raise awareness of various forms of privilege; understand the intersectionality of race, socioeconomic class, gender and other demographic variables that shape individuals; appreciate the diversity of individual backgrounds

MATERIALS/

RESOURCES

printed privilege walk questions

optional: rope to show the walking area

printed iceberg pictures to write on

pens and papers

General INFORMATION

Workcamp participants can reflect and learn about meeting new cultures and environments and identify how to deal with privilege and inclusion.

Pre-session CHECKLIST

prepare a room enough big for the privilege walk, count how many steps can be done

familiarize yourself with the Hosftede”s cultural theory

Step-by-step IMPLEMENTATION

Privilege walk (30-45 mins)

Ask participants to stand in a horizontal line in the middle of the room or outdoors. Ask them to close their eyes until the end of the exercise. Read out the below statements, and ask participants to step forward one step if it applies to them. If not, they stand where they are. If anyone feels too uncomfortable to take a step, they have the option to remain still.

You may give a heads up about the intensity of the exercise that could provoke certain emotions. Ensure them that room is a safe space (mentally and emotionally) for conversations to develop at the end of the activity.

Select those statements from the appendix you would like to involve in your program and read them out loudly. After you stated all statements ask participants to open their eyes and remain standing in their positions. Review the activity with them, you may use the below reflection questions:

How did it feel to be where you are standing now, in the front or back of the room?

What happened during the exercise? Were you surprised by anything?

How was it to take a step forward or not?

Was there a time when you wanted to be a part of the group moving forward?

What might we draw from this exercise that can help us in our everyday lives?

How can you apply what you have learned here to the work you will do as an international volunteer?

💻Virtual version: Create a questionnaire or poll survey with the question you would like to involve in the activity. In the online meeting ask participants to answer yes/no for the questions and show after all questions the answers, so participants can compare themselves to the group average. Finally, open a digital whiteboard with a horizontal line, scale with the number of questions, and ask every participant to mark themselves on the scale based on the sum of their yes answers. This way they can see where they are in the group.

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Stereotypes (30-45 mins)

Ask participants “What do you think stereotypes mean? Why do they exist?” You may conclude that stereotypes refer to beliefs that certain attributes, characteristics, and behaviors are typical of members of a particular group of people. We categorize social groups based on visible features for example, skin color, gender, age and we make stereotypes from direct personal experience or via the media. If we have limited opportunities for meaningful exchange with people from outside our own social group, that could lead to stereotyping and misunderstandings.

In the next activity point two ends of the room and say to participants “I will define the two ends of the spectrum and please stand to that point on the line that best represents your point of view. It can be on one end or in the middle, anywhere where you think your culture is seen by forigen people in the below dimension.”

Power distance - the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally

High indicates that a society accepts an unequal, hierarchical distribution of power, and that people understand "their place" in the system.

Low means that power is shared and is widely dispersed, and that society members do not accept situations where power is distributed unequally.

Individualism vs. collectivism - The degree to which people in a society are integrated into groups.

Individualism indicates weak interpersonal connection among those who are not part of a core "family." Here, people take less responsibility for others' actions and outcomes.

In a collectivist society, however, people are supposed to be loyal to the group to which they belong, and, in exchange, the group will defend their interests.

Uncertainty avoidance - a society's tolerance for ambiguity

High means that people attempt to make life as predictable and controllable as possible. If they find that they can't control their own lives, they may be tempted to stop trying.

People in low uncertainty avoidance countries are more relaxed, open or inclusive.

Masculinity vs. femininity - a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness, and material rewards for success

In masculine societies, the roles of men and women overlap less, and men are expected to behave assertively. Demonstrating your success, and being strong and fast, are seen as positive characteristics.

In feminine societies, however, there is a great deal of overlap between male and female roles, and modesty is perceived as a virtue. Greater importance is placed on good relationships with your direct supervisors, or working with people who cooperate well with one another.

Long-term orientation vs. short-term orientation - this dimension associates the connection of the past with the current and future actions/challenges

Countries with a long-term orientation tend to be pragmatic, modest, and more thrifty.

In short-term oriented countries, people tend to place more emphasis on principles, consistency and truth, and are typically religious and nationalistic.

Indulgence vs. restraint - the degree of freedom that societal norms give to citizens in fulfilling their human desires, a society that allows relatively free gratification of basic and natural human desires related to enjoying life and having fun.

Indulgence cultures allow or encourage relatively free gratification of people's own drives and emotions, such as enjoying life and having fun.

In restraint society there is more emphasis on suppressing gratification and more regulation of people's conduct and behavior, and there are stricter social norms.

First facilitate a discussion about their view of their own culture. “Was there anything surprising? Which dimension was the most divisive and why?” Second, facilitate a group discussion about their experiences in the workcamps (what they have seen, feel or thoughts) about others and discuss any situations they would like to.

Guiding questions:

What are you finding out about yourself / the group / nationalities?

What was for you the most surprising behavior you have seen in a camp? Why?

What was challenging? What did you liked about it?

What red buttons were touched for you or by you? (Making somebody mad, nervous, sad, etc.)

What to pay attention to when volunteering with different nationalities?

What kind of patterns have you experienced during your workcamp? Which nationality was easy for you to work with and which was more challenging?

What possibilities and choices can you see?

What do you want to explore further? Why? How? When?

Good to remember:

„Culture” has different layers: national, organizational and team level

Beyond all: motivations, values, beliefs, working styles are characteristic to that very person, who you work with

Reflect on your collaboration proactively to build trust and reach shared understanding and mutual contract

💻Virtual version: In an online meeting ask participants to hand up if they agree with the high dimension and count the number. After each question ask why they think it so and try to collect concrete actions they have seen or would change in their society. The big group discussion about other cultures can be facilitated as live.

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Our icebergs (45-60 mins)

Debrief participants about the iceberg theory: “When we are entering a new culture, there are always many common, familiar elements to build on. And often there are also many unfamiliar ones. Some of these elements are visible at first sight, many others are more hidden. Also the roots of the visible ones might not be so obvious. You can imagine it as an iceberg in the sea. You can see a small part above the water, but there is a much bigger part, on which the iceberg stands, hidden under the water surface.”

Now ask them to draw their own personal iceberg.

“When you enter a new place, how do you think people see you? What are their first impressions about you?

And what are the things that you know about yourself, but require a longer interaction and deeper connection with you for others to find out? “

Give a printed iceberg for each participant and ask them to fill up the visible parts and the hidden parts in 10 mins. After that, invite them for a pair review/ discussion in 5-5 minutes. At the end in a bigger circle ask them to share their most interesting findings.

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Finally invite them in a bigger discussion about “What would be your recommendations, tips for a person who wants to adapt to a new culture? Or how to prevent inclusion in a workcamp?”

Select the tips you like and add yours:

Focus on what is common, familiar

Be open, curious, try out new things

Learn the language, show your interest

Accept uncertainty

Double-check meanings

Don’t compare, but respect different ways

Try to look through the eyes of others

Don’t judge, just listen and observe

Don’t make conclusions too early - remember the iceberg, dive under the surface

Laugh on your mistakes and learn from them

Be aware of your stereotypes and single stories

Don’t take things personally

Search for contact with locals and keep contact with people at home

Write a diary

Share with others

Sleep enough, eat well, move

Be kind to yourself :-)

💻Virtual version: Ask participants to create their personal iceberg in a virtual whiteboard, you may prepare them a Jamboard one by one. The pair review can happen in break-out rooms and in the big group ask them to share only the most interesting findings from the pairs. Finally facilitate the discussion about other cultures in a big group.

REVIEW & DEBRIEFING

Each of us has his/her own personal culture and understanding of what is normal, every group has it, every country. There are different cultural dimensions that we have to keep in mind when entering a new country or group. What would you do differently now if you could start your workcamp again? What questions do you take with yourself now to study more? What are you curious for?

TARGET GROUP size & specifics

10-30 participants workcamp participants, leaders

DURATION

min. 120-180 minutes

TO DO List

& Deadlines

Additional resources

Privilege walk statements (select those you would like to ask):

If you speak English easily, take one step forward.

If one or both of your parents have a college degree, take one step forward.

If you rely, or have relied, primarily on public transportation, take one step back.

If you have worked with people you felt were like yourself, take one step forward

If you constantly feel unsafe walking alone at night, take one step back.

If your household employs help as servants, gardeners, etc., take one step forward.

If you are able to move through the world without fear of sexual assault, take one step forward.

If you are able to obtain visas to enter other countries easily, take one step forward

If you studied the culture of your ancestors in elementary school, take one step forward.

If you were ever made fun of or bullied for something you could not change or was beyond your control, take one step back.

If your family ever left your homeland or entered another country because they were forced to, take one step back.

If you would never think twice about calling the police when trouble occurs, take one step forward.

If you have ever been able to play a significant role in a project or activity because of a talent you gained previously, take one step forward.

If you can show affection for your romantic partner in public without fear of ridicule or violence, take one step forward.

If you ever had to skip a meal or were hungry because there was not enough money to buy food, take one step back.

If you feel respected for your academic performance, take one step forward.

If you have a visible or invisible illness or disability, take one step back.

If you were ever discouraged from an activity because of race, class, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation, take one step back.

If you ever tried to change your appearance, mannerisms, or behavior to fit in more, take one step back.

If you have ever been profiled by someone else using stereotypes, take one step back.

If you feel good about how your identities are portrayed by the media, take one step forward.

If you were ever accepted for something you applied to because of your association with a friend or family member, take one step forward.

If you have health insurance back home take one step forward.

If someone has ever spoken for you when you did not want them to do so, take one step back.

If there was ever substance abuse in your household, take one step back.

If you come from a single-parent household, take one step back.

If you live in an area with crime and drug activity, take one step back.

If someone in your household suffered or suffers from mental illness, take one step back.

If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, take one step back.

If you were ever uncomfortable about a joke related to your race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation but felt unsafe to confront the situation, take one step back.

If you can make mistakes and not have people attribute your behavior to flaws in your racial or gender group, take one step forward.

If you went to college, take one step forward.

If you have more than fifty books in your household, take one step forward.

If your parents told you that you can be anything you want to be, take one step forward.