Exercise bank
Search our collection of over 70 participatory learning exercises to find different types of exercise, for different audiences, focusing on different FORB related topics.
Reforming family law
A four-part exercise including a knowledge input and plenary discussion.
- 3 h 10 min
- Group exercise
- Groupwork
Action planning with the gender integration continuum
Participants work together to complete an action plan template, incorporating gender aware approaches.
- 2 h 40 min
- Group exercise
- Groupwork
Challenging pillars of power
A group work exercise in which participants critically analyse sources of power and ‘pillars’ of power that perpetuate a specific violation of FORB.
- 2 h 45 min
- Group exercise
- Analyse
The double diamond
This exercise introduces the double diamond model of structured idea development for action planning.
- 3 h 30 min
- Multi-format exercise
- Brainstorm
Our change journey
Following a brief knowledge input on a simple ten-step process for action planning, groups draw and write their action plans as a visual ‘journey’ on flipchart sheets.
- 2 h 30 min
- Group exercise
- Groupwork
What’s the problem
Designed to precede an action planning exercise, this participatory, inclusive exercise helps participants to choose 1-3 freedom of religion or belief (FORB) problems.
- 55 min
- Multi-format exercise
- Think-pair-share
Talking about tactics
A brainstorming and discussion exercise in which participants learn about tactics for protecting and promoting human rights.
- 1 h 55 min
- Plenary exercise
- Brainstorm
Who am I
In this exercise, participants draw their personal and professional networks and imagine the role they could play to promote FORB within those settings.
- 15 min
- Plenary exercise
- Draw and share
Bystanders and healers
In this exercise, participants reflect individually on times they have intervened to stop injustices (however small) and times they have done nothing.
- 25 min
- Plenary exercise
- Reflect and discuss
Changemakers stories
Three changemakers’ stories are read out in plenary and then discussed in buzz groups.
- 20 min
- Buzz group exercise
- Storytelling
The forcefield
This exercise introduces the forcefield analysis tool. Groups work together to apply it to a specific FORB problem in their local context.
- 60 min
- Plenary exercise
- Brainstorm
The problem tree
Groups work together to apply the problem tree tool to a specific FORB violation in their local context, as a first step towards creating positive change.
- 1 h 30 min
- Group exercise
- Analyse
Trapped in the spiderweb
Participants stand in a ring and throw a ball of wool or string to each other as they answer questions on the causes of early/forced marriage.
- 50 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
Research teams
Using research questions and reports on the state of FORB in the country, participants work in groups to investigate different dimensions of the right to freedom of religion or belief.
- 1 h 50 min
- Group exercise
- Analyse
The triangle of violence
An exercise exploring how physical violence, discriminatory structures in society and our ideas about ‘the other’ are interlinked.
- 2 h
- Group exercise
- Watch and discuss
Three phases of persecution
An exercise that combines groupwork and plenary discussion to help participants define violations of FORB in their context.
- 1 h 15 min
- Group exercise
- Analyse
A FORB map of our town
This exercise uses a flipchart ‘map’ of a town along with a set of characters to help participants map violations in their context.
- 1 h 45 min
- Plenary exercise
- Mapping exercise
Change chairs
A fun, physical and thought-provoking game in which participants swap chairs if they agree with a statement read out.
- 20 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
The web of good
A fun game and a good opening exercise for sessions focused on context analysis. Participants stand in a ring and throw a ball of wool to each other.
- 15 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
The hate speech barometer
A game in which participants stand on a line between two corners of the room to signify how likely they think it is that a hate speech statement will lead to acts of discrimination, hostility or violence.
- 1 h 5 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
Saara the student journalist
Participants work together in four groups to address challenging questions arising from a fictional case study and to develop codes of conduct for different sectors of society.
- 2 h
- Group exercise
- Case study/scenario
Speaking of religion
A think-pair-share exercise in which participants reflect on barriers to freely expressing religion or beliefs in their context.
- 1 h 20 min
- Multi-format exercise
- Think-pair-share
Pass it on
A twist on the internationally popular whispering game.
- 25 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
Match the SDGs
A groupwork exercise where participants work together to match various statements relating to FORB with the relevant SDGs and their sub-goals.
- 40 min
- Group exercise
- Sorting exercise
Touching points – FORB and development
A two-part groupwork exercise. In part one, groups sort a list cross-cutting issues relating to FORB. In the second, groups explore the practical implications of these linkages.
- 65-95 min
- Group exercise
- Sorting exercise
The widows of Kandhamal
Participants read a blog text describing the aftermath of violence targeting a religious minority, identifying which articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights have been violated.
- 60 min
- Buzz group exercise
- Analyse
The expert advisors
In this role-play exercise, the participants have just been promoted to the role of Technical Experts on FORB for all at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
- 1 h 40 min
- Group exercise
- Role-play/drama
FORB and family law
A plenary discussion exercise based on a case study, that is designed to follow a knowledge input on family/personal status laws and violations of FORB.
- 60 min
- Plenary exercise
- Case study/scenario
FORB and gender equality
A group discussion exercise based on a selected case study.
- 1 h 45 min
- Group exercise
- Case study/scenario
Different dangers
Quick sorting and listing exercises in small groups are followed by plenary discussion.
- 1 h 40 min
- Group exercise
- Sorting exercise
Article 18 pronoun swap
A good opening exercise for a session on FORB and gender.
- 30 min
- Buzz group exercise
- Reflect and share
What’s the difference – sex and gender
This exercise starts out as a fun, competitive drawing and word game that draws out gender stereotypes within the context.
- 1 h 15 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
Children and FORB – rights and responsibilities
A problem-solving role-play exercise based on a fictional scenario, in which participants work together to recommend a course of action.
- 1 h 20 min
- Group exercise
- Role-play/drama
Persuasion or coercion
A buzz group exercise in which participants discuss scenarios from different parts of the world.
- 60 min
- Buzz group exercise
- Case study/scenario
Covid-19 – legitimate limitations
A group discussion exercise based on case studies, designed to follow a knowledge input on legitimate limitations of FORB.
- 2 h 10 min
- Group exercise
- Case study/scenario
Rights and regulations
An interactive team quiz in which participants work together to decide whether a proposed law is a legitimate limitation of FORB or not.
- 55 min
- Group exercise
- Quiz
A closer look at limitations
A plenary discussion exercise in which participants assess whether four short examples of limitations to FORB are legitimate or not.
- 30 min
- Plenary exercise
- Analyse
The president’s advisors
In this role-play exercise, the participants have just been appointed as the President’s Religious Affairs Advisors and have to work together to make recommendations to the President.
- 55 min – 1 h 35 minutes
- Group exercise
- Role-play/drama
Know your rights
An opening exercise in the form of a fast-paced walk and talk quiz that helps the facilitator establish the knowledge level of the group.
- 1 h 30 min
- Buzz group exercise
- Walk and talk
FORB around the world
A group discussion exercise based on case studies, designed to follow a knowledge input on understanding violations of FORB.
- 1 h 5 min
- Group exercise
- Case study/scenario
Two minute FORB mini-dramas
In this exercise, groups create and rehearse 2-minute dramas based on simple scenarios that they are provided with.
- 1 h 30 min
- Group exercise
- Role-play/drama
Our social identities
A think-pair-share exercise in which participants reflect on the different aspects of their identity and problematise concepts of ‘them’ and ‘us’.
- 40 min
- Multi-format exercise
- Think-pair-share
One step forwards
In this simple role-play exercise, participants put themselves in the shoes of characters they are given and take a step forward if their character would agree with a statement read out by the facilitator.
- 45 min
- Plenary exercise
- Role-play/drama
FORB in my day
A think-pair-share exercise in which participants reflect on how they think, believe, belong, practice, question and refuse in their daily lives.
- 30-45 min
- Multi-format exercise
- Think-pair-share
The heart of FORB
A quick buzz group exercise that helps the facilitator to gauge a group’s level of understanding prior to or following an input, adds energy to a knowledge input and encourages peer-to-peer learning.
- 20 min
- Buzz group exercise
- Brainstorm
Dimensions of FORB
After watching one or more of the FORB Learning Platform’s explainer films on FORB, small groups discuss the contents of the film(s)
- 30-75 min
- Group exercise
- Watch and discuss
The traffic lights
A twist on the classic ‘agree-disagree’ style exercise. This exercise can be used as an interactive way to provide knowledge input or reflect on attitudes.
- 30-60 min
- Plenary exercise
- Quiz
The barometer
An interactive game in which participants place themselves along an imaginary line between ‘totally agree’ and ‘totally disagree’ in relation to statements on FORB and discuss their thoughts.
- 25 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
Once upon a time
This exercise is based around the story ‘The songs of the flute and the drum’. The story illustrates seven key words that relate to the rights protected by FORB.
- 45 min
- Group exercise
- Storytelling
The dots
A simple, effective non-verbal game. Requires no previous knowledge of freedom of religion or belief (FORB) among participants.
- 20 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game
Human rights timeline
Participants contribute individually to creating a joint human rights timeline that shows key events on three different levels: national, regional and global.
- 60 min
- Plenary exercise
- Brainstorm
Human rights squares
An interactive exercise where participants ask each other questions on human rights and share their knowledge.
- 35 min
- Plenary exercise
- Walk and talk
The clifftop
An intriguing and thought-provoking problem-solving exercise that combines groupwork and plenary discussion with a knowledge input on legal and moral duty bearers.
- 1 h 5 min
- Group exercise
- Draw and discuss
Human needs – human rights
An exercise that combines groupwork and plenary discussion to help participants connect their human needs and their human rights under international law.
- 60 min
- Multi-format exercise
- Discuss, Reflect
Paradise island
A creative and inspiring exercise that combines groupwork and plenary discussion to help participants connect their human needs and their human rights under international law.
- 1 h 40 min
- Group exercise
- Draw and discuss
The soup of life – human rights gallery
This exercise uses the imagery of ingredients in a pot of soup to help participants explore the needs that they (and all human beings) have.
- 60 min
- Plenary exercise
- Reflect and share
Ripples of change
A reflection and discussion based participatory exercise for longer-term evaluation of the difference a training has made.
- 2 h 20 min
- Multi-format exercise
- Reflect and discuss
Letter to myself
A very simple personal reflection exercise in which participants write a letter to themselves in their mother tongue.
- 20 min
- Individual exercise
- Reflect
Head, heart, hands
A simple personal evaluation exercise for participants, using the imagery of head (knowledge), heart (attitudes) and hands (skills, action).
- 25 min
- Individual exercise
- Reflect and share
My backpack is full of…
An effective reflection exercise in which participants draw or write things they have learned, or wish to leave behind.
- 30-45 min
- Individual exercise
- Draw and share
Complete the statements
A simple participatory evaluation exercise, which is good for capturing qualitative data and feedback about the training.
- 35 min
- Plenary exercise
- Feedback
On target
A very simple participatory evaluation exercise, which is particularly good for groups that need support in talking freely.
- 20 min
- Plenary exercise
- Feedback
Emoticons
A physical energiser in which participants create emoticons/sculptures with their faces and bodies to represent how they feel about what they have learnt in a session.
- 20 min
- Plenary exercise
- Energiser
Walk and stop
A fun, physical exercise in which people do the opposite of what they are told.
- 10 min
- Plenary exercise
- Energiser
Fistfight – push and pull
A fun physical game. There are two ways to run the game. In pairs, participants either try to open the other person’s fist using any means they can think of, or they try to pull their partner across an imaginary line into their own space.
- 10 min
- Plenary exercise
- Energiser
Tell all!
This exercise provides a fun, interactive start to a session. Participants throw a ball to each other, saying something they remember from the previous session.
- 10 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game, Ice breaker
Pot luck
In this fun exercise, participants have 1 minute to cut or tear out an image but very few participants have scissors. Works well as an ice-breaker.
- 20 min
- Plenary exercise
- Game, Ice breaker
Self-portrait
A drawing exercise in which participants introduce themselves by creating a self-portrait showing their head, heart, and hands.
- 30-50 min
- Plenary exercise
- Draw and discuss, Ice breaker
Penny for your thoughts
A simple and effective ‘getting to know you’ exercise, which focuses on what participants have in common rather than their differences.
- 15 min
- Group exercise
- Ice breaker
Pass the basket
A simple participatory exercise allowing participants to contribute ground rules anonymously.
- 15 min
- Plenary exercise
- Ground rules, Ice breaker
Water pitcher
A simple but effective exercise that introduces participatory learning methods and helps to set the tone.
- 15 min
- Plenary exercise
- Ice breaker
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