Spread the word

You’ll need

Facts and statistics sheet, one per group

Facts and statistics

PDF – 671.3KB

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Play whisper chain

Everyone should sit in a circle.
The person leading the activity should choose one person to think of a phrase or a sentence. They should whisper the phrase or sentence to the person next to them. This person should whisper it to the person next to them, and so on until the message travels all the way around the circle.
The last person to receive the message should say it out loud.
The person who thought of the message should share what the message originally was. Has it changed?
Everyone should think about why the message got changed or confused. How could they have made it easier to pass on?

Share a message about refugees and displaced children

Everyone should split into smaller groups. Each group should try to name as many different ways to spread a message about refugees and displaced children.

Groups could think about local media, social media, direct action like marches, events, or crafts.
The groups should share their ideas with each other.
The person leading the activity should share the ‘Facts and statistics’ sheet.
The group should choose one piece of information to communicate – the strongest messages are often the simplest. They should plan how and where they’ll spread their message – which of the things they named in step one would work best for them and their message?

This activity helps contribute towards some of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Find out more about the SDGs, and how Scouts across the world are getting involved.

Reflection

This activity was all about communicating. It’s great to learn things and change how we act, but the biggest differences happen when people share what they’ve learned with others. People had to choose between lots of different ways to communicate a message – what were some of the benefits and drawbacks of the ways they considered? Why did they make the decision they did?

This activity also reminded everyone that they’re a citizen. Refugees and displaced people aren’t always able to stand up and share their stories, or the facts about their situation, so it’s really important that we use our voices to share the truth. Do you think people have a responsibility to share the truth when lots of people are confused or misinformed?

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.