This activity is great for large groups, a big fun, a bit silly.

Two envelopes, one with ‘easy’ questions and one with ‘hard’.

This strategy suggests that before you tackle a ‘difficult’ topic, you consult the young person you are going to be talking with, and get some advice as to how to tackle this subject, and what to do if it becomes hard for the young person.

An interesting activity for the right person – kind of creative and a bit unusual…and really helpful when a third person is present.

An intimate activity where you ask a young person if they would like to hear what it is that you have noticed about them.

An activity that encourages a young person to think about the tricky balance of being true to their feelings and embracing these, while being mindful of what they are projecting to the world around them, and the impact this will have on how the world will respond to them. A physical activity, both playful and serious.

‘A week in words’ offers a young person a way of reviewing their week by choosing from a list, a number of words that best describes that week, and then… Read More »Video 13: A Week in Words (Working with Groups)

A great activity for individuals or groups. The example here is of a group of boys saying where they are in response to the question: ‘Do you want to stay at school?’ With three possible responses: Yes. No. Still thinking about it…

This activity asks a young person to explore their hopes and dreams…a ‘hope’ being a sort of : ‘Gee, I hope this happens…’ and a ‘dream’ having a bit more… Read More »Video 15: Hopes and Dreams (Working with Groups)

This is a reminder to be aware of what we respond to and how we respond in our work with young people.

‘Would you rather…’ makes use of childhood playfulness to ask a young person if they would prefer to travel through a pit of scorpions? A pit of spiders? Or a pit of snakes?

A groupwork activity and a variation on an old activity…but in this case people get to know each other via making three statements about themselves: One is true, one is… Read More »Video 21: True, Big Fat Lie, Like To Be True (Working with Groups)

An activity of imagination. As playful or as serious as you would like it to be. ‘Snippets’ are snatches of conversation overheard while jogging. ‘How would you finish this sentence?’… Read More »Video 23: Snippets (Working with Groups)

This activity asks a young person, playfully at first, what they need right now? And moves naturally into a more serious conversation about what they might need as a person,… Read More »Video 24: Right Now, I Need… (Working with Groups)

‘Frames’ shows footage of a real – life conversation with Dylan; and demonstrates how a Frame, which contains and focusses a conversation, can, if used creatively and carefully, result in… Read More »Video 26: Frames (Working with Groups)

‘Four questions’ is by far the longest video I have posted, but it seemed to need it, so I hope it works for you. It’s an activity about deeper engagement.… Read More »Video 28: Four Questions (Working with Groups)

Imagine that you are going away? Grab a bag, pack it…with what? And what if you are going away for a long time? What about if you might never come… Read More »Video 29: Going Away (Working with Groups)