A group visit to a relevant or significant place in your local area offers the opportunity for contextualised learning about local services, history and culture. Among these, the possibility to:
- Explore the local area (how local public transportation works, what surrounds me, who lives around me).
- Dedicate time to a cultural activity (spaces dedicated to visual arts, music, theatre).
- Understand the complexity, politics, and history of your area.
You will need:
Access to relevant places in the local area, these could include community spaces, government buildings, libraries, exhibitions, museums, cinemas, theatres (it can be helpful to have an agreement with local institutions for facilitated access) and time to walk around the place you visit.
Time:
3 hours (or 1 hour preparation one day and 2 hours for the visit)
Step-by-step:
Using cultural spaces as a tool for facilitation can be an enriching and effective approach to engage participants in various activities. Here’s how you can incorporate visiting local places of interest into your facilitation:
1. Contextual Learning: Take participants on guided visits to museums, art galleries, historical sites, or cultural centres relevant to the theme or objectives of your facilitation. Allow them to explore and learn in an environment rich with cultural significance.
2. Stimulating Discussion: Encourage participants to engage in discussions and reflections about the cultural artefacts or exhibits they encounter. Use open-ended questions to spark conversations about themes, meanings, and personal interpretations.
3. Hands-on Activities: Organise hands-on activities or workshops within cultural spaces. For example, participants could participate in art workshops, historical reenactments, or cultural demonstrations to deepen their understanding and connection to the material.
4. Community Engagement: Explore cultural spaces that are deeply rooted in the local community or choose – in the same place – a space totally connected to other cultures (a bar run by Afghani migrants or a space where people from Senegal use to meet, etc). Connect with community leaders, artists, or historians who can offer insights and perspectives during the visit, enriching the experience and opportunities for exchange.
6. Reflection: Allocate time for reflection after the visit. Facilitate discussions where participants can share their thoughts, insights, and emotions evoked by the places they visited. Encourage them to consider how their knowledge or perspectives can be integrated into their learning and organising.
