'one'. Ask everyone to remain in the circle after allowing them to try the game. Get them to discuss some of the following questions: What made the game difficult? What helped us to be successful?What things did you notice happening?What relationship does this game have to leadership?How did being a follower help us play the game?(Peace Corps, Life Skills and Leadership. Pgs 322-323)InformationInvite the participants to join you in an open area, where all your materials are already gathered and divided into two groups (or more, depending on the size of your group). Tell them that as a team, they are going to be responsible for building a tower using only the materials provided. There will be one item that they need to share (tape or scissors), place this is a central area and explain that this item cannot leave that area. The goal of the exercise is to make the tallest, free-standing tower possible with what resources they have been given. If the tower falls over, the team is disqualified.PracticeMake sure that the groups are placed in different areas of whatever space you are utilizing for the activity (preferably a large area, or outside) and start to distribute the packets of materials. Once the packets have been distributed, inform the teams that they have approximately 10 minutes to complete the first stage of their towers. If the groups suggest the idea of collaboration beyond the shared essential item, do not discourage them. However, setting the activity up as a competition will initially discourage this line of thinking. After 10 minutes, call time and inspect each other towers. Ensure that they are able to stand without any support and then announce a winner.Debrief/ApplicationThe facilitators should ask the following questions of the entire group.Did you achieve what you set out to achieve? What challenges did you encounter and how did you overcome them?Was it hard to share the tape/scissors?What was more important, building a tower or beating the other team?Did a natural leader emerge in your group?Do you think this activity would have been harder or easier if someone was made team leader? Can everyone be a leader?Can everyone be a follower?Key MessageNot everyone can be a leader but also, not everyone can be silent or be a follower. When we work together and choose one person to lead, we can get more done!Close with the key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # participants who can identify why it is important to be a leader during We do/Application or session debrief.IndicatorsYD-005-B: LeadershipNumber of youth, out of the total of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated new leadership behaviors.Activity 2: Types of Leadership1 hourObjectives:Understanding that there are different types of leadershipMaterials:FlipchartPlain Paper Colored Markers/crayonsPreparation:Write each type of leader on a flipchart.Review scenarios. Write scenarios onto strips of paper.Motivation – Group CountingInvite participants to form a circle facing each other. Tell them that you'd like to begin with a simple game. As a group, they need to count to 20, with different people taking turns to say each number. Here are the rules:Only one person can speak at any given time. If more than one person speaks, you have to start over.You can say, as many numbers as you wish, as long as you don’t say two or more in a row as you wish, as long as you don't say two or more in a row. If the same person says two numbers in a row, we have to start over.You must take turns at random. You can't just go around the circle, or signal each other to speak.If we have to start over, someone should just simply say 'one'. Ask everyone to remain in the circle after allowing them to try the game. Get them to discuss some of the following questions: What made the game difficult? What helped us to be successful?What things did you notice happening?What relationship does this game have to leadership?How did being a follower help us play the game?InformationThe Four Types of Leadership Go over the definitions of the four types of leadership with your participants. Use a flipchart and corresponding colored markers for each type. Green Leaders (‘A People Person’)These leaders bring people together. They are good at building relationships. These leaders are good at solving problems in a group and make sure everyone is feeling good.Yellow Leaders (‘Takes Action’)These leaders are quick to take action and lead by example. They are good at motivating and encouraging people. These leaders also keep a group on task and can get things done. Red Leaders (‘Always has a Plan’)These leaders always have a plan and pay attention to detail. They always think through things before taking action. These leaders are logical, realistic, and focused. Blue Leaders (‘Likes New Ideas’)These leaders are dreamers and always have new ideas. They are always thinking about how to approach problems in new ways. These leaders like to look ahead and think of the ‘big picture.PracticeRole Playing the Four Types of Leadership Put the participants into four groups. Say:“Each group is going to get one character. Your character is an example of one of the four types of leadership styles we have talked about today. Your group is going to act out your character and their style of leadership. After you are finished, the rest of the group will decide what type of leader your character is.”Hand out the four characters below and give the students time to work on their dramas. Kollie is the president of his class. He is a GREEN LEADER. He is very good at getting the students together to make plans for the school. Any time there is an issue between the administration and the students; Kollie is trusted by both the administration and the students to help solve the problem. Philomena is a nurse at a hospital in Monrovia. She is a YELLOW LEADER. Any time someone comes to the clinic who is sick, Philomena is the first nurse to respond to the situation. She is always very focused on the problem. All of the other nurses look up to Philomena and try to follow her example. Tumu runs a tea shop in town and is a very good business woman. She is a RED LEADER. She really focuses on all the details of her business. If someone comes to her with a business idea, she takes her own time thinking about all her options before she makes a decision. James is an English teacher for the 7th grade class. She is a BLUE LEADER. He is always thinking about new ways to challenge her students and give them creative assignments like dramas. She is a young teacher with plenty of ideas to make learning better, even though sometimes her administration does not want to listen.Bring the group back together, have each of them perform and after each drama ask the following: What style of leadership do you think this character is? What characteristics did this leader show that tells you that?Key MessageLeaders come in all shapes and sizes. But all great leaders lift others up!Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants of total # of participants who can successfully identify each type of leadership from the scenario role-plays and debrief during You Do /Practice.IndicatorsYD-005-B LeadershipNumber of youth, out of the total of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated new leadership behaviorsActivity 3: Power of Vision/Blind Football1.5 hoursObjectives:To understand how to identifying goals and dreams that can empower someone to be a leader in their communities.To distinguish between people who can build you up and those who will bring you down and develop strategies to ignore peer pressure in our lives.To understand to how others can help you to achieve your goals and be a leader and distinguish between positive friends/role models and peer pressureMaterials: Plain paperPens/Crayons/MarkersBallBlindfold/LappaPreparations: N/AMotivation –The Power of VisionProvide each member with a piece of paper and something to write or draw with. Ask each person to imagine what he or she wants to do in 20 years. Each person draws that vision very large in the middle of the paper. Then challenge the group to think of the steps they must take to reach that vision. Have members draw all the steps they need to take to reach their vision in the center of the paper. After the activity have members discuss their dreams and visions, and describe to their peers what steps they need to take in order to reach their rmation & PracticeFind an open outdoor space for this activity.Divide the participants into two groups. Inform them that one group will be responsible for being supportive and giving good directions to their players and the opposing group will be trying to ensure that they fail by giving wrong directions. One player is then blindfolded and placed a distance away from the ball. The goal is that they try and listen to the voices of their team members to eventually kick the ball and score a goal.See how long it takes the blindfolded player to kick the ball and then select a player from the opposing team to try next. Debrief/ApplicationAfter the activity, use the following guiding questions:Ask the blindfolded member - Was it easy to follow the directions of your peers? What were the challenges you faced? What strategy did you use to differentiate between people trying to help you and those trying to distract you?In life, are there people who try and misguide you? How about people who try and help you? How can you tell the difference?If you have a goal to achieve, like kicking the ball, how can you achieve that goal? Who can help you? What are some obstacles?Key MessageA strong, confident leader will not give in to peer pressure or distraction – they will achieve their goals no matter what!Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who can successfully express their own future vision during Motivation part of the session.# of participants out of total # of participants who can identify strategies to overcome ways negative peer pressure during activity debrief in We Do/Application session.IndicatorsYD-005-B LeadershipNumber of youth, out of the total of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated new leadership behaviors.Activity 4: Conflict Resolution1 hourObjective:To be able to identify different strategies to resolving conflict and to Materials:Flipchart/ChalkboardMarkers/ChalkPreparation:Print or write Conflict Resolution Scenarios (see below)Write on a flipchart the different strategies to resolve conflictMotivation - What do Good Leaders Do?What do good leaders do?Have students discuss at their table. Ask them to share write answers on flipchart.Say: All of these are very important but today we are going to talk about different ways good leaders can help solve problems in a peaceful way. Ok, we have a problem for you right now, work 2-2 with the person next to you. One person raise your hand and make a fist. For the other person, you need to try to get your friend to open their hand. Go!Debrief: Raise your hand if you could not get your friend to open their fist, what things did you try?Raise your hand if you got your friend to open their fist, What did you do?Information - What is Conflict Resolution?Ok so we just had you try to solve a problem, there were different ways you tried to solve this problem, some worked and some didn’t work.Another word for a problem is a conflict.Conflict: (arguments, disagreements, differences in opinions) One person or group wants something different from another person or groupConflict Resolution:A way for people or groups to find a peaceful way to fix their problem When you have a conflict it is important to think about how you feel and how the other person or group might feel too.What we want to do as good leaders is to talk about a problem and find a peaceful way to fix the it that everyone agrees with.There are a few different ways conflicts can be resolved:Competing: I win you loseYou only think about what you want and not the other personCollaborating: We both winYou all talk about the problem and look at what both people need/want and find a way to fix the problem where everyone can get what they wantMight take time to find the right way to fix the problemCompromising: Draw (neither person wins)You work together to fix the problem but it not exactly what you or the other person wantbut you can both think it’s ok. You get part of what you wantAvoiding: (no one wins, still a problem) You move away from the problem, you don’t try and fix itAccommodating: (I lose you win)You let the other person get what they want There may be plenty different ways to fix a problem. The important thing is to try and understand both points of view and find a way to fix it peacefully.Practice - Conflict Resolution ScenariosBreak the participants in four or six groups. Give group a scenario (or two, depending on time), read what's going and answer the questions. Make sure they are looking and talking about the different types of conflict resolution.After each group has had some time to discuss, bring the whole group together and debrief by asking the group - “How would you feel?” and "How can you fix it?"Ask the group as a summarizing closing question - Why is it important for good leaders to know different strategies in conflict resolution. Key MessageIt is important for every leader to know different ways to solve problems or conflict. Good leaders talk about problems and find a peaceful way to fix.Close with key message:Monitoring & Evaluation# of participants who successfully find a solution to a problem or conflict by correctly applying different strategies of conflict resolution during group work and scenario activity debrief.IndicatorsYD-005-B LeadershipNumber of youth, out of the total of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrated new leadership behaviors.YD - 002 - A Life Skills - Positive CommunicationNumber of youth, out the total number of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who exhibited new positive communication or relational skills in one or more of the following ways: active, reflective listening with empathy; summarizing or paraphrasing others' words; assertive negotiation skills; expressing needs and want clearly; resisting opportunities or pressure to engage in risky behavior; resolving conflict appropriately without resorting to violence combative behavior.Conflict Resolution ScenariosConflict Resolution Scenario - ParentJessica wants to go to the youth center after school, but her pa wants her to stay home for chores and cook dinner for the family. 1. What does Jessica want?2. What does Jessica’s Pa want? 3. What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Conflict Resolution Scenario - ParentElizabeth needs time to study for school but her parents have her working all the time and doing chores around the house. Her brothers get to play while she does the chores. 1. What does Elizabeth want?2.What do her parents want?3.What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Conflict Resolution Scenario - SiblingLeemu and her brother are playing a card game and they both want to go first. 1. What does Leemu want?2. What does Leemu’s brother want?3. What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflictConflict Resolution Scenario - FriendAriana gives her favorite lappa dress to her best friend, Lisa, to wear to church. Lisa gives the dress back and it has a tear in it. 1. How does Ariana feel? 2. How does Lisa feel?3.What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Conflict Resolution Scenario - Peer 1Jerelyn is writing in her notebook and Faith does not have a pen. Faith takes the pen from Jerelyn. 1. How does Jerelyn feel?2. How does Faith feel?3.What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Conflict Resolution Scenario - Peer 2Jack’s chair is spoiled. When Joy comes into class, Jack is sitting in her chair and using her desk. Joy is upset with Jack. 1. What does Jack want?2. What does Joy want?3.What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Conflict Resolution Scenario - NeighborTeta’s neighbor just got a new speaker and they play loud music late at night. It is hard for her to sleep because the music is so loud. 1. How does Teta feel?2. How does the neighbor feel?3. What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Conflict Resolution Scenario - BullyAn older girl, Fatu, calls Eleanor mean names everyday at school and in front of her friends. Eleanor is tired of it and sad. 1. How does Eleanor feel?2. How does Fatu feel? 3.What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Conflict Resolution Scenario - TeacherConfidence is late to school because she needed to finish chores in the morning. Her teacher will not let her come to class because she was not on time. 1. How does Confidence feel?2. How does the teacher feel?3. What are 3 different ways they could resolve this conflict?Gender AwarenessThe Importance of Gender AwarenessGender roles influence and shape the perceptions that young people have about each other. Understanding that gender roles are learned and can be changed is the first step towards helping young people challenge harmful gender role stereotypes that are limiting their peers from accessing resources and opportunities. Gender Awareness Activities Activity 1: Gender vs. Sex Activity 2: Challenging Gender Stereotypes Recommended Icebreakers/Teambuilding ActivitiesCross-Hand PassTelephoneSpider WebHuman KnotZoom, ZipAnyone WhoLinked Together GameReferences:Peace Corps Youth Camps Manual, 2012Connect with Respect: Preventing Gender-Based Violence in Schools, 2016Activity 1: Gender vs. Sex2 hoursObjectives: To describe the difference between sex and gender and understand the role of gender in shaping access to resources and opportunities.To identify gender role stereotypes and provide strategies for challenging them in their schools and communities. Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardMarkers/ChalkStrips of paperTapePreparation:Write sentence frames for Motivation on a flipchart: For a girls club:Im happy that I am a girl because .I wish I were a boy because.For a boys club:Im happy that I am a boy because .I wish I were a girl becauseReview definitions/concepts of what is sex and gender (see Information).Write the each of the following on a strip of paper/card: vagina, penis, wash clothes, cook, drive motorbike, cry, sweep, soccer, kickball, tie lappa, gives birth, cry, smart, quiet, breastfeed, menstruate, brush, head of household, strongWrite scenarios in Application on strips of paper for groups to analyze.Facilitator Notes:Remember that gender roles are deep entrenched into a society. Be patient to let all participants express themselves even if they have controversial view or use harsh language. It is important to let express their views in order to challenge the gender stereotypes they strongly believe in. Try to stay neutral. It is important to not lead participants and write down exactly what they say. Often, emphasize that these are their own views. Do not be surprised if girls/women have damaging views or use harsh language when talking about other women or themselves. This is learned language they hear in their homes, schools and from adults and peers. (NOTE: They will most like want to talk about sex as sexual intercourse).Motivation – Being a Boy, Being a GirlParticipants will consider what it means to them to be a boy or a girl and which aspects of being a girl or a boy can change over time. Ask the participants to take one minute to quietly complete the following sentences:For girls:Im happy that I am a girl because .I wish I were a boy because.For boys:Im happy that I am a boy because .I wish I were a girl because.After participants have finished, ask participants to share their answers. Write the answers on a flip chart and ask the girls/boys whether the roles can or cannot be changed. For example: I wish I were a boy so I could play sports, or I am happy that I am girl because women can have babies.Discuss which roles and responsibilities can be changed and which rmation – Gender BoxesParticipants will reflect on their perceptions of gender before they explore the definitions for gender and sex.Draw a picture of a girl on the chalkboard/flipchart, and ask the participants what they want to name her.Ask the participants to brainstorm the characteristics of an ideal young woman in their community. Ask: How are women/girls supposed to act in Liberia, in your community? What is she expected to do? What qualities does she have? How does she behave? What does she look like? Write their answers on the boardNow draw a picture of a boy and give him a name as well.Ask the participants to consider the characteristics of an ideal young man in their community. Ask: How are men/boys encouraged to act? What is he expected to do? What qualities does he have? How does he behave? What does he look like? Write their answers on the board.Draw a box around the messages, drawings and answers from the participants, with one box around the girl and one box around the boy. Say:This is a gender box. This is how we expect people to act, depending on society’s idea of what is considered masculine (male) or feminine (female) behavior.Return to the drawing of the girl.Ask the group: What is she discouraged from being or doing? Write their answers outside of the box as they call them out. Do the same thing for the drawing of the boy.Explain that some of these examples refer to gender roles, while some refer to sex (or biological differences between men and women.) Tell participants that today you will be discussing the way our culture and society influence gender roles.Practice –Defining Gender & Sex Participants develop a definition of gender and then learn to distinguish between sex and gender.Draw a chart on the board with Sex written on one side and Gender written on the other (see below). Ask participants to think about the activities they just finished about gender roles. Based on the information, ask if they know the difference between these two terms. Say: Sex is about biology. Sex tells us about the differences in mens and womens bodies. Only females have organs in their bodies that enable them to menstruate, get pregnant, give birth to children and breastfeed. Only males have organs that produce sperm and make women pregnant. These differences are based on biology and are hard to change.Say: Gender is learned. Gender describes the differences in ways that men and boys and women and girls are expected to behave: their dress, the work they do, the way they speak. It is our society that teaches us these things, our family, our church, our school, our community, our friends, etc... Gender roles can change over time.Hand out a series of cards that contain one word (see preparation list) to each participant. Ask girls/boys to study their word (s) for a moment and then come up one by one and place their words under Sex or Gender.SexGenderAfter each participants puts their word on the board, ask them to explain why they put it in the place they did. Discuss as a group and allow for deliberation. (NOTE: Make sure they give a specific reason; many might just say because its sex or because its gender. Make sure they tell you why.)Return to the gender boxes from the first exercise. Ask participants to look at what they originally wrote and think about which of the ideal characteristics seem more related to sex and which seem related to gender. Is there anything they would change? Would they move some of the characteristics out of the gender box or to the gender box now? Now that they have identified the difference between sex and gender from their own brainstorm, it is important for the participants to start to realize what happens to those people who live outside the gender box. Use the following questions to guide the discussion. Ask:What if boys or girls act out in a way that is outside the gender box? What happens to them? How are they treated by their families, peers and community?If time allows: Direct participants to work with a partner and list at least two ways girls and boys are limited in what they can do because of gender role expectation. Ask participants to give their examples and explain why they wrote them. Ask if they know anyone who has been constrained by gender roles?Application – What can Participants Do?Divide participants into pairs give each pair a scenario (from below) to discuss what they would do in such a situation.For girls:You want to study science but your teacher says girls are not good at science and you should study social studies and English instead.Teachers are always assigning extra chores (sweeping and hauling water) to the girls during class breaks while the boys play outside.The girls in your class want to start a girl’s football team, but everyone is saying it is not possible because ‘girls do not know how to play football.’For boys:Your friends want you to tease a girl about her body and you don't want to but your friends call you names that embarrass you.You enjoy cooking and preparing food for dinner but your father tells you this is women’s work.You enjoy reading and drawing at recess and after school. You have never liked playing football but the other boys tease you that you are not a man because you don't like football.After pairs have had a chance to discuss, have them report back to the larger group. Ask them if they know examples in the community. What happened to that person? Was that person able to reach his or her goal or dream?Key MessageGender roles are learned and can limit peoples potential.Explain that not allowing girls and boys to step outside the gender boxes can limit their opportunities to achieve what they want in life. Tell participants they should keep their goals and dreams in mind and strive to achieve whatever they imagine.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who can correctly identify whether characteristic is a sex trait or a gender role during Practicesection through observation and counting of correct answers.# of participants out of total # of participants who can verbally present strategies to challenge gender stereotypes during Application section through observation during group debrief.Indicators: Captured under the Gender CSPPActivity 2: Challenging Gender Stereotypes2 hoursObjectives: To describe the difference between sex and gender and understand the role of gender in shaping access to resources and opportunities.To identify gender role stereotypes and provide strategies for challenging them in their schools and communities. Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardMarkers/ChalkPreparation:Review definitions of sex, gender and gender role stereotypes and write on flipcharts.Prepare When people say…I can say… flipcharts. Split up the stereotypes so each flipchart contains two or three depending on the number of participants. Write flipcharts like below so the participants can work together to fill in the I can say… part and what they can say to challenge these mon Gender Stereotypes:For Girls Clubs:For Boys Clubs:Girls are only supposed to please men. Boys fight.Girls cant be doctors, only nurses.Boys shouldn’tt cook.The only way girls get good grades is to spy.The only way girls get good grades is to spy.Girls are quiet.Boys are not good at EnglishGirls should not play sportsBoys who don't play football are like women.Girls are not good at math or science.Girls are weak.Girls are only baby mas and shouldn’tt learn book.Girls are not good at math or science.When people say…I can say…(write stereotype here…)(write stereotype here.)Facilitator Notes:Remember that gender roles are deep entrenched into a society. Be patient to let all participants express themselves even if they have controversial view or use harsh language. It is important to let express their views in order to challenge the gender stereotypes they strongly believe in. Try to stay neutral. It is important to not lead participants and write down exactly what they say. Often, emphasize that these are their own views. Do not be surprised if girls/women have damaging views or use harsh language when talking about other women or themselves. This is learned language they hear in their homes, schools and from adults and peers. (NOTE: They will most like want to talk about sex as sexual intercourse).Motivation – A Story of Two FrogsLet’s do an activity that will help us understand better how roles and responsibilities are learned. Say:Whether one identifies as male and female, there are certain roles and responsibilities that are associated with being a male or female. As we all move through are lives, we receive different messages about how to behave, how to act, what to wear, etc. I am going to read you a story, just listen and think before answer.Story of two frogsTwo frogs were sleeping on the bed. Suddenly a loud noise from outside woke them up. One of the frogs hid under the bed, while the other one picked up a stick and ran towards the door. Which one is male and which one is female?Pause for a moment to let the participants think (they will, however, be eager to answer) Ask the participants to identify which one of the two frogs is male and which one is female; and to say why.Write down some of the words used to describe why they thought one frog was male and one was female. Emphasize that this is their own opinion. They can’t tell if a frog is male or female. Just jot them down quickly without talking about them too much. Make sure the participants tell you why. Write their answers on a flipchart under the labels male and female. Just write one word. (NOTE: The participants will try and trick you by saying that the frog that pick up a stick was a female because she was a mother protecting her child. That also plays into gender roles of women take care of child. They might also say that during the war, it was women who went out to look for food and essentials while men hid. All opinions all welcome. You can talk about this how roles can change over time and in different circumstances.)Information – Gender vs. Sex ‘Word Webs’Based on some of the information we just talked about when we described “the frogs”, think about the words/attributes we assign to males and females. Make a ‘word webs’ of words that are used to describe both males and females. Start with females. First add the words that the participants used to describe females from the frog story. Then ask the group: What are some of the words we tend to think of to describe a female in Liberia in our community? How are females expected to act? What are females expected to do? How do females behave?Repeat for males. First add the words that the participants used to describe males from the frog story. Then ask the group: What are some of the words we tend to think of to describe a male in Liberia in our community? How are males expected to act? What are males expected to do? How do males behave?Your webs will probably look similar to this:Now tell the participants you are going to go over a few definitions.Reveal the definition for sex:Sex is the classification of people as male or female. At birth, babies are assigned a sex based on a combination of bodily characteristics. Sex distinguishes males and females by biological characteristicsAsk the participants what key words they see in this definition? Help guide them to words like bodily and biological. Emphasize that sex has to do with biology and it is very hard to change.Go back to the webs, ask the participants what words have to do with sexand have to do with biology. (There will be only a few.) Now ask about the other words/attributes on the web. What are these? These are “gender” roles. Give the definition of gender:Gender is a set of socially and culturally constructed roles, responsibilities, behaviors, and opportunities. Gender roles and expectations are learned, change over time, and vary within and among culturesAsk participants to identify key words in this definition. Guide them to constructed, learned and change over time. Emphasize that to be constructed is to build.Say: Your “gender” is shaped by your community, school, family, culture, society, etc... It is how societies organize what males and females can do, or say or be, even wear. Because gender is constructed, it can be deconstructed. Think about your kitchen. When your kitchen spoils, you take it down and rebuild it. You want to make it better than it was before. Same can be said about gender roles. If they are harmful, we can change them.Go back to your word webs and think about some of the gender norms for males, and for females that you identified. Remember, these are all gender roles. They have nothing to do with biology, they are learned and can be changed. Think about other people in your community who are the opposite, like for example, what do we say about girls who are quiet? What do we say about boys who are don't like football? Using words and examples from the web, ask the participants what can be said about boys and girls who do not fit a particular gender norm?Some of these gender norms that we have talked about can lead to stereotypes. Before we talk about how, let’s define stereotypes? What is a stereotype? What are gender role stereotypes? Gender Role Stereotypes arejudgments based on assumptions about how a person should act because of what society considers to be masculine or feminine roles.(NOTE: This might be hard concept to get right away. It is often useful to use the common stereotypes in Liberia about the tribes. You can say, what do people say about Kpelle people? Kpelle people are stupid. What do people say about Gio people? You can then ask them if that is fair? Is it true? And circulate back to the stereotypes on the word web.)Gender role stereotypes limit our picture of others (as some of you demonstrated during the web exercise--you reacted to the characterization of females and/or males because you felt it was not who you are. You felt that you were not represented in the description or attribute).Practice & Application – When people say…I can say...?We are starting to realize that gender stereotypes can be harmful and limit people. Together, we can challenge these stereotypes. When people keep saying things that are hurtful and not true about people, w…Divide the participants into groups and give each group a flipchart of prepared stereotypes (See Preparation). Give each group 10 to 15 minutes to complete their flipcharts. Circulate and make sure that the groups are writing something specific and not just saying the opposite to the stereotype, like Girls are weak, they should not write, Girls are not weak. Ask each group to come and present their strategies to challenge the stereotypes. Make sure that the participants use the sentence frames, When people say [enter the stereotype, I can say [their strategy].Key MessageGender roles are learned and can limit peoples potential. We can work together to challenge harmful gender stereotypes.Close with the Key Message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who effectively identify strategies to challenge gender role stereotypes during group presentations in Application.Indicators: Captured under the Gender CSPPSexual & Reproductive HealthThe Importance of Sexual & Reproductive HealthDiscussing topics within sexual and reproductive health such as menstruation, pregnancy, male and female anatomy, family planning, and STIs are many times seen as taboo to Liberian families. It is important to break down the stigma of these topics, and openly discuss the correct information to youth in our communities so that correct information continues to be spread among their peers.Sexual & Reproductive Health ActivitiesCommon Beliefs Girls & Boys Activity 1: What is Puberty?Girls & Boys Activity 2: What’s the Part? Reproductive AnatomyGirls & Boys Activity 3: Sex & Pregnancy Girls& Boys Activity 4: Where is the Egg? The Menstrual Cycle Girls Activity 5: My Normal Menstrual Cycle Boys Activity 5: Myths About Menstruation Girls& Boys Activity 6: Family Planning Girls &Boys Activity 7: How to Use a Condom Girls & Boys Activity 8: Sexually Transmitted Diseases *These activities connect back to the session in the GBV section on power. Negotiation, power and respect is an important part of sex education.References:Menstrual Hygiene Management Peace Corps Toolkit, 2015Program H: Working with Young Men, 2002Common Beliefs – What you will hear about Family Planning“Family planning will stop me from borning for the rest of my life.”What you can say:“Family planning will not stop you from borning (having children) for the rest of your life. Family planning will only stop you from borning while you take it. When you stop taking family planning you will be able to have children.”“All family planning will make me fat!”What you can say:“Everyone’s body reacts differently to different family planning. If you do not like the way one family planning is reacting to your body, it is ok to try a different one that will work for you. Do not compare your body to anybody else. Remember that all medications have side effects, and if one family planning is not good for you, it is ok to change it.”“If a condom goes in my mouth, the poison on it can make me sick.”What you can say: “Condoms are not poisonous. It is important to use condoms during all types of sex (oral, vaginal, anal). STIs can be contracted in the mouth if not protected.”“A condom will not fit on me.”What you can say: “Condoms are made to stretch. They can fit all sizes.”“My aunty said that her sister’s brother’s wife used family planning and still got belly.”What you can say:“Many people know about family planning, but it is common that people do not use it correctly. It is important to remind people to use family planning correctly.”“Family planning can stop me from menstruating, and will cause a growth inside of me.”What you can say: “Many methods of family planning stop a woman from ovulating (releasing an egg from her ovary). This means that there is no need for the uterus prepare for an egg to come, and she will not menstruate. If a woman is taking family planning and does not receive (menstruate), it is normal. However, if you are worried, it is important to see a doctor.”Common Beliefs – What you will hear about Sex & Pregnancy“If I get standing penis, that means I must have sex or else I will get sick or get an infection.”What you can say: “If a man has a standing penis (erection), he can wait a small amount of time and it will go away by itself. Every time a man has an erection, it is not necessary for him to always have sex to relieve it. The most important thing to remember is that sex must always be an agreement between partners.” “When a woman gets the feeling for sex plenty, that means that she is not normal.”What you can say: “Sexual desire is a natural and normal thing. It is healthy for both men and women to feel sexual desire or the feeling for sex at any time.”“Sperm comes out of the penis first before semen during ejaculation. Semen prepares way for sperm.”What you can say: “Sperm does NOT come outside of the penis before semen during ejaculation. Sperm lives inside of the semen, just like salt is inside of soup. The two are not separate when outside of the body. It is important to always use a condom or proper family planning to control pregnancy. Pulling out the penis before ejaculation is NOT a form of family planning.”“If I hold my breath during sex, then I cannot get pregnant.”What you can say:“If you are having unprotected sex (without family planning or condoms), there is ALWAYS a chance of pregnancy. Holding breath during sex can be dangerous, and will not protect against pregnancy.”“If I pull out right before I ejaculate, my girlfriend cannot get pregnant.”What you can say:“When a man has a standing penis (erection), a small slippery liquid called lubricant can come out of his penis before ejaculation without him feeling. The next time you are engaging in sex, you can see that this liquid is present on the penis. This liquid can contain sperm inside and can still get a woman pregnant before the man ejaculates. It is important to always use a condom during sex.”“I can’t get pregnant the first time I have sex.”What you can say:“Any time you have unprotected sex (without family planning or condoms) there is a risk of pregnancy. It does not matter how many times you have sex because there is always a risk.”“It is not good for a woman to be wet. If she is wet that means she wants to have sex with plenty men.”What you can say: “It is natural and normal for women to have slippery water called lubricant in their vagina. Sometimes it can mean that they are in the mood for sex, and other times it can mean nothing! Vaginal lubrication is normal and natural, and a woman should not be shamed for a natural human function.”Common Beliefs – What you will hear about Menstruation“If I feel pain when I receive it means infection.”What you can say:“Pain during menstruation is completely normal for women. The pain is caused from the cervix opening small, and the uterus contracting (moving back and forth, or pumping) to push blood out. If your menstrual pain is stopping you from doing activities like going to school or getting out of bed, go to a doctor to see if there is a problem.”“If I see black or brown blood in my panties that means that I have infection.”What you can say: “Remember that blood is forming inside of the uterus for a one-month cycle. The first blood to come out is older blood. Just like if you let blood dry on a sheet for a few days, the color will change, the blood that is older will also be darker. This blood is healthy and normal.”“If my period lasts for only three days every month, then that means my body get problem.”What you can say:“Not everybody has the same menstrual cycle. Some women will bleed for one day, and some women will bleed for eight days. However, if it is longer than eight days, see a doctor. Figure out what is normal for your body. If you feel like something in your body is not right, be sure to see a doctor.”“Menstrual blood is dirty.”What you can say: “Menstrual blood is normal and clean. There is nothing dirty about menstrual blood and it should not be shamed.”“If a woman is menstruating she should not cook food for the home.”What you can say: “If a woman is menstruating, she can do anything that she wants to do. Menstruation is natural and does not stop her from being able to do daily tasks. Her menstruation also does not affect things around her such as food.”“Menstruating women have to be careful about what they are eating.” i.e.: “They can only eat rice.”What you can say: “Though a woman may feel nauseous during menstruation, she can eat whatever food she wishes to eat.”“A girl should not go to school while she is menstruating.”What you can say: “A girl should go to school while she is menstruating so she does not fall behind. If she is prepared for her menstruation cycle, she will be prepared to go to school.”“A girl who is menstruating should avoid exercise and other physical activities.”What you can say: “Exercising during menstruation can help reduce menstrual cramps and make a girl feel better.”“Starting to menstruate means that a girl is ready to get married and/or be sexually active.”What you can say: “Beginning menstruation does not mean a girl is ready to get married or have sex. That is a person choice! Many girls begin to menstruate at the age of 10 or 11 and are two young to have the large responsibility that comes with children and marriage.”“You can’t get pregnant during menstruation.”What you can say:“You CAN get pregnant during your period. Once inside of you, sperm can live for 3-5 days. Ovulation can occur during, or soon after the bleeding phase. If you don’t want to get pregnant, don’t have sex, or use birth control every single time you have sex!”Girls & Boys Activity 2 – What is puberty?1 hourObjective:Participants will understand the basic physical and mental changes that occur inside and outside of the body during puberty, and how to manage these changes.Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardTapeMarkers/ChalkRUMP/KotexPreparation:Set up two flip charts prepared to be drawn on. Before beginning the conversation, be sure to create a “safe space,” where participants can feel judgment free, and are able to be honest about the topic. Facilitator Notes:It is most likely that adolescents have not had the discussion about puberty, the body, or sexual desire before. The younger the participants are, the more nervous they will be to talk about these things. Ice breakers and reminders of safes space can be helpful to mitigate the discussions. It is also important to note that topics such as menstruation and ejaculation may come up during puberty. It is your choice to go deeper into those conversations, using the information from the menstruation and sex sessions in this manual, however, the purpose of this session is to introduce these things to participants, and to discuss how the bodies change over all. Motivation – What do you know?Ask participants a series of questions in order to get them thinking about the topic that you will discuss. What is the difference between a four-year-old, and a baby?The answers that participants come up with should include: babies do not have teeth, they have less hair, they cannot walk or speak words, four-year-old children can run, talk, walk, have hair, and have teeth. What is the difference between an eight-year-old and a fifteen-year-old?The answers that participants come up with should include: a 15 year-old’s voices are different (deeper for men), more muscles on teenagers, taller, girls develop breasts at 15, etc. Information & Practice – Puberty in Adolescent Males and FemalesBefore beginning to talk about the specific changes during puberty, it is important to know about why these changes occur, and be able to relay that to adolescent participants. Below is useful information that will come up in the discussion about puberty, that you can use when proceeding with the activity:Key wordsHormones: Chemical messages in the brain that let parts of the body communicate with each other. The messages change as you grow older. Estrogen: Messages in a girl’s brain that is responsible for the way her body changes as she grows up.Testosterone: Messages in a boy’s brain that is responsible for the way his body changes as he grows up.Menstruation: When the inside of the uterus sheds and comes out every month in order to prepare for a pregnancy. This happens because hormones like estrogen are being sent around the body to tell the womb to prepare for a pregnancy each month.Ejaculation: When sperm and semen (man water) are pushed out of the penis. This happens because hormones like testosterone sends messages to the body to make sperm in the testicles, and to push it out of the penis when the person is ready.Changes During Puberty and How to Manage Them!ChangeWhat to doAcne (Girls and Boys)Get more exercise during the dayWash your face every dayDrink plenty waterEat less sugarBody odor (Girls and Boys)Take bath every dayChange clothes every dayUse lemon under arms, or deodorant Growing breasts (Girls)Consider buying a bra for comfort or support as you growPeriodBe prepared with a kotex or something to stop the blood from messing your clothes.Always have something prepared for when you are at school, or not at home.Talk to a friend or sister to see what they have done to be prepared for their menstruationPre-menstrual crampingSmall exercise, walking, or stretching can help with menstruation pain.Drink plenty waterPut hot bottle of water on the places that feel pain to reduce muscle aches.Take a warm bathErection (standing penis- Boys)Your body is getting used to all of the new messages and hormones, so an erection can be unpredictable during puberty because your body is getting used to the changes.You may think everyone can notice, but most of the time others cannot.Erections can go away on their ownTalk to friends, older brother to make you feel better about these changesWet dreams (Boys)Wet dreams are normal during pubertyTalk to your friends or older brother about what they did when they were younger, or how they are dealing with it now.Darkening of nipples (Girls)Wearing a bra can help manage this changeIncreased growth of hair (Boys and Girls)Pubic hair, leg hair, arm hair, facial hair and underarm hair is completely normal during puberty.Sometimes individuals choose to shave the hair as a way of managing it, and others just let it be.Make sure whatever you decide to do, you are comfortable with.Increased attention to physical appearance (Girls and Boys)Make sure you are treating your body healthy by eating right, bathing, and getting exercise. It is normal as you grow older to pay more attention to your physical appearance, and the physical appearance of others.Remember to always treat yourself and others with respect.Interest in romantic love(Girls and Boys)Romantic interest and feelings to the opposite sex is normal.These feelings can be new when you go through puberty, and can feel exciting.It is important to talk about these feelings, and remember that you do not need to act on them.Talking to older friends or siblings about these changes in feelings can make you feel better.Increased need for independence(Girls and Boys)Parents and teachers may not be used to you having your own independence, but it is important to communicate you wants to those around you.You can gain trust in order to have more independence by communication.Demonstrate responsibility and honesty to establish trust.Having sex, using drugs/smoking DOES NOT mean that you are being more independent or an adult.Masturbation (Girls and Boys)It is normal to masturbate.It is also normal NOT to masturbateMasturbation should be done in a private space, and can be used as a way to manage feelings for sexual desire.These feelings are normal!Unpredictable changes in mood (Boys and Girls)This is normal during pubertyTalking about your feelings to people you trust around you can help you feel better about these unpredictable changes.Find ways to relax by listening to music, spending time alone, exercising, etc.It is important to notice the times that your moods are changing, and trying to relax at that moment.Desire to be accepted and liked by friendsThe way that you maintain confidence and respect to yourself is by being true to your values and beliefs.Don’t let others change your values and what is important to you.Don’t do something that is uncomfortable just to fit into a groupUse assertive communication to tell your friends what you are willing and not willing to do.Ask parents and family to support you in this effort.On a flip chart, write the word Puberty and ask if the participants know the definition. Write the definition of puberty on the flipchart: “Puberty is the time in a male and female’s life when the body is developing in order to reproduce. Puberty usually begins at the age of 9-16 years, and takes several years to complete the process.”Explain how puberty can be a confusing, awkward, and scary time for young people, but learning about your body is important. On two separate flip chart paper draw an outline of the girl body and a boy body. Ask participants to give examples of physical and emotional changes that happen during puberty. Every time a change is mentioned, have the participant come up and draw that change on the diagram. If he changes happens to both men and women (example, underarm hair) ask them to draw the change on both. If they are uncomfortable drawing, help them out. Emotional changes can be written next to body. As the changes come up, explain what they are and how to manage them. Some of the changes, the participants might be shy or ashamed to talk about them. If they mentioned changes in the area. Explain and explore other changes that are occurring as well. Like if they bring up 'wet dreams', it might be a good time to talk about masturbation. Make sure you leave time for the participants to ask questions.Key MessagePuberty is the time in a male and female's life when the body is developing in order to reproduce. This can be an awkward time about learning about your body but it is important..Close with key message:Girls & Boys Activity 2 – What’s the Part? Reproductive Anatomy1 hourObjectives:To be able to correctly identify, label, and understand the function of the internal and external parts of the female and male reproductive systems. Materials: Flipchart/chalkboardTapeMarkers/ChalkAnatomy drawings (labeled & unlabeled)Strips of PaperPreparation:Printed/drawn and cut memory cardsPaper that says “F” and “M”.Write each reproductive on a sheet/strip of paperPoster size drawings of reproductive anatomy (see below).Printed/drawn diagrams of unlabeled reproductive anatomy (see handouts).4140947139700-44524717716533075266363Urinary openingMotivation – What do you know?Before you discuss the new information that you will present, give each participant a card piece of paper that says “M” for male, and another paper that has an “F” on it for female. Tell participants that you will read the name of different parts of the male and female reproductive anatomy out loud. They will close their eyes, and if they think the part is part of the male anatomy, hold up their “M” paper. If they think it is part of the female anatomy, hold up their “F” paper. The purpose of this is to gauge the knowledge of your participants, and have them think about the male and female reproductive anatomy. Term list:Vagina Penis Labia Minora Uterus EpididymisLabia Majora Urethra Clitoris Fallopian Tube OvaryVas Deferens Cervix Urinary Opening Scrotum Vaginal OpeningTesticle Anus Prostate Gland Bladder*This will also act as a pre-test for monitoring and evaluation. Record the number of participants who identify each part correctly and use it to see who made gains in rmation – Female & Male Reproductive SystemsPrint out or draw the male and female reproductive anatomy labeled on two (or three) different flipcharts. Discuss the all the internal and external anatomy of both male and female reproductive systems, each part and its function one by one. 13525526035-24864672235415290080010Urinary openingOn another flip chart or on a chalkboard, as you talk the anatomy, write the parts name and its function so that participants can clearly understand your explanations. Give them the opportunity to take notes, if they choose. Be sure to ask if there are any questions after explaining each anatomical structure. By the end of the information discussion, you should have flip charts with the name and function of every anatomical rmation on flip chart paper for participants to understand:TermFunctionAnusPart of the body that waste leaves from. Present on both male and femaleVaginaPart of the female reproductive system that a penis enters, and a baby passes through.Labia MinoraInner opening of the vaginaLabia MajoraOuter opening of the vaginaFallopian TubePart of the female reproductive system that the egg travels to after leaving the ovary.CervixSmall opening of the uterus to the vagina.UterusFemale reproductive organ known as the “womb” where a baby grows.Urinary OpeningOpening where urine passes through.OvaryFemale reproductive organ where eggs come from.ClitorisSmall sensitive part of the female external anatomy.Vas DeferensTube that sperm passes throughUrethraOpening where urine passes through.PenisMale reproductive organ that releases sperm and urine.TesticleMale reproductive organs inside of the scrotum that produce sperm.ScrotumSkin that holds the testicles.EpididymisDuct behind the testicles that pass sperm to the vas deferens.Prostate GlandHelps produce sperm, and push semen out of the penis during ejaculation.BladderCollects and stores urine.Vaginal OpeningExternal entrance to the vaginaPractice – Anatomy Matching After discussing the internal and external parts of the male and female reproductive systems and their function, post each anatomy picture on a wall or board with the labels covered up with blank spaces (See handouts). Give each individual the name of a part on piece of paper. Tell participants that they are to work together to correctly label the anatomic structures. Individuals can be broken up into teams, and be required to describe the function of the structure to the group as they correctly label the picture. Application (Option 1)– Anatomy ‘Teach-backs’After practicing the information with this activity, challenge participants to apply the information by having individuals preform “teach backs.” Split the participants into groups of four or five (if there is a large enough number, otherwise remain in one group), and have each individual present on two anatomical structures previously discussed. The presentation should present a picture of the anatomy, a description of where it is located, if it is part of the male or female reproductive system, and its function. After each presentation, the group should respond by giving one compliment about the presentation, and one thing that the presenter can work on next time.Application (Option 2) – Anatomy MemoryBefore this activity, make sure you print and cut out anatomy cards (see handouts).Break the participants into groups of three or four. Mix all of the anatomy cards (picture, part and function) face down on a flat surface. In group, the participants will take turns flipping three of them over. The goal is to flip over the picture, the name, and the function in one turn. If the individual does not get all three matching to one reproductive part, they flip the papers back over, but keep them in their same location. Once the three correlating papers are flipped over, that individual can remove those papers off of the table. If there are many participants, you can put multiple of the same reproductive system in the mix. Modification: Consider having participants matching only the pictures and names first. Once the participants can successful achieve that goal, then add the function. You could also mix it up by only using the name and the function. Key MessageIt is important to know the parts of female and male reproductive anatomy in order to be informed and healthy.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who can correctly identify match the name to the part and explain each reproductive part’s function during ‘Practice’.Application Option 1 – ‘Teach-Backs’ – # of participants out of total # of participants who correctly teach their peers about reproductive anatomy during group presentations. Application Option 2 – Anatomy Memory – # of participants out of total # of participants who can successfully match the picture, name and function of reproductive anatomy through circulating and observations during group work.1860550880745VaginaThe part where a penis enters, a baby passes through during birth and menstrual blood leaves the body.CervixSmall opening of the uterus to the vagina.UterusAlso called the “womb” where a baby can grow.Fallopian TubeWhere the egg through to the uterus after leaving the ovary.OvaryWhere eggs come from.ClitorisSmall sensitive ‘knob’ at the topic of the vaginal opening that provides pleasure.Urinary OpeningOpening where urine passes through.Vaginal OpeningWhere the penis enters during sex, where menstrual bloods exits and where child passes during birth.Labia MajoraOuter opening or lips of the vaginaLabia MinoraInner opening or lips of the vaginaAnusPart of the body that waste leaves from.PenisMale reproductive organ that releases semen and urine.UrethraOpening where urine passes through.Vas DeferensTube that sperm passes throughTesticleMale reproductive organs inside of the scrotum that produce semen.EpididymisDuct behind the testicles that pass semen to the vas deferens.Prostate GlandProtects sperm and helps semen go outside the body through the urethra during sex.BladderStores urine (pee pee) and helps urine go outside the body through the urethra.ScrotumSkin that holds the testicles.Girls & Boys Activity 3: Sex & Pregnancy1 hourObjective:Participants will understand the manner in which fertilization of the egg happens. Materials: Flipchart/ChalkboardBallPreparation: Draw flipcharts to describe ejaculation, ovulation and implantation (See information). Draw giant outline of the internal reproductive anatomy in the ground with a stick (or ‘stake out’ an internal reproductive anatomy with string and sticks) in an open area for the Sperm Race.Facilitator Notes:When drawing the flipchart for ovulation, make the diagram simple. It is not required to include ALL of the stages of the egg maturing. The message is simply that the ovary releases the egg (See Information Flip-Chart 2) Throughout the activities, be sure to continuously reference the previously discussed flipcharts to ensure clarity. The activities are meant to be fun and interactive, but it is important that everyone participating is understanding the information correctly. Motivation –True or False? (Pre-Test)Ask participants a series of true or false questions. If the participants believe that the statement is false have them stand. If the participants believe that the statement is true, have them sit. If the participants do know, have them put their hands on their head while standing. Ovulation is when the egg develops in the ovary, moves through the fallopian tube, and into the uterus (True).Ejaculation is when a man’s penis is erect (or standing) (False).Fertilization is when the egg dissolves and menstruation begins (False).Implantation is when a fertilized egg makes a home inside of the uterus (True).Pregnancy cannot happen if a woman has sex only one time (False).Pregnancy is when three sperm fertilize one egg at the same time (False).Information – How did I get Pregnant?On one flip chart, write the word Ejaculation. Define the word, and describe where the sperm goes. It will be helpful to draw, or print these pictures separately as a visual aid for your participants. Flip Chart 1 – EjaculationSperm are released from the man’s penis during sex, called.swim up the vagina, through the cervix and uterus to look for an egg in the fallopian tube.Say: Sperm are released from the man’s penis during sex is called ejaculation. That means millions of sperms out of the penis. They are very tiny and you can’t see them. After ejaculation, where are the sperm going? Sperm swim up the vagina, through the cervix and uterus to look for an egg in the fallopian tube.3107307111137Flip Chart 2 – Ovulation48487661092Eggs are released from the ovary during what is called.During ovulation, the lining of the gets thicker waiting for an egg.Say:Where do eggs come from? Eggs are released from the ovary during what is called ovulation. The egg begins to travel down the fallopian tube. During ovulation, the lining of the uterus gets thicker waiting for an egg.Flip Chart 3 – Fertilizationhappens when one lucky sperm penetrates an egg in the fallopian tube.Say: Fertilization happens when one sperm penetrates an egg in the fallopian tube. The fertilized egg then makes its way to the uterus.Flip Chart 4 – Implantationhappens when fertilized egg finds it way to the uterus and makes a home in the uterine walls.Say:Implantation happens when the fertilized egg finds its way to the uterus and makes a home in the uterine wall. The fertilized egg will then grow into a baby. If an egg does not meet sperm and get fertilized, then no implantation will happen, and menstruation will begin.Practice – Sperm Race #1After discussing the concept of only one sperm being able to fertilize a single egg, review and reinforce the topic with this activity. Draw a giant outline of internal reproductive anatomy on the ground using a stick or, if available, use sticks and string to ‘stake out’ the diagram. Review the different parts by quizzing the participants and pointing out each part in the diagram. Place the ball in the fallopian tube and have the participants’ race. Whoever gets the ball, is the “winning” sperm that fertilizes the egg. You can add more to this activity by having them answer a trivia question about fertilization or pregnancy upon reaching the ball. Application – True or False? (Post-Test)Ask participants a series of true or false questions. If the participants believe that the statement is false have them stand. If the participants believe that the statement is true, have them sit. If the participants do know, have them put their hands on their head while standing. If the statement is false, be sure to have a short discussion as to why it is incorrect, and what the true statement would be.Ovulation is when the egg develops in the ovary, moves through the fallopian tube, and into the uterus (True).Ejaculation is when a man’s penis is erect (or standing) (False).Fertilization is when the egg dissolves and menstruation begins (False).Implantation is when a fertilized egg makes a home inside of the uterus (True).Pregnancy cannot happen if a woman has sex only one time (False).Pregnancy is when three sperm fertilize one egg at the same time (False).Key MessageIt’s never too late for me to be more responsible about having sex through better communication with my partner, starting family planning and getting tested STIs.Close with key message:Monitoring and EvaluationRecord results of pre-test (Motivation) and post-test (Application) then analyze who gained new knowledge about how pregnancy happens.Girls & Boys Activity 4– Where is the Egg? The Menstrual Cycle 1 hourObjective:To understand the process of ovulation, and what is happening to the uterine wall leading up to menstruation. Materials:Flipchartchalkboardchalk Preparation:Draw each stage of the menstrual cycle on a poster sheet (see photos below). Educate yourself on the normal and abnormal symptoms of menstruation, as well as the correct and incorrect cultural beliefs about menstruation. Facilitator Notes:It is important to manage questions as you are presenting new information about the menstrual cycle. Be sure to tell your participants that there will be a time for questions. This is important because questions about menstruation can commonly lead to a discussion of myth or fact, which there can be dedicated time for set aside from understanding the concepts of the cycle itself. Motivation – Fact or Myth? (Pre-Test)Ask participants a series of true or false questions. If the participants believe that the statement is false have them stand. If the participants believe that the statement is true, have them sit. If the participants do know, have them put their hands on their head while standing. This activity is important to gauge the attitudes and beliefs of your participants prior to new information.The egg explodes and that is why women menstruate. (false) If a girl is menstruating, that means that she should not go to school. (false)If menstrual blood is brown or black, that means infection. (false)Pain during menstruation is normal, and a woman does not need to go to the clinic if she feels small pain. (true) If a woman menstruates for five days every month, that means that she has an infection. (false)If a woman is menstruating, she can still do all of her daily work and responsibilities, like cooking, or enjoying her time with friends. (true)Information – Where is the egg? The egg gets ripe inside of the ovary. One egg is released from one ovary once a month. The uterine wall is remaining thin. “See, the egg is inside of the ovary for this month. The uterine lining is very thin when the egg is staring to get ripe inside of the ovary.”The egg is now moving outside of the ovary, and into the fallopian tube waiting to be fertilized. The uterine wall is getting a little bit thicker, as it prepares for an egg to come and stay. “You can see that the one egg gets ripe for the month and has moved from the ovary to the fallopian tube. The uterine lining is beginning to get a little bit thicker, in preparation for the egg that is getting closer. Can you see the difference between this first picture, and this one?”The egg has now moved from the fallopian tube and into the uterus. The uterine lining is now thicker than before, waiting the fertilized egg to implant. “You can now see that the egg moved from the fallopian tube and into the uterus. The egg is not fertilized, but the uterus lining is getting even thicker, waiting for a fertilized egg to make a home there.” The egg was not fertilized, and no implantation happened, so it dissolved. The lining of the uterus has no use anymore so it sheds in the form of blood, and exits through the cervix and vagina so that a new uterine lining can be made, and the process will begin again. “No sperm came to fertilize the egg, so it did not need to make a home inside of the uterus. The egg dissolves, just like sugar in hot tea. The lining of the uterus leaves the body by coming out through the cervix and vagina. This happens so that a new lining can be made, and the process of a new egg traveling through the system can happen again the next month. Be sure to emphasize that this is a continuous cycle for women who menstruate, and the process will always continue. Tape the individual pictures (replicated on poster board) to a chalkboard, and draw the arrows of the cycle with chalk next to the appropriate pictures. For example:Practice – Where is the egg?Separate your participants in four groups. Randomly distribute one menstrual cycle phase to each group. Tell them to discuss the following questions:Where is the egg? (Have them correctly specify where in the reproductive anatomy the egg is. If the lining is shedding, the answer should be that the egg dissolved.)Where is the egg coming from?Where is the egg going next?What is happening to the uterine lining in this phase?After about 7 minutes of discussion, gather the group’s attention again. Have the group come up and present their phase of the menstrual cycle (the presentation does not have to be in order of the menstrual phase).When each group comes up to present, have them place their phase on the empty cycle drawn on the board. It does not matter where the first group places their phase, so long as the groups after them place their phases correctly according to that one. Have each group present their phase making sure they are saying (in words, not just pointing) where the egg is and what is happening to the uterine lining.Before the presentations, the board should look like this: Be sure to refer back to the larger group for feedback if participants are correct. After all groups present, emphasize that this is a cycle, and it will always continue as long as the woman is of menstruating age. Application – Fact or Myth? (Post-Test)Ask participants a series of true or false questions. If the participants believe that the statement is false have them stand. If the participants believe that the statement is true, have them sit. If the participants do know, have them put their hands on their head while standing. If the statement is false, be sure to have a short discussion as to why it is incorrect, and what the true statement would be.The egg explodes and that is why women menstruate. (false) If a girl is menstruating, that means that she should not go to school. (false)If menstrual blood is brown or black, that means infection. (false)Pain during menstruation is normal, and a woman does not need to go to the clinic if she feels small pain. (true) If a woman menstruates for five days every month, that means that she has an infection. (false)If a woman is menstruating, she can still do all of her daily work and responsibilities, like cooking, or enjoying her time with friends. (true)Key MessageMenstruation is normal, and a natural part of every woman’s life. It is always important to know about the body and how it works, so that we can live healthy and help others be healthy too. Close with key message:Monitoring and EvaluationRecord results of Pre-Test (Motivation) and Post-Test (Application) then analyze who gained new knowledge about how menstruation works.Girls Activity 5– My Normal Menstrual Cycle1 hourObjectives:To understand that every woman’s menstrual cycle is different, how to recognize that what is normal and what is not normal during menstruation and to debunk common myths.Materials:Poster of the female reproductive systemFlipchart/chalkboardMarkers/ChalkRed sock, shirt or sheet (to be used as an egg)Small and large palm nutsCopies of My Normal MenstruationPreparation:Write normal or abnormal on a flipchartWrite or print fact or myth cards.Sign/Flipchart that says “Myths” and Sign/Flipchart that says “Facts”.Facilitator Notes:It is common for participants to ask many specific questions about normal and abnormal symptoms. It is important to remind participants that you are not a medical professional, and to always visit their clinic if they are concerned about their bodies or menstrual cycle. Key VocabularyPads: Kotex or Blue Biscuit (tampons are not available but disposable pads are, but most people don't use them. It is common for woman to use scraps of old clothes or lappa, sometimes using new cloth every time, but many times reusing the same one.)Period: receiving / menstruatingMotivation– True or False?Read the following true or false statements about menstruation to the participants. They should close their eyes and do the following: hands on their head if the statement is true, hands on waist if the statement is false, one hand on the hip and one hand out if they don't know. One member of your group should monitor how many people answer true. The following are the statements:When you start to menstruate, you are also ready to start having sex and get pregnant. (False)It is normal to menstruate for more than 8 days during a cycle. (False)If you have gone three months without menstruating, you ARE pregnant. (False)If I see brown or black blood then I have an infection. (False)Women who are receiving are dirty. (False)Information – Normal or Not Normal?Facilitators should get out the female reproductive system poster and review the parts and where they are located on the female body. Say: We are going to start by reviewing how menstruation works.Simple definition of Menstruation: Menstruation is a female's body's way of letting go excess tissue in the uterus because the woman is not pregnant. If a woman is pregnant the uterus will use the tissue to help develop a baby. Other Important Information about Menstruation:Menstruation only happens to females. Menstruation can begin as early as 10 years old and as late as 18 years old for most people.Women will menstruate once every 21 to 35 days, depending on their unique cycle length. Women will menstruate every month until they reach menopause in their 40s. Sometimes it takes years to regulate so you cannot use your cycle to determine when you can have sex and get pregnantAct it out: As facilitators you can act out the egg releasing from the ovaries and the 28 day cycle. Use the red sock as the egg and have one facilitator stand with their arms curled to look like the female reproductive system. Hands will be the ovaries, arms are the Fallopian tubes, chest is the uterus, hips are the cervix, and legs are the vaginal opening. The second facilitator will demonstrate how the egg travels from the ovaries and eventually dissolves in the uterus. Say:Every woman’s menstrual cycle is unique to them. Sometimes, we hear that our friend’s menstruation cycle is different from our own. There also so much incorrect information we hear from our friends, our family and it is important to know what is consider normal and when we need to go to the clinic.Review both lists of what is normal and what is abnormal, stressing that something is not normal for them, they should go to the clinic. The key message is every woman is different and how we menstruate is can be different. It is important for them to be aware of what is normal for themselves so if they experience something abnormal, they can get treatment.Explain the normal and abnormal menstrual symptoms presented verbally or on a flip chart:NormalAbnormalBlood clots the size of a palm nutMenstruation is lasting 2-7 daysMenstruation can begin at ages 10-17Menstrual painChanges in mood (you get vex quickly)Black, brown, or red menstrual bloodFeeling tiredNot bleeding for the same amount of time month to monthMenstrual bleeding can be lighter or heavier throughout the cycleStomachache and/or headacheVomitingBlood clots bigger than the size of a palm nut: go to the clinic.Menstruation lasting more than 7 days: go to the clinic.If a woman has not started to menstruate by 17 years old, go to a clinicBleeding very heavily for all 7 days of menstruation: go to the clinicIf you have been menstruating the same for years, but then that changes (no more menstruation): go to the clinicPractice – (option 1) – What is my Normal?Say: To help us understand what is ‘normal’ for us, we are going to look going to think about our menstrual cycles. Walk participants through the “My Normal” handout (See handouts). Answer any questions as they come up.Practice – (option 2) – Fact or Myth?Say: People say a lot of things about ‘receiving’ that is not true. It is important to know what is true or fact and what is a false or myth. We can help educate out peers about correct information about menstruation and to help challenge stigmas around menstruation. We know that menstruation is normal and natural to every single woman.Hand out fact and myth cards (See handouts). Participants can either work in groups or as individuals. Make sure that each participant gets at least one myth or fact card. Hang signs or write on the chalkboard ‘Myth’ or ‘Fact’. Each group of individual has to decide whether their card is a ‘Myth’ or a ‘Fact’. After each statement, have a discussion about the card, ask them why they think it's a fact or a myth and correct any incorrect answers. (NOTE: feel free to add more fact and myth statements to this discussion – see the additional ‘Myth & Facts’ in handouts.)Application – True or False? (Post-Test)As a Post-Test: Read the same true or false statements about menstruation from the ‘Motivation’ section. Again, Participants should close their eyes and do the following: hands on their head if the statement is true, hands on waist if the statement is false, one hand on the hip and one hand out if they don't know. One member of your group should monitor how many people answer true. The following are the statements:When you start to menstruate, you are also ready to start having sex and get pregnant. (False)It is normal to menstruate for more than 8 days during a cycle. (False)If you have gone three months without menstruating, you ARE pregnant. (False)If I see brown or black blood then I have an infection. (False)Women who are receiving are dirty. (False)Key MessageMy cycle is unique to me. I need to know my body and what is normal for my menstruation cycle to be a healthy woman.Close with a key message:Monitoring and EvaluationRecord results of pre-test (Motivation) and post-test (Application) then analyze who gained new knowledge about what is normal and abnormal about menstruation.Fact or Myth CardsMenstruating women are unclean.Menstrual blood is healthy and clean. It is not dangerous.Menstruating women have to be careful about what they are eating. ie: “They can only eat rice.”Though a woman may feel nauseous during menstruation, she can eat whatever food she wishes to eat.Menstruating women must stay away from food and/or water sources.Menstruating women can continue daily chores as usual- cooking, fetching water, etc. They will NOT contaminate food or water by simply touching it.A woman should sleep in a separate area, away from her family, while she is menstruating.A woman can interact with her family and friends normally while menstruating, including eating together and sleeping in the same room or bed.A girl should not go to school while she is menstruating.A girl should go to school while she is menstruating so that she does not miss classes and fall behind.You can’t get pregnant during menstruation.You can get pregnant while you are receiving. Sperm can live inside of you for 3-5 days. If you don’t want to get pregnant either do not have sex or use family planning.A touch from a menstruating girl or woman will cause a plant to become dry, milk to curdle, and a mirror to lose its brightness.Menstruating women do not have the ability to change or ruin things just by touching them. There is nothing different about how they should interact with the things and people around them.A girl who is menstruating should avoid exercise and other physical activities.Exercising during menstruation can help to reduce menstrual cramps and make a girl feel better.Starting to menstruate means that a girl is ready to get married and/or be sexually active.Beginning to menstruate does not mean a girl is ready to get married or have sex. That is a personal choice! Many girls begin to menstruate at the age of 10 or 11 and are too young to do either of these things.Menstrual cycles are always 28 days.28 days is the average length of a menstrual cycle. Some woman’s cycles are 21 days and some can be as long as 35 days.MYTHSFACTSMenstruating women are unclean.Menstrual blood is healthy and clean. It is not dangerous.Menstruating women have to be careful about what they are eating. i.e.: “They can only eat rice.”Though a woman may feel nauseous during menstruation, she can eat whatever food she wishes to eat.Menstruating women must stay away from food and/or water sources.Menstruating women can continue daily chores as usual- cooking, fetching water, etc. They will NOT contaminate food or water by simply touching it.A woman should sleep in a separate area, away from her family, while she is menstruating.A woman can interact with her family and friends normally while menstruating, including eating together and sleeping in the same room or bed.A girl should not go to school while she is menstruating.A girl should go to school while she is menstruating so that she does not miss classes and fall behind.A touch from a menstruating girl or woman will cause a plant to become dry, milk to curdle, and a mirror to lose its brightness.Menstruating women do not have the ability to change or ruin things just by touching them. There is nothing different about how they should interact with the things and people around them.A girl who is menstruating should avoid exercise and other physical activities.Exercising during menstruation can help to reduce menstrual cramps and make a girl feel better.Starting to menstruate means that a girl is ready to get married and/or be sexually active.Beginning to menstruate does not mean a girl is ready to get married or have sex. That is a personal choice! Many girls begin to menstruate at the age of 10 or 11 and are too young to do either of these things. Menstruating women are unclean and they should spend their time away from religious obligationsMenstruation is a natural process if women didn’t bleed at their time of the month then they wouldn’t be able to born children. Menstruation can’t give off an infection or a disease. Women can take part in normal activities.PMS is all in the mindPremenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is real and as many as 85% of all women experience some sort of symptoms.Bed rest is a must during your menstruationWomen should get rest during their menstruation but also get plenty of exercise. Exercise has been shown to alleviate cramps and brighten your mood!You can’t get pregnant during your menstruation.You CAN get pregnant during your period. Once inside you, sperm can live for 3-5 days. Ovulation can occur during, or soon after, the bleeding phase. If you don’t want to get pregnant, either don’t have sex, or use birth control every single time you do.Irregular menstruation cycles are bad for your reproductive health.Irregular menstrual cycles can last anywhere from 6 months to a year to become regular after the first time you start receiving. And, for some girls, it never becomes completely regular. There are lots of things, including stress, illness and intense exercise, that can mess with your cycle. Menstrual cycles are 28 days.That’s 28 days is only an average. Days in the menstrual cycle vary from woman to woman.Menstrual blood is different from regular blood.Menstrual blood is regular blood. Vaginas are a normal part of the female body, there’s nothing unusual or wrong with menstrual blood.My Normal MenstruationTopic: Most people: My Normal: The amount of time I bleed for during menstruation. Menstruate for 2-7 days, some days have heavier bleeding than others.On the days where I bleed heavy, how often do I change my cloth? Normal heavy bleeding requires you to change the cloth every 1-2 hours. How do I feel the week before I start menstruating?Before menstruating some women can bloat, feel tired, or feel weak. How long is my cycle? The number of days between each period. Between 21 to 35 days is normal, but most women is about 28 days. Do I vomit while I menstruate? Vomiting and nausea are normal. How bad do your cramps feel? Some women can feel extreme pain while other people do not feel anything. Can you see blood clots while you menstruate? Blood clots are normal and healthy as long as they are smaller than a palm nut. Do I feel hungrier when I menstruate? Some women can feel like they need to each certain foods or eat more while they menstruate. Is my menstruation regular? Do you menstruate every month on time? Younger women usually are not regular in their menstruation and it takes a few years for the body to regulate the menstruation cycle.How do you take care of your body while you are menstruating? Taking a bath everyday and making sure the vagina area is clean. Changing the cloth regularly prevents smelling and keeps the vagina clean. Boys Activity 5– Myths about Menstruation2 hoursObjectives:To understand that menstruation is natural, normal, and healthy. Men should be able to confidently support women during menstruation instead of shaming them, and be able to debunk the incorrect beliefs and myths. Materials:Flipchart/ chalkboardMarkers/chalkPaper A red sockPreparation:Draw diagram of the female reproductive systemWrite or print ‘Myth or Fact’ cards.Write ‘Myth’ on the top of a flipchart and write ‘Fact’ on the top of a flipchart (or write it on the chalkboard).Write or print ‘What Happens’ cards.Facilitator's Notes:It is important to remember that this is a very taboo subject to be discussed with men and boys. However, always be nonjudgmental when addressing their questions and comments, and continuously challenging them to find ways to support women and their health will keep this important conversation move in the direction that you want it to go. Motivation – Myth or Fact?Say:People say a lot of things about ‘receiving’ that is not true. It is important to know what is true or fact and what is a false or myth. We can help educate our peers about correct information about menstruation and to help challenge stigmas around menstruation. We know that menstruation is normal and natural to every single woman.Hand out fact and myth cards (See handouts). Participants can either work in groups or as individuals. Make sure that each participant gets at least one myth or fact card. Hang signs or write on the chalkboard ‘Myth’ or ‘Fact’. Each group of individual has to decide whether their card is a ‘Myth’ or a ‘Fact’. After each statement, have a discussion about the card, ask them why they think it's a fact or a myth and correct any incorrect answers. (NOTE: feel free to add more fact and myth statements to this discussion – see the additional ‘Myth & Facts’ in handouts.) Take note of which group/individual answered each question as myth or fact. This will be useful as you collect M&rmation – How Menstruation works?Facilitators should get out the female reproductive system poster and review the parts and where they are located on the female body. Say: We are going to start by reviewing how menstruation works.Simple definition: Menstruation is a female's body's way of letting go excess tissue in the uterus because the woman is not pregnant. If a woman is pregnant the uterus will use the tissue to help develop a baby. Other Important Information about Menstruation:Menstruation only happens to females. Menstruation can begin as early as 10 years old and as late as 18 years old for most people.Women will menstruate once every 21 to 35 days, depending on their unique cycle length. Women will menstruate every month until they reach menopause in their 40s. If a woman is menstruating, it does not mean she is ready for sex, pregnancy or marriage.Act it out:As facilitators you can act out the egg releasing from the ovaries and the 28 day cycle. Use the red sock as the egg and have one facilitator stand with their arms curled to look like the female reproductive system. Hands will be the ovaries, arms are the Fallopian tubes, chest is the uterus, hips are the cervix, and legs are the vaginal opening. The second facilitator will demonstrate how the egg travels from the ovaries and eventually dissolves in the uterus. Say:Every woman menstruates. It is a normal and natural. Sometimes, girls can be shamed or humiliated because they are receiving causing them to stay home from school or stop doing normal activities. As men and boys, we can challenge the stigmas and wrong things that people say about menstruation and receiving women. We are going to think about what we can do as boys to support women and girls.Practice & Application – Men Can Support WomenSay: We are going to talk about the common beliefs and daily challenges that menstruating women face, and what men can do to support women.This activity can be done in several ways. You can split the participants into groups and give each group a ‘What Happens’ card and have them think through together what they can do or you could have each group do a role-play to do demonstrate what they can do. You can also leave the participants as a whole group and have a discussion using the “What Happens” prompts. What happensWhat men can doYou are sitting in class, and notice that the girl in front of you has messed her clothes with menstrual blood.If you have a female teacher, have the teacher inform the girl.Find another female students friend who would be comfortable informing her.If you feel comfortable, pull the girl aside and let her know without shaming her. A group of male students or friends know that a girl is menstruating, so they begin to shame her and embarrass her.Defend the girl, and inform the men that if that girl was their sister, they would not want her to be treated like that. Inform your male friends that menstruation is normal for all women and that they should not shame. A woman you know decides to stay home from school because she is rm your friend that menstruation is normal, and manageable. Menstruating women can still go to school, and go about their normal life.Your small sister has begun to menstruate and believes that that means she should now be sexually active and know about rm your small sister that all women begin to menstruate when they are young, but that does not mean that she needs to begin having sex, or is ready for sex. However, if she decides to have sex, use a condom or family planning. Your friend tells you that he does not want to have sex with his girlfriend while she is menstruating because he believes that she is unclean and rm your friend that menstrual blood is completely clean and natural, and no different from any other blood. Also remind him that sex at any time should be an agreement between both partners, no matter if it is during, before, or after menstruation.Key MessageMenstruation is a natural and normal thing for all women. It is not dirty, and should not be shamed. I can support women by knowing the correct things to say and do if menstruating women need my help. Close with key message:Monitoring and EvaluationRepeat the motivation activity and take note of what groups/individuals answer as myth or fact. Compare the number of participants who have answered correctly based on their new learned knowledge. Fact or Myth CardsMenstruating women are unclean.Menstrual blood is healthy and clean. It is not dangerous.Menstruating women have to be careful about what they are eating. ie: “They can only eat rice.”Though a woman may feel nauseous during menstruation, she can eat whatever food she wishes to eat.Menstruating women must stay away from food and/or water sources.Menstruating women can continue daily chores as usual- cooking, fetching water, etc. They will NOT contaminate food or water by simply touching it.A woman should sleep in a separate area, away from her family, while she is menstruating.A woman can interact with her family and friends normally while menstruating, including eating together and sleeping in the same room or bed.A girl should not go to school while she is menstruating.A girl should go to school while she is menstruating so that she does not miss classes and fall behind.You can’t get pregnant during menstruation.You can get pregnant while you are receiving. Sperm can live inside of you for 3-5 days. If you don’t want to get pregnant either do not have sex or use family planning.A touch from a menstruating girl or woman will cause a plant to become dry, milk to curdle, and a mirror to lose its brightness.Menstruating women do not have the ability to change or ruin things just by touching them. There is nothing different about how they should interact with the things and people around them.A girl who is menstruating should avoid exercise and other physical activities.Exercising during menstruation can help to reduce menstrual cramps and make a girl feel better.Starting to menstruate means that a girl is ready to get married and/or be sexually active.Beginning to menstruate does not mean a girl is ready to get married or have sex. That is a personal choice! Many girls begin to menstruate at the age of 10 or 11 and are too young to do either of these things.Menstrual cycles are always 28 days.28 days is the average length of a menstrual cycle. Some woman’s cycles are 21 days and some can be as long as 35 days.MYTHSFACTSMenstruating women are unclean.Menstrual blood is healthy and clean. It is not dangerous.Menstruating women have to be careful about what they are eating. i.e.: “They can only eat rice.”Though a woman may feel nauseous during menstruation, she can eat whatever food she wishes to eat.Menstruating women must stay away from food and/or water sources.Menstruating women can continue daily chores as usual- cooking, fetching water, etc. They will NOT contaminate food or water by simply touching it.A woman should sleep in a separate area, away from her family, while she is menstruating.A woman can interact with her family and friends normally while menstruating, including eating together and sleeping in the same room or bed.A girl should not go to school while she is menstruating.A girl should go to school while she is menstruating so that she does not miss classes and fall behind.A touch from a menstruating girl or woman will cause a plant to become dry, milk to curdle, and a mirror to lose its brightness.Menstruating women do not have the ability to change or ruin things just by touching them. There is nothing different about how they should interact with the things and people around them.A girl who is menstruating should avoid exercise and other physical activities.Exercising during menstruation can help to reduce menstrual cramps and make a girl feel better.Starting to menstruate means that a girl is ready to get married and/or be sexually active.Beginning to menstruate does not mean a girl is ready to get married or have sex. That is a personal choice! Many girls begin to menstruate at the age of 10 or 11 and are too young to do either of these things. Menstruating women are unclean and they should spend their time away from religious obligationsMenstruation is a natural process if women didn’t bleed at their time of the month then they wouldn’t be able to born children. Menstruation can’t give off an infection or a disease. Women can take part in normal activities.PMS is all in the mindPremenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is real and as many as 85% of all women experience some sort of symptoms.Bed rest is a must during your menstruationWomen should get rest during their menstruation but also get plenty of exercise. Exercise has been shown to alleviate cramps and brighten your mood!You can’t get pregnant during your menstruation.You CAN get pregnant during your period. Once inside you, sperm can live for 3-5 days. Ovulation can occur during, or soon after, the bleeding phase. If you don’t want to get pregnant, either don’t have sex, or use birth control every single time you do.Irregular menstruation cycles are bad for your reproductive health.Irregular menstrual cycles can last anywhere from 6 months to a year to become regular after the first time you start receiving. And, for some girls, it never becomes completely regular. There are lots of things, including stress, illness and intense exercise, that can mess with your cycle. Menstrual cycles are 28 days.That’s 28 days is only an average. Days in the menstrual cycle vary from woman to woman.Menstrual blood is different from regular blood.Menstrual blood is regular blood. Vaginas are a normal part of the female body, there’s nothing unusual or wrong with menstrual blood.Girls & Boys Activity 6– Family Planning1 hourObjectives:To explain the different types of family planning methods, how they work, their benefits, side effects, and to ensure that participants have accurate information about each method that is available to them. Materials:Flipchartchalkboardchalk Preparation:Be familiar with the information on your family planning flipchartFacilitator Notes:Be sure to review the attached “common beliefs” information in order to anticipate the types of questions that you may hear. Many individuals are coming from communities where family planning is being taken incorrectly and therefore is perceived as ineffective. Motivation – True or False (Pre-Test)This activity can happen two ways. You can split up your participants into groups and hand them signs that say “myth” or “fact” to hold up when it is time. You can also have the participants stand up if they believe if the statement is a myth, sit if the statement is a fact, or put their hands on their head if they are not sure. As a facilitator, read each statement about family planning, and have your participants display their beliefs in some way. Record the answers to compare what new knowledge they gain after the post-test after the session.Condoms are poisonous if put in the mouth. (Myth)I cannot take family planning if I am breastfeeding. (Myth)It is normal if I no longer receive when taking family planning. (Fact)Family planning gives people different sicknesses that stop people from having children in the future. (Myth)Taking family planning for years without stopping will not effect my ability to have children in the future when I choose. (Fact)Only prostitutes and women that sleep around need family planning. (Myth)If I already have children, I do not need to take family planning. (Myth)Information – Types of Family PlanningUse family planning flipchart to explain the different types of family planning.Present the picture side of the flipchart, as you review the information on the back to them. Before moving on to the next method of family planning, make time for questions about the discussed method. If there are no questions, quiz the participants by having them recall some of the information that you just presented. If available, present the sample of the family planning method collected from a clinic so that the participants can see what they look like in real life. Family Planning Flipchart 170116587630 2885080129834-526860-3526-5678041195322903220119380-581451161982295275013970291662983128-282575118745-360960120295379540471422881004151823-360960151823Practice – Sperm Race with PreventionAfter discussing the concept of only one sperm being able to fertilize a single egg, review and reinforce the topic with this activity. Draw a giant outline of internal reproductive anatomy on the ground using a stick or, if available, use sticks and string to ‘stake out’ the diagram. Again, review the different parts by quizzing the participants and pointing out each part in the diagram. Instead of having sperm run to the egg or ball in the fallopian tube to demonstrate fertilization. You are going to introduce different items to represent different forms of family planning.A sheet will represent a condom. Place the ‘egg’ or ball in the fallopian tube. Have four participants (one for each corner) hold the sheet tight in the ‘vagina’ just before the ‘cervix’. Have the ‘sperm’ race towards the sheet but not be able to pass. Slowly move the sheet or ‘condom’ out of the vagina making the ‘sperm’ leave the vagina. You can also have the ‘condom’ break to show that if we don’t use condoms correctly pregnancy can happen.Make two ‘IUD’ signs and have two participants guard the fallopian tubes. Emphasis that the ‘sperm’ will not be able to cross the ‘IUD’ guards and that they will won’t be able to swim straight and be ‘confused’.To represent no ovulation (how the daily tablet, implant and Depo shot work), have four participants stand around the ‘egg’ or ball in the ovary holding hands. Have ‘sperm’ race to through the fallopian tube and then not be able to reach the egg and ‘die’ in the uterus.You can add more to this activity by having them answer a trivia question about different types of family planning and how to correctly use them or have them answer true or false questions. Application – Myth or Fact (Post-Test)Do the same Fact or Myth voting as you did during the motivation, either by splitting up your participants into groups and hand them signs that say “myth” or “fact” to hold up when it is time. Or by having the participants stand up if they believe if the statement is a myth, sit if the statement is a fact, or put their hands on their head if they are not sure. Again, record the answers as a post-test. After they have decided if it is a myth or fact (or if they do not know), have a discussion about the correct answer, and answer questions that your participants may have. Condoms are poisonous if put in the mouth. (Myth)MYTH: There are no chemicals on the male or female condom that are harmful to the body. Always use a condom so that diseases are not spread, even in the mouth.I cannot take family planning if I am breastfeeding. (Myth)MYTH: There are some family methods that breastfeeding women can take. If a family planning method releases a chemical called ESTROGEN into the body, breastfeeding women should NOT take it (ie. daily tablet).Breastfeeding women CAN take family planning that releases the chemical PROESTERONE into the body (ie. implant, injection, IUD). Breastfeeding women should always use condoms to prevent unwanted pregnancies. It is normal if I no longer receive when taking family planning. (Fact)FACT: Many women stop receiving their menstrual cycle one they begin family planning. It is normal, and does not cause harm to the body. It just means that your body is not letting an egg come down the uterus and is preventing pregnancy. Family planning gives people different sicknesses that stop people from having children in the future. (Myth)MYTH: Family planning only prevents you from getting pregnant but whatever method you decide to use must be used along with condoms since only condoms prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Taking family planning for years without stopping will not affect my ability to have children in the future when I choose. (Fact)FACT: You can safely take family planning continuously without worrying about getting pregnant or seeing your period. When taken correctly, family planning can help you choose when to have children.Only prostitutes and women that sleep around need family planning. (Myth)MYTH: Everyone needs family planning. It can be used for acne, menstrual pains, and be used for preventing pregnancy once sexually active. All sexually active women should use family planning to control their own futures. If I already have children, I do not need to take family planning. (Myth)MYTH: It is never too late to take family planning and plan for your future. Key MessageFamily planning can help me prevent pregnancy, control my future and keep me empowered.Close with key message:Monitoring and EvaluationRecord results of pre-test (Motivation) and post-test (Application) then analyze who gained new knowledge about correct family planning information.IndicatorsHE – 033: Individuals Trained in Sexual Reproductive Health and Modern Contraceptives MethodsNumber of target population reached with individual or small group level training on sexual and reproductive health and modern contraceptive methods.HE – 034: Showed Improvement in Knowledge of Behaviors to Prevent PregnancyNumber of Individuals who can identify at least 2 behaviors to prevent unwanted pregnancy and STIs.Girls & Boys Activity 7 – How to Use a Condom1 hourObjectives:To successfully remember the steps required in putting a condom on a penis, and understand the challenges of talking with partners about sex and condom use.Materials:Wooden penisMale condomsFlipchart/ChalkboardMarkers/ChalkFacilitator Notes: Please note that the Application section is different for boys and girls. For boys, it is important to talk about reasons why they don’t use condoms, emphasize who makes this decision in the relationship and challenge stigma around girls who suggest using condoms. For girls, given the reality of power dynamics in relationships in Liberia, the decision to use a condom or not is more likely to be made by the man. It is important for girls to practice negotiating with their partners about condom use. Motivation – Our Thoughts on Condom UseHand the participants a card and ask them to write a phrase or idea that they have heard or think about using condoms. Ask them, initially, to put their cards in the box/hat/turn them into the facilitator, which should be placed in front of the group. Explain that each one should come forward, take a card from the box/hat/facilitator and read it out loud and say if the idea written there is true or false. As they are being read, the facilitator can complement or correct the information given by the participant who has taken out the cardInformation – Condom DemonstrationSay: It is very important that we know how to use condoms correctly. If we don’t use them correctly we run the risk of pregnancy and getting an STI.Check the expiration date (must not be expired).Check if there is air inside of the condom. If there is no air that means that there might be hole in the condom and that it is spoiled. Open the package. Do not open it with your teeth. Tear from zig-zag /washboard edge to the other. Squeeze the tip of the condom.Roll condom down a STANDING penisAfter sex, take penis from vaginaRoll off condom carefully not to spill man water. Tie the condom and burn or bury it or drop it down a latrine. Reminders:Only use one condom at a time. Never use two at once. Only use water-based lubricant. Never use lotion, oil or hair grease on a condom.Practice– Condom PracticeGive all of your participants a condom and have them practice these steps with their fingers, bananas, or wooden penises. Once they are comfortable practicing the steps, have them present in front of each other if they feel comfortable. Application (Option 1: Boys) – Why Using Condoms is Important?Say: We know that condom use is very important but we also know that many men don’t use it for various reasons. It is very risky not to use a condom. Let’s talk about some of these reason and talk about how we can convince our friends that condom use is VERY good.Discussion Questions:What are the reasons that lead young men, including those who know the importance of using condoms, not to use them??How can you tell a young woman that you are going to use a condom? What if the woman asks you to use a condom and you don’t have one? What do you do? What if the young woman says she will only have sex with you if you have a condom? How would you feel?Who should suggest condom use? What would you think about a young woman who carried a condom with her? Application (Option 2: Girls) – Why Using Condoms is Important?Say: It is important to know how to correctly use a condom. It is also equally important to know how to talk to your partner about condom use. We are going to practice talking about condom use with our partners.Break up participants into small groups. Ask participants to brainstorm all of the things that men might say when he does not want to use a condom. Write them on flipchart paper. Break participants into groups of three people each. Explain that there are three roles in each group: Person A is the man who does not want to use condoms. Person B is his sexual partner. Person C is an observer. Explain that person A in each group will use one of the statements on the list and that person B, the partner, wants to use a condom, and will have to try to respond to the statement person A makes. Bring the group back together to discuss their feelings about these conversationsKey MessageI should always correctly use a condom during sex to prevent STIs and pregnancy!Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who can successfully and correctly demonstrate how to use a condom.Option 1 (Boys):Have participants practice how to use a condom. Walk around the room and take note of the # of participants out of total # of participants who can correctly demonstrate how to use a condom. Option 2 (Girls): # of participants in each group that can successfully negotiate for condom use. IndicatorsHE – 035: Demonstrated the Steps to Correctly Use a CondomNumber of individuals who demonstrate the steps to correctly use a condom.Girls & Boys Activity – Sexually Transmitted Infections2 hoursObjectives:To be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of different types of STIs and understand how STIs are spread from person to person.Materials:Flipchart/ChalkboardSTI FlipchartMarkers/ChalkEnvelopesPreparation:Write or print the STI Diagnosis cards (see handouts).Facilitator Notes: It is important to remember there are many myths surrounding the cause of many sicknesses in Liberia, not just STIs. When discussing STIs, many symptoms addressed are in regard to the mouth and anus. It can be helpful to define the type so of sex:Anal sex: Penis enters the anus.Vaginal sex: Penis enters the vagina. Oral sex: Female/Male reproductive organs enter the mouth. Motivation – Pre-TestSay these statements and observe responses (agree, disagree, I don’t know) in order to gauge interest, as well as the attitude and beliefs present by your participants. Keep track of how many “agree, disagree,” and “I don’t know” responses you see in order to compare them to the responses after you present the correct information. Unprotected sex can lead to an STI infection.The only ways to prevent getting STIs are using condoms or being abstinent.Ignoring the pain of an STI is healthy and will not hurt your body.If I don’t have symptoms of an STI, that means that I do not have an infection. Information – STI FlipchartPresent the new information by using your STI flipchart. Present by showing your participants the picture of the first STI, and reviewing the information about female symptoms, male symptoms, and treatment that is in front of you. Before moving on to the next STI, answer questions. If there are no questions, quiz your participants by having them recall specific information about the STI discussed. STI Flip Chart Be sure to emphasize the information on the last page of the flipchart. All the photos are of worst case scenarios or when a person is seeing symptoms. It is very important to understand that most people who have an STI do not show any symptoms or side effects. You could be look and feel perfectly healthy but actually have an STI. Emphasize why it's important to get tested at the clinic often.Practice (Option 1) – Envelope Game In one large envelope, put smaller envelopes inside (the same number as the participants that you have). In each of the following envelopes place a diagnosis card inside that will determine if they have an STI or not. Take the envelopes and have each participant take the stack and pass it to the next participant. The passing of envelopes represents sexual activity. When all envelopes are distributed, have the participants open the envelope to determine their diagnosis. Have each participant read their diagnosis cards, and hold a discussion about each one. Have all of the participants who have a diagnosis that advises them to go to the clinic group together, and the healthy participants group together. Discuss the importance of going to the clinic for testing and treatment of STIs. Practice (Option 2) – STI Tea PartySplit your participants into (preferably) eight groups, or have at least eight individuals to participate. Give each group/individual one STI character description from the handout (STI Tea Party Characters) and the STI Tea Party worksheet. Have each group/individual take a few minutes to read over their STI character description and fill in their STI on the worksheet. Next, have the groups/individuals communicate with each other in order to fill in the rest of the worksheet. By the end of the activity, each group/individual will have a complete list of all STIs, their causes, symptoms, and treatments. Hold a discussion about the information by quizzing your participants on the various names of STIs, symptoms, causes, and treatments. This will ensure that groups/individuals have the correct information written on their worksheet. Application – Post TestSay these statements and observe responses (agree, disagree, I don’t know) in order to gauge interest, as well as the attitude and beliefs present by your participants. Keep track of how many “agree, disagree,” and “I don’t know” responses you see and compare them to the previous responses to see how/if they have changed.Unprotected sex can lead to an STI infection.The only ways to prevent getting STIs are using condoms or being abstinent.Ignoring the pain of an STI is healthy and will not hurt your body.If I don’t have symptoms of an STI, that means that I do not have an infection.Key MessageSTIs are dangerous sicknesses. It is important to recognize the signs and symptoms so I can get treatment. I should use a condom to prevent STIs.Close with key message:Monitoring and EvaluationRecord results of pre-test (Motivation) and post-test (Application) then analyze who gained new knowledge about sexually transmitted infections.Option 1: Envelope GameAt the end of the activity quiz your participants with true or false questions based on the information discussed. Condoms can prevent STIs. (true)STIs are passed from person to person through sexual contact. (true)Blisters in your mouth are a symptom of gonorrhea. (true)Yellow or green water coming out of the penis or vagina is a symptom of chlamydia. (true)If a person tells you they do not have an STI, it is ok to NOT use a condom. (false)Yellow skin is a symptom of syphilis. (false)Option 2: Tea PartyAsk your participants various questions about the causes, symptoms, treatments, and preventions of the STIs discussed in the activity. Keep track of the questions you ask (at least eight questions are recommended, one for each STI), and if the individual answered correctly. This information will help you to record if the correct information was gathered and understood. IndicatorsHE – 034: Showed Improvement in Knowledge of Behaviors to Prevent Pregnancy or Prevent STIs Number of individuals who can identify at least 2 behaviors to prevent pregnancy or prevent STIs. You’re HEALTHY! Congratulations! You were responsible and used a condom when you had sex.STI Diagnosis Cards You’re SICK! Oh no…you did not use a condom during oral sex, and now you have blisters in your mouth. Go to the clinic! You have gonorrhea! You’re SICK! You had sex last night without a condom, and now you are seeing green and yellow discharge in your underwear. It also burns when you urinate. Go to the clinic! You have gonorrhea! You’re HEALTHY! The person you had sex with told you that they have gonorrhea. You decided to use a condom, and you were NOT infected! You’re HEALTHY! You were diagnosed with Chlamydia but went to the hospital to get treatment. You also waited to have sex until the sickness was gone! You’re SICK! You notice that every time you have sex, you bleed from your genitals. Go to the clinic! You have HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) from unprotected sex. You’re HEALTHY! You had sex with a person who had HIV, and you did not know they were infected. But, thankfully you used a condom! You protected yourself! You’re SICK! You had sex with a person who had HIV, and you did not know they were infected. They kept it a secret and you two had sex without a condom. Now, you have a high fever, a rash, headache, and you feel weak. You have HIV, go to the clinic! You’re SICK! Oh no…you did not use a condom during oral sex, and now you have blisters in your mouth. Go to the clinic! You have gonorrhea! You’re HEALTHY! Congratulations! You were responsible and used a condom when you had sex. You’re SICK! You have a fever, a rash all over your hands, you feel weak, and your body is sore. You remember that you had unprotected sex, and are worried. You go to the clinic and find out you have syphilis. You’re HEALTHY! You know that the person you are about to have sex with has syphilis so you decide to use a condom to protect yourself. You did not get the sickness! You’re HEALTHY! You are about to have sex but you see that your partner has small red bumps on their genitals. You decide to a condom to protect yourself, and now you are still healthy!You’re SICK!You had unprotected sex with someone last week. Now you are noticing red bumps on your genitals and itching on your thighs. You have genital herpes! Go to the clinic! You’re SICK! You have had unprotected sex 3 times this month. Now, you are vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, yellow skin and eyes, and dark urine. You have hepatitis! Go to the clinic! You’re HEALTHY! The person you were about to have sex with told you that they have Hepatitis. You decided not to have sex with them and protected yourself from the sickness. You’re SICK! Your partner has Trichomoniasis and you decided to have unprotected sex with them. You are now noticing burning and itching inside of your vagina/penis, and it is painful when you urinate. Go to the clinic! You have Trichomoniasis. You’re HEALTHY! Your partner has Trichomoniasis, but used a condom before you two had sex. It’s been a week and you are not sick! The condom kept you healthy! You’re SICK! You knew your partner had Chlamydia when you had sex, but they told you it was not contagious. You woke up the next morning with stomach pains and discharge from your genitals. Go to the clinic! You have Chlamydia! You’re HEALTHY! Congratulations! You used a condom, and you protected yourself from any STIs!STI Tea Party CharactersChlamydiaHi, my name is Chlamydia. I am a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. I am spread during sex, which means you cannot get me if you touch a toilet seat or toilet paper. But be careful, men can spread the infection without ejaculation.The most important fact about me is that I am, most frequently, without symptoms. I can therefore be left untreated and cause infertility. If symptoms occur in women, they include vaginal discharge, burning during urination, and bleeding in between periods; in men, they include pain when urinating and abnormal discharge from their penis. I can infect the urinary tract and potentially lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Since I’m often asymptomatic, doctors usually look for me once a year in all sexually active persons. I frequently go along with other STIs, so if I’m found, doctors will test for other infections as well. I am curable, but to get rid of me requires treatment of both partners with antibiotics. Since I hide very well (remember, I am asymptomatic), I cause re-infections and infertility as a complication. This is why doctors need to test after the treatment to see if the therapy was successful.GonorrheaHi, my name is Gonorrhea. I am a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. I can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus. I can still be transmitted via fluids even if a man does not ejaculate.I sometimes cause no symptoms at all. But in men, I may manifest as a burning sensation when urinating, painful or swollen testicles, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis that usually appears one to five days after contact with an infected partner; however, some men might not notice symptoms for up to a month. In women, I can cause painful or burning sensation when urinating, thick yellowish vaginal discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods. I can be cured with antibiotics but I may cause infertility as a complication.Hepatitis BHi, my name is Hepatitis B. I am a virus that can be sexually transmitted but I can be transmitted through blood and other body fluids as well. I can also prepare the field for some other diseases such as hepatitis C. I love to stay in the liver, and have lots of fun blowing up the liver, producing yellowish discoloration of the eyes and other places. When I want to be very naughty I can cause liver cancer.I can be prevented by vaccination, but it should be given in three doses and done in a timely manner—over a course of months. I can also be prevented by correctly using condoms during sex.I can proudly say that no drug exists that can get rid of me once I make my home in the human body.SyphilisHi, my name is Syphilis. I am a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria. I am spread through direct contact during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. I move around through the painless sores or rashes created by me. If I am left untreated, the sores temporarily resolve. But mind you, I am only asleep and I may wake up and produce a full body rash, and then resolve and return into hiding again. My second and third comings could land me in the brain or the heart. Unfortunately, man has devised an antibiotic to get rid of me. However, I can cause long-term complications and/or death if not adequately treated.HPVHi, I am the Human Papillomavirus, but just call me HPV. I am the most common sexually transmitted virus. I am commonly spread through direct sexual contact or skin-to-skin contact during sexual acts. I may spend over 10 months in the human body before I become visible to the naked eye as warts in the genital area. In my anger, I may cause cancers in the genital area (e.g., cervix,?vagina,?penis, or?anus). There are vaccines that can prevent me from making a home in humans—but hey, I’ve got so many cousins that it’s impossible to have a vaccine for every one of us.I can proudly say on behalf of my big family that there is no medication that can completely eradicate us.HerpesHi, my name is Herpes. I am a virus either associated with the mouth/face or the genital area. I travel around when there is direct contact with the blisters or sores I create on the mouth or in the genital area. I may also go from one person to another even via skin-to-skin contact when there is no obvious blister or sore. It may take three weeks or more before I start wreaking havoc in humans.Apart from the blisters or sores, I can also manifest as urethral or abnormal vaginal discharge, painful urination, or as a common flu. I typically go into hiding and appear from time to time to inflict my pain on humans because there is still no drug that can get rid of me.TrichomoniasisHi, I am Trichomoniasis, but call me “Trich” for short. I am a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a protozoa parasite that travels around through sexual intercourse. It can take me up to three weeks after intercourse to begin wreaking havoc. In women, I may produce a foul-smelling, profuse grayish vaginal discharge, and painful intercourse. In both men and women, I may manifest as a burning sensation during urination, or I could be hiding quietly without any symptoms. Unfortunately, I succumb easily to medications (antibiotics) made by humans.HIVHi, my name is HIV. I am a virus that is transmitted from person to person through sex, blood, and other body fluids. Sometimes I can be in the body for years, and nobody will know because I can live without symptoms. When I show symptoms, they can appear 2-4 weeks or sometimes years after exposure from a person. My symptoms are chills, weakness, fever, sores or blisters on the penis or vagina, body rashes, body pain, and sore throat. I can be treated with a medicine that will stop me from getting worse in the body, but unfortunately once I am in the body, there is no cure! Condoms can be used to prevent me!STI Tea Party WorksheetCharacter (STI Name)CauseSymptomsPreventionNotes on treatmentI am…Girls & Boys Activity #8: Quita's Path to a Healthy Life30 min.Objectives: Participants will be able to understand warning signs and challenges, as well as smart choices within their sexual and reproductive health. Materials: Flip Chart Paper,Facilitator Script Preparation: Create a path in a room our outside with flip chart paper, to look something like this (approximately 15ft):Healthy life!PubertySession NotesHave a volunteer participant play the role of Lovetee. Have them stand at the “Puberty” end of their “life path.” You will read from the following script, and as challenges or successes arise in Lovetee’s life, the audience will have to decide if she should take a few steps forward or backward, and why the challenges or smart decisions were good or bad for her life. The hope is that the choices that Lovetee will make in her life, will lead her to a healthy life as she grows. Facilitator Script:Lovetee lives with her mother who works hard to send her to school. Her body is beginning to change, and her mother tells her about menstruation. Ask audience if that is good or bad. Have her take two steps forward.Lovetee was not able to afford kotex this month, so she decided to stay out of school so that she won’t embarrass herself and mess her clothes. Lovetee misses one week of school. Ask audience if that is good or bad (and why): take one step back. Lovetee learns to make RUMPs (reusable menstrual pads), and can now go to school the next time she is receiving. Ask audience if that is good or bad (and why): take one step forward.One day at school, she noticed a boy that was looking at her. He came over to talk to her, and told her that she was beautiful, and he wanted to be her boyfriend. Lovetee likes the boy too, so she says yes. Ask audience if that is a good or bad thing (and why). Because she did not make any decisions yet within that relationship, she can remain standing where she is. When Lovetee’s mom went to town for the weekend, she invited the boy to stay the night at her house. He told her that he wants to have sex with her. Lovetee agrees, only if he puts on a condom. Ask audience if that is a good or bad thing (and why): take two steps forward.One month goes by, and Lovetee’s boyfriend begs Lovetee to not use condoms during sex anymore. He told her that he had no diseases, and that she could trust him. Lovetee, afraid that her boyfriend will leave her, agrees to not use a condom. Ask audience if this is good or bad (and why): take two steps backOne week later, Lovetee notices yellow discharge in her panties, and a burning feeling when she urinates. She is worried about it so she decides to go to the clinic soon morning. Ask audience if this is a good or bad thing (and why): take one step forward (she is deciding to go get help, not diagnosing herself or ignoring it).The test results come back positive for gonorrhea. Lovetee is heartbroken, and knows that her boyfriend was not truthful with her and had cheated. Ask audience if this is a good or bad thing (and why): take one step backLovetee decides to leave this boyfriend who was not truthful to her, and decides to focus on her school work instead. WAEC is coming, and she needs to focus. Ask audience if this is a good or bad thing (and why): take three steps forward One more week passes, and Lovetee tells her mother that she is not feeling well at all, and she thinks that she may still have an STI because she has not seen her period on time. She is never late with her period, so she is sure that something is still wrong with her. Lovetee’s mother carries her to the clinic that afternoon. Ask audience if this is good or bad (and why), and what might be the problem: Take one step forward because Lovetee is choosing to get medical help.After meeting with the doctors, Lovetee finds out that she is one month pregnant. The child’s father is the boyfriend that cheated on her. Ask audience if this is good or bad (and why): take two steps backLovetee is heartbroken. When she told her old boyfriend about the pregnancy, he said that he will not be a father to the baby. She can’t believe that she listened to that boy, and didn’t use a condom that one time. She wants to go to university and study journalism, but now she is feeling discouraged because she has to take care of a baby by herself with no help from a father. Ask audience if this is good or bad (and why): take one step backThe principal of her school let Lovetee finish up the year and sit for the WAEC even though she was 6 months pregnant. Ask audience if this is good or bad (and why): take three steps forward.Lovetee gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Lovetee wanted to be a good mother to her daughter, and further her education so that they can have a better life. She decides to go on Family Planning so that she will not be at risk of getting pregnant again. She wants to choose when she will have another child. Ask audience if this is good or bad (and why): take two steps forward. Lovetee decided to take the daily tablet family planning. She wanted to be extra safe, so she decided to take one tablet in the morning, and one tablet in the evening for the whole month. Ask audience if this is a good or bad thing (and why): take two steps back.Lovetee’s friend saw that she was taking two tablets a day, and told her to stop right away! “That is not the correct way of taking this family planning!” Lovetee took her friend’s advice, and went back to the correct dose. Ask audience if this is a good or bad thing (and why): take one step forwardLovetee decides that she wants to go to Cuttington university and study journalism. She met a nice man that is encouraging her to further her education, and they decide to wait until she is finished with university before having children. Go to finish line! Healthy choices lead to a healthy life. If mistakes happen along the way, it is not too late to make correct choices for your futureKey MessageIt is important to understand menstruation, family planning and condom usage. Knowing how to protect yourself from pregnancy and STIs will keep you a healthy man or woman.Close with key message:Gender & Gender Based ViolenceThe Importance of Gender - Based Violence AwarenessThere are a lot of different messages about ‘violence’ in Liberia. It is easy for Liberians to name the different types of violence but fail to where it stems from. While there is not a specific session on ‘what is violence’, this group of activities is meant to help young people explore root causes of gender-based violence. It is important for young people to explore ideas around gender inequality, talk about what makes a relationship healthy or unhealthy, recognize power dynamics in these relationships and explore the concept of consent.Gender-Based Violence Awareness ActivitiesGirls Activity 1: Gender Equality vs. Gender Equity Girls Activity 2: Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships Girls Activity 3: Persons and Things Girls Activity 4: Matter of Consent Boys Activity 1: Looking At Our Attitudes Boys Activity 2: Healthy and Unhealthy RelationshipsBoys Activity 3: Persons and Things Boys Activity 4: Matter of Consent References:Peace Corps Tanzania, 2012/Engaging Boys and Men in Gender Transformation: The Group Education Manual, 2008.Teaching about consent and health boundaries – a guide for educators, IPPFSwaziland BRO Camp Manual, 2016.Girls Activity 1 – Gender Equality vs. Gender Equity1 hourObjectives:To understand the difference between gender equity and gender equality and to name strategies to Liberian women can empower themselves. Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardTapeMarkers/ChalkStrips of PaperPreparation:Write the gender roles/descriptors below on pieces of paper. Gender Roles/Descriptors: Cooking, Sweeping, Carrying Water, Driving Cars/Motorbikes, Handling Money, Making Decisions, Going to School, Washing Clothes, Farming, Raising Children, Drinking alcohol, Going to the Market, Dancing, Singing, Going to Church, Teaching, Strength, Intelligence, Love, Happiness, Playing Soccer, Playing Kickball, Giving Speeches, Math, Science, EnglishDraw or print gender equality vs. gender equity poster (see handouts)Write or print role-play scenarios for distribution (see handouts)Facilitator Notes: When facilitating a session on gender, the facilitator should always be prepared to think on your feet. Sometimes your participants will try to “outsmart you” or give you the answers they think you want to hear. Be prepared to emphasize that you are speaking IN GENERAL, for the MAJORITY of men and women in Liberia when you’re talking about gender roles. When talking about the difference between gender equality and gender equity, please beware that some people, especially males, tend to feel the promoting gender equity means that you are taking something away from them. Emphasize that equity is the road to equality and that we want everyone to meet the same goal.Motivation – Gender Roles, Male or Female?Distribute the gender roles/descriptors amongst the participants Designate one side of the chalkboard/room as the “male” side and the other as the “female” side. Tell the participants to place/tape the role cards under which gender the roles belong to. After they’ve finished, go through their choices one by one, asking why it was placed where it was placed. Ask if the role/word can sometimes be switched, if it is wrong for it to be switched, or if the role can apply to both men and women. Encourage discussion and varying points of view. Information – Equality vs. EquityShow the ‘equality’ part of ‘equality vs. equity’ diagram. Keep ‘equity’ covered and do not show the definitions. Ask the participants to tell you what they see? Make sure they do more than just describe that there are people standing on boxes. You can say like they are all getting ‘equal help or equal opportunity’ to reach over the wall, or to their goal.Then reveal the ‘equity’ part of the diagram. Ask the participants to tell you what they see in this picture?Say:Equality is about treating everyone the same or equal. Give the definition of gender equality:Gender equality: equal access to rights or opportunities for both men and womenBut equality only works if everyone is starting from the same place. Sometimes, everyone does not always need the same thing. Often times, some people need more opportunities and help to reach the same level as others. For example, we know that girls are a little bit lower in than boys in school because in the past many girls did not go to school. Many of our mothers cannot read or write because they were not given the same opportunities as men/boys.Make sure that participants do not say that ‘girls are not smart’ or ‘girls are stupid’ that’s why they need more support. Explain that it is because, in the past and still today, they do not have as many opportunities or access to resources as boys do.Give/say the definition of gender equity:Gender equity: the process of being fair to women and men; sometimes that means to compensate for women's historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from otherwise operating on a level playing field. Equity leads to equality. Ask:Should boys/men and girls/women be treated the same and given the same opportunities? What does “gender equality” mean to you? What does gender equity mean to you?How can we promote gender equity in our classrooms, communities, at home, etc…?Practice – Equality Role-PlaysDivide the participants into 6 groups and give them each a scene card. Tell them to use the card to create a skit with an ending that shows gender equality. Give them 15 minutes to practice. Participants perform their scenes. After each performance, ask these questions to the group: What did you like/dislike about the skit? ?Was the performance accurate to real life, or would the scene have ended differently in a normal Liberian household? ?Was gender equality well represented in the skit? How? How can we promote this type of equality in our daily lives?Application – Debrief Bring everyone back together and debrief using the following questions:What can girls/women do to empower themselves and other women? What can boys/men do to show women that they respect them as equals? What changes need to be made in Liberia to reach gender equality? Key MessageAchieving gender equality will make a better and stronger Liberia for both men and women.Close with the key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants that created a resolution for their scenario that showed gender equality. # of participants out of total # of participants that could name an example of how women can empower themselves. Indicators: Captured under the Gender CSPPRole-Play ScenariosAugustine and Mary (husband and wife) have just arrived home from a long trip. They are very tired, but they have guests coming the next day so they need to clean, wash clothes, and prepare food. On her way home from school, Patience is raped by a man who she did not know or recognize. She later finds out that she is pregnant. What do her parents do and what does the school do? Flomo and Esther have a son and a daughter. They only have enough money for one of them to go to secondary school. They go talk to some of their relatives to get advice. Harris, a math teacher at the secondary school, notices that his female students never raise their hands to answer questions. He asks them why and they say they are afraid to get the answer wrong because the boys will laugh at them. During the day, Abraham works hard as a driver and is a kind father and husband. But every night, Abraham goes to the bar and gets drunk. When he comes home, he often hits his wife and kids. George recently hurt his leg in a car accident. He can no longer go to the farm, which is how the family earns their money. His wife is very busy with chores at home and with watching the kids during the day, but she tries to start farming as welEquity = FairnessGIVING ACCESS TO THE SAME OPPORTUNITIESWe must first ensure equity before we can enjoy equalitylEquity = FairnessGIVING ACCESS TO THE SAME OPPORTUNITIESWe must first ensure equity before we can enjoy equalityEquity = FairnessGIVING ACCESS TO THE SAME OPPORTUNITIESWe must first ensure equity before we can enjoy equality1515110-457200Equality = SamenessGIVING EVERYONE THE SAME THINGIt only works if everyone starts from the same place22604698555511457960161290Equity = FairnessGIVING ACCESS TO THE SAME OPPORTUNITIESWe must first ensure equity before we can enjoy equalityGirls Activity 2 – Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships1.5 hourObjectives: To be able to identify healthy and unhealthy behaviors that exists within relationships. Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardTapeMarkers/ChalkStrips of PaperPreparation:Write the following “Relationship Range’ cards in large letters on separate pieces of paper: “Very Healthy,” “Very Unhealthy” and “Depends.”Write each of the following Relationship Situations on a separate card (see handouts). Facilitator Notes: Gender has an impact on people staying in unhealthy relationships. In general, women and it harder to leave unhealthy relationships than men. Women earn less money than men and have less control over economic resources (land, credit). This makes many women economically dependent on their husbands. Socially, women are more stigmatized for being divorced or separated. There is huge social pressure on women to preserve the family. Men need skills and support to talk with their wives and girlfriends about creating healthier relationships. There is little support for either men or women in making their relationships healthier. But gender roles for women allow them to ask each other for support and to talk about their feelings. The gender rules for men make it difficult for them to ask for support on personal matters or to show their emotions. The first step toward healthier relationships are to challenge these gender rules. Men need more opportunities and permission to ask for support. Men also need specific training on how to talk about their feelings and their relationships. Motivation & Information– What is a Healthy Relationship?On the wall in front of the group, place the “Very Unhealthy” sign on the left and the “Very Healthy” sign on the right. Explain that this is the “Relationship Range” that will be used to discuss behaviors in relationships. Make clear that romantic relationships can be anywhere on this range between healthy and unhealthy. ?Break the group into pairs. Ask each person to share with their partner an example of a healthy relationship and an unhealthy relationship. The examples can be from their own lives or from people that they know. Allow each person five minutes to share her examples. Bring everyone back together. Ask the group to define healthy and unhealthy romantic relationships. Say:In healthy relationships, both partners are happy to be with the other person. In unhealthy relationships, one or both partners are unhappy because of continuing problems with the relationship that are not being addressed.Ask the group to brainstorm the qualities of a healthy relationship. Write these on a flipchart under the “Very Healthy” sign. Emphasize these key qualities: respect, equality, responsibility, and honesty. Make clear that the qualities of an unhealthy relationship are the opposite of those for a healthy relationship. ?Practice – Relationship Situations – Healthy or Unhealthy?Next to the Relationship Range put up another sign marked “Depends.” Then give out the “Relationship Situation” cards (see handouts) to the participants. Choose one of the participants at random to read aloud what is on their card. Ask them to say how healthy or unhealthy this situation is in a relationship and why they think so. Tell them to place the card in the appropriate place on the Relationship Range, or in the “Depends” category. ?Ask the group what they think about this placement. Allow time for discussion. If they don’t agree, remind them of the qualities of a healthy relationship (respect, equality, responsibility, honesty). Ask them if the situation shows these qualities. Repeat each “Relationship Situation” cards. Then lead a general discussion by asking the following questions: ?Why do you think some people stay in unhealthy relationships? Are the reasons different for women and for men? Why?Application– DebriefHow can friends and family help people in unhealthy relationships? What skills and support do men need to create healthier relationships? Summarize: Healthy relationships are based on communication and mutual respect. Decisions are made together and not one person dominates the relationship. Unhealthy relationships, on the other hand, can mean poor communication and unequal decision making, which makes open talk about sexual behavior and contraception extremely difficult, and thus puts one or both partners at greater risk for STIs and HIV and bring violence to the home. Key MessageIn healthy relationships, both partners are happy to be with the other person. It is important that I have open communication and respect for my partner.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants that who correctly identify where on the ‘relationship range’ their ‘relationship situation card’ should go and why during Application. This shows understanding of traits of a healthy or unhealthy relationship.IndicatorsYD – 002 – A: Life Skills – Positive CommunicationNumber of youth, out of the total number of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who exhibited new positive communication or relational skills in one or more of the following ways: active, reflective listening with empathy; summarizing or paraphrasing others’ words; assertive negotiation skills; expressing needs and wants clearly; resisting opportunities or pressure to engage in risky behavior; resolving conflict appropriately without resorting to violence or combative behavior.Relationship Situation CardsYou never disagree with your partner.You spend some time by yourself without your partner.You have fun being with your partner.Your partner is still close to his or her ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend.You feel closer and closer to your partner as time goes on.You will do anything for your partner.Sex is not talked about.One person usually makes every decision for the couple.You stay in the relationship because it is better than being alone.You are in control and you are able to do what you want to do.You talk about problems when they arise in the relationship.You argue and fight often.Girls Activity 3 – Persons & Things1.5 hourObjectives:To increase awareness about the existence of power in relationships and its impact on individuals and relationships. Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardTapeMarkers/ChalkPlain PaperPreparation: Write or print and cut Power Walkabout Characters: Name TagsFacilitator Notes: Some of the participants might not feel comfortable with the role-play in this activity. It is important to be sensitive to how participants react to being assigned the role of “persons” or “things” and to be prepared to make the necessary accommodations or changes. For example, rather than have the participants actually carry out the role-play, the facilitator might invite the participants to discuss in pairs how “persons” might treat “things” and the feelings that this might generate for the “persons” and “things.” If participants are comfortable taking on the roles of different characters, be sure to monitor the seriousness of participants during the Power Walkabout. Participants will have fun being different characters on a walkabout, which is good. However, be sure to monitor it and bring it back so that participants are evaluating their power with others and following the instructions of the activity. Motivation – Persons and ThingsDivide the participants into three groups. Each group should have the same number of participants. (Note: If the number of participants does not allow for an even distribution, assign the “extra” participants to the third group which, as described below, will be the observers.) ?Tell the participants that the name of this activity is: Persons and Things. Choose, at random, one group to be the “things,” another to be “persons,” and a third to be “observers.” ?Read the following directions to the group:THINGS: You cannot think, feel, or make decisions. You have to do what the “persons” tells ?you to do. If you want to move or do something, you have to ask the person for permission. ?PERSONS: You can think, feel, and make decisions. Furthermore, you can tell the objects?what to do. ?OBSERVERS: You just observe everything that happens in silence. ? Assign each “person” a “thing” and tell them that they can do what they want with them (within the space of the room). For example: they can move their “thing’s” arms up and down. They can make them face the wall, etc… NOTE: Make sure they are respecting each other and not doing anything inappropriate. ?Give the group five minutes for the “people” and “things” to carry out their designated roles. ?After five minutes, tell the persons and things that they will switch and that now the “persons” will be “things” and “things” will be “persons.” Give them another five minutes to carry out the new ?roles. ?Finally, ask the groups to go back to their places in the room and use the questions below to ?facilitate a discussion. How did your “persons” treat you? What did you feel? Did you feel powerless? Why or why not? ?How did you treat your “things”? How did it feel to treat someone this way? Did it make you feel powerful? Why or why not? ?Why did the “things” obey the instructions given by the “persons”? ?Were there “things” or “persons” who resisted the exercise? ?In your daily lives, do others treat you like “things”? Who? Why? ?In your daily lives, do you treat others like “things”? Who? Why? ?Information– What is Power?Ask students what they think the word power means. Collect some answers Ask students to think examples of how people use power, both positive and negative. Clarify and guide if this seems difficult.Then, ask students to make a list of what sorts of things influence the amount of power people have? (Some responses might include: their wealth, age, job, friends, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, language, religion, size, strength, popularity, skill, knowledge, and possessions.) Explain the different between ‘power over’ and ‘power with’:Power over: Having control over someone, or over a situation. This power over others can be used in positive or negative ways. For example, a parent has power over their child, but may use this power to care for the child. In contrast, an adult may harm a child, using their power in negative ways. Power with: Having power with other people and groups, involves working with others to make things happen. This power can also be used in either positive or negative ways. For example, a group can work together to tidy up their community or to help others. This is positive use of power with. However a group can band together to do crime or to be cruel to others. This is negative use of power with. Point out that that the “Persons and Things” game shows how easy it is for those who have power over others to fail to notice what effect their use of that power has on the quality of life of the persons they have power over. It can be easy to abuse power over othersPractice & Application – Power WalkaboutExplain to participants: “We are going to do another activity that shows use about power in our communities. We know that the community has different beliefs about women and men, girls and boys, and it affects what is expected of them and what they are able to do and become. Generally, communities value men more than women. This means men are allowed to more freely use their power, and women are restricted in using theirs, thereby allowing some men to use their power over women. This next exercise will explore the consequences of the imbalance of power between women and men.” Give each participant a piece of tape and a name-tag.? Ask participants to tape their name tags to the front of their bodies. Explain the game as follows: “Each of you has a name tag representing a person in our community. You will walk around the room as the character written on your name- tag. Using a notebook or a piece of paper collect as many signatures as possible from characters you encounter. You can only get a signature from those who you feel more powerful than you in the community. If you and another character cannot agree who has more power—from the perspective of society as a whole—then neither of you should give a signature. You will gather signatures for about 5 minutes.” Ensure there are no questions, and let the game begin. Then 5 minutes have passed, call “stop!” Ask everyone to come back to the large circle for a discussion. Ask participants: “How did you feel during this exercise?” (Probe: How did it feel giving your signature? How did it feel taking the signatures of others?) Discuss. Explore with the group who collected signatures from whom. Ask all the female characters to raise their hands. Ask each of them for the number of signatures they gathered. Ask the adolescent girl how many signatures she gathered. Ask all the male characters to raise their hands. Ask each of them for the number of signatures they gathered. Ask the group:What does this difference in numbers tell us about who in our community has the most freedom to use their power?Were there any encounters where it was not clear which character should give the signature? Which ones?Why do you think the male characters often felt more powerful than their female counterparts?” Please explain why some women did manage to gather some signatures.What about the adolescent girl? What does this tell us about girls’ vulnerability?When men often feel more powerful than women, how do you think some women became a leader or a judge or a businesswoman anyway?When men often feel more powerful than women, what does this mean for sexual relationships?Is this power imbalance healthy for our communities?”? “How does this power imbalance cause violence against womenSummarize: Power imbalance between women and men is not healthy for anyone. It creates tension, struggle and resentment. Balancing power does not mean losing power because power does not come in limited supply. It is not a quantity; it is a feeling. When someone uses her/his power over another person, the two are not able to work properly together to reach their goals. Women and men can create a balance of power in their relationship and have non-violent relationships. Only when the community speaks out and rejects the power imbalance between women and men will violence against women end. Men’s power over women and the community’s silence about this are the causes of violence against women. Key MessagePeople can use power in positive and negative ways. When people abuse power, it can be harmful especially between men and women. I can speak out against power balances.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who recognize power imbalances between characters during Power Walkabout debrief.Power Walkabout Character: Name TagsMale DoctorFemale NurseMale University StudentFemale University StudentMale Police OfficerFemale Police OfficerBusinesswomenBusinessmanMale FarmerFemale FarmerHousewifeMale Taxi DriverFemale Local LeaderMale Local LeaderAdolescent GirlAdolescent BoyWidowGod PaGirls Activity 4: The Matter of Consent2 hoursObjectives:To help students understand and appreciate the importance of consent in any sexual situation; to strengthen abstract thinking skills. Materials:Flipchart/ChalkboardPens/PencilsStrips of PaperBall or a crumpled piece of paperPreparation:Draw a small circle only big enough for two participants to stand in. Make sure that the circle is small enough that they are standing extremely close to each other.Write guidelines for giving consent on a flipchart paper:Decide for yourself. Be Confident. Be Mature. Keep a Clear Mind. Be Informed. Avoid the Situation.Write Case Studies on strips of paper to be distributed to groups(See Practice).Facilitator Notes:Remember that consent by women is rarely acknowledged or completely ignored when it comes to the body in Liberian culture. Keep in mind that this conversation of consent may open the door to conversations surrounding rape. These conversations are important as well, but the intended activities are to better understand the concept of consent. Wherever your conversations may go, always bring it back to the core objective of the activity at hand in order to stay focused. Motivation – Your Private Space Introduce the activity with the following explanation: Everyone’s body is special and is their own. It is up to you to decide who can touch you and how. Ask two students to stand inside the circle together and ask them how it feels to be so close [Perhaps nervous/anxious, excited, etc]. Explain to the whole group that they should imagine that this circle around themselves is their private space, and they get to decide who comes inside with them. ?On a flipchart draw a circle to represent this ‘private space’ and then draw three more rings around it. Tell the group to think about the people they are close to and who they would let into their own ‘private space’. As the group where they would place their mother? Father? Sister? Brother? Best Friend? Help them think of other people for example, parent, best friend, aunty, classmate, teacher, stranger, police officer, religious leader etc… Ask them to say which circle they think they should go in. When you’ve written the people into the circles, discuss the different types of contact that might happen with each one [for example, a parent might kiss and hug, a best friend might give a hand shake, a religious leader might just nod]. Say:I want you to quietly think about a time when someone came into your private space without rmation – What is Consent?Ask students to offer definitions of ‘consent’ in general. (This could start with students writing down definitions anonymously, or discussing in pairs). This doesn’t need to be just referring to sexual consent, but the group should come to some sort of definition about ‘agreeing to something’, ‘being willing to do it’. Then explain that sometimes, when it comes to sex, people talk about ‘free and informed consent’. What could some obstacles be to someone giving ‘free and informed consent’ to sexual activity? Write participants’ answers down on a board/piece of paper Possible Answers: They don’t want to do it! They don’t understand what they are agreeing to. They don’t have enough information about sex or risks involved. They feel pressure to say yes to sex. They are affected by alcohol or drugs and can’t think properly. There is a power imbalance, for example their partner is much older than them.Tell the participants that there are some easy things they can remember when deciding to give consent or no. Explain that there are GUIDELINES about giving consent: DECIDE FOR YOURSELF - Believe that you have the right to decide for yourself whether or not you want to participate in a particular sexual activity. ?BE CONFIDENT - Have a sense of power and control over your own life to be able to communicate your decision and make it happen. BE MATURE - Be old enough and mature enough to understand what something is and what consequences it might bring, and the maturity to communicate with your partner about these things. This includes pregnancy and infection.KEEP A CLEAR MIND - Have a clear mind, not impaired by alcohol or drugs at the time of decision-making. ?BE INFORMED - Have accurate information about your partner’s current sexual health status (including about any previous sexual exposure or drug use that ?could present a risk to you). ?AVOID THE SITUATION - As best you can, avoid situations where you are likely to experience pressure to have unwanted sex for material or financial reasons. Practice – Consent Case StudiesGet students into small groups and provide each group with a case study from below. Ask small groups to discuss the case study and if they think the guidelines for meaningful consent are met. Each small group should: Read their case study to the whole group ?Act out a brief role play of their case study ?Share their views on whether they think the guidelines were met and why.Case Study 1:Janet is 20 and John is 19. About six months ago, Janet asked John, to be her boyfriend. They are open and honest with each other and John wants to have sex. However, Janet tells John she is afraid of the consequences and does not feel ready. She said she would like just to kiss and touch each other for now. John really wanted to try intercourse, but he agreed with Janet. Now Janet thinks she is ready. She asks John where they can get more information to avoid any risk. Can Josef give free and informed consent? For DEBRIEF: Yes – Janet believes she has the right to decide for himself; she is able to communicate and make her decision happen, and her partner respects it; Janet's mind is clear; she does not have any financial motives; she is aware of and intends to inform herself about risks and protection; and she is legally old enough to make the decision. Although we don’t know if the partners have discussed their previous sexual behavior or drug use, we know that they are open and honest with each other.Case Study 2:Fatu is 14 and in school. Flomo is 18 and works with Fatu’s father. Flomo came to know Fatu when he visited her house. Fatu and Flomo have started meeting away from her house as well. Sometimes Flomo gives Fatu presents and money, if she needs it. Recently, he has started telling her how much he loves her and saying that he really wants to have sex with her. Can Fatu give free and informed consent?For DEBRIEF: No – A 14 year old does not have the maturity or the correct information to freely give consent. The age of consent in Liberia is 18. Also point out that she is being influenced by gifts and money.Case Study 3:Korto, 24, is at a party at the house of some students, and she is drinking a lot. Her partner, with whom she has had sex before, pulls her into a bedroom and starts taking off her clothes. She is fading in and out of consciousness. Can Korto give free and informed consent?For DEBRIEF: No – is drunk and nearly unconscious. She is unable to decide for herself, and her partner is not communicating with her.Open the discussion out to the whole group to ensure there is understanding of when consent is and isn’t possible. Ask students if a person can know for certain if a partner is consenting without talking with that person? Why or why not? What can someone do to be sure that a person who is “consenting” to sex is doing so freely and in an informed way? ?Key MessageI have the right to give or not to give sexual consent. At any moment, I can change my mind about what feels acceptable or to speak up if I believe I am not being respected. i can say no to a sexual experience even after it has started.Close with the key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants how successfully identify if free and informed consent is possible during case study role plays.Indicators: Captured under the Gender CSPPBoys Activity 1: Looking at our Attitudes1 hourObjectives:To explore attitudes about gender differences, roles, and inequalities. Materials:Four signs (“Strongly Agree,” “Strongly Disagree,” “Agree,” and “Disagree”) Markers Tape Copies of the Herman GridPreparation: Print copies of the Herman Grid before the session. Before the activity begins, place the four signs around the room. Leave enough space between them to allow a group of participants to stand near each one. Review the statements provided below. Choose five or six that you think will help the discussion most. Write definitions of sex and gender on a flipchart.Statements: It is easier to be a man than a woman. A girl who gets pregnant should drop from school. A man is more of a “man” if he has many sexual partners. Sex is more important to men than to women. It is okay for a man to have sex outside of a relationship, if his partner does not know about it. A woman who carries a condom in her purse is “frisky.” Men are more intelligent than women. Women who wear short skirts are asking for sex. Men who make decisions with their wife/girlfriend are weak.Facilitator Notes: It’s sometimes difficult to gauge how participants really feel with these kind of “move with your feet” sessions. Sometimes participants will just move with the crowd or tell you what you want to hear.If all the participants agree about any of the statements play the role of “devil’s advocate” by walking over to the opposite side of the room and asking, “Why would someone be standing on this side of the room?” (i.e., what values would they have that would put them here?) Some participants may say that they don’t know whether they agree or disagree and don’t want to stand beside any of the four signs. If this happens, ask these participants to say more about their reactions to the statement. Then encourage them to choose a sign to stand beside. If they still don’t want to, let these participants stand in the middle of the room as a “don’t know” group.Motivation – The Herman GridPass out copies of the Herman Grid to each learner. Ask them to share their impressions and if they see gray dots at the white intersections. Are the Gray spots really there? This is an example of how we sometimes see things that are not really there.Discussion: Have you ever had a wrong first impression about someone? Has someone ever had a wrong first impression about you? Ask participants to share and discuss their examples. Information – Sex vs. GenderReview SEX vs. GENDER with your participants. Ask them what is sex? Definition of Sex:Sex is about biology. Sex tells us about the differences in mens and womens bodies. Only females have organs in their bodies that enable them to menstruate, get pregnant, give birth to children and breastfeed. Only males have organs that produce sperm and make women pregnant. These differences are based on biology and are hard to change.Ask:What are some examples of sex characteristics?So what is gender? What are gender roles? Definition of Gender:Gender is learned. Gender describes the differences in ways that men and boys and women and girls are expected to behave: their dress, the work they do, the way they speak. It is our society that teaches us these things, our family, our church, our school, our community, our friends, etc... Gender roles can change over time.Ask:What are some examples of gender roles? What happens when we feel forced to follow society’s gender roles?Practice Explain to the participants that this activity is designed to give them a general understanding of their own and each other’s values and attitudes about gender. It is designed to challenge some of their current thinking about gender issues and help them clarify how they feel about certain issues. Remind the participants that everyone has a right to his or her own opinion, and everyone’s opinions should be respected. ?Read aloud the first statement you have chosen. Ask participants to stand near the sign that says what they think about the statement. After the participants have moved to their sign, ask for one or two participants beside each sign to explain why they are standing there. Ask them to say why they feel this way about the statement. ?After a few participants have talked about their attitudes towards the statement, ask if anyone wants to change their mind and move to another sign. Then bring everyone back together to the middle of the room and read the next statement. ?Repeat Steps 2 and 3. Continue with each of the statements you have chosen. ?After reading all of the statements, lead a discussion by asking the following questions: What statements, if any, did you have strong opinions and not very strong opinions about? Why? ?How did it feel to talk about an opinion that was different from that of some of the other?participants? ?How do you think people’s attitudes about the statements might affect the way they deal with men and women in their lives? ?Key MessageEveryone has their own attitudes about gender, but it is important to challenge those attitudes if they are harmful.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of individuals out of total # of individuals who successfully provide correct examples of gender roles.# of individuals out of total # of individuals who successfully provide examples of sex characteristics. Indicators: Captured under the Gender CSPPThe Herman Grid267970123825Boys Activity 2 – Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships1.5 hourObjectives:To be able to identify healthy and unhealthy behaviors that exists within relationships. Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardTapeMarkers/ChalkStrips of PaperPreparation:Write the following “Relationship Range’ cards in large letters on separate pieces of paper: “Very Healthy,” “Very Unhealthy” and “Depends.”Write each of the following Relationship Situations on a separate card (see handouts). Facilitator Notes: Gender has an impact on people staying in unhealthy relationships. In general, women and it harder to leave unhealthy relationships than men. Women earn less money than men and have less control over economic resources (land, credit). This makes many women economically dependent on their husbands. Socially, women are more stigmatized for being divorced or separated. There is huge social pressure on women to preserve the family. Men need skills and support to talk with their wives and girlfriends about creating healthier relationships. There is little support for either men or women in making their relationships healthier. But gender roles for women allow them to ask each other for support and to talk about their feelings. The gender rules for men make it difficult for them to ask for support on personal matters or to show their emotions. The first step toward healthier relationships are to challenge these gender rules. Men need more opportunities and permission to ask for support. Men also need specific training on how to talk about their feelings and their relationships. Motivation & Information– What is a Healthy Relationship?On the wall in front of the group, place the “Very Unhealthy” sign on the left and the “Very Healthy” sign on the right. Explain that this is the “Relationship Range” that will be used to discuss behaviors in relationships. Make clear that romantic relationships can be anywhere on this range between healthy and unhealthy. ?Break the group into pairs. Ask each person to share with their partner an example of a healthy relationship and an unhealthy relationship. The examples can be from their own lives or from people that they know. Allow each person five minutes to share her examples. Bring everyone back together. Ask the group to define healthy and unhealthy romantic relationships. Say:In healthy relationships, both partners are happy to be with the other person. In unhealthy relationships, one or both partners are unhappy because of continuing problems with the relationship that are not being addressed.Ask the group to brainstorm the qualities of a healthy relationship. Write these on a flipchart under the “Very Healthy” sign. Emphasize these key qualities: respect, equality, responsibility, and honesty. Make clear that the qualities of an unhealthy relationship are the opposite of those for a healthy relationship. ?Practice – Relationship Situations – Healthy or Unhealthy?Next to the Relationship Range put up another sign marked “Depends.” Then give out the “Relationship Situation” cards (see handouts) to the participants. Choose one of the participants at random to read aloud what is on their card. Ask them to say how healthy or unhealthy this situation is in a relationship and why they think so. Tell them to place the card in the appropriate place on the Relationship Range, or in the “Depends” category. ?Ask the group what they think about this placement. Allow time for discussion. If they don’t agree, remind them of the qualities of a healthy relationship (respect, equality, responsibility, honesty). Ask them if the situation shows these qualities. Repeat each “Relationship Situation” cards. Then lead a general discussion by asking the following questions: ?Why do you think some people stay in unhealthy relationships? Are the reasons different for women and for men? Why?Application– DebriefHow can friends and family help people in unhealthy relationships? What skills and support do men need to create healthier relationships? Healthy relationships are based on communication and mutual respect. Decisions are made together and not one person dominates the relationship. Unhealthy relationships, on the other hand, can mean poor communication and unequal decision making, which makes open talk about sexual behavior and contraception extremely difficult, and thus puts one or both partners at greater risk for STIs and HIV and bring violence to the home. Key MessageIn a healthy relationship, my partner and I are happy to be with each other. It is important that I have open communication and respect for my partner.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants that who correctly identify where on the ‘relationship range’ their ‘relationship situation card’ should go and why during Application. This shows understanding of traits of a healthy or unhealthy relationship.IndicatorsYD – 002 – A: Life Skills – Positive CommunicationNumber of youth, out of the total number of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who exhibited new positive communication or relational skills in one or more of the following ways: active, reflective listening with empathy; summarizing or paraphrasing others’ words; assertive negotiation skills; expressing needs and wants clearly; resisting opportunities or pressure to engage in risky behavior; resolving conflict appropriately without resorting to violence or combative behavior.Relationship Situation CardsYou never disagree with your partner.You spend some time by yourself without your partner.You have fun being with your partner.Your partner is still close to his or her ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend.You feel closer and closer to your partner as time goes on.You will do anything for your partner.Sex is not talked about.One person usually makes every decision for the couple.You stay in the relationship because it is better than being alone.You are in control and you are able to do what you want to do.You talk about problems when they arise in the relationship.You argue and fight often.Boys Activity 3 – Persons & Things2 hourObjectives:To increase awareness about the existence of power in relationships and its impact on individuals and relationships. Materials:Flipchart/chalkboardTapeMarkers/ChalkPlain PaperPreparation: Write or print and cut Power Walkabout Characters: Name Tags(see handouts).Facilitator Notes: Some of the participants might not feel comfortable with the role-play in this activity. It is important to be sensitive to how participants react to being assigned the role of “persons” or “things” and to be prepared to make the necessary accommodations or changes. For example, rather than have the participants actually carry out the role-play, the facilitator might invite the participants to discuss in pairs how “persons” might treat “things” and the feelings that this might generate for the “persons” and “things.” If participants are comfortable taking on the roles of different characters, be sure to monitor the seriousness of participants during the Power Walkabout. Participants will have fun being different characters on a walkabout, which is good. However, be sure to monitor it and bring it back so that participants are evaluating their power with others and following the instructions of the activity. Motivation – Persons and ThingsDivide the participants into three groups. Each group should have the same number of participants. (Note: If the number of participants does not allow for an even distribution, assign the “extra” participants to the third group which, as described below, will be the observers.) ?Tell the participants that the name of this activity is: Persons and Things. Choose, at random, one group to be the “things,” another to be “persons,” and a third to be “observers.” ?Read the following directions to the group: THINGS: You cannot think, feel, or make decisions. You have to do what the “persons” tells ?you to do. If you want to move or do something, you have to ask the person for permission. ?PERSONS: You can think, feel, and make decisions. Furthermore, you can tell the objects?what to do. ?OBSERVERS: You just observe everything that happens in silence. ?Assign each “person” a “thing” and tell them that they can do what they want with them (within the space of the room). For example: they can move their “thing’s” arms up and down. They can make them face the wall, etc… NOTE: Make sure they are respecting each other and not doing anything inappropriate. ?Give the group five minutes for the “people” and “things” to carry out their designated roles. ?After five minutes, tell the persons and things that they will switch and that now the “persons” will be “things” and “things” will be “persons.” Give them another five minutes to carry out the new ?roles. ?Finally, ask the groups to go back to their places in the room and use the questions below to ?facilitate a discussion. How did your “persons” treat you? What did you feel? Did you feel powerless? Why or why not? ?How did you treat your “things”? How did it feel to treat someone this way? Did it make you feel powerful? Why or why not? ?Why did the “things” obey the instructions given by the “persons”? ?Were there “things” or “persons” who resisted the exercise? ?In your daily lives, do others treat you like “things”? Who? Why? ?In your daily lives, do you treat others like “things”? Who? Why? ?Information– What is Power?Ask students what they think the word power means. Collect some answers Ask students to think examples of how people use power, both positive and negative. Clarify and guide if this seems difficult.Then, ask students to make a list of what sorts of things influence the amount of power people have? (Some responses might include: their wealth, age, job, friends, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, language, religion, size, strength, popularity, skill, knowledge, and possessions.) Explain the different between ‘power over’ and ‘power with’:Power over: Having control over someone, or over a situation. This power over others can be used in positive or negative ways. For example, a parent has power over their child, but may use this power to care for the child. In contrast, an adult may harm a child, using their power in negative ways. Power with: Having power with other people and groups, involves working with others to make things happen. This power can also be used in either positive or negative ways. For example, a group can work together to tidy up their community or to help others. This is positive use of power with. However, a group can band together to do crime or to be cruel to others. This is negative use of power with. Point out that that the “Persons and Things” game shows how easy it is for those who have power over others to fail to notice what effect their use of that power has on the quality of life of the persons they have power over. It can be easy to abuse power over othersPractice & Application – Power WalkaboutExplain to participants:“We are going to do another activity that shows use about power in our communities. We know that the community has different beliefs about women and men, girls and boys, and it affects what is expected of them and what they are able to do and become. Generally, communities value men more than women. This means men are allowed to more freely use their power, and women are restricted in using theirs, thereby allowing some men to use their power over women. This next exercise will explore the consequences of the imbalance of power between women and men.” Give each participant a piece of tape and a name-tag.? Ask participants to tape their name tags to the front of their bodies. Explain the game as follows: “Each of you has a name tag representing a person in our community. You will walk around the room as the character written on your name- tag. Using a notebook or a piece of paper collect as many signatures as possible from characters you encounter. You can only get a signature from those who you feel more powerful than you in the community. If you and another character cannot agree who has more power—from the perspective of society as a whole—then neither of you should give a signature. You will gather signatures for about 5 minutes.” Ensure there are no questions, and let the game begin. Then 5 minutes have passed, call “stop!” Ask everyone to come back to the large circle for a discussion. Ask participants: “How did you feel during this exercise?” (Probe: How did it feel giving your signature? How did it feel taking the signatures of others?) Discuss. Explore with the group who collected signatures from whom. Ask all the female characters to raise their hands. Ask each of them for the number of signatures they gathered. Ask the adolescent girl how many signatures she gathered. Ask all the male characters to raise their hands. Ask each of them for the number of signatures they gathered. Ask the group:What does this difference in numbers tell us about who in our community has the most freedom to use their power?Were there any encounters where it was not clear which character should give the signature? Which ones?Why do you think the male characters often felt more powerful than their female counterparts?” Please explain why some women did manage to gather some signatures.What about the adolescent girl? What does this tell us about girls’ vulnerability?When men often feel more powerful than women, how do you think some women became a leader or a judge or a businesswoman anyway?When men often feel more powerful than women, what does this mean for sexual relationships?Is this power imbalance healthy for our communities?”? “How does this power imbalance cause violence against womenSummarize:Power imbalance between women and men is not healthy for anyone. It creates tension, struggle and resentment. Balancing power does not mean losing power because power does not come in limited supply. It is not a quantity; it is a feeling. When someone uses her/his power over another person, the two are not able to work properly together to reach their goals. Women and men can create a balance of power in their relationship and have non-violent relationships. Only when the community speaks out and rejects the power imbalance between women and men will violence against women end. Men’s power over women and the community’s silence about this are the causes of violence against women. Key MessagePeople can use power in positive and negative ways. When people abuse power, it can be harmful especially between men and women. I can speak out against power balances.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who recognize power imbalances between characters during Power Walkabout debrief.Indicators: Captured under the Gender CSPPPower Walkabout Character: Name TagsMale DoctorFemale NurseMale University StudentFemale University StudentMale Police OfficerFemale Police OfficerBusinesswomenBusinessmanMale FarmerFemale FarmerHousewifeMale Taxi DriverFemale Local LeaderMale Local LeaderAdolescent GirlAdolescent BoyWidowGod PaBoys Activity 4: The Matter of Consent1 hourObjectives:To help students understand and appreciate the importance of consent in any sexual situation; to strengthen abstract thinking skills. Materials:Flipchart/ChalkboardStrips of PaperBall or a crumpled piece of paperPreparation:Draw a small circle only big enough for two participants to stand in. Make sure that the circle is small enough that they are standing extremely close to each other.Write guidelines for giving consent on a flipchart paper:Decide for yourself. Be Confident. Be Mature. Keep a Clear Mind. Be Informed. Avoid the Situation.Write Case Studies on strips of paper to be distributed to groups(See Practice).Facilitator Notes: Remember that consent by women is rarely acknowledged or completely ignored when it comes to the body in Liberian culture. Keep in mind that this conversation of consent may open the door to conversations surrounding rape. These conversations are important as well, but the intended activities are to better understand the concept of consent. Wherever your conversations may go, always bring it back to the core objective of the activity at hand in order to stay focused. Motivation – What are the ingredients of a Good Relationship?Start by asking participants to sit in a circle and to throw a ball to each other. As each person catches the ball they should answer the question: “What are the ingredients of a good relationship?” (be clear here that you are talking specifically about a romantic relationship.) If time allows, each person should give their word or short phrase. You will likely get words, which refer to ‘respect’ ‘good communication’ ‘fun’ and so on. Discuss any themes, which have emerged, or any meanings, which were not clear. Explain that in this session the group will be discussing consent in relationships, and that actually, a lot of the things, which make for a positive or healthy relationship are also the things we need for good sex. Having any kind of sex with another person requires communication, mutual respect (and desire!) and this is what consent is all about. Information – What is Consent?Ask students to offer definitions of ‘consent’ in general. (This could start with students writing down definitions anonymously, or discussing in pairs). This doesn’t need to be just referring to sexual consent, but the group should come to some sort of definition about ‘agreeing to something’, ‘being willing to do it’. Then explain that sometimes, when it comes to sex, people talk about ‘free and informed consent’. What could some obstacles be to someone giving ‘free and informed consent’ to sexual activity? Write participants’ answers down on a board/piece of paper Possible Answers: They don’t want to do it! They don’t understand what they are agreeing to. They don’t have enough information about sex or risks involved. They feel pressure to say yes to sex. They are affected by alcohol or drugs and can’t think properly. There is a power imbalance, for example their partner is much older than them.Tell the participants that there are some easy things they can remember when deciding to give consent or no. Explain that there are GUIDELINES about giving consent: DECIDE FOR YOURSELF - Believe that you have the right to decide for yourself whether or not you want to participate in a particular sexual activity. ?BE CONFIDENT - Have a sense of power and control over your own life to be able to communicate your decision and make it happen. BE MATURE - Be old enough and mature enough to understand what something is and what consequences it might bring, and the maturity to communicate with your partner about these things. This includes pregnancy and infection.?KEEP A CLEAR MIND - Have a clear mind, not impaired by alcohol or drugs at the time of decision-making. ?BE INFORMED - Have accurate information about your partner’s current sexual health status (including about any previous sexual exposure or drug use that ?could present a risk to you). ?AVOID THE SITUATION - As best you can, avoid situations where you are likely to experience pressure to have unwanted sex for material or financial reasons. Practice – Consent Case StudiesGet students into small groups and provide each group with a case study from below. Ask small groups to discuss the case study and if they think the guidelines for meaningful consent are met. Each small group should: Read their case study to the whole group ?Act out a brief role play of their case study ?Share their views on whether they think the guidelines were met and why.Case Study 1:Janet is 20 and John is 19. About six months ago, Janet asked John, to be her boyfriend. They are open and honest with each other and John wants to have sex. However, Janet tells John she is afraid of the consequences and does not feel ready. She said she would like just to kiss and touch each other for now. John really wanted to try intercourse, but he agreed with Janet. Now Janet thinks she is ready. She asks John where they can get more information to avoid any risk. Can Josef give free and informed consent? For DEBRIEF: Yes – Janet believes she has the right to decide for himself; she is able to communicate and make her decision happen, and her partner respects it; Janet's mind is clear; she does not have any financial motives; she is aware of and intends to inform herself about risks and protection; and she is legally old enough to make the decision. Although we don’t know if the partners have discussed their previous sexual behavior or drug use, we know that they are open and honest with each other.Case Study 2:Fatu is 14 and in school. Flomo is 18 and works with Fatu’s father. Flomo came to know Fatu when he visited her house. Fatu and Flomo have started meeting away from her house as well. Sometimes Flomo gives Fatu presents and money, if she needs it. Recently, he has started telling her how much he loves her and saying that he really wants to have sex with her. Can Fatu give free and informed consent?For DEBRIEF: No – A 14 year old does not have the maturity or the correct information to freely give consent. The age of consent in Liberia is 18. Also point out that she is being influenced by gifts and money.Case Study 3:Korto, 24, is at a party at the house of some students, and she is drinking a lot. Her partner, with whom she has had sex before, pulls her into a bedroom and starts taking off her clothes. She is fading in and out of consciousness. Can Korto give free and informed consent?For DEBRIEF: No – is drunk and nearly unconscious. She is unable to decide for herself, and her partner is not communicating with her.Open the discussion out to the whole group to ensure there is understanding of when consent is and isn’t possible. Ask students if a person can know for certain if a partner is consenting without talking with that person? Why or why not? What can someone do to be sure that a person who is “consenting” to sex is doing so freely and in an informed way? ?Key MessageWe have the right to give or not to give sexual consent. At any moment, you can change your mind about what feels acceptable or to speak up if you believe you are not being respected. You can say no to a sexual experience ever after it has started.Close with the key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants how successfully identify if free and informed consent is possible during case study role plays.Indicators: Captured under the Gender CSPPCritical ThinkingThe Importance of Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking is the ability to analyze the way you think, solve problems and present ideas. It promotes creativity, independence and effective communication. Improving the critical thinking skills of youth not only improves their academic performance but enhances decision-making and encourages teamwork. Critical Thinking ActivitiesActivity 1:Identifying Problems & PerseveranceActivity 2:Analyze, Infer & Predict Activity 3:Fair Play & Teamwork Activity 1: Identifying Problems & Perseverance1.5 hoursObjectives:Learners will be able to acknowledge a problem or challenge, identify possible solutions, and persevere to overcome their challenges. Materials: (1 of each of the following per 4 learners):30 feet of rope6 bottle caps3 Cannibals3 Explorers1 paper “boat” that holds up to 2 bottle caps (something to help learners remember what side of the river the boat is on).Preparation: Make sure you know how to solve the ‘Cannibals & Explorers’ challenge so you can help participants if they need it.Facilitator Note:Perseverance is hard, a lot of students will just have the mentality that if they can’t solve a problem they can just give up. They are used to just copying the teacher and trying to just repeat that same answer later. Really try to encourage learners to tell themselves, “I can do it, I just have to keep trying!”Motivation – EnergizerDo an energizer to excite learners. Ask learners if they faced any problems in the past week (something at school, at home or with their friends). Make sure they say something specific. Ask learners how they solved their problems. Listen to some responses.Note: Say, “Those are some good observations. Today we are going to be talking about identifying problems and persevering to solve those problems.”Information – Identifying ProblemsAsk students, listen and respond to questions. After each questions and response, paraphrase or specifically use a learner’s answer that you thought was satisfactory.What is a problem?What does it mean to solve a problem?What does it mean to persevere, or have perseverance?Have you ever had to, or have you seen anyone persevere, what did you/they do?What can we do to help ourselves persevere?Tell ourselves: “I can do this. I just have to try again!”Why is it good to be a problem solver?Key Vocabulary (if needed): Problem: A situation that is harmful and needs to be overcome.Perseverance: Being determined and not giving up. Solution: The way in which someone can solve a problem.Briefly talk about the usefulness of being able to recognize a problem, work hard to find a solution, and persevering to achieve that solution despite the obstacles.Practice – Shrinking LandMention how you will now practice these problem- solving skills by completing a challenge.Split Groups into teams of 4 (team numbers can range significantly depending on how you judge the situation, you can always change the number for next time).Describe the activity:Shrinking Land: Players must not step outside of the boundary! Work together as a team to stay inside of the rope. Say: “You are nah able to step outside the rope, yeah? You step out, the game fini!” If one person steps outside the rope, the whole team loses.Surround each team with a rope on the ground in order to make a circle around them. Ask the teams what the problem is!Take responses Reiterate the answer, “The Land is shrinking!”Make the rope circles smaller around each team, reminding them that they must stay inside of the rope.Ask the teams what the problem is!Take responses Reiterate the answer, “The Land is shrinking!”Repeat until the teams lose.Ask them if they think they can do better.Start the game with the teams already close together.When the teams are finished, ask them how they solved the problem of the shrinking land (they did so by getting closer together).Application – The Challenge: Explorers and CannibalsSay: “Now we’re going to do a challenge that involves perseverance! This one, it nah easy. But I know you can do it and if you feel like you not gettin’ it, tell yourself, “I can do it I just have to keep trying!”If you have teams of 4, have the teams assign rolls (with extra players have more than 1 Cheerer).Cheer LeaderThis person will tell the person who is solving the problem to keep trying and that they can do it!SolverThis person will be solving the problem. If the player gets stuck they should think, “I can do it, I just have to keep trying!”RefereeMakes sure the solver is following the rules of the game!Should also be encouraging the solver to “keep trying!”CaptainThis person will make sure the others are following their rollAsks the player if they want help from other playersMake sure everyone is clear on the rolls.The Challenge: Explorers and CannibalsGive each team a boat, 3 “Cannibals”, and “3 Explorers”Say: 3 Cannibals and 3 Explorers are trying to cross a river but there is only 1 boat.If the Cannibals are more in number than the Explorers, then the Explorers get eaten! And you must start over. Any of the people cross 2-2 (2 Cannibals, 2 Explorers, or 1 Explorer and 1 Cannibals) or they can cross just 1-1. The goal, is to get everyone to cross the river at the same time. MAKE SURE YOU PRACTICE THIS AND CAN DO IT YOURSELF!Make sure the teams are clear on the rules, give them the supplies, and read the challenge again. Tell them that when they finish they should call one of you over to make sure they are solving it without any Explorers being eaten.Tell them to start solving, while they are working, you should check in and give encouragement to the teams and remind them to tell themselves, “I can do it, I just have to keep trying!” if they face a challenge. This challenge will take some time, make sure to encourage frustrated teams without solving the problem for them.After every team has finished collect the materials and ask the following questions:What the problem was?Did you have to persevere? How?What was hard?Acknowledge that it was hard but that they persevered and found a solution! Celebrate their success!Send learners home, have them try to identify problems/times they persevere and remember them for next session. Key MessageProblems are all around us. When I recognize a problem that I want to solve, I can persevere to solve it. Keep preserving!Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participant who were able to use their problem solving skills to complete the ‘Explorers or Cannibals’ challenge.# of participants out of total # of participants who persevered through the ‘Explorers or Cannibals’ challenge whether they actually solved the challenge.IndicatorsYD – 003 – A: Decision-Making and Critical ThinkingNumber of youth, out of total number of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrate improved decision making and problem solving skills.Activity 2: Analyze, Infer, and Predict1.5 hoursObjectives: Learners will be able to analyze a problem, infer something about the problem, and make a prediction.Materials: 1 - 30ft ropeSupplies for Boat Challenge: aluminum foil, dry spaghetti, paper-clip, bottle caps.Bucket of water for each team.Infer, Predict, and Analyze DRTAsPreparation:Make sure you are familiar with the DRTAs and review how to use them.Motivation – EnergizerDo an energizer to excite learners. Ask learners if they saw any examples of problems and/or perseverance (from others or from themselves) over the past week. Say:“Those are some good observations. Today we are going to be talking about analyzing problems and solutions.”Information – How we Analyze, Infer and Predict?Ask students, listen and respond to questions. After each questions and response, paraphrase or specifically use a learners answer that you thought was satisfactory. Does anyone know what it means to Analyze?To understand a situationDoes anyone know what if means to infer?Use prior knowledge to make a decision.What does it mean to Predict?Tell what is going to happen next, using observationsRecall: What does it mean to persevere?Key Vocabulary (if needed):Analyze: Understand a situation.Infer: Use prior knowledge to make a decision about something.Predict: Tell what is going to happen next, using observations.Perseverance: Being determined and not giving up. We can practice these by using our DRTA Sentence frames!Show the DRTAS:DRTA Analyze: I observed _____________ and it makes me think ________________.DRTA INFER: Because I know ______________, I can infer __________________.DRTA PREDICT: Since I observed ___________, I predict _________________.Talk about how you can use them and give some examples.Practice –Tug of WarUse these DRTAs and practice Analyzing and Predicting: Split Groups into teams of 4 (team numbers can range significantly depending on how you judge the situation, you can always change the number for next time). There need to be at least 3 teams for this activity! Give the teams a piece of rope.Describe the activity: Tug of War: When we say “Go!” the learners will try and pull the other team across the line! Mark a line on the ground.Make sure the teams are somewhat equal in strength.Have two teams play while the third sits out and observes.Have the teams get set.Ask the teams what the problem is!Take responses Reiterate the answer, “To pull the other team across the mark!”Ask the team sitting out to use the INFER DRTA; note this will be difficult for learners not used to the DRTA concept it’s ok to walk them through it till they get it right.Say “Go!”Bring order to the chaos.Ask the team sitting out what they observed.Ask them to analyze using the DRTA.Ask them to predict who will win the next round using the DRTA.Ask the losing team if they think they can persevere, have them say, “we can do it!”Repeat Tug of War and questions a couple times.Repeat with each team sitting out and answering the DRTAsApplication – The Challenge: Building RaftsSay:“Now we’re goin’ to analyze, infer, and predict as a team!” If you have teams of 4, have the teams assign rolls (extra players should be Consultants/Encouragers or Co-builders/designers).Consultants/EncouragersThis person will tell the person who is solving the problem to keep trying and that they can do it!Can provide ideas but can’t do any of the work. Can only share their ideas after asking the Captain for permission.BuilderThis person will build whatever the designer decides to go with.DesignerTake feedback from team and come up with a final design.Should also be encouraging the builder.CaptainThis person will give permission for players to speak in turn to give ideas.Can also give ideas.Should ask the designer/builder if they would like help from the other teammates.Should ask all players for one final input before moving on from the design phase to the build phase.Make sure everyone is clear on the roles.The Challenge – Rafts(Note: You could substitute an activity from the Critical Thinking lab session)Create a raft/boat that can hold an amount of weight (rocks/whatever) (using only the given materials).Make sure the teams are clear on the rules, give them the supplies, and read the challenge again. While they are completing the activity you should walk around and encourage them to infer, analyze, and predict before testing their design, jump in and ask the following questions:Ask learners what the problem is/if they are having to persevere.Ask if they inferred during the design.Have them answer using the INFER DRTA .Ask if they analyzed during the building process.Have them answer using the ANALYZE DRTA .Ask if they made predictions during the building process/designHave them answer using the PREDICT DRTA.The challenge will take 30 – 45 minutes, afterwards repeat the questions for all the teams to hear from one another. Ask them how their designs could have been improved. Make sure they are using the DRTAs.Remind learners that they had to identify a problem. Remind learners they had to persevere to find success. Acknowledge that it was hard but that they persevered and found a solution! Celebrate their success! Send learners home, and have them Analyze, Infer, and Predict about something and bring it to the next session!Key MessageI can Infer, Analyze and Predict to help me solve problems!Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who can successfully use the INTER DRTA. # of participants out of total # of participants who can successfully use the ANALYZE DRTA.# of participants out of total # of participants who can successfully use the PREDICT DRTA.IndicatorsYD – 003 – A: Decision-Making and Critical ThinkingNumber of youth, out of total number of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrate improved decision making and problem solving skills.Activity 3 – Fair Play & Teamwork1.5 hourObjectives:Learners will practice their critical thinking and focus on fair play & teamwork.Materials & Preparation:Choose what Critical Thinking Activity/Challenge you would like your participants to complete. You can make them all do the same challenge or choose a combination of different challenges depending on what materials you have. Please note that if your club has complete Activity 2 – Analyze, Infer & Predict, they will already know how to do the Raft challenge.Note: Not all materials are necessarily needed to successfully complete a challenge. Materials can be substituted or eliminated as the instructor sees fit. When possible, use “stretch it” to push and measure student learning.Tower Construction: Create a free standing tower (using only the given materials)Cardboard scrapsPaperPensRubber bandsTapeDry spaghettiEgg Drop: Create a structure that can safely transport an egg from a given height to the ground (using only the given materials)EggsEmpty bottles/containersPlastic bagsThin ropeTapeToilet paperRafts: Create a raft/boat that can hold an amount of weight (rocks/whatever) (using only the given materials)Aluminum foilStrawsLarge container with waterDry spaghettiBridges: Create a bridge (x length) that can carry a heavy load (rocks/whatever) (using only the given materials)Tooth picksDry spaghettiString GlueRubber bandsTapeAluminum foilMotivation – Energizer Do an energizer to excite learners. Ask learners if they analyzed, inferred, or predicted about something over the past week.Say:“Those are some good observations, (share your own example). Today we are going to be working on fair play and teamwork!”Information – What is Fair Play &Teamwork?Ask students, listen and respond to questions. After each question and response, paraphrase or specifically use a learner’s answer that you thought was satisfactory.Does anyone know what it means to treat others fairly?Explain why fairness is important (especially when it comes to competition).You don’t deserve the win if you don’t get it fairly.Treating others unfairly makes them feel bad.What does it mean to be a team?What does it mean to work together?What does teamwork mean?Vocabulary (if needed):Fair: to do something without cheating or trying to achieve unjust advantageTeam work: the combined action of a group of people, especially when effective and efficient.Practice & Application – The ChallengeSplit Groups into teams of 4 (team numbers can range significantly depending on how you judge the situation, you can always change the number for next time). Key MessageI can always Infer, Analyze and Predict to help me solve problems!Describe the activity/challenge:Explain the goal for your chosen Critical Thinking Lab Activity/Challenge.Start groups out with obviously unequal or unfair resources to complete their challenge. Ask each team how they feel about the situation at hand. Talk about why it is good to share and be fair and ask them about how the current situation could be made to be more fair. Consequently, make sure each teammate has a voice during the process as each player should contribute to a successful team!Say: “Now we’re goin’ to try our challenge again, this time we are goin’ to work together as a team!”If you have teams of 4, have the teams assign roles (extra players should be Consultants/Encouragers or Co-builders/designers).Consultants/EncouragersThis person will tell the person who is solving the problem to keep trying and that they can do it!Can provide ideas but can’t do any of the work. Can only share their ideas after asking the Captain for permission.BuilderThis person will build whatever the designer decides to go with.DesignerTake feedback from team and come up with a final design.Should also be encouraging the builder.CaptainThis person will give permission for players to speak in turn to give ideas.Can also give ideas.Should ask the designer/builder if they would like help from the other teammates.Should ask all players for one final input before moving on from the design phase to the build phase.Make sure everyone is clear on the roles. Repeat the point of the Challenge you chose. Tell teams to call you over before they start building! Ask the team how each player has so far contributed to the design and what their plan is to work together on the building phase.While they are completing the activity you should walk around and encourage them to infer, analyze, and predict before testing their design, jump in and ask the following questions:Ask learners what the problem is/if they are having to persevere.Ask if they inferred during the design (Have them answer using the INFER DRTA).Ask if they analyzed during the building process. (Have them answer using the ANALYZE DRTA).Ask if they made predictions during the building process/design (Have them answer using the PREDICT DRTA.)Ask them if they are working together and have each participant answer questions. The challenge will take 30 – 45 minutes, afterwards repeat the questions for all the teams to hear from one another.Ask them how their designs could have been improved.Answer using the DRTAs!Ask them how they could have had better teamwork (Have them use the PREDICT DRTA to answer how their suggested change would help.)If there is more time, here are additional questions:About their process, did they just start building or did they make a plan first?What were some concerns you had about this task?What inspired you to choose this design?How did you decide as a group on this design?Did everyone do equal work?What makes a successful “x”?How could this design be improved?Then how they feel now that they have accomplished their task?Recognize that they had to analyze and persevere to find a solution and recalled prior knowledge to come up with their design (if they did so)Then how they feel now that they have accomplished their task?Recognize that they had to analyze and persevere to find a solution and recalled prior knowledge to come up with their design (if they did so)Remind learners about key parts of previous sessions as well as the importance of fairness and teamwork. Celebrate their success!Send learners home, and have them practice what they’ve learned!Key MessageWhen I make sure everyone is treated fairly on a team, then we can work together to solve problems!Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participant who were able to use their problem solving skills to complete their critical thinking activity/challenge. # of participants out of total # of participants who persevered despite the challenge through observation during group work.IndicatorsYD – 003 – A: Decision-Making and Critical ThinkingNumber of youth, out of total number of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with, who demonstrate improved decision making and problem solving skills.Financial LiteracyThe Importance of Financial LiteracyFinancial Literacy helps to prioritize spending and manage your inflow and outflow of money. By creating a budget, you can identify wasteful expenditures and consider where you should focus your spending. In knowing how much you expect to earn and spend, you can develop a saving plan for future endeavors such as furthering your education or opening a business. Financial Literacy ActivitiesActivity 1: The Budget GameActivity 2: Path to SuccessActivity 3: SavingActivity 1: The Budget Game1 hourObjectives:Understanding that your income determines what you can buy.Understanding that it is important to write down your expenses – keep a budget! Understanding that budgeting helps you prepare for emergencies. Materials:PaperMarkersPens/PencilsPreparation:Cut strips of paper for Motivation.Write or Print out “Role-play/Income Cards” (see handouts).Write or Print out “Chance Cards” (see handouts).Motivation – What Do You Buy?Gather the participants together and distribute small paper cards to each of them. Ask them to think about what they (or their parents) spend money on every week. If they are having trouble thinking of examples, direct them to the following categories of expenditure: rent, utilities (current, water), food, clothes, phone, health, transportation and education. After you’ve collected a good amount of cards, get the participants to lay them out on the floor so everyone can see them. Remove any duplicates and add some of your own, if necessary. Ask each participant to identify their top three items. Which of them do they think are most important? Why? Can they survive the week if they buy a scratch card before they pay their rent?Information – The Budget GameExplain to the participants that income can change how you spend money. For example, if a man is making 10,000 LD a week, he won’t struggle to buy soap but a market woman who only makes 500 LD a week, might not be able to buy soap for the whole family and still pay her rent or buy her food. Income can change financial decisions. Depending on numbers, divide the big group into smaller groups. Each group will then be given a ‘Role-play/Income’ card, which details a role they’ll have to play and a corresponding income. (See handouts for example cards)After giving them some time to read their card, ask each group to think about what they would or could now buy with their income. Do they think they would be able to save any of their money? Would they struggle to buy everything they wanted to?Practice – Budget GameKeep the expenses cards on the ground but add ‘Chance’ cards to the selection, face down. Explain to the participants that each group must now choose one of the expenses cards along with one of the ‘Chance’ cards. With each round, they must assess whether or not they can afford the cards they have chosen. If they cannot, they are out of the game but need to suggest a way in which they could find extra money to pay for their unexpected expenses. See below for example ‘Chance’ cards: You can choose to continue the game for however many rounds you have time for, or you can call time when it’s clear that the group understands that the roles with the greater incomes are the only ones left (hopefully). Application – DebriefOnce the game is finished, get everyone to come back together to discuss. Ask them:Did you see any relationship between income (how much money you have) and expenses (what you want to buy)?Did you see examples of people buying things they could not afford? How did it affect them?Think about the ‘Chance’ cards. Do you think you could have afforded them, if you had saved some of your weekly income?Do you think writing down how much everything costs you, could help you prepare for unexpected situations? Key MessageIf I budget my money, I will be prepared for anything! Good budgeting can help me achieve my goals. Close with the Key Message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants that who are able to prioritize ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ during Motivation through participation of participants and observations.# of participants out of total # of participants that who can recognized the relationship between income and expenses during session debrief. Record answers from participants during debrief.# of participants out of total # of participants that who understand the importance of writing down expenses and making a budget during session debrief. Record answers from participants during debrief.IndicatorsCED – 005 – B : Better Bookkeeping at Individual LevelNumber of Individuals, out of total number of individuals the Volunteer/partner worked with, who improved their standard bookkeeping practices.Role-Play/Income CardsChance CardsActivity 2: Path to Success1 hourObjectives:Understanding that success is defined by you!Understanding how you can reach your goals.Planning out a future career path.Materials:FlipchartPaperPencils/Markers/PensPreparation:Prepare your own “Path to Success” so you are able to give your participants an example. Cover your path up while they are working on their own so they do not copy yours.Motivation – Identifying GoalsGather your participants and ask them to consider the following questions and record their answers on a flipchart.Consider the types of jobs or careers of people in your country and the skills and qualifications needed to achieve these positions. In what job or career could you see yourself in the future? Explain what your role would be in this position.What level of education will you need to complete to acquire this type of position? Will you need to graduate from high school, college or a training school? If so, what school will you attend?If you will further your education beyond high school, how much do you expect your education to cost? How will you obtain the money to attend school? Maybe you will find a temporary job to save money to pay for school (e.g. drive a motorbike, work in the mines, start a small business). Explain the steps you will have to take before you further your education. Once you obtain the education and skills necessary to pursue your desired career, you will look for a job. Where will you search for a job? At what companies will you look for positions? Will you likely find a job in the private or public sector?Information & Practice – My Path to SuccessGive each participant their own on plain paper. Ask them to think about the questions they just answered in the opening session. Explain to them that achieving your goals can sometimes feel like walking down a long path. When you go on long journeys, you need a map or guide to help you find your way. Planning your goals and future career require the same! Sometimes the path is not straight; it curves and bends when you have to find a way around an obstacle or challenge. Ask each participant to title their map - “(Your Name)’s Path to Success.”Draw a line across your paper representing your path. Paths are not usually straight. They can be curvy or have other routes diverging from the main path, which could represent other directions you may take if the first does not lead to your destination. Ultimately, you do not know the future so considering alternate routes could be beneficial in overcoming expected/unexpected obstacles. Begin with graduating from high school. Your high school education should be your first priority in reaching your goals whether or not higher education is required for your desired profession. Include the following: Name of high schoolExpected graduation yearSmall depiction (e.g. graduation cap)At the end of your path is your desired profession. Include the following:The title of the career/job you hope to obtainSmall depiction representing your professionAlong your path include the obstacles you may have to overcome and steps you will take to reach your desired profession. Include any education or training you will need. Include any job or experience you may acquire to aid in reaching your goal. Application – DebriefAsk the participants if they would like to share their paths with the rest of the group. Did it help them, to write down their goals and the steps they needed to take to reach them? Encourage them to share their paths with their families and friends, also.Key MessageThinking about how I will reach my goals is the first step on my path to success! Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants that successfully complete their own “Path to Success.”IndicatorsYD-004-A: Life Skills – Goal SettingNumber of youth, out of total number of youth the Volunteer/partner worked with who made a plan to achieve a long term goal.Activity 3 – Saving Money1 hourObjectives:Promote the idea of saving money to save for future endeavors or unexpected emergencies. Materials: Empty plastic beverage bottle (the wider the better)ScissorsPlain PaperColored paper (1 sheet of any two colors) (if available)PencilGlueTransparent tapeFacilitator Notes:Be creative! If you are working with a younger age demographic, the animal faces will be a nice touch for your ‘piggy banks’ but are by no means necessary for the activity. Alternatively, you could just allow your participants to cover the bottle in different paper and draw designs on it. You can also create your own templates for your participants.Motivation – What Would You Save For?Ask each participant to think about something they want to achieve or purchase at some point in their life. Do they want to go to University? Buy a car? Build a house? Have children? For each of these goals, ask them to then think about how much money they would need to achieve them. Do they have that money now? Would they need to save it over time? Can they think of any ways they could save money?Information & Practice – My Piggy BankExplain to the group that one way they can save money, is to make a special place that they can keep any extra money they have at the end of the day. It should only be small money that they know they don’t need for the next day. Over time, that small money can add up to something bigger which they could use to purchase something they really want or need – like the things they listed in the opening activity! Inform the participants that today, we’re going to make something that can help them save their money. Give each participant a large plastic bottle and an animal face stencil (optional – they can also decorate their own plain sheet of paper) before demonstrating the following: Peel label off clean, empty bottle. Use knife to cut a 1 1/2" x 1/8" wide slot (for inserting coins) in bottle, about midway between top and bottom.Use scissors to cut a strip of paper long enough to wrap around bottle and same width as bottle label. Wrap paper around bottle and use a pencil to trace over slot in bottle. Unwrap paper and cut slot with knife. Use scissors to cut out face template. Place template on construction paper and trace around. Cut out. Tape tabs to back of paper band. Wrap band with ears around bottle, aligning slots on bottle and paper. Overlap ends of band and tape seam.Trace around bottle cap on construction paper. Cut out and glue to cap. Key MessageSaving money helps me reach my goals! Putting small small money away every day is a step on my path to success.Close with key message:Monitoring and Evaluation# of participants out of total # of participants who can identify reasons why it is important to save money during Motivation section through participant feedback and discussion. ................
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