Training Tip from Jim Conway, Senior Trainer
This simple participatory activity can be used during a presentation of the Developmental Assets to illustrate the importance of the framework as a lens for viewing the experiences of youth within a community. It also provides a way to emphasize that the assets are not a program. I often use the activity at the beginning of my presentation.
Activity Directions
1. Tell participants that in a moment we’re going to review the asset framework, but first we’ll take just 90 seconds to test their memories.
NOTE: You can play this up a bit noting that at this particular moment (mornings, after lunch, etc.) our brains may be a little dull and what we’re going to look at in a moment is really important and you want everyone’s brain as attentive as possible.
2. Ask participants to move around the room and make a mental note of everything they see that is the color red. Tell them that they will have 90 seconds to identify and remember as many things as possible. Explain that they should not write anything down, but simply make a mental note so that they can remember each item later.
3. Answer any questions that participants have and tell them to begin – monitor and announce the time remaining at 30 second intervals. Tell participants not to return to their seats because at the end of 90 seconds you will be testing their memories.
4. When 90 seconds have expired have participants partner up with someone near them and stand facing one another (if you have an odd number you can have one group of three)
5. Ask participants to close their eyes and leave them closed until you ask them to open them. When everyone is ready announce that they are now to share with their partners, without opening their eyes, everything in the room they remember that is the color blue.
There’s usually a moment of surprised moaning and laughter.
6. Give participants a few minutes to share what they can remember and then ask them to open their eyes and return to their regular seats.
7. Process the activity by asking first if folks had a hard time remembering blue stuff and why that was the case. Then make the point that this activity is a simple illustration of the fact that we tend to see what we’re looking for! Point out that the asset framework is primarily a lens, like putting on a pair of glasses that allows us to really see the lives of young people in our communities. Stress again that assets are not a program but “a way of seeing youth.”
A few cautionary notes:
• While I have used this activity with young people, I find that it works best with adults. Young people sometimes focus on “doing it right” and are more prone to actually get upset by the change in color at the end. This is not always the case, however, and I encourage you to try it out with youth to see how it works for you.
• Occasionally I will have someone in the group who is color blind. I find that sometimes they say that they can still distinguish between particular colors or shades. You can check with them to see if that’s the case and structure the activity accordingly if possible. Make sure that in the process you don’t give away the ending. This is rare and I’ve found that those folk are also fine with “sitting it out” and watching the group doing this activity.
Have fun…Hope it adds to your training!
