Activity: Recognizing resources
Connecting: In this activity adolescents identify different types of resources that are available to them that they can use to pursue their goals
Activity overview
Energy level: 4/5
Literacy level: 3/5
Complexity level: 3/5
Time: Participants decide the time
Purpose: Find and recognize resources that are available.
Objectives
Adolescents will be able to:
- Identify resources in their community that are available to them, including different types of resources such as materials, space, information, support from others (including cultural knowledge), and their own capacities.
Competency domains
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Hope for the future and goal setting
Works well for
Adolescents who have had a chance to discuss their goals and priorities in previous sessions, and/or are preparing to work on a project; Adolescents who can comfortably and safely move outside their activity space to explore the area around them, and/or to interview adults and others in their communities.
Phase
Connecting
Before
The adolescents should have had a chance to discuss and identify some of their own goals or priorities, and/or choose a topic for a project using the Choosing a challenge topic activity or a similar activity.
If adolescents will be moving outside the activity space during the session itself, make sure it is a safe time for them to do so.
After
Adolescents should have a chance to:
- Discuss how they might gather or use the resources they identified to support them in pursuing their goals. This can include discussing how to approach adults or others in the community who are resources that could support them.
- Carry out their plans to gather and use the resources toward their goals.
Preparation
None needed.
Activity steps
Step 1
Explain: Participants will be exploring and identifying the resources they have. Write down some of the goals that adolescents have discussed in their previous sessions and ask them to choose one that they would like to focus on during this activity, OR, if adolescents already have a project or challenge topic, explain that they will be focusing on that topic.
Step 2
Divide adolescents into small groups. If adolescents are already working in small groups, ask them to sit with those groups. If not, divide them into groups.
Step 3
Facilitator says: “Today we are going to identify some resources that you already have, or can find and use easily, to help you pursue your goals. What are resources? What are some different types or categories of resources?”
Possible answers to discuss: Resources are anything that can be used to make or do something. There are different ways to think of categories of resources but some of the categories of resources might include: materials, space, and ’invisible’ categories such as time, knowledge, ability, energy and positive attitude.
Step 4
Write the following table on the board (see the next page).
Facilitator says: “Now you are going to think about the resources that are already available to you to help you achieve your goals or work on your project. Focus on resources that are available to you – not on things that are not available here, or that are expensive or difficult to access.”
Step 5
Explain to adolescents that they should copy the matrix (see below) on a piece of paper. If adolescents would benefit from more clarity, explain:
- The category our own energy, knowledge, ability and will refers to their own capacity - which is the most important resource they have.
- Space and time refers to the space and time they can find to work toward their goal. They should be specific and discuss where and when they can work on their goal, thinking realistically about what spaces are available and their other daily and weekly responsibilities and activities.
- Materials and supplies may include things they can find and access freely in their community. These might include discarded materials, supplies that they already have and/or that others in the community are willing to donate. They can also consider purchasing affordable supplies, but encourage adolescents to find affordable, minimal cost solutions rather than investing their own money in purchasing things for activities.
- Experts and supporters can include anyone else in the community with energy, knowledge, ability and will to support them. Encourage adolescents to think about adults who might have knowledge, expertise, or interest in supporting them, as this can be an important way for them to build connections with older people.
- Information can include anything they need to know in order to pursue their goal.
Step 6
Give adolescents time to complete the matrix. While they adolescents are working on the activity in their small groups, support them in thinking of at least one resource for each category, and allow them to think of as many as they can.
Step 7
Sharing and Take away: Bring adolescents together in a large group. Ask each group to present their matrix of resources.
Step 8
Discuss:
- Do you have more resources or fewer than you thought you did before you started the activity?
- Now that you have heard from other groups, do you see any additional resources that you didn’t realize you had?
- When and how can you begin to gather or use these resources to work toward your goal?
Step 9
Agree to a plan for how adolescents will begin to gather and use these resources toward their goal, and how they will follow up and review their progress in an upcoming session.
Matrix
| Our own energy, knowledge, ability and will | Space and time | Materials and supplies | Experts and supporters | Information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| We have... | |||||
| We can use this resource to pursue our goals by... | |||||
| To gather and use this resource we will need to |
Do and don't
Do
- Encourage adolescents to focus on resources they have, rather than resources they want (but that are not easily accessible in their context).
- Support adolescents in adjusting their plans to pursue their goals based on the resources they have, instead of resources they wish they had, but which are expensive or inaccessible.
- Support adolescents in developing appropriate, helpful strategies for gathering and using the resources they have identified - For example, help them plan strategies for reaching out to adults in the community who can help them with their goals or projects.
Don't
- Suggest ideas for resources until adolescents have had a chance to think of some ideas and possibilities themselves.
- Push adolescents to use resources that they don’t find interesting or useful.
Adaptation
Low literacy: Instead of words, adolescents using images and symbols to make notes of the resources they identify.
Environment
Indoor or outdoor space.
Supplies
- Marker board and markers
- Notebooks or paper for adolescents to write down their resources
- At least one pen or pencil for each adolescent
Improvise
Adolescents can use this activity to learn about and explore issues in their community from the point of view of different people, including other adolescents, younger children and adults.
Continue
Adolescents can use their list of resources as they develop and carry out plans to pursue their goals or work together on their projects. They can use their list as a checklist to keep track of what they have gathered and the other preparatory steps they have taken, and add to or change their list as they continue their work together.
Highlights
Find and recognize resources that are available. Works well for adolescents who have had a chance to discuss their goals and priorities in previous sessions, and/or are preparing to work on a project; Adolescents who can comfortably and safely move outside their activity space to explore the area around them, and/or to interview adults and others in their communities.
