Activity 1.1 Introduction

Objectives:

• To facilitate trust, mutual respect, and group cohesion

Participation Format:

• Arrange all the chairs in a large horseshoe shape, with co-facilitators sitting across each from other at the open end of the horseshoe
• Each participant takes a turn to introduce himself in the horseshoe circle.

Number of Facilitators:

• 2

Time Required:

• 20mins

Activities & Instructions

Instructions for participants

1. Facilitator #1: “Hello everyone, welcome to the first session of the Acceptance and Commitment Training. My name is ______________, and I am an Intervention Associate for the Strength in Unity Project. I will be co-facilitating all our training with my colleague _________. My background is _____________. I look forward to working with all of you. I will now invite my co-facilitator ______________ to introduce herself/himself.
2. Facilitator #2: “Hello everyone. My name is _________________. I am also an Intervention Associate. My background is _________________. Right now, we would like to invite you to introduce yourself. Tell us briefly, in a minute or so, (i) your name, (ii) whatever you wish to share with the group about yourself, and (iii) a colour you choose for today and why. It does not even have to be your favourite colour.
3. When every participant has taken a turn, Facilitator #2 says: “Thank you, everyone, for sharing. We will get to know each other more as we go through the training sessions together. Notice that each of us may choose a different colour from others, and even if we do choose the same colours, we may have different meanings behind it. So we all bring in our own unique perspectives and experiences, and there is room for this. And together, we have a wider spectrum of colour!”
4. Facilitator #1: Before we go on to our next activity, I just want to take care of a few housekeeping items…” Facilitator #1 provides participants with information on training facilities (e.g., washroom, any announcement, honoraria, etc.)