A Safe Space Addendum

It's Christmas holidays and Safe Space training starts again next week with 2 x Level 3 Region trainings to be delivered in Bristol. So for the 3rd consecutive Christmas holiday I have devoted some time to the Level 3 training plan and slides. Updating them with the addendum information & new slides that were published in July. I like the new slides as they provide a level of detail which has previously been missing, and give more discussion points to work with. Naturally I had to work through the slide numbering on my training plan as adding new slides had resulted in some changes, but I took the opportunity to delete a few more of the original slides and shuffle again in hindsight of delivering Level 3 trainings to date.

I downloaded the training plan from the website in case it had changed but doesn't appear too other than the comments in the addendum from July but I've  added a date to the plan to show when I last reviewed it. Been focussing on new programme trainings so far this academic year so good to get back to Safe Space with some new slides to brief on.

I've also re-visited my risk assessment, but nothing new to add, I've trained at the Bristol venue half a dozen times now and could even find the way there without the sat nav. Stocked up on mints from our brand new Aldi to go in my coconut bowl with the elephant painted on the inside, that I found in my Christmas stocking and charged my blue tooth speaker. So all ready to go (again!) next weekend.  

WAGGGS Diversity Toolkit

Whilst not a new resource, in one place it states published in 2011, some of the content relates to 2007 but it does say it is very much a living document. It draws very heavily on material from the UK Scout Association and the Swedish Guide Association. There is some very useful content and the 65 page toolkit is divided into 3 parts including a range of factsheets, some activities and some training plans on diversity.

This extract is from Page 44 of the toolkit - I especially like it because you could use the Thermometer technique to deliver a number of subjects. All you need is a few statements - I think a critical element would be to keep the activity moving quickly for it to be successful, no matter what the topic is.

The Thermometer

This is a good exercise when you want to prepare a group for values exercises. It makes everybody move, think and choose. Put pieces of paper numbered from 1 to 6 in a line on the floor. The number must be even so that there is no “middle” number. Give a statement and point to it on the “thermometer”, for example: Leadership training is the most important thing in scouting (number 1) or training to cooperate (number 6). Then the participants are asked to go to the number that corresponds with their opinion. They must stand on the very number, not between numbers. Let them talk to the person standing next to them and then let the whole group tell what opinions are represented. The whole thing must be rather quick, making the decision and presenting the opinions, both. No lengthy discussions. The goal is to get started, start thinking and hold on to your view.

Examples of statements:

The greatest threat to democracy is: racists – anarchists
Prejudices are created by: parents – media
Criminality is a result of: your upbringing – your friends
The most important thing to prevent prejudice is: knowledge – good role models
The most vital task for a scout leader is to: teach new things – question values