MODULE 6:How We Organize and Manage Ourselves

TOOLS

Organizational Diagram

Decision-making Chart

Daily Settings Chart

Friendly Interview

This module helps children’s groups to reflect on how they organize themselves and create roles for members. The tools enable groups to identify and reflect on the balance of power between different members to find ways for all members to have an influence on decisions.

10111213

Identify members who have specific roles in order to understand the age, gender, and power balance in the organizational structure of the group.

60 – 90 Minutes

Movable images or symbols, large flip chart paper, markers or crayons, stickers or colored paper, tape or glue

Key Questions• Who plays what role in our children’s group?

• How do individuals and committees in our children’s group relate to one another?

• Are there differences between gender and age in who plays a role in coordination or leadership of activities?

?? ?

Steps 123MATERIALS

TIME

1. PREPARE : Create symbols to represent all of the people who are involved in the children’s group. They should be drawn on small pieces of paper to allow moving the symbol before agreeing on a final picture. These symbols should show age and gender, at least. This will be the key to your diagram. There are some examples of symbols you may use on the next page.

OBJECTIVE

10Organizational Diagram

4, 11

The examples on the next page may be created by printing the characters or symbols on sheets of colored paper. You may need multiple sheets of each character or symbol depending on how many members of each age and gender are in your children’s group.

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Green

Green

Blue

Blue

Purple

Purple

Red

Red

Orange

Over 26 years 18 - 26 years Under12 years12 - 17 years

♂♀

♂♀

♂♀

♂♀

Characters printed on colored paper

Symbols printed on colored paper

Remember, these are just examples. Your children’s group may want to create your own symbols or characters using local materials.

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If you do not have colored paper, you may print or draw on white paper and color the shapes with colored markers or pencils.

You may want to create the moveable symbols by printing the characters on sheets of colored paper.

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2. IDENTIFY: It is especially important to think about each individual in your children’s group who are of a different ethnicity or caste/class, or perhaps children with disabilities. These people may or may not be part of your children’s group, even though your group may think it is important to include them. Create new symbols, shapes or use colored stickers to show these members and add them to your key.

Someone with a disability

(red sticker)

Someone out of school

(yellow sticker)

Someone from a social minority (green sticker)

Yello

wGre

en

President or group leaders (blue sticker)

BlueRed

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4. DISCUSS : Create a list of the different committees or organized sub-groups and members in specific roles in your children’s group including general members. It is important that this include not just the officially recognized committees but any sub-group of children that meets regularly for an activity.

This list will help your children’s group plan your organizational diagram. Remember, there are also people outside your children’s group you may want to include. Just make sure you focus on ALL the members of your LOCAL children’s group, not just the leaders or coordinators.

This tool produces the most accurate information when two or more small groups create a diagram separately, then come together to share and discuss reasons for their decisions to diagram the children’s group as they did. For example, the group may want to divide by gender (girls and boys); age (older and younger children); organizational structure (leaders and general members); or other categories such as school going children and non-school going children.

3. DIVIDE: Break into smaller groups of approximately 4-6 people. By working in smaller groups, everyone can explore and compare differences between members’ experiences and views.

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5. CREATE: In your small groups, arrange the symbols of members on a flat surface, such as a large sheet of paper laid on a table or the floor. Arrange the symbols to show the sub-groups of your group that meet together on some regular basis.. Some of them may be “official”and have a name such as “The education committee” of “The Advisory Committee” but others may have never been officially recognized as a committee or having a name but still carry out an important activity regularly, such as a clean up group. Both types of sub-groups should be identified on your diagram because they both have a purpose in your organization.

Executive Members

Advisory Committee

General Members

Teachers

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There are 19 members in this children’s group. Five executive members (leaders) and 14 general members. The Advisory Committee and Teacher are not in the children’s group, but they do advise the group, so they are included.

Look closely. How many members with disabilities are in the group? Do both girls and boys share leadership roles?

Participates (Joins in the group’s activities)

Blue

Coordinates (Sets up and organizes group

activities)

Purple

Facilitates (Leads discussions or

communicates between members)

Orange

Consults(Gives advice or counsel)

Black

6. CREATE: If your small group is happy with how the diagrams look, you may begin to show the types of relationships the members have with each other using colored lines and arrows. Colored lines represent the type of relationship, while arrows show the direction of the relationship. For example, both leaders and members may participate in one committee (arrow with two points), but only one of the older members facilitates the discussion for the entire children’s group (arrow with one point).

The thickness of the lines may represent the strength of the relationship. You may also draw circles around multiple people if they all involved.

KEY

Module 6 – Page 8

Executive Members

Advisory Committee

General Members

Teachers

7. REFLECT: Bring all small groups together to discuss the following questions:

7.Where does this structure come from? For example:

8.Is our children’s group structure similar to the structure of adult groups? Or is it different? Why?

9.Is this how we want the structure of our children’s group to look?

10.Are there reasons why our children’s group is organized this way? For example, some large children’s group may create smaller groups to allow everyone a chance to speak in discussions.

11.What are the patterns of power in our children’s group? Are some people “in charge” more than others?

12.How can we make sure everyone is informed and involved in the organization and management of our children’s group?

8. DISCUSS: Ask members to imagine what their “IDEAL” children’s group might look. Encourage

everyone to change the diagram and explore a children’s group structure that is more inclusive, clear, and

fair. If needed, develop a plan for making changes to the children’s group structure.

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Be sure not to copy exactly the examples in this kit. They may or may not reflect the actual organizational structure of your

children’s group. We encourage you to be creative to develop an Organizational Diagram that reflects your own group structure .

Also, be creative with materials. Use materials that are locally available. Adapt the process to fit the needs of the children’s group.

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Above are examples from children’s groups in Guatemala and the Philippines. To the right, general members from a children’s group in Nepal work on their Organizational Diagram.

Identify the types of decisions made and who are included and not included in the decision-making process.

OBJECTIVE

60 – 90 Minutes

Flip charts paper, colored crayons or markers, stickers or colored paper, tape or glue

Key Questions?? ? • What decisions does our children’s group make (both formal and informal)?

• Who is included or excluded from those decisions?

• What other “unrecognized” activities does our children’s group make decisions on, such as, “Who cleans up the meeting space?”

Steps 1231. BRAINSTORM: As a large group, identify all the decisions your children’s

group makes and write them on a large sheet of flip chart paper or chalkboard. Depending on how much time you have, prioritize the top 5-10 activities your children’s group makes decisions about by tallying votes. Some examples are:

1. Who elects leaders?2. Who decides which members go to workshops?3. Who makes decisions about the children’s group finances?4. Who cleans up the meeting space?

MATERIALS

TIME

2. DIVIDE: Break into small groups of approximately 4-6 people. You may either complete two charts on different questions or you may also prioritize the top 5-10 decisions your children’s group makes and complete charts on the same questions. The entire group may want to divide by gender (girls and boys); age (older and younger children); organizational structure (leaders and general members); or other categories. By working in small groups, the children’s group may explore and compare differences between members’ experiences and views.

11Decision-MakingChart

4,10

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2. PREPARE: Design or draw out a matrix with at least 10 columns and enough rows for a the column headings and each children’s group decision identified in Step 1.

b. Place images for the different member roles in the children’s group according to age and gender in each column. If your group created an Organizational Diagram, use the key of your diagram as a reference.

c. Add columns for additional individuals or children’s groups involved in decision-making.

Female Child

Under 12

Male Child

Under12

Female Adolescen

t12-17

Male Adolescent

12-17

Female Youth18-25

Male Youth18-25

Female Adult

26 and up

Male Adult

26 and up

ExternalGroup

Who decides who goes to conferences?

Who goes to conferences?

Who cleans the meeting space?

Who handles the group’s finances?

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4. CREATE: Use colored stickers, colored pencils or markers to create symbols for how many people in each gender/age group participate in a decision. For example, a green sticker or symbol means everyone in this gender/age group participates in the decision; yellow for some people; red for no one; and blue for only the leaders of this gender/age group. Leaders have their own color to show another way groups may or may not share power.

Use an X or another symbol if the group does not have members of a certain age/gender group.

No one in this age/gender group participates

Some people in this age/gender group participate

Everyone in this age/gender group participates

Only leaders in this age/gender group participate

There is no one of this age/gender in our group

Green

Yello

w

Red

Blue

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Female Child

Under 12

Male Child

Under 12

Female Adolescent

12-17

Male Adolescent

13-17

Female Youth18-25

Male Youth18-25

Female Adult

26 and up

Male Adult

26 and up

ExternalGroup

Who decides who goes to conferences?

Who goes to conferences?

Who cleans the meeting space?

Who handles the group finances?

5. ANALYZE: Compare the columns and rows to find patterns of inclusion or exclusion. Look down the columns. Is there a specific age group or gender that participates in decisions more or less than others?

b. Look across the rows. Are there specific decisions that are more or less participatory?

Note: This group used both yellow and blue stickers to show some youth members have a say on group finances, but youth leaders have more influence.

c. Compare charts. Did different small groups looking at the same decisions come to the same results? If not, why? Discuss the findings among the entire group. Make sure every member understands how to read the chart, as well as the different views each member shares.

Green

Yello

w

Red

Green

Green

Green

Green

Green

RedRed

RedRed

Red

RedRed

Yello

wYello

wRed

Yello

w

Green

Green

Green

Green

OUR

CLUB!

Yello

wYello

wGre

en

Green

Red

Red

Red

Yello

wYello

w

BlueBlue

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In this example, a children’s group from Colombia decided to write the gender and age at the top of each column. They also wrote explanations next to the stickers to describe specific situations.

In this example, a children’s group from Nepal used the colored pieces of paper from their Organizational Diagram at the top of each column to show age and gender. In both examples, children’s groups made decisions that were not inclusive and learned how to improve their decision-making.

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7. REFLECT: Reflect again on your organizational chart. • What might an “IDEAL’ chart look like? • What changes in the children’s group’s organizational structure are need to support more inclusive

decision-making?

Use the Re-scripting Drama tool (Tool 5) after the Decision-Making Chart to perform a drama about how the children’s group may develop more inclusive decision-making.

6. DISCUSS: Identify areas for improvement. Develop solutions for each and write them on small pieces of paper and stick them to the chart. Write out specific steps and set deadlines for taking action. Discuss the following questions:

• Which strategies does the group use to make decisions?

• Do we agree with this way of making decisions? Why or why not?

Some topics can be sensitive and difficult for everyone to feel comfortable talking about in an honest way. It may also be difficult for members to discover they are not part of certain decisions. It is important to remind the children’s group if this information is available and clear, the group can make better decisions. Everyone must commit to supporting one another in the children’s group to make changes toward more inclusive and fair decision-making.

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Reflect on how children organize activities in different settings of their everyday life, and learn from their interactions with each other and adults in these settings.

OBJECTIVE

60 Minutes

Flip chart paper, colored pens or markers, colored stickers

Key Questions?? ? • What can we learn from our everyday experiences to help us manage our children’s group?

• How do we organize ourselves in different everyday settings?

Steps 123

12

MATERIALS

TIME

Daily SettingsChart

2. BRAINSTORM: Ask the entire group to think about activities they do with more than three people. This could be anything from a sports game to cleaning up the space where the group meets, to producing a drama. Use a separate sheets of flip chart paper to list each setting.

1. EXPLAIN: Describe the tool and how it will be used. Explain that it will help the children’s group use examples from their everyday life in order to learn how to organize their own group.

11, 19

60 minutes

Module 6 – Page 18

Adult organized & run

Adult organized & run with roles

for children

Child organized & run

Child organized & run with roles

for adults

Sports game played at schoolSports game played in a park

Meetings at Youth Council

Meetings at Our Club

3. PREPARE: Create a blank Daily Settings Chart on a large sheets of flipchart paper or a chalkboard. The chart should be at least five columns wide with five or more rows. Please see blank example below.

b. Enter the activities in different settings from the brainstorm in Step 2 in the row headings.

c. Write in the following headings at the top of each column: Adult organized & run; Adult Organized and run with roles for children; Child organized & run; Child organized & run with roles for adults.

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Adult organized & run

Adult organized & run with roles

for children

Child organized & run

Child organized & run with roles

for adults

Sports game played at schoolSports game played in a park

Meetings at Youth Council

Meetings at Our Club

5. RECORD: Discuss each activity in each setting. Arrive at a consensus decision on how the activity is organized in each setting. Place a sticker to mark the group’s vote.

4. DECIDE: Your children’s group may want to have each individual member place a sticker or make a mark instead of coming to a consensus vote. The group may use either method. Below is an example of a consensus vote method.

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6. REFLECT: Compare and reflect on the patterns of roles children and adults have in various activities.

• How does the organization of each activity change each person’s role?

• How does this compare to the organization of your children’s group?

• How did the roles of children and adults differ between activities and settings?

Use drama at any time for discussing topics that are hard to explain using words. For example, a topic may be different levels of power and control between children and other children and adults. Children’s groups may be structured in many different ways, but everyone has power - whether they feel like they do or not. It is important to discuss what different levels of power mean to the different members of the children’s group.

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13Share and learn management skills each group member may use in their different roles and responsibilities.

OBJECTIVE

60 Minutes

Paper and pens

Key Questions?? ? • How can we improve the way we manage our children’s group?

• Who participates in group-management activities?

• What are the different roles and responsibilities for each group member including facilitators, child leaders, general members, outside supporters?

Steps 1231. DECIDE: This activity can be used between members of one children’s

group, or between members of two or more groups at larger meetings. In either case, it is meant to be a time to share ways of managing a children’s group and creating new group management ideas.

MATERIALS

TIME

Friendly Interview

2. EXPLAIN: Explain that a group of journalists is writing a story about children’s groups. They are interested in learning more about how young people organize themselves. Using the Friendly Interview, the journalists will ask the children’s group representative about their group and the responsibilities of each member.

Encourage the group to meet and interview another children’s group in the community!

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14, 16,18

6. SHARE: Once each pair has completed the interview, combine pairs into teams of 6-8 people. Everyone in each small group will share and compare responses. Depending on how much time the children’s group has to complete this activity, group members may switch roles. The journalist becomes the interviewee and the interviewee becomes the journalist. This way, everyone has a chance to express his or her views.

Friendly Interview

1.What is your name?

2.What is the name of your group?

3.What is your role in this group?

4.What is the goal of the group?

5.Where does the group meet?

6.How often do you meet?

7.Does anyone keep record of activities or documents?

1.Does anyone keep track of the group’s money and budget?

• Does the group have any rules?

• What happens if someone does

not follow the rules?

1.How do you resolve conflicts

within your group?

Friendly Interview

1.What is your name?

2.What is the name of your group?

3.What is your role in this group?

4.What is the goal of the group?

5.Where does the group meet?

6.How often do you meet?

7.Does anyone keep record of activities or documents?

1.Does anyone keep track of the group’s money and budget?

• Does the group have any rules?

• What happens if someone does

not follow the rules?

1.How do you resolve conflicts

within your group?

EXAMPLE: Blank Friendly Interview

4. PAIR-UP: In each pair, one person will be a journalist. The other will be a representative from their children’s group.

5. ACT: Take approximately 20 minutes to complete the interview.

3. BRAINSTORM: Take a look at the Friendly Interview. Discuss if these questions would be helpful. Brainstorm additional questions. The group may want to focus on particular themes, such as finances or resolving conflict.

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Questions to considerCreate interviews about specific topics such as planning and monitoring, financing, and conflict resolution and protection.

4. DISCUSS: Come back together as a large group to discuss the findings.

4. Are there similarities between everyone’s responses?

5. Are there differences?

6. If this activity is done with one large children’s group, emphasis any differences between members responses to the same question.

7. Why are there different responses to the same question? Are management practices different for different members or situations?

8. Is there a particular management strategy your children’s group learned that you might want to share with other children’s groups?

Planning and Monitoring

How does our children’s group…

•monitor and plan goals?

•manage and design our meeting space?

•maintain records, attendance, events calendar, etc.?

Finances

How does our children’s group…

•keep record of group funds?

•spend funds?

•make plans to get more funds if needed?

Conflict Resolution

How does our children’s group…

•create new group rules?

•keep members safe?

•prevent, identify, and resolve conflict within our group?

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While the aim of this activity is to share

management practices, it is important to note that

there is not one good way There are many

alternative ways to structure a group.

But while there is no single “best” way to manage

a children’s group, there are management

strategies that are more or less inclusive,

transparent, and fair. Facilitators should emphasis

this throughout the activity.

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26

Paul StephensonRuthi Hoffman-Hanchett Ravi Karkara

Character images created by CERG through www.bitstripsforschools.com. Bitstrips For Schools is not associated with The Article 15 Project.

Annette Giertsen

Module 1 – Page 26

The Article 15 Project

Please visit CRC15.org for all Resource Kit modules.

CERG is a Key Institution of the Childwatch International Research Network