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Summary

This is an exercise that supports participants to explore different forms of power relationships they experience in their life, and how they, as activists, use power.

Format

Individual exercise and group discussion

Required materials

Written exercise on power relationships, in appropriate language.

Key explanation points

  • Ask participants to fill out the written exercise individually for 20 minutes.
  • Once participants have completed the exercise, have them move into pairs or triads to discuss for 20 minutes.
  • Finally, all participants can return to the group to discuss their reactions and reflections from the exercise for 20 minutes.

Facilitation notes

  • This exercise should be used as a follow-on from the ‘Power handout exercise’, which provides a framework for thinking about different forms of power.
  • Keep in mind that it is always challenging to talk about power with activists, particularly the power that we have to affect others and our own life.
  • The exercise also tries to help participants think about how power is consciously or unconsciously used.