Activity: Setting group goals
Adolescents set goals for their circle
Activity overview
Energy level: 2/5
Literacy level: 1/5
Complexity level: 2/5
Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Purpose: Create group goals for circle and then discuss them.
Objectives
Adolescents will be able to:
- Make a decision collectively.
- Develop trust among adolescents.
Competency domains
- Hope for the future and goal setting
- Critical thinking and decision making
- Leadership and influence
Works well for
New circles, circles that are starting a new cycle, and/or circles that are welcoming many new members; adolescents of any age In the Starting our circle and Knowing ourselves cycle this activity should not be done on the first day, as adolescents may feel too shy or overwhelmed.
Phase
Starting our circle
Before
Adolescents should have had at least two sessions together, in which they have had a chance to get to know each other. This activity works well early in a cycle. Review the guidelines for Strong circles.
After
Bring the list of goals to sessions regularly. Encourage adolescents to reflect on their goals, assess their progress or to develop new ones at regular intervals.
Adolescents can have an in-depth discussion to review their goals using the Our progress toward our goals activity, and/or hold a short discussion during the Review step of their sessions.
Preparation
None needed
Activity steps
Step 1
Explanation and discussion: Give participants two note cards and/ or make sure they have a notebook or paper to write on. Post a marker board and a piece of flip chart paper where everyone can see it.
Step 2
Facilitator says: “Today we are going to set some goals for our time together as a circle. Let’s start by thinking about the following questions: What am I doing well to help the circle?
- What is something that you would like to feel, know, learn or do by being part of this circle?
- You can think about new things (for example, new things you want to learn), or things that we already do in the circle (for example, things you enjoy doing that you would like to do more).”
Step 3
Write: Feel, Know, Learn and Do on the marker board or a piece of flip chart paper, with a lot of room under each word. Ask the adolescents to sit quietly while they think or write about their answers to the questions.
Step 4
Once they have had a few minutes to think, ask the adolescents to share answers one at a time. Write notes on the marker board or the flip chart as they answer.
Step 5
Sharing and Take away:
Facilitator says: “Now we are going to try to agree to a few goals that we share as a circle. Are there any goals that several people mentioned? Are there any goals that you heard that you like a lot?”
Give adolescents a chance to respond. Try to narrow the list to ten goals. Give time for discussion. Draw a star or another sign beside the rules discussed.
Step 6
Facilitator says: “Now let’s try to agree to five really good goals that we all like.”
Discuss:
- Do we have a good balance of different kinds of goals? Let’s try to include some from the four categories (Feel, Know, Learn, Do), or at least not all five from the same category.
- Can we achieve these goals together in the time that we have in our sessions? Should we make them more ambitious, or more realistic?
Step 7
Once the circle has agreed to their goals, write the final list of five on a piece of chart paper or something else that can be posted and seen by the circle in the next sessions.
Step 8
Explain: Participants should talk about these goals in their sessions and discuss whether they are making progress toward achieving them.
Step 9
Conclude by reading the goals aloud together. Ask the adolescents to demonstrate their commitment to the goals by signing them.
Do and don't
Do
- Review the guidelines for Strong Circles and use the tips in that section to form goals and review their progress. Review the guidelines for Strong Circles and use the tips in that section to form goals and review their progress.
- Use the Setting competency goals tool for adolescents who are ready to set detailed goals for the knowledge, skills, attitudes and motivational goals they want to work toward.
- Encourage (but don’t force) adolescents to agree to a list of five goals that includes at least two learning goals.
- Encourage adolescents to agree to goals that they can realistically achieve, given their ability to work together as a circle and the time and resources they have available. Use the domains and approaches outlined in the Adolescent Kit to think of goals that they can achieve.
- Encourage adolescents to aim for something more achievable if they initially set very hard to reach goals.
- Allow adolescents to challenge themselves, as long as they are not setting themselves up for failure. Encourage older adolescents and stronger circles to take on greater challenges if they wish to do so.
- Keep the final list of five goals and post it in the activity space every time you meet.
Don't
- Encourage adolescents to focus on goals that are unattainable or may result in frustration.
- Allow one or a few adolescents to dominate the decisions about which goals the circle chooses.
Adaptation
For younger adolescents: Encourage them to agree to goals that are simple, specific and easy to understand.
For low-literacy participants: Adolescents can use drawings or symbols to create the list of their goals that they can refer to in the future.
Environment
Indoor or outdoor space.
Supplies
- Marker board
- Marker
- Note cards (two for each adolescent)
- Paper or notebook for writing personal ideas and thoughts (optional)
- Flip chart paper or poster board for writing down the final list of group goals.
Improvise
Adolescents can draw or paint the group goals.
Adolescents can set their own individual goals and keep track of their progress in notebooks.
Continue
Use, review, and update the group goals regularly using the Our progress toward our goals activity and the Review step of any session.
Highlights
Create group goals for circle and then discuss them. Works well for new circles, circles that are starting a new cycle, and/or circles that are welcoming many new members; adolescents of any age In the Starting our circle and Knowing ourselves cycle this activity should not be done on the first day, as adolescents may feel too shy or overwhelmed.
