KNOWLEDGE INPUT (10 MIN)
Deliver the ready-made presentation using the script and PowerPoint presentation (slides 3-24). The presentation uses the imagery of planning a journey to introduce the process of action planning and the simple ten-step visual action planning tool that participants will use in the exercise.
EXPLAIN THE EXERCISE (7 MIN)
Explain the following:
In the ‘What’s the problem?‘ exercise, we chose problems and divided into groups. Now each group will try to develop an action plan to tackle their problem, using the ‘Our Change Journey’ model we heard about in the presentation. These action plans could be real plans, that we want to implement after the training, or practice action plans that help us learn action planning skills we can apply later.
On the group tables, you will find a long flipchart sheet on which to draw and write your change journey. You will also find copies of the ‘Our change journey’ template to help you and as a handout for you to take home.
Your task is to create an action plan to tackle your group’s problem on your flipchart sheets, using the different elements of the change journey model. You will have about 1 hour and 10 minutes in total to do this.
Show slide 25 while explaining the following:
The steps to take to make your plan are –
1. Decide who the changemakers are: who are the group of people or organisation who will implement the plan?
2. Write the main problem that your group has been given to work with.
3. Identify concrete attitudes, behaviours or rules that you want to change.
4. Create a goal to mirror your problem.
5. Identify the desired attitudes, behaviours and rules.
6. Add the other ‘people’ involved – the people affected; the people, organisations or authorities who are part of the problem; and those with the power to make a difference.
7. Choose and add your tactics and the main activities to be done in order to achieve the goal.
8. Identify a few key practical steps needed to implement these activities.
9. Identify what your messages are to the different people involved. What arguments will convince them?
10. And finally, think about what risks you might face along the way.
You don’t have to do things in this order, but it’s probably helpful!
Emphasise the following:
It would be possible to spend a long time reflecting on each question, but the aim of this exercise is to create the ‘bones’ of a plan – the big picture, which we can reflect on and develop more later if we decide to implement it.
Aim to spend about 8 minutes on each part! Remember this is a brainstorm of a rough plan! Write down your spontaneous thoughts and ideas and don’t spend time formulating things carefully – a roughly formulated single sentence, or a few bullet points is enough.
And don’t forget the action ideas we’ve already formulated in previous exercises! Perhaps you can use one or two of them in your plan.
Explain that after the group work, each group will have 5 minutes to present their ‘change journey’ to the rest of the group, followed by 10 to 15 minutes of discussion of their plan.
