Creating a safe environment

When you work with a group of (vulnerable) people, you have to make sure you create a safe environment. 

We created a reflection exercise on a number of factors that may influence the way people feel during activities. It is based on a brainstorming session the BIG DEAL partners had, based on these questions: How do you create a safe environment? How can you motivate your participants? What is ‘a good educator’?

Download: reflection exercise and tips for educators.

Singing together

Singing with other people can have several positive consequences:

• it helps you relax and feel happy
• it boosts your self-confidence
• it gives you a feeling of belonging to a community

The singing tips in this video are presented by musician Tatjana Scheck.

Looking At Art

Magda Milewska (Pos, Poland) explains how looking at pieces of art can help people

• make associations
• listen to each other
• talk and discuss what they see
• observe details
• work together

The Duel

Rudy Goes (Theater van A tot Z, Belgium) shows an exercise that makes people

• focus
• use their senses and feel each other's 'vibes'
• work together
• move simultaneously
• become team players

The Privilege Walk

This activity helps people

• become aware of the various privileges they might possess
• start a discussion about diversity and inclusion

The Big Deal partners did this activity in Antwerp under the guidance of Peter Schoenaerts (Theater van A tot Z, Belgium)

Download our free guide to organize a Privilege Walk.

Trust games

Sometimes you want a group to not only get to know each other, but also to learn to trust each other. These games proved very useful.

Download 10 games that can be used with any group.

How yoga can change lives

Sometimes you need to get people out of their daily routine to help them change their lives. A sports activity like yoga can be pretty useful to reach that goal. Yoga teacher Kuzman Kuzmanovski explains it all in this video.

Tips for great storytelling

How do you create and tell a great story? What do you need to get people's attention? This short video introduces the use of emotions, game changers and authenticity.

The storytelling tips are presented by actor/director/photographer Rebecca Tanghe.

Story of Acceptance

Our international educators joined forces with people suffering from mental disabilities, to tackle prejudices and stigma in a theatrical setting, under the guidance of Lovro Krsnik (Centar Za Kulturu Tresnjevka, Croatia)

A devised play can help people:

• work together
• work on self-acceptance
• become team players
• become tolerant