Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement

Purpose:

• To practice the skills of decision-making, problem-solving, consensus-building and critical understanding in creating a community model.
• To develop a future community model and introduce the concept of team-building on behalf of the community vision.
• To practice communication skills by marketing a project to the group.

 

Activity:

1. Facilitator asks participants to imagine they have just been hired by their city, town or other governing body to design a
   citizens’ community center for activities, special events, social gatherings and fun!
2. Facilitator divides participants into groups of five to eight members.
3. Facilitator explains that each group will have five minutes to discuss and plan to build their center to be located in the heart of their community.
   Skills used: Brainstorming, decision-making, reaching consensus and listening.
   
4. Facilitator explains that the criteria for selection by the governing body will be:
• Creativity
• Structure and Stability
• Appeal to community (marketing)
5. Facilitator asks the group to select and begin to build the ideal community center, using only the materials given them.
   Skills used: problem-solving and listening.
6. Facilitator gives each group a half hour to build the model community center, and 15 minutes to plan a presentation to
   the City Planning Commissioners to market the center to people around the city.
   Skills used: communication, listening, brainstorming and decision-making.
7. Each group gives their presentation to the others. Presentations are graded by the other groups by assigning a score of 1, 2, or 3 points (with 3 being the best) for each of the following:
   • Creativity
   • Structure or stability
   • Marketing presentation
8. Facilitator presents the group with the highest point total an award, such as the key to the city.
   Call the mayor or city manager for a key or lapel pin or other item
   that the governing body may keep on hand for these occasions.
   

Processing:

Facilitator asks:

1. How did the groups determine which plan to use and what role each group member played in the construction of the community center?
2. When planning a vision, creativity must be coupled with practicality. How did each of these work in the plan for the
   community center?
3. What did marketing the center tell participants about the need for communication skills? Was the group able to articulate
   the vision so others could see it become reality?
4. How important were the roles played by each group member to the overall success of the community plan?
5. Which of the Skill Activities were used in developing the center and how did they work?
   • Consensus-building
   • Problem-solving
   • Brainstorming
   • Listening
   • Decision-making
   • Valuing diversity