Learning Objectives:

• To critically reflect on participants’ experiences, strengths and challenges
• To collaboratively learn through the sharing of life experiences
• To collectively develop strength-based approaches to address challenges

Materials: Worksheet 1.7.1 – Experience of Stigma in Our Lives exercise Stickie packages (4-6 depending on number of groups) Basket to collect the strategies – sticky notes

Time Required: 45 minutes

Activities & Instructions

Instructions To Participants

1. Groups and Instructions (5 min)

Facilitator says,

• “The following exercise is an opportunity to share our experiences and explore some of the ways we have dealt with stigma and oppression. By the end of this session, we will have collected a tool kit of strength-based approaches that we can adapt and use within our lives to combat stigma.”
• “For this exercise, we would like you to begin by working in small groups of four.”
• (Adjust numbers to end up with groups of four, e.g., if there are 20 participants, have them count off from 1 to 5.)
• After the counting is done, Facilitator #1 says: “All the 1s will get together, all the 2s will get together and so on. Now please find your team-mates and sit together.”

2. Small group sharing and discussion (25 minutes)

• (Co-facilitators will hand out Experience of Stigma worksheet to each group, as well as sticky notes.)

Facilitator says:

• “Now that we are in our groups, please take a moment to look at Worksheet 1.7.1. We would like you to first work on your own. Use this worksheet to jot down your personal experiences. You have 5 minutes to do this on your own.” (Facilitators keep track of the 5 minutes)
• “Now that each of you have had the opportunity to reflect on your experiences, we ask that each member of the group shares in the group one example of how she/he/they successfully dealt with an experience related to stigma and discrimination. As you are listening to your teammates’ experiences, make note of the factors that either hindered or promoted their success in dealing with stigma/oppression. You have 10 minutes to do this in your small group.”
• (After 10 minutes) “Now, as a group, discuss and identify key factors that contributed to the success of these examples. What strategies were used? Who else was helpful? What resources were used? Take a moment to summarize key points and write them down on the stickies provided. Select 1 or 2 of your stickies that your team believes highlights your discussions and share with the larger group. You have 10 minutes to do this.”
• (Facilitators keep track of the 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, invite participants to return to the large group or circle)

3. Large Group Sharing and Group Tool Kit (10 minutes)

Facilitators debrief in the large group using the questions below. One facilitator would moderate thediscussionwhileanotherfacilitatorcantakemotesonthechallengesandthestrategiesintheflipchart.

Debriefing Questions

Facilitator asks,

• “How do you feel about sharing your experiences of stigma/oppression? Do you see similarities between your experience and the experiences of peers?”
• “What are the underlying structural problems that shape your experiences of stigma and oppression?”
• “What about other factors at play, such as culture and societal expectations?”
• “How did listening to the experiences of others make you feel? What new insights, reflections and strategies have you become aware of through the group work?”
• At the end of the debriefing, facilitator says, “Let us collect all of your stickies in a basket; we will type them up and made a collective Stigma Resistance Toolkit to distribute to everyone at the next session” (Coordinator/ facilitator follows up with this action and provides participants with a handout of the Collective Stigma Resistant Toolkit in the next session.)

Key Summary Points

• Even though the experiences of stigma may differ, similarities can be found amongst the different stories.
• The opportunity and ability to share our experiences does not only highlight the thread of similarity between individuals, but also allows us to learn from one another, such as successful strategies to deal with stigma, promote social and political awareness, and highlight the resilience each of us have.
• Despite the hardship and oppression associated with stigma, we each have the ability to overcome them through strength-based strategies that we develop individually and learn through collaboration.

Source:

Li, A. T., & Wong, J. P. (2011). SJCB protocols for CHAMP Study. Toronto, ON: Community Alliance for Accessible Treatment.

Worksheet 1.7.1 – Experiences of Stigma in Our Lives

PART A: Please write down your personal experiences in the table below.

PART B: Small group sharing

Each person in the small group shares their personal experiences and strategies. As you are listening to your group members’ experiences, take notice of the following:

• Factors that hindered group members’ successes in dealing with stigma/oppression.

• Factors that promoted group members’ success in dealing with stigma/oppression