Demonstration or Skill-Building Activity

Strengths

• Gives hands-on practice
• Everyone has a chance to participate
• Allows integration of skill

Weaknesses

• Needs demonstration by presenter
• Takes a lot of time
• Needs a lot of preparation

Ideas: Design the activity carefully, rehearse your activity, have them do it instead of you

Role Plays

Strengths

• Allows time to practice
• Lets participants try on different roles
• Helps build empathy for others

Weaknesses

• Can feel insincere
• Can bring up strong emotions
• Time consuming

Ideas: Facilitate focus on the issues and on really trying to be the character, encourage people not to create challenges in the role play but to help each other, consider handing out scenario points to each character so your specific objectives and topic issues can be met within the role play