Making the Rules

A Handbook for Young Citizens

&
Notes for Youth Facilitators

Learning Together for Change

A research & development project of

Storytellers’ Foundation
www.upperskeena.ca
 Making the Rules

Introduction

This handbook is designed for young people who may wish to facilitate an
experiential program with their peers. Storytellers’ Foundation first wrote this
handbook as a tool for our youth popular education team known locally as Check
Your Latitude.

The program has been used primarily with school age students in elementary
schools, high schools and alternate education programs. Usually, 2 members of the
Check Your Latitude work with a class or members of a class. The classroom teacher
or group facilitator acts as a support and school/community liaison for the Check
Your Latitude team. Often the teacher/facilitator has remained inside the class
because they enjoy the interaction, energy and results that this program has
generated.

We’ve tried to generalize the handbook in response to requests from other learning
centers and community organizations that have also enjoyed the changes they have
seen from youth active citizenship.

Citizen Education

Making the Rules is an experiential program to help young people explore

democratic citizenship, and what actions they believe will make their school or
community more democratic for all citizens. It provides an opportunity for young
people to learn the benefits and responsibilities of belonging to a community. The
activities in this handbook provide a chance for young people to use their skills and
knowledge while learning to collaborate to improve a situation for everyone in their
school or community, not just for themselves.

This program combines group process (we call this the “wake-up” where youth link
their passions and interests with action and engage in reflection-on-action) and
product (this is the resulting action and involves planning, preparing, implementing,
and evaluating a project). The project and anticipated benefits of the project are
determined and monitored by the young people involved. Often individuals involved
in this program receive credit for work experience and/or leadership experience.

Making the Rules involves a series of hands-on sessions designed to help young
people:
! explore their personal interests and passions,
! share these interests and passions with others,
! connect these with needs, gaps or opportunities in the community,
! find out more about their topic, and
! lead a project with peers to address a common concern.
Learning Objectives

Making the Rules allows young people to build their personal and academic skills
through hands-on activities. The experiential program is designed to:

! Increase Personal Skills in areas such as: communications, problem-solving,

conflict resolution, organizing, planning, cultural competence, environmental
competence, and literacy.
! Support Personal Development through fostering an increased sense of
curiosity, identity, kindness, confidence, self-awareness, tolerance and
reflectivity.

Timeframe

This experiential program generally involves a 1.5-hour weekly session over 8 – 10

weeks. The length of the program will depend on the group’s availability and the
scope of the projects undertaken. Each session outlined here involves new work, so
flexibility is built into the schedule to allow individuals to finish up any work left
from the previous session.

Making the Rules program components:

Session 1 Exploring Citizenship, Democracy and Politics

Session 2 Discovering Interests

Session 3 Finding Common Interests

Session 4 Planning a Project

Sessions 5-7 Project Work

Session 8 Evaluating a Project

 Facilitator Notes
Session One: Exploring Democracy, Citizenship and Politics

Purpose:
! To give an overview of Making the Rules.
! To help young people explore how they work in groups.
! To introduce the concepts of democracy, citizenship and politics, and to help
young people connect these concepts to their own experience.

Materials Needed:
- Handout #1 -Magazines, scissors, glue, tape, felt pens
- 5-6 Balls -Poster Board
- Styrofoam cups/ Star bursts -Flip chart/ pens

Time: About 1.5 hours

Experiential warm-up [The accompanying handbook, Adventure Games gives

an explanation of the games suggested below]
Play games to warm the group up and to explore in a fun, experiential way what
it takes to work with others. Two of our favorites include:
~ The ball game
~ The frustration cup game
Debrief by explaining that working together will be both fun and frustrating and
invite discussion from the group about how they behave in either situation.

Overview of Making the Rules Project [see handout #1]

Review the handout with the group and facilitate questions or comments.

Discussion on democracy, citizenship and politics [see handout #2]

Lead the discussion using the notes on the following page as a guide.

Reinforce understanding of Democracy, Citizenship, Politics

Organize the group in to three small groups. Each group is given a poster board,
magazines and glue.
Instruct the groups to complete a collage that will explain to others one of the three
words discussed (democracy, citizenship, politics)
Encourage the groups to describe what this word means and to show examples of
this meaning in their lives locally.
Invite each group to present their collages to their peers.

Debrief session one by asking the group what they learned from the session.
 Facilitator Notes
Session Two: Discovering Interests

Purpose:
! To help young people name their passions and interests.
! To foster an individual’s connection to their community or school.

Materials Needed:
- For this session you will need one or more digital cameras (and a computer
that can download and print) or either a 35mm camera or disposable camera
and quick access to a pharmacy for printing the pictures.
- Handouts #2, #3, #4
- Newsprint, scrap paper, pens, glue
- A portfolio/ folder for each group

Time: About 1.5 hours

Allow people to finish up work from the previous session.

Review discussion from session one

Instruct each group to present their collages.
Explain to the group that they are going to act as political people by taking action
[see handout #2]

Facilitate passions and interests activity

Inform the youth that they will stay in their small group and walk (quietly) through
the neighbourhood or school and take photos of whatever catches their interest.
Hand out the photo board sheet (handout #3) and review the instructions with each
group. [Remind the group to record what they photographed, why they chose this
subject and why they think it is connected to their community or school]
Instruct the youth that each group member can take 3 photos.
Give each group a camera and allow them to go off alone. [Do not lead the groups,
be available for troubleshooting and support.]
Set a time limit on this activity.
Remind the groups to return back at a certain time.

Reflect on experience
Ask the group to describe their experiences.
Instruct each group to complete the activity sheet about democracy, citizenship, and
politics. [see handout #4]

Debrief by having each team member write four words (each word is written on a
separate paper) to describe how the team acted together. Invite youth to glue all their
words on one sheet of newsprint. Are they similar, are they different.... why/why
not? Post this sheet on a wall beside the group collages.
 Facilitator Notes
Session Three: Finding Common Interests

Purpose:
! To help students explore, analyze and name common interests in their
groups.
! To help students find out more about their group interest.

Materials Needed:
- You will need to have the photos developed or printed and on hand to return
to each group.
- Poster Board, scissors, glue, felt pens
- Handouts #5 & #6

Time: About 1. 5 hours.

Allow people to finish up work from the previous session.

Photo Collage Activity

Instruct each group to create a collage using their photos. The collage will have
photos and the rationale for why each photo was chosen.
Instruct youth to select common interests and to brainstorm what they know about
the common interests (e.g. How does the subject affect their school? Is it a positive or
negative affect?)
Invite each group to share their discussion and their photo collages.
Ask each group to name one subject or issue within their common interests that they
want to find more information about. Help the groups identify one person within the
neighbourhood or school who can answer their questions. [Help select a person who
will be available to the group]
Instruct each group to go and interview this person. Remind the groups to return at a
certain time.
Review the interviews and instruct each group to write notes about the information
they received. [This is important as the notes will be used in the next session]
Encourage the groups to be creative with their documentation – suggest they add the
notes to their photo collages.

Group Organizing
Give each group handout #5.
Instruct them to read through the checklist, review their responsibilities, make sure
they have completed all of their tasks and filled out all of their sheets to date.

Debrief by supporting the groups to complete handout #6

 Facilitator Notes
Session Four: Planning a Project

Purpose:

! To help groups collectively plan a meaningful and doable project.

Materials Needed:
- Handout #7
- A wall space somewhere in the school to display project materials.

Time: About 1.5 hours

Allow people to finish up work from the previous session.

Common Interest Debrief

Invite groups to present what they have learned about their common interest ,
suggest they include a quick summary of their common interest, what they know
about it as a group, and what they have learned from interviewing others.

Planning a project
Instruct groups to use handout #7 to guide them in planning their project. Support
team members to come up with a manageable project in the timeframe allotted and
with the materials they have available to them. Help them to consider factors that
could influence the project they are able to take on. Do they need to seek permission
from the school or other decision makers? Do they need to find out some more
information first? Do they need to scale back the project? Is the idea realistic?

Wall Display
Help teams to connect each of the pieces of their work together by making wall
displays in the school. The display will include the first collage about democracy,
citizenship, and politics and each group's photo collage and a copy of the project
description sheet.

Debrief by facilitating a conversation. How do team members feel about the project
they have planned? Does it include everyone’s ideas and input? Does everyone have
a role and tasks? How did they contribute to the project planning process?
 Facilitator Notes
Sessions Five, Six, Seven: Project Work

Purpose:
! To support groups to move their ideas to action, and to complete their
projects.
! To help team members reflect on what they are learning as they work
together.

Materials Needed:
This will depend on what groups have planned to do. Help groups to be creative
with finding supplies and materials that are free or don’t cost very much. Decide
if there a small budget available for the groups to work with.

Time: 1.5-hour sessions (3 sessions)

Note: Build flexibility into this schedule to meet the needs of the group. However,
ensure that groups finish their projects in a reasonable amount of time.

Implementing Projects
Support teams to complete their project. Remind them of how much time they have
to complete each project. Again, make sure the project is suited to the timeframe
given.
Remember, your job as facilitator is to coach, guide and support each group NOT
lead the project work.
Organize weekly check in times with each group.

Debrief at the end of each session by facilitating a quick reflective round. Ask one
simple question. Here is a selection of reflective questions. Remember only ask one
question:
What did you learn today?
What was a highlight for you today?
What was frustrating in today's work?
How do you think you are helping the school and/or community?
 Facilitator Notes
Session Eight: Evaluating a project

Purpose:
! To help young people reflect on the impact of their project.
! To highlight the individual and group learning from the experience.
! To reflect on what it means to be an active citizen
! To celebrate the groups’ work and the completion of the projects.

Materials Needed:
- Handout #8
- Flipchart paper, felt pens, tape
- Index cards/ Recipe cards
- A glass or cup for each person
- Some juice or punch

Time: 1.5 hours.

Before the evaluation session, make sure the project work is complete.

Organizing the evaluation

Brainstorm how the projects have helped the school and/or community.
Instruct each group to transfer this information into their evaluative sheet [see
handout #8]

Interviewing people involved in projects

Instruct each group member to select two people that they can interview about their
project. Follow the instructions in handout #8 as a guide in preparing questions.
Facilitate a quick interview skill and technique session.
Instruct each person to go and conduct the interview. Remind the youth that the
interview is to remain short.
Remind each person to return at a certain time.

Compiling and analyzing the data

Instruct each person to post the interview notes on the wall. As a group identify
what is different and what is similar. Separate comments that support the project
from comments that don’t support the project. On a flip chart make a table that
shows the different comments.
Brainstorm whether projects were more popular than not.
Brainstorm whether or not people thought the project had make a difference.

Evaluating the project and process

Brainstorm the following questions with the group:
What have people learned about taking action to improve their community?
Do people want to continue as active citizens? Why or why not?
Invite each person to say one thing he or she has learned from the experience.
Debrief by choosing one of the following activities.

#1 Give out ‘postcards’ (Index card/ Recipe card) to each person and instruct
them to describe what was significant about the project. Tell them to draw a picture
on the front of the postcard of something significant or memorable from the project.
It could be anything. Instruct them to address the postcard to someone and write a
quick note about the project. Invite people to share their postcards with each other.

#2 Celebrate the good work. Give each person a small cup or glass. Have on a
table a bottle of ginger ale and orange juice. Ask each person to pour some of the
drink in everyone else’s cup. As they pour they say one positive comment to that
person about their work. When everyone has had a turn. Toast the group and drink
the punch! Congratulate everyone.

Your final work ~ make sure everyone has turned in all their work to their file folders
and hand them in to the teacher and/or facilitator. Discuss with the teacher and/or
facilitator what you have learned from the process and what changes you think might
make the process better.

Thanks for encouraging active citizenship in your school and/or community!

Handout #1

Introducing Making the Rules

What is Making the Rules?

Making the Rules is an 8-10 week program, where you will explore what it means to be a
‘democratic citizen’ in a hands-on way. You will work with others in your class or group to plan,
prepare, carry out and evaluate a short project that will improve the conditions in your school or
community. In other words, you will work together to make your school or community more
democratic for all people.

• It is using your skills and knowledge to work with others to improve a situation
for everyone not just yourself.

• It is a fun and exciting way to use what you are learning in school and
community to make your community a better place to be.

• It is a different way to help you learn about what is important in working with
others, your own strengths and weaknesses and what you might even consider for
a career or volunteering opportunity.

How do I get involved?

STEP 1: Take the time to discover what interests you about your community.

STEP 2: Share this with your group, team or class.

STEP 3: As a group choose a common interest.

STEP 4: Brainstorm all you know about this interest.

STEP 5: Head out in your community and find out who may share your interest.

STEP 6: Share your discoveries with your team.

From this research you will know:

1. Your common interest
2. What your team knows about this subject
3. The conditions within your community around this subject.

What’s next?
Now it is time for you to pool your skills, knowledge, interest and energy to work
together to create a project that will help and/or support your community.

You will also take time to reflect on what you are learning about yourself, about
working with others, and about what it takes to make change in your community.
Handout #2

Notes for discussion on democracy, citizenship and politics

There are three words that have significant meaning when we talk about working for
the good of community. These words are:
! Democracy
! Citizenship
! Politics

Democracy (stems from the greek word "demos" meaning 'people' and
"kratein" meaning 'rule of power')

Ask: When you hear the word democracy what do you think?

Describe: Share the following definitions and invite responses from the group
" a form of government in which not only politicians but all citizens
bring governance and life to a community
" it is where decision making and action is carried out by everyone
" it is where ordinary people develop skills, powers, capacities and
imagination for addressing common problems in community

Brainstorm: What are examples of democracy in your local community?

(Perhaps it is the building of a hockey arena, a hospital, and daycare centre.
Participation in clubs or teams is an example of people using their democratic
right. And, disagreeing with a rule or decision is another example.)

Wrap Up Questions: Where have you seen examples of democracy?

When have you used your democratic freedom?
When have you not used your democratic freedom?

Citizenship (means being a member of a community and having rights to

participate in matters affecting that community)

Ask: When you hear the word citizenship what do you think?

Describe: Share the following definitions and invite responses from the group
" Citizenship simply means that you have the right to contribute to
creating community and helping solve problems.
" We are all citizens and it’s up to us whether we use our right.
Brainstorm: Name citizens who have used their right to contribute (active citizens)
How have citizens made a difference in your life?
Politics (stems from the word polis, which means activity of the citizen)

Ask: What is politics?

Describe: Share the following definitions and invite responses from the group
" When we look at politics in we often refer to people politics and
government politics.
" When you volunteer, when you help your community - you are
being political because you are taking action.
" It’s important to know the government politics that affect you
and your community and it is also important to know the
people politics that affect you and your community.
Brainstorm: What are the government politics that surround you?
What people politics surround you?
Handout #3

Hi! Welcome to Making the Rules

Now you are on your own working in a group. You need to do some organizing
right away. Follow the directions…

First pick a project coordinator - this person will:

" help the group follow the tasks listed
" keep the portfolio organized
" liaison with your facilitator

Second pick a project scribe – this person will:

" keep notes
" write up brainstorm session
" make sure all papers are completed

Third pick a project presenter - this person will:

" sum up ideas after each activity
" present on behalf of the group
" act as a spokesperson for the group

You also now have a portfolio (file) You must keep all your papers, activity sheets,
brainstorming notes, etc in this file. If you are in school it might be used to help
assign you a grade for course work.

If you have questions ask your facilitator.

Have fun and good luck!

Handout #4

Photography Storyboard

• Share the camera so each person in the group has opportunities to take photos
• Think about why you are taking the photo
• After each photo is taken, fill in the following table
• Every photo must have a storyboard

Subject Reason Interest

What did you take a photo of? Why did you take this photo? How does this subject interest you?
Handout #5

Making the Rules Activity Sheet

Group Name: _________________________________________________

Coordinator: _______________________

Scribe: ____________________________

Presenter: _________________________

Other positions: ____________________

" Project coordinators can facilitate the discussion.

" Project scribes will write down what people discuss
" Project presenters will summarize your notes from each question and prepare
to present to the whole class next session.

Have fun by taking this seriously and getting involved.

1. As a group review the meanings behind:

~ democracy
~ citizenship
~ politics [people politics and government politics]

2. On this sheet write a definition for each term.

Democracy

Citizenship

Politics
3. Discuss your explanations for each of these terms. Now answer the following.

Think about when you have enjoyed living in a democracy - what did you do, how
did it help others and what did you learn from the experience?

Think about when you have taken responsibility as a citizen. What did you do,
how did it help others and what did you learn from the experience?

Think about when you have been political - what did you do, how did it help other
and what did you learn from the experience?

There are many types and parts of government. Name at least one way that you
have worked with government. Here are some examples:
# you received funding to go on a school trip or an exchange program,
# you worked as a summer student,
# you have a status card, passport, drivers licence or fishing licence,
# you wrote a letter in protest or filled in a petition,
# you have been elected onto student council,
# you have gone to parties at your local hall for Christmas or Halloween

Remember government takes many forms. Here are some types:

" federal government (Canada)
" provincial government (BC)
" local government
" municipal office
" community associations
" clans and wilps
" band administration
" regional district

What are other types of government not listed here?

Handout #6
Making the Rules Checklist

As you complete an activity check it off.

Getting Started

# Group Collage about democracy, citizenship, and politics.

# Taking photos and recording on storyboard sheet.
# Brainstorming about group experience with democracy, citizenship, and
politics.
# Completing the activity sheet about democracy, citizenship, and politics
# Debriefing as a group.
# Completing the debriefing collage.

Finding common interests

# Group collage showing the photos taken and why they were taken.
# Brainstorming what you think is common between the photos.
# Deciding on one common interest and turning it into a project that will
improve the school or community.
# Brainstorming and writing down everything you know about this subject
[your chosen potential project]
# Identifying other people who will know about this subject.
# Interviewing these people and asking for more information.
# Writing down all the information from your research [your brainstorm session
and the notes from each interview]
# Creating a presentation using your notes and the photo collage.
# Debriefing how you worked together (use the debrief reporting form)

Launching Your Project

# Presenting your project and the process of how you selected this project.
# Making a plan for investigating and implementing your project.
# Creating a task list and identifying who is responsible for each task.
# Completing the reporting form at the end of each day of project work.
# Implementing your project.
# Evaluating your project - what worked well, what could have been different
what did you each learn from the project, what did you each learn about
working together, how has the school or community been impacted by your
work?
Handout #7
Making the Rules
Group Debrief Sheet

How have we worked as a team?

Behaviour Consequences What we're proud of What we'd change

Handout #8

Making the Rules

Project Overview

Project Team:

Common Theme from Photo Display:

Project Title:

Project Description: What are we planning to do?

Project Goals: What benefits do we want to see from our project?

Materials Needed: Where will you get these materials?

List the tasks that need to be done:

#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#

Now divide up the tasks!

Task Who is When is the deadline for the task

Responsible for the to be completed?
task?
Handout #9

Making the Rules

Project Evaluation

$ Group Reflections

What were our goals as a team?

!
!
!

What did we do?

What are we proud of? What are we sorry about?

Did the project make a difference in our school or community? If so, how?
How do we know this?
 $ Reflections from others involved in project

How can we find out more about what others think of our project? Who could we
talk to? What questions will we ask?

List of questions:

1.

2.

3.

People to interview:

1.

2.

How can we learn from our interviews?

What did we hear in the interviews?

What have we learned from this?

What might be the impact on our school or community?