| Keywords: | Safety in a Group; Awareness of Mutual Needs; Group Cohesion |
| Objectives: | Ensuring that the participants feel safe and an integral part of the group. Aiding cohesion amongst the members of the group. Reflecting on the relevance of the group’s activities and topics to the lives of the participants. |
| Target group: | Work and community groups. |
| Duration: | 20-60 minutes |
| Methodology step-by-step: | Introduce the participants to the Safety Compass (see the handouts below) and clearly describe the aims and objectives of the exercise. The participants complete the Safety Compass individually. Place the compasses next to each other so that all are visible. Compare and contrast the results. It is also possible to explore patterns in the ratings. Discuss the results. Discuss in plenary which initiatives are needed in order to strengthen the relationships within the group and to make its activities more relevant. This discussion should result in an action plan to which all participants agree. NOTE: If there have been challenges in the group, it is important to mention in a neutral way that the exercise can be a way of dealing with them. The Safety Compass exercise can be carried out at the start of the group if the participants already know each other. The exercise is also suitable after the group has been running for a short time, in order to assess the participants’ feelings. |
| Resources needed: | – A copy of ‘The Safety Compass’ for each participant. – Pencils or pens for each participant. – Possibly flipcharts to summarize common results and decisions. |
| Challenges: | Some participants find it difficult to discuss their feelings about the group in plenary. The subject under discussion can be generalized in order to take attention away from individuals. The Safety Compass exercise requires that the participants understand the exercise scoring system and that they understand and are familiar with the concepts used in the compass. |
