Community Champions

Regional Manual for Cascading

(Croatia)

Training materials: PART 2

L o c a ll y e n g a g e d , g lo b a ll y c o n n e c t e d

www.britishcouncil.org

MANUAL CONTENT
1. SETTING THE CONTEXT
Introduction to objectives and learning outcomes of the Module 2

2. SESSIONS
Super citizen
Individual, cultures, society, citizens
Who decides
Systems and out communities
Ubuntu, systems and leadership
Better place to live
We are the world
Planning for transformation the 4-D cycle

www.britishcouncil.org

SETTING THE CONTEXT

Module 2: Understanding our place in society and the world - Local/Global Citizenship

Overall objective of the module

1. Participants understand their communities and society
2. Participants understand personal, local and global connections
3. Participants understanding their role as Active Citizens locally and globally
Local Active Citizenship
What:
Citizens are members of an organised state or country. Their citizenship can describe their status, but the
term citizenship is also used to denote the process of being participants in the common life of that
community. Active citizens are those engaged in activities that somehow affect the public life of their locality
or communities. This might be through civil society (citizens using their freedom to join together - usually for
the purpose of creating social change in their locality) or civic society (relating to the ruling powers or
decision makers of the community).
How:
Locally active citizens might be those who take individual action in relation to public life, or those who
participate in communal activities that affect the locality through a social development project or civic
campaign. This programme concentrates on the first category, the social development project, recognising
that the British Council cannot support direct political intervention in countries that host their work in cultural
relations.
Value:
Active citizenship is an inevitable expression of local culture and local forms of collective organisation. These
two will have a strong correlation as they emanate out of value and belief systems that connect the right to
rule with traditional life and political movements unique to local settings. Developing a value base for citizenorganised action will inevitably be a cultural journey as a social development project will have to ask the
group to deliberate on what is progress?
Important learning to communicate:

The freedoms, rights and possibilities of local citizen action are distinctive to countries and
communities and one aspect of being an active citizen is to understand this for your area.

Genuine change is often achieved by small groups of people who have a clear focus and are
organised towards their outcomes. Being involved in this is likely to be transforming for those

www.britishcouncil.org

involved and they will need each others support and that of their facilitators. It will need to be a team
effort.

Active citizenship is more than an act of kindness or neighbourliness. Devising, running or joining a
social development project requires insight into local issues as well as partnerships with benefactors
and other community players which will require an element of commitment to achieve the
satisfaction of longer term impact.

Global Active Citizenship

What:
As well as being citizens of their state or country, all people inhabit a global community that is increasingly
interdependent through trade, politics and intercultural exchange via mass communication. The common life
of the global community has many shared challenges which require collective citizen action as well as
international political engagement. Understanding the nature and potential for this action is illuminated by
developing capacity as a local active citizen, just as developing awareness as a global citizen might affect
choices and perspectives on local citizen action.
How:
Globally active citizens engage in activities whose outcomes have impact beyond their own country or that
bring a global perspective to their own situation such that the outcome relates to the global greater good
(such as justice, peace, sustainability).
This programme works towards more globally conscious active citizens through both the training and the
element of inter-cultural dialogue, but in the first instance invites participants to practice their insights in a
local setting.
Value
Global citizenship demands that we look beyond our immediate self-interest and evaluate our values, beliefs
and actions in the light of the needs of all people. It requires empathy for those that we have not met as we
reflect on our own place within systems that affect our daily lives. In doing this we are left to ask fundamental
questions on what is fair? as well as understanding human rights, our beliefs and subsequent actions. It
bridges issues of culture and social organisation to look at the nature of the human being and society.
Important learning to communicate:

The concept of global citizenship creates reflection on the supremacy of any one particular country
or culture, asking us how we might participate in a world of give and take in order to find solutions
that meet the majority need.

Nations are strongly interlinked through trade and political interdependencies which have complex
historic roots but people need solutions in the here and now. To choose to be an active global
citizen is to become an actor on behalf of everyone to the best of your judgement.

www.britishcouncil.org

Social development programmes emerge in a global setting they can take insight and inspiration
from global sources and affect others through their own inspiration. This programme will give
participants the chance to work on all of these levels showing both uniqueness and similarity of
active citizens projects.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge - Participants will demonstrate a critical understanding of:

The concept of society and recognise their capacity to be a contributor to not just a recipient of, the
dynamic social system in which they live.

The role and place of decision-makers in society.

The decision-making structures in their own community and of how such groups decisions relate to
other aspects of the communitys life.

A variety of decision making methods in the social setting and in particular understand the potential
of dialogue as a force for inclusive social development

The value and importance of advocacy in public life.

The role of civil society programmes as interventions that progress the development of communities
in their locality, country and across the world.

Their own capacity to join existing CSOs and take up a disciplined role as team members working
towards the agreed aims of that project.

Connections

between

local

and

global

active

citizenship,

particularly

in

principles

of

interdependence, dialogue, sustainability, and citizen action for change

The close connection between local and global social action programmes in shared principles,
aims and in formative discourses

The nature of coordinated global citizen action in affecting change within social/political/economic
structures that affect many nations

The rights and responsibilities expectation within their own society and an elementary comparison to
international human rights

Skills - Participants will demonstrate the ability to:

Thinking analytically in relation to social analysis: the community as a system, the active citizen as
an agent for change.

Empathise at a social level, being able to consider and describe other peoples experiences and
opinions

Attitudes - Participants will demonstrate:

An appreciative insight into the complexity of society with a predisposition to

www.britishcouncil.org

contribute as convicted

A readiness to advocate in response to their appreciation of the social situation of others

A widened social vision towards those in more marginal positions of their own communities

An affinity with the greater good for their communities away from any pre-existing factional
dispositions

A sense of global connection to other social actors, recognizing and valuing the learning of others,
and inspired to share reciprocally.

www.britishcouncil.org

SESSIONS

www.britishcouncil.org

SUPER CITIZEN
Theme:
Thinking about active citizenship - Model of the Super Citizen
Purpose:
To motivate participants to act as local and global citizens
To deepen participants understanding about their community/ies
To deepen participants understanding of and motivate them to engage with decision-makers and
decision-making structures locally and globally
Process:
The facilitator introduces: Weve reflected on ourselves and engaged in dialogue with others and through this
process weve gather some important skills and knowledge to use in our communities. We now want to think
more about our roles and potential to act locally and globally. In Active Citizens we see our roles as local and
global citizens.
Ask: What do we understand the term citizenship to mean (i.e. Citizenship can describe an official status). In
this programme it describes participating in activities and which have a positive influence on our communities
and which leads to recognising our responsibilities and acting on our rights. Reflect in plenary what other
skills do Active Local and Global citizens need?
Model of the Super Citizen: facilitator selects up to 4 participants to be models. They cannot speak, only
they can move when they will be asked to move. They cant contribute anything during the exercise.
The participants will be divided into up to 4 groups. Their task will be to discuss the competencies
(Information/knowledge + Skills + Attitudes) of the Super Citizen and write down on post-its and papers.
They should decorate the models with the competencies of Super Citizen as fashion designers. 45 min.
(task explanation 10 min., exercise itself 35 min.)
Groups present their Super Citizens and the competences of the Super Citizens. 45 min.
After the presentations, the Models can speak! They should answer for this question: How did you feel
during the exercise? Debriefing on exclusion inclusion. 15 min.
For citizens to be effective they should:
understand the need to act,
be able to empower and involve other members of the community,
understand the systems they are part of - including decision-making and power structures in their
own community,
understand how to influence these systems,
recognise local-global connections,
recognise their capacity to be a contributor to not just a recipient of culture and society,
global citizenship demands that we look beyond our immediate self-interest and evaluate our values,
beliefs and actions in the light of the needs of all people
This module is focused on building those skills.
Were going to look at the systems were part of, what this means for our sense of responsibility and how we
can influence them.
Materials:
Balloons, colourful papers, post its, scissors, pens, flipcharts, masking tape, etc.

www.britishcouncil.org

INDIVIDUAL, CULTURES, SOCIETY, CITIZENS

Theme:
Connections between individual and society
Purpose:
Understand the concept of society and recognise their capacity to be a contributor to not just a
recipient of the dynamic social system in which they live.
Participants demonstrate thinking skills relating to social analysis: the community as a system, the
active citizen as an agent for change.
Process:
Section 1: 15 minutes
This session will focus on the kind of factors that affect peoples decisions and ways of behaving, often
called cultural and social influences. It is not about personal identity and it is important to avoid getting
distracted by participants personal issues or perspectives: in this session they should be moving on to
thinking about social issues.
Explain the purpose of the flip charts. Three of the four quadrants represent influences on our lives that can
determine or affect the way we behave. It might be worth doing a rough summary of the difference between
the quadrants such as Culture is defined by shared values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours which are
learned and shared in a community. Cultural behaviour is not defined by natural laws such as the need to eat
or sleep. . Countries or societies can have many cultures living alongside each other, but they will also have
rules or expectations that everyone is expected to follow. (try not to get too caught up in these definitions
you could go on all day!)
Faith and belief are part of our identity and culture weve included it here to explore in more depth the way
our personal religious or social beliefs affect our daily decisions. In many cultures these are more private
factors, and it is common that one person might behave differently because of their faith from another of the
same faith The bottom right quadrant allows members of the group to say, without embarrassment, that they
cant say for certain what determines or influences their behaviour.
Divide the group into five subgroups and give each one a flip chart and a set of 18 labels. Ask them to go
through the labels and decide where to put each one on the grid. What causes their decisions or behaviour?
You could use as an example What kind of music I like or Whether I go to worship as most people will find
that these are easy to place (under culture or faith/belief). Encourage them to look at their own experience,
or that of people in their immediate locality. Dont let the session get too abstract or talk at length about how
it is for others.
Section 2: 30 minutes
Invite one of the subgroups to show their flip chart to all the others and explain their conclusions. Get the
other subgroups to take a minute to compare their own charts and then ask for comments.
Are there any differences between the four sets of answers? Does anyone want to dispute the placing of any
of the labels? (Keep the discussion good-humoured!)
Can you get greater consensus on some issues by getting the whole group to discuss them? (If so,
move those particular labels as appropriate.) Dont spend too much time on this, however in the
end, we are going to point out how much the different quadrants actually overlap.
Ask the group to imagine living in other countries. Would they still put all the labels in the same
quadrants? If not, which ones would they put somewhere else?
Are any of these issues ones where members of the group feel they have no choice? Using one of
the charts, circle any that are mentioned.
Are there more of them in one quadrant in particular? Is it true that weve got to do more things from
any one particular area of influence?
Can the group see ways in which issues in one quadrant might influence activity in another one?
www.britishcouncil.org

The term Citizenship: Look at the issues that are in the country/society quadrant. Explain to the group
that these are things normally associated with citizenship, because in most countries they are determined or
influenced by social or institutional factors.
The term active citizens normally refers to people who demonstrate a commitment to be active in their
society. Often people connect the word citizenship to the phrase rights and responsibilities or similarly
privileges and obligations.
Can the group see how that applies here? What is a right or privilege of being a member of their
society? Which is a responsibility, obligation or duty?
Often people experience a tension between their faith, their culture and their society. Does that
happen where you are? How do decisions get made to resolve these?
Can the group see how often culture, faith/belief and citizenship overlap in their country? Have they
all helped to shape each other?
Summary: Assure the group that this is just an introductory session and that its not necessary to be an
expert on society for this course in fact, few people are, because society is very complicated as we have
just seen. The session has illustrated some of the different terms they may hear and go on to use in this
course, but the important thing is not becoming an expert in the theory, rather the course aims to help people
to become active and contribute as they most want to.

www.britishcouncil.org

WHO DECIDES
Theme:
Decision-making processes
Purpose:
To consider the way that decision makers affect participants lives and shape society (including an
examination of the various ways that community decisions can be reached and the value of dialogue
as a socially inclusive decision-making process)
To understand the role and place of decision-makers in society
To inform the participants about the decision-making structures in their own community and of how
such groups decisions relate to other aspects of the communitys life
To help participants recognise a variety of decision making methods in the social setting and in
particular understand the potential of dialogue as a force for inclusive social development
To help participants develop affinity with the greater good for their communities away from any preexisting factional dispositions
Process:
The Who Decides worksheet: 15 minutes
Distribute the worksheet Who Decides. Divide the group into subgroups of about six people each and ask
them to agree on an answer to each of the questions. Note that some questions may have several possible
answers, and that some answers may name several different categories of people
Plenary: 15 minutes
When they have finished discussing the answers in their subgroups, as a plenary work down the worksheet
to determine consensus on the right answers (as far as you can). Then, write up on your flip chart or board
the different categories of people who make decisions that affect the people in your group. (councillors,
elders, parents, government etc.)
Can anyone add to that list with other categories of people that have decisions making powers over our
lives? Add them to your list if they are valid.
Public Decisions how they differ: 25 minutes
Returning to their sub-groups, give participants a copy of the second worksheet Different Ways to come to
Decisions that has five boxes of decisions-making methods. Using your list and their conversations so far,
can they put a few examples of places where these methods might get used into each box. For example
what method does your local council use?
Give the groups 5 minutes to try and get examples. If any are stuck tell them to get help from those who
seem confident. You can circulate to give support.
Most to least dialogue: When this is done, ask the sub-groups to use their scissors to cut the boxes out so
that they are left with 5 cards. Now give them 5 minutes to place the cards in a row. At the left is the decision
making method with the least dialogue, at the right, the most.
When time is up invite the groups to put their cards in their preferred order on your flip chart (using Blu-Tak).
Debrief together:
Did all the sub-groups agree how to place the cards?
Were some placed the same (e.g. at the polar opposites ) for everyone?
What issues did they discuss in the groups to come to their conclusions?
If we had to put them quickest to slowest how would we change them?
Why do we think people use these different types of decision making methods in public life?
www.britishcouncil.org

Does anyone in the group believe that some are best for some settings and others for other
settings? Which would they single out?

Trainers note: This session has been written to be non-judgemental of its national or cultural setting. It does
not ask which systems are better or worse nor does it impose a value framework. The question of most or
least dialogue has not been asked in order to place dialogue as an advanced, preferred or superior method
of reaching public decisions. It is there to enable the group to see the potential of their first days learning in
the social context.
What is a good social decision? - 25 minutes
How can we ever know if a decision making group has made the right decision? This is a timeless ethical
and political discussion for any civilisation! Were going to solve it in 10 minutes... This short exercise
involves putting four participants into a role as decision makers for the group. The decision, as it happens,
involves choosing what are the qualities of a good decision?
Method: Ask for 6 team members to help you by being cardholders. From now on they should stay quiet and
obey orders they cannot intervene in the game.
Their cards are going to be ranked in order from top to bottom / best to worst (a bit like the cards we used
earlier) but this time based on whether they represent the best reason to make a decision.
Hand out the A4 cards that you have made: one to each volunteer for them to hold against their chest.
Choose your most appropriate 6 from this list:
Because it benefits the most people
Because it follows a religious rule (you can insert the relevant one e.g. the rule of Islam)
Because it harms the least people
Because it clearly tells people how to behave
Because it benefits your own people (tribe/gang/ethnic group: choose what works for you)
Because it costs the least
Because it is true to our culture and beliefs
Because it avoids war or bloodshed
Now ask for 4 people who are going to decide for the rest of the group as to what order the people/ cards
should be in. They achieve this by simply moving them around until they are happy with the order. But they
only have 10 minutes to do it in. At the end of the exercise all the people in the room (except the cardholders
who are neutral) should be happy with the conclusion.
Trainers: Give no instructions as to whether the 4 decision makers can talk to the others. Similarly, dont
prescribe any decision-making methods. See what they do. If they ask say that they can do whatever they
want.
After 10 minutes (or less if theyve completed it to their satisfaction) stop the action ask the people with
cards to stay where they are and the others sit down.
Debrief:
What method did the 4 deciders use to consult with the rest of the group?
Were the group happy with the way in which they made their decisions? (not the decisions
themselves but how they made them) Why / why not?
Which of the methods that we looked at earlier did they use?
Ask the decision-makers why they think they chose their methods?
What does the group think of the final order how many people agreed with it?
Would it have been possible to have created an order everyone agreed with??
If so, does anyone believe they know how?
(Is that proposal universally accepted)
www.britishcouncil.org

Summarise what the group have learnt from this session:

The number and type of people who make decisions over us
The reasons they may be in this position
The methods people use to make decisions in a social setting and how that relates to methods of
dialogue that we learned in the first 2 days
Why people make what they may consider to be a good decision

Going deeper:
Choose this extension activity for this fourth objective: To consider how a social development project might
appear to decision-makers and more traditional community members and how best to approach them for
support.
Decision Makers and new social projects 15 minutes
Explain to the group that the next section will involve their imaginations. A new social project is being
introduced in their locality (you can either make one up or use one of the suggestions in the list below).
Divide the group into (probably) five subgroups of 36 people, based on the categories of decision-makers
you wrote up following the Who Decides worksheet exercise e.g. One group is parents, another council,
another religious leaders; police; teachers; resident groups etc. Ask the groups to find their own space
around the room so that they can talk without disturbance.
Announce the imaginary new project. (Invent enough detail to make it appropriate to the culture and context
of the group and encourage them to imagine the rest of the details for themselves) Then, leave them to form
their own opinions on the project: do they like it? Is it good for the locality? Would they like it changed in any
way? Banned??! Make sure that each subgroup discusses their opinions without reference to the others.
The Verdict 10 minutes
Returning to a plenary, ask each subgroup to report their opinion of the new project. When everyone has
been heard, try to show the complexity of the local political or cultural issues the project managers might
have to face by considering such questions as:
Should the project go ahead?
What are the problems involved in making sure that everyone wants it?
How would you make sure that everyone was on your side if you were starting this project?
Summarise what the group have learnt from this session - 10 minutes
How an initiative that seems important to us may sound different to local decision-makers
How people from your culture, might react
What we might have to do, if we are starting or joining a social development project, to take into
consideration the many local decision makers
At your discretion, choose any relevant questions from here.
How did people acquire the right to decide?
Do you think it would be better if different people made decisions on any issues we have
considered? If someone else did, would their decisions be better? (For example, if young people
decided the age at which someone could get married, do you think they would make a wise
decision?)
Is it disrespectful to question such decisions?
What kind of training or experience should people have in order to make good decisions?
Can some decisions benefit young people and harm others? Can you think of any examples?
How does a decision-maker know when theyve made a good decision?
Choose one issue on which you think decisions could be better made. What could you do to make
that happen?
www.britishcouncil.org

What is policy and would you want to change a policy if so how could you do it?
How are laws and other rules changed in real life? Is it possible that you could ever be involved in
changing them?

www.britishcouncil.org

TKO ODLUUJE
1

koji e se drutveni programi odvijati u vaoj

zajednici?

moe li se lokalna javna povrina preurediti u

igralite?

koliko poreza plaate?

trebate li potivati svoje roditelje?

moete li pokuati promijeniti zakon?

idete li na bogosluja?

koje su vae moralne vrijednosti?

kojim jezikom govorite?

hoe li ljudi imati iste prilike u ivotu?

koliko djece smijete imati?

10

u kojoj je dobi zakonski dopustivo stupiti u brak?

11

kako ete biti kanjeni ako ukradete neto u trgovini?

12

smije li netko izgraditi kuu na odreenoj lokaciji?

13

do kada u vaem gradu kafii mogu ostati otvoreni?

14

ima li netko s kim se ne moete vjenati?

15

tko isti ulice u vaem gradu?

16

kojoj dobi moete prekinuti kolu?

17

tko su lanovi gradskog vijea?

18

koliki je utjecaj vjerskih voa u vaem gradu?

19

na to e potroiti svoj novac?

20

koje je stranice dozvoljeno pretraivati na internetu?

21

koliko je sigurno kretati se po vaem gradu/selu?

22

tko se moe doseliti ili iseliti iz vaeg grada/sela?

www.britishcouncil.org

23

jesu li homoseksualne veze zakonski dozvoljene u

Hrvatskoj?

24

kakvu e te svadbu imati?

www.britishcouncil.org

RAZLIITI NAINI
ODLUIVANJA

DEBATA

Kad donosimo odluke koje

su od velike vanosti za
nae zajednice na
raspolaganju su nam
razne metode.
Moete li navesti nekoliko
primjera za svaku od njih?

Razne osobe iznose svoje

vrste stavove i zatim se
glasuje o najuvjerljivijoj opciji.

DIJALOG

AUTOKRACIJA

Svi
pokuavaju
pronai
najbolju opciju tako to prvo
sasluaju sve stavove i
spremni su promijeniti svoje
miljenje dok sluaju.

Jedna osoba odluuje, a ostali

slijede to odluku.

DELIBERACIJA

PRIGOVARANJE

Svi su otvoreni za zakljuke,

ali imaju niz unaprijed
formiranih stavova.

Svatko ima svoj stav, ali

pregovaraju dok ne dou do
dogovora koji moda ne
odgovara u potpunosti nikome,
ali ga svi mogu prihvatiti.

www.britishcouncil.org

SYSTEMS AND OUR COMMUNITIES

Theme:
Linking local communities and wider systems (national and international)
Purposes:
To make participants curious about thinking and looking at systems
To enable participants to experience systems and explore ways they can impact on systems
To increase the capacity to notice systems and use the language of systems
To help participants deepen their understanding of local and global systems
Process:
Heres an example of some of the systems you would find connected to a farming community producing
olives:
The local eco-system connecting animals, insects plants and earth
The olive trade connecting local farmers to global supermarkets
Road and transportation systems
The oil trade
Local government
What are some of the systems we are connected to? Try to bring out small and large.
What are the systems our local communities are connected to?
Give the group headings to prompt them:
Politically (decision-making structures, local, regional, national, global)
Economically (global financial systems which affect the value of the currency)
Environmentally (rivers, oceans, weather patterns)
Technologically (the internet, mobile phones)
Culturally (media, fashion, music, TV, Sport)
What does this mean for us as Active Citizens? i.e. our decisions affect other and the decisions of others
affect us, we have responsibilities and rights, we need to find out more about the systems we are part of.
Some examples of changes in economies, technology, environment or national and international leading to
an undesired culture shift in a local community. Some examples based on real events:
A successful farming community is told they have to move to a town to work in factories, because of
an international trade deal.
A fishing communitys river has dried up due to it being in dammed in another country.
A multi-national company aggressively markets new values amongst young people as part of a
policy to create new consumers within a community.
Below is an example of why we often need to look at systems and not just the individuals who form them.
Facilitators have the option of asking 2 group members to prepare in advance and act out this scene for the
group. You can then discuss how we can learn from the experience of this farmer.

Finding someone to blame

A farmer is facing eviction from his house and land by a tractor driver sent by the bank:
"Who gave you orders? I'll go after him. Hes the one to kill
"You're wrong. He got his orders from the bank. The bank told them: "Clear those people out or it's
your job."
"Well, there's a president of the bank. There's a Board of Directors.
The driver said: "Fellow was telling me that the bank gets orders from the East. The orders were:
"Make the land show profit or we'll close you up."
"But where does it stop?..I don't aim to starve to death before I kill the man that's starving me."
"I don't know. Maybe there's nobody to shoot. Maybe the thing isn't man at all.
"I got to figure," the tenant said There's some way to stop this. It's not like lightning or
earthquakes. We've got a bad thing made by men, and by God that's something we can change."
The above is a quote from Grapes of Wrath (1939) a novel by John Steinbeck about the Great
www.britishcouncil.org

The quote is a good example of how thinking through an issue leads to looking more holistically at the
system rather than just the individuals who are part of it. Case studies show how this can lead to successful
outcomes: In the Philippines, the National Campaign for Land Reform secured the redistribution of half of the
countrys farmland to three million poor households, contributing to their rights and livelihoods.
When trying to achieve your goal it is easier if you recognize some of the common challenges and
opportunities that are in many systems
Ask participants what are some of the challenges for us when looking at systems: i.e.
Ask the Navigators to form groups of 3 or 4 people in each. Instruct the groups to take one of the points (see
below) and discuss them. After finding appropriate situations to illustrate the assigned issue invite each
group to illustrate it in a creative way (e.g. living statues, posters, scenes, etc.).

Challenge
It can feel too big to change
They are complex
Unintended Consequences

You see what you expect to

see
Changes make it better then
worse

You see parts, not the whole

Active Citizens can

Focus on tweaking for big results
Systems are complex. Test out different
ideas. Make sure you continually evaluate the
impact and act on your learning. Find out
more about the system.
Change lenses look at the system from
different angles
Try to look at what is making it better, is this
sustainable?
Look at the long term picture, what are the
risks?
Look at the bigger picture

Ask each group to present their work.

After all groups have presented discuss the illustrated issues in connection with the nature of the systems,
their characteristic features and operation. Depending on time, you may allow the participants to bring up
their own stories or experiences with the working of the systems.
Triangle Game (30 mins)
Prepare in advance a chart with a circle and all numbers represented in the group.
Ask the participants to stand in a circle. Give each one a post-it note with a number (Prepare the numbers
well in advance and they should be handed out around the circle in ascending or descending order.)
Ask everyone to mentally choose two people in the circle as reference points and not to tell anyone about it,
but REMEMBER the number.
Remind the participants not to choose you, as you are not part of the system, although normally we are
ALWAYS part of the system and by being there we impact on whatever we do.
When that is done, tell the participants that in a minute you will ask them to move to be equidistant to the two
reference points - that means the same distance away from each like this (show how it works through
demonstration).
Then ask them to move so that they are equidistant between their reference points.
Allow the system to move and settle.
Ask what people felt about the system and what they noticed?

www.britishcouncil.org

Next move one person and leave the system to settle for a second time.
If there is time repeat this again two or three times.
Stop the exercise and then invite people to gather around the chart on the flipchart. On the chart, ask
Navigators to draw two lines, one from their number to each of their reference points numbers. Depending
on the final drawing, it will be clear who has the greatest leverage on the system.
Ask the group to identify who had the greatest leverage on this system?
Replay the triangle game, but now choose to move the person with the greatest leverage.
Debrief:
What have we seen about systems in this exercise?
Draw out ideas around the fact that you can be much more efficient as a leader in the interventions you
make if you know your system. You can avoid unintended consequences and make no impact if that is your
goal. You can make one intervention rather than 20 to have a huge impact, etc.
Discuss the importance of finding the leverage points as revealed by the exercise: when some people move,
only minor or even no changes happen, when some other people move, huge changes of the whole system
follow soon. Emphasize the belief that all people in the group have great potential to be the leverage points
in their own systems.
By seeing more and more of the linkages, the areas of influence, the powerful tweaks and the useless
actions, you can make the right decisions more often and make the changes that will have the most
transformation effect (or no effect at all if minimal impact is the goal).
If you have time, ask people to elaborate on what you just explained, or by point by point.
End this session with a reminder of the learning outcomes through a story:
You are part of many systems. You have an impact by being a part of them. You can choose whether
(particularly as a leader) you want to have a really big impact or not. To have that impact you need to notice
the systems, try to understand them and get better at avoiding the challenges. Most of all, you need to find
the leverage points to effect transformational change.

www.britishcouncil.org

UBUNTU, SYSTEMS AND LEADERSHIP

Theme:
Systems, leadership, solidarity
Purposes:
Introducing the African philosophy of Ubuntu and connection it to the local context
Strengthening leadership skills of the participants
Strengthening sense of interdependence and interconnectedness between the individuals and
community
Linking Ubuntu with systemic thinking as a tool for enabling transformational leadership
Materials needed:
LCD projector
Global Oneness Project Ubuntu film (817) http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/ubuntu
Desmond Tutu quotation of Ubuntu in power point
Other Materials giving the definition of Ubuntu
Process:
PART 1 15min, plenary
The facilitator reads the quotation of Desmond Tutu and other definitions of Ubuntu. She he gives a brief
description of where it originated from and what it means. The facilitator share his or her own experience
with Ubuntu: how she or he was introduced to Ubuntu, what it has meant for her, how it works in her life now.
She projects the short film about Ubuntu.
PART 2 15 min, in groups
Participants form groups of 4-5 people. They have 10 min conversation about: What Ubuntu means for us?
Facilitator invites some groups to share some of their understanding and examples in plenary.
PART 3 15 minutes, same groups
The facilitator invites people to make a link between Ubuntu, AC programme, and us as participants, giving
one example. Groups discuss: What does Ubuntu mean in the context of Active Citizens? How does Ubuntu
connect to the me and community?. The facilitator invites some groups to share some of their
understanding and examples in plenary
PART 4 5 min, plenary
The facilitator asks participants to remind themselves of what they learned about systems the day before.
Some points to highlight:
In the Ubuntu way of seeing the world there is no disconnect.
The individual is both whole in his/her own right and part of the wider whole, both intrinsically linked.
A movement in one part of the system will create movement in other parts of the system.
Sometimes we may not be conscious of our own power or of the effect that others have on us.
Ubuntu requires us to recognize the unique worth of each person, and to begin to really celebrate the
success of others and valuing their contribution to the well-being of the whole system.
PART 5 15 min, same groups
The facilitator asks participants to reflect on connections between Systems Thinking and Ubuntu. Different
levels of systems what does Ubuntu mean in their families, religious group, organizations, communities,
regions and country? The facilitator asks participants to share examples of Ubuntu in different systems. The
facilitator asks other highlights and reflections from group conversations focusing on the relationship
between Ubuntu and systems.

www.britishcouncil.org

PART 6 15 min, same groups

The facilitator takes people back to 8 assumptions of AI (you may put them on flipchart or asks group to
recall them) and encourages groups to have a conversation about connection between AI and Ubuntu.
The facilitator asks participants to share highlights and reflections from group conversations focusing on the
relationship between Ubuntu and valuing differences.
PART 7 15 min, plenary
The facilitator sums up what has been done during this session (UBUNTU, systems, AI) and asks what is
missing in the picture (leadership).
The facilitator invites participants to plenary reflection: How AI, Systems thinking and Ubuntu support a
leader to have and exhibit the characteristics of a leader/Active Citizen?

www.britishcouncil.org

Ubuntu
Ja sam zato to ti jesi zato to mi
jesmo
- Ljudska velikodunost
- Ljudskost prema drugima
- Shvaanje sebe u odnosu na svijet
- Vjera u univerzalnu vezu zajednitva
koja spaja cijelo ovjeanstvo

www.britishcouncil.org

Filozofija ubuntu
Tri maksime oblikuju filozofiju ubuntu:
1. Biti ovjek znai potvrivati svoju ljudskost priznavajui
ljudskost drugih i na temelju toga graditi s njima odnose
pune potovanja.
2. Ako i kad se netko nae pred izborom izmeu
bogatstva i ouvanja ivota drugog ljudskog bia, uvijek
se treba odluiti za ouvanje ivota.
3. Trea maksima, koja je kao princip duboko ukorijenjena
u tradicionalnu afriku politiku filozofiju, kae da kralj
duguje svoj status i sve moi povezane s njim volji svog
naroda'.
Prof.Stanlake John William Thompson Samkange (1980.), Zimbabve

www.britishcouncil.org

Ubuntu je sutina ljudskog bia.

Ubuntu govori o tome da je moja ljudskost neodvojivo
povezana s tvojom.
Ja sam ljudsko bie zato to pripadam.
Govori o cijelosti,
govori o suosjeanju.
Osoba koja posjeduje ubuntu je otvorena i dostupna
drugima, afirmira druge i ne osjea se ugroena
kad su drugi sposobni i dobri. On/a posjeduje pravo
samopouzdanje koje dolazi iz spoznaje da pripada
veoj cjelini i suosjea kad su drugi ponieni, mueni
ili ugnjetavani.
Desmond Tutu, JAR

www.britishcouncil.org

BETTER PLACE TO LIVE

Theme:
Dreaming the desired future, assuming personal responsibility for change
Purpose:
To find out what the members of the group would do to make their locality a better place to live, and
to inspire them with a vision of what their society could be like
To help participants recognise their capacity to be a contributor to, not just a recipient of, the
dynamic social system in which they live.
To help participants adopt an appreciative insight into the complexity of society with a predisposition
to contribute as convicted
To help participants develop a widened social vision towards those in more marginal positions of
their own communities
Materials needed:
Flip-chart paper and pens for each subgroup
Process:
Content: Divide the group into subgroups of 46 people. If your group has come from more than one part of
your locality or country then put them into subgroups by the areas that they have come from.
Three wishes: 15 minutes
Ask the members of each subgroup to imagine that they have been offered three wishes, perhaps by the
Genie of the Lamp in the famous story of Aladdin or by some other magical being. However, there are three
conditions. Their wishes will be fulfilled only if:
they benefit as many people as possible in their locality;
they dont require people to change their nature or beliefs;
they dont involve making people richer.
Note: Condition (b) is to stop people saying, I wish everybody could be happy and live in peace or become
a proper Hindu. In order for the wish to be fulfilled something social has to happen.
Each subgroup has 10 minutes to agree on their three wishes before they share them with the rest of the
group. Someone from each subgroup tells the whole group what they wished for. When all the wishes have
been stated, the group should discuss:
Do the various wishes have elements in common?
Would the things wished for benefit only people like them or would they be good for others?
How far does their social vision extend to what kinds of people, and why them in particular?
Explore in more depth any original ideas that show particular insight into the wider needs of their locality.
The twist in the tale: 10 minutes
Now explain that the genie (or whatever) told you that every one of these wishes (provided they fulfil his
conditions) can come true but the twist is that the power to make it come true is already within the power of
the members of the group, they just didnt know it! His gift is merely to allow you all to imagine a different
future and to find the confidence to bring it about. And then he was gone! Next, ask everyone to return to
their subgroups and choose one of the wishes from their list which they believe they may have the power to
fulfil by using:
their own abilities and efforts
anyone else who might be willing to help
political support from sympathetic decision-makers
anyone else they can persuade into influence.

www.britishcouncil.org

Ask them to devise a story as realistic as possible about how they proved the genie right by making that
wish come true.
The Story-Telling 15 minutes
Finally, ask everyone to come back together so that each subgroup can tell the others their story. Make sure
that each audience expresses appreciation! (Clap or cheer the others offering in order to create an
encouraging atmosphere) You could even ask everyone to vote for:
The most uplifting story
The story that was hardest to believe
The wish fulfilled that benefited the most people
The story that was most believable
Summary: The group have shown that they can imagine a way to make their locality a better place to live
and have considered how they might begin to do so by taking action themselves. Refer back to any ideas
that really grip peoples imaginations and that seem achievable. You could compare them with the visions or
aspirations behind some current social development projects in their locality.
Going deeper:
Ask someone from a local NGO to come and tell the story of their wish and what it took to make it come
true. Keep it inspirational!

www.britishcouncil.org

WE ARE THE WORLD

Theme:
Connections between local and global active citizenship, global issues
Purposes:
To introduce appreciative questioning as a tool for transformational change
To gain an understanding of the issues involved in creating a fairer world and how active citizenship
can connect across countries of differing values and social structures.
Understanding connections between local and global active citizenship, particularly in principles of
interdependence, dialogue, sustainability, and citizen action for change
Participants develop a sense of global connection to other social actors, recognizing and valuing the
learning of others, and inspired to share reciprocally.
Materials required:
A list of countries that you are planning to sell chosen from the help sheet
2 sheets of paper and pen for every participant.
Process:
Begin with a plenary the auction. This can be very stimulating and lively and although this explanation of
the game looks complicated should will go very quickly, especially if you are familiar with how it works and
have prepared for it well. The exercise will also reveal some of the values of people in the group, as they
show their attitudes to many different countries of the world. This in itself could be very illuminating but is not
the purpose of this session and should be glossed over. This is NOT an exercise about particular countries
or their beliefs or practices, it is an exercise about global cooperation and asks participants to choose a
country in order to base the exercise in real life circumstances rather than the ideals we might prefer. Keep
this bit moving quickly!
Setup: From the list below, you need to choose in advance a number of countries for sale we suggest,
five fewer than the total number of people taking part in this session (e.g. 25 countries if there are 30 people
in the group). Choose countries that are appropriate for your context they should be familiar to your group
and should include a wide range of countries around the world and mark them on your list.
Section 1: The auction 15 minutes
Tell the group that you are about to auction 25 (or whatever number you chose) of the worlds countries and
that they can bid to own them. Dont tell them which countries are coming up, and you can sell them in any
order. Each member of the group will be given the same amount of (imaginary!) money or points to try to
buy the country of their choice by showing their preference you could call it 30 billion. To keep track of
how much of their money they have spent, ask each person to draw 30 lines on a sheet of paper, as in the
illustration. When they buy a country, they have to cross off the number of billions they have paid for it. If
they get the country for less than 30 billion, they can use the remainder to buy another country. To bid for a
country, members of the group have to shout out a price they are willing to pay for it after you have
announced its name. Once they have said their amount someone else can shout out a higher one. When no
one else is willing to bid any higher, the highest bidder takes the country. Furthermore, two or more people
can pool their money and bid for a country together if none of them has enough to buy it on their own.
However, if they succeed in buying a country together, they will have to own it and run it together as well! For
example: three people could buy the United Kingdom for 90 billion but then they rule it together. Be sure that
everyone understands the rules. Start to sell the countries (now it gets quick and chaotic). Each time make a
note of the highest bidder and remind them to cross off their spending on their paper. Move on to the next
country for sale. Expect to sell them in around 20 seconds each. Once all the countries you have selected
are sold, most of the group will now own or part-own one or two. But heres a rule they didnt know for they
next bit no one can run two countries. Anyone who has not succeeded in buying a country can now choose
to be given one either one of those already sold by someone who owns more than one, or one you choose
to give them. Your free countries should be those in more difficult political circumstances like those in

www.britishcouncil.org

italics on the list (you will have to be sensitive in choosing which one(s) to give). The reason for giving these
ones is to introduce a reality check in the discussion later.
When the auction is over, get everyone to sit in a large circle, like delegates at the United Nations. Move it
quickly. Ask each one to write the name of the country they represent i.e. the country they have just
bought on a folded sheet of paper and place it in front of them. People who only part-own a country
should sit together next to their partners in ownership. This exercise should have created a sense of
ownership of the countries for the next section.
Section 2: The summit 10 minutes
Tell the group that you are soon going to ask them to speak as the leaders or delegates of their country.
They have to run the country more or less as it is at the moment (e.g. they cant convert the country to a new
faith or change its political structures) they should act in character with the country in as far as they are
able (not everyone will know a lot about other countries so dont worry about it the game works anyway).
First, however, not in character, you need them to agree on some basic rules for running the world. To help
them to decide these, you have written on a flip chart some words commonly associated with international
relations, as prompts. Use these (or any others you think appropriate) to get the group writing their basic
rules for a world that will work. Try to keep these as general as possible e.g., Everyone should treat
everyone else fairly or the discussion could go on forever. Dont worry if you have to cut this short the
next section will test their ideas so far, tell them.
Section 3: The Global Issues: 30 minutes
Now, ask everyone to go into their character and become the leader (or shared leaders if they have joined
together) of their country. Explain that you are about to report two crises that they have to resolve together
(choose 2 that seem most relevant to you - feel free to invent different ones if these dont work). They will
have a maximum of 10 minutes to discuss each crisis and come to a decision, and they must follow the basic
rules they have just agreed to.

As a result of freak weather, the 10 poorest countries represented here (i.e., the 10 that were sold
most cheaply in the auction) are so short of food that half of each population is likely to die of
starvation. They dont even have seed for next years harvest. The 5 richest countries (the ones that
were sold for the highest prices) have more than enough food, and the rest just have enough.
Without breaking any of their new rules, how can this summit of world leaders ensure that as few
people starve as possible?
Half of the countries represented here are threatened by a disease that usually kills people quickly.
Only the five richest countries have the drugs that can cure it but they have only enough for their
own populations (that is, if everyone in those countries catches the disease). So far, no more than
half of any countrys population has caught it but you never know if they will What actions can
everyone agree on?
The six richest countries are polluting the atmosphere in a way that threatens the whole world. The
only solution is expensive the rich countries will have to pay every other country represented here
10% of their own current riches to fix the problem. If they dont, the human race will have only 50
more years to live. What will they do? (This requires the leaders of these countries to make pledges
of their future wealth, but dont tell them that!)

Section 4: The debriefing: 20 minutes

Announce that the role-play is now over, and ask everyone to move around and shake hands (or whatever is
appropriate in their culture) with everyone else in the group, to show they are no longer in character.
(Perhaps people could get a drink at this point, but only if that can be easily done. Dont have a break and
dont allow the level of energy and concentration to fall.)
Ask everyone to go back to their seat (though not into their character). Explain that the purpose of the
summit was to find out what it is like to try to follow the rules that we set ourselves. Use the following
questions to debrief the group people can discuss them with their neighbours or (if you think it will work)
you can do this as a plenary. Make sure that everyone who seems to have been affected by the exercise
gets a chance to speak.

www.britishcouncil.org

How easy was it to come up with answers that helped the world?
What were the best points of the summit for you?
What were the low points?
Did everyone like the way people behaved when they were in character as the leader of their
country? Did anyones personality seem to change?
Did everyone behave in the way that the actual leader of their country would in real life?
How easy was it to follow the rules you had all set? Were they all followed?
Did some people/countries find it easier than others to follow the rules? If so, can anyone suggest
why?
Did the rules work?
Would you like to revise your basic rules now?

If so create your revised list.

Section 5: From global to local: 15 minutes
Divide the group into five subgroups and ask them to look at those basic rules again. Can they decide which
of them could apply to a project that might run in their own locality they can change the wording slightly if
they like. Ask each subgroup to write a short list of principles that could be called both global and local.
End the session with a plenary where sub-groups share their lists. You may want to introduce the phrase
from global to local and see what it means to them in the light of this session. You may have a list such as:
Everyone affected by them can make suggestions / is listened to.
They benefit the maximum number of people in society.
They are sustainable they dont rob the future to enrich the present.
People are free to run them in the way they think is best - without pressure to be dishonest or selfseeking.
Going deeper:
There are many more things to discuss about global citizenship this session scratches the surface and
avoids deep questioning of international politics for diplomatic reasons. Other questions that might arise
include:
Are we, as humans, actually one people? Do our similarities matter more than our differences?
Is it worth trying to make the world better for everyone? Can it be done?
What do you know about how countries co-operate in real life e.g., through the UN, in human rights
agreements, in local treaties and unions, in bilateral aid?
What has been your experience of war and peace? Etc.

www.britishcouncil.org

www.britishcouncil.org

Countries in bold we recommend that you include in your auction.

Countries in italics we suggest that you hold back, to give them away after the auction as appropriate
to people who have not succeeded in buying a country or a share of one.

Note: This list of countries has been selected mostly by size. Feel free to add or substitute others that you
think may be more appropriate to your group and its context.

www.britishcouncil.org

PLANNING FOR TRANSFORMATION THE 4-D CYCLE

Theme:
Appreciative inquiry, questions
Purposes:
To introduce the 4-D cycle of Appreciative Inquiry
To practice it as a planning tool for transformation
To practice crafting powerful questions
Materials required:
slides of the 4-D cycle
4-D cycle copies for each participant
Process:
PART 1 30 min, plenary
The facilitator introduces the 4D cycle of Appreciative Inquiry using the slide. She explains each part of the
cycle using different examples. Take participants through the exercises on the 4D cycle.
The Facilitator introduces the concept of an Affirmative Topic and the way to choose it.
PART 2 20 min, groups, plenary
The facilitator invites people to create 4-5 groups. The groups have 15 min for affirmative topic choice to
guide 4D cycle for building/strengthening their community.
The facilitator collects all the topics. She asks people what they notice when looking at topics. The groups
decide which topic they want to use for further work with 4D cycle
Alternative: In each group one person speaks about his or her organisation / community. The rest of the
group help them by asking questions to choose Affirmative Topic. All further parts remain the same - it is just
that groups work with planning an intervention in this organisation. If you choose to organise the work this
way, be mindful about module 4, not to repeat exactly the same thing. You may for example ask people to
compare their interventions designs from both modules, and reflect on observed differences.
PART 3 15 min, same groups
The facilitator reminds the participants about each stage of the 4D cycle and the power of questions. Each
group crafts questions for each stage, around the topic chosen in part 1.
PART 4 15 min, plenary
The facilitator takes feedback on groups experiences of crafting questions around the 4-D cycle.

www.britishcouncil.org

Discovery
Discovery
What
Whatgives
giveslife?
life?
(The
(Thebest
bestof
ofwhat
whatis)
is)

Appreciating
Appreciating

Destiny
Destiny
How
to
empower,
How to empower,learn,
learn,
and
andadjust/improvise?
adjust/improvise?

Sustaining
Sustaining

Definition
Affirmative
Topic Choice

Language as tool of
social construction

Dream
Dream
What
Whatmight
mightbe?
be?

(What
(Whatisisthe
theworld
worldcalling
callingfor)
for)

Envisioning
EnvisioningResults
Results

Design
Design
What
should
What should be--the
be--the ideal?
ideal?

Co-constructing
Co-constructing

www.britishcouncil.org

Dva cilja AI

Imamo odgovornost potovati svoje uspjehe.

Najbolje uimo od onoga to ve funkcionira.

Osam pretpostavki AI

U svakom pojedincu, organizaciji i situaciji neto funkcionira.

Ono na to se fokusiramo postaje naa stvarnost.
Stvarnost se oblikuje u trenutku i postoje viestruke stvarnosti.
Jezik koji koristimo oblikuje nau stvarnost.
Umijee postavljanja pitanja u nekoj organizaciji utjee na smjer kojim e ona
krenuti.
Vano je cijeniti razlike.
Ljudi putuju u budunost nosei sa sobom dijelove prolosti.
Ako nosimo sa sobom dijelove prolosti, oni moraju biti ono najbolje.

www.britishcouncil.org