A Guide to a Specialized Training Program On Fundamental Protection Skills for Children with Motor Disabilities By Be-Free Program Copyright 2012 Smashwords Edition, License Notes Thank you for downloading this free ebook training manual. Although this is a free training manual, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by Be-Free Program. Thank you for your support.. This Manual… This training manual is part of a series of specialized training manuals of the program “I am Smart, Strong, and Safe Child… Despite my Disability” that aims at protecting children from abuse. The program was launched under the patronage of United Nations Special Rapporteur on Disability, and covers 4 main types of disabilities: motor disability, speech impairment, visual impairment, and mild mental disability. This training manual aims at developing children’s protection skills, their personality, self esteem and sense of self-worth. It is specifically designed for children challenged by motor disabilities. It focuses on introducing good and safe conduct in situations where motor disabled children are vulnerable to abuse, it further offers prevention techniques and methods by which children can build positive thinking skills. Key Notes The workshops in this training manual has been developed in a way that any trainer with a background in training and practical experience in dealing with children with motor disability can conduct them. However, to get the best out of the manual, it is recommended that the trainer attends a specialized professional training by Be-Free Program to get a deeper understanding of the concepts, and to be able to effectively communicate them to children. This guide employs the female format to address trainers, seeing that the majority of people operating in this field are women. The terms “Training Session” and “Workshop” are used interchangeably. Table of Contents The Fundamental Concepts of Protection Skills in the Program Motivational Tools Employed in this Program The First Concept: “I Believe in My Capabilities and I am Proud of Who I am” The Second Concept: “I Do Not Allow Bad Secrets in My Heart” The Third Concept: “Say NO to Strangers” The Fourth Concept: “My Body Belongs to Me” The Fifth Concept: “I Tell the Difference between a Good Touch and a Bad Touch” The Sixth Concept: “I Think With a Smile” The Seventh Concept: “I Add Beauty to the World” Artistic Activity1: The Paper Crown Artistic Activity 2: Poster of the Concept’s Slogans Supplementary Activity: I choose my Quality ***~~~*** The Fundamental Concepts of Protection Skills in the Program This program consists of seven fundamental concepts conveyed to the children in the format of slogans. Concept 1: I Believe in My Capabilities and I am Proud of Who I am. A child’s strong personality is the foundation of his protection; this however is drawn from his self esteem and sense of self-worth. This concept helps a child recognize his uniqueness and capabilities. Concept 2: I Do Not Allow Bad Secrets in My Heart. This concept aims at helping children identify and establish the difference between a “Good Secret” that makes them feel happy and joyful, and a “Bad Secret” that makes them feel uncomfortable, frightened or disturbed. Children are encouraged to inform an older person whom they trust, potential candidates would be a parent, a teacher or perhaps an older sibling. Concept 3: Say NO to Strangers. This concept discusses how a child should act in situations involving strangers whom may attempt to initiate contact with the child through offering of sweets, presents or perhaps a ride. Concept 4: My Body Belongs to Me. This concept is designed to familiarize children with their bodies. It aims at establishing their absolute ownership over their own bodies and stresses that no one is entitled to touch them or look at parts of their bodies in a way that makes them feel violated or uncomfortable. Concept 5: I Tell the Difference Between a Good Touch and a Bad Touch. This concept helps a child differentiate between a “Good Touch” that makes him feel happy and Joyful like a mother’s hug and a “Bad Touch” that makes him feel frightened, upset or disturbed. Concept 6: I Think With a Smile. This concept is designed to help children become aware of their thinking process. It helps them understand how they can change negative feelings they may experience in addition to their prospect of life by altering the way they think. Concept 7: I Add Beauty to The World. This concept seeks to convince children that their existence is of great value and that God created them because the world is not complete without them. Regardless of how small we are, our way of life, what we do or do not have, we can all add something beautiful to the world. Time Allocation for Proper Implementation of this Program This program consists of seven concepts delivered to the child in the form of slogans. It is advised to allocate a day to discuss each concept. Therefore, the workshop can be completed within seven days. The trainer is free to decide whether or not the children need additional time to comprehend any one of the concepts. Activities and Teaching Aids Implemented in this Program Activities provided in this guide are divided throughout the training sessions as follows: First: Preliminary Activities Preliminary activities are designed to stimulate children’s attention, keep their motivation levels high and break any repetitiveness that may occur. Their main objectives are: Breaking the ice and familiarizing the children with the trainer in addition to establishing friendly relationships. Arriving at mutual trust between the children and the trainer. Giving the children an opportunity to know each other in case they did not prior to the workshop. Creating a fun and enjoyable atmosphere in the workshop. Second: Main Activities These activities are designed to communicate the fundamental concepts of protection to the children. Further, they create a channel through which children can acquire both prevention and protection skills in an enjoyable approach; by employing various mechanisms such as Puppet Shows, Flannel Boards and more. Third: Evaluation Activities Each protection concept/skill is independently evaluated in a process that gives the child liberty to express what he has learned. Evaluation activities take place at the end of training sessions; that is at the end of each day. Children are encouraged to exemplify and embody their newly acquired knowledge. Resources needed to complete the activities must be made available prior to the commencement of each session. Color pencils and paper in case of activities involving drawing, clay in case children were expected to express their learning through molding. ***~~~*** Motivational Tools Employed in this Program In this section, we cite a number of motivational tools that can be used throughout the workshop. It should not be left unmentioned that no one child or group of children should feel neglected as a result of not being at the recipient end of any of the following tools. The workshop has to be conducted in a way that grants every child feelings of content and self esteem. The following are examples of motivational tools: Physical motivational Tools Small toys consistent with preferences of girls and boys , sweets with no artificial colors (if available) or color pencils given to all the children. Symbolic Motivational Tools Small stickers and stars to be given to a child upon completion of a task or simply upon carrying out a “Good Job!”. The trainer must ensure that each child is given a symbolic motivation at some point during the workshop. When faced with a non participative child, the trainer can highlight a positive behavior demonstrated however small; for example: the trainer can complement a child calmness and respect and thus award him a star. Moral Motivation A round of applause, a gentle pat, speaking affirmative statements or simply a smile can be regarded as a moral motivation. Again; the trainer has to make certain that all the children receive a moral motivation at some point during the workshop and that no child feels neglected or undervalued. Motivational tools should be exploited in balance and steadiness in order to encourage children to gain knowledge of protection, yet maintain the value and significance of motivation. ***~~~*** Slogan of the Concept In this guide, each protection concept is introduced as a slogan based on which children are trained. Prior to the commencement of each training session, the trainer will write the respective slogan in big clear letters, making it easily readable to all. Further, the trainer will repeat the slogan along with the children to be definite that it had been fully comprehended and memorized before concluding the workshop. Furthermore, it is recommended that the trainer prints the slogans on colored papers, have them laminated and give them to the children by the end of the workshop. ***~~~*** The First Concept “I Believe in My Capabilities and I am Proud of Who I am” This concept aims at installing and reinforcing children’s self esteem. It also intends to bring to their awareness the uniqueness and exclusivity they possess as well as their creative capabilities and ability to process thoughts in a manner that renders their lives filled with confidence and pride. Preliminary Activity “My Story” Objectives of the Activity For the child to feel that he is an important factor in the collective formation of a story. Furthermore, for him to feel that what he says is key in shaping the events of the story. Tools and Instruments There are no specific tools or instrument needed to complete this activity. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer joins the children in a circle. 2. The trainer introduces the activity as follows “We will work together to produce a fun and beautiful story”. She further clarifies that one of the children will begin by saying one sentence which will be his contribution to the story. The child on his right/left will add one sentence to the previous one as a continuation to the story, and thus follows every other child in order (from right to left or alternatively from left to right). The trainer is the final contributor; she concludes the story with one sentence. 3. If the first child was hesitant to donate the opening sentence or was faced with difficulties in doing so, the trainer can begin the story by speaking the first sentence, as well as concluding it in case the last child was unable to produce a sentence suitable for conclusion. 4. The trainer makes sure that no one child’s contribution is being mocked or ridiculed even if the sentence donated appeared to be irrelevant. She stresses that the beauty of this game is the ability of each child to build on the story even if it was in an unexpected or odd way which can only add more fun to the process. 5. The trainer ensures that all the children have participated in the activity. In case a child is faced with difficulties forming a sentence, the trainer provides assistance and encouragement. 6. The trainer concludes that all the sentences donated by the children are equally important. Should there be any one sentence missing, the story would not take its present form. ***~~~*** Main Activity “Me in the Eyes of Others” Objectives of the Activity a. To amplify the child’s self esteem and help him realize his uniqueness and individuality. b. To encourage the child to look for the positive components in other people’s personalities. Tools and Instruments Papers. Pens. Color pencils. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer divides the children into groups of three. 2. She proceeds with an introduction “today’s activity is fun and it will help us discover beautiful things about ourselves”. 3. The trainer gives each group papers equal to the number of the children in the session. She calls out the names of the children and requests that each group writes the names they hear in a separate piece of paper. This step will result in each group having papers containing the names of all the children including its own members. 4. In case the total number of participants exceeds twelve (not recommended), the trainer divides the children into two main groups and then proceeds to dividing each group to sub groups of three. In this case the children will only have the names of children in their main group rather than the total number of participants. 5. The trainer requests that each group lists qualities and traits they believe are positive and beautiful about each child in their respective papers. The list is one with open possibilities, examples may include: Good in math, generous, with fine taste, helps other people, has a nice smile, has a good sense of humor, keeps his promises 6. The trainer stresses that only positive qualities should be included in the lists. She encourages the groups to come up with at least 7 qualities to include in each child’s paper. 7. The trainer specifies a time in which the activity will end and informs the children that they can ask for their peers input if needed. 8. The trainer makes certain that all the groups have filled in all the papers. She provides assistance in time management in case a specific group could not adequately allocate time to complete all the lists. 9. By the end of the activity, the trainer collects the papers and randomly reads few positive qualities listed in every child’s paper. In case there were negative words in any one child’s list, the trainer fully erases them prior to giving each child their respective papers. 10. The trainer encourages the children to keep hold of their papers and place them in their rooms. 11. Upon termination of the activity the trainer repeats the slogan “I Believe in My Capabilities and I am Proud of Who I am” along with the children. Evaluation Activity The trainer asks each child to verbally express their feelings at the end of the session. ***~~~*** The Second Concept “I Do Not Allow Bad Secrets in My Heart” This concept attempts to familiarize children with the difference between a “Good Secret” and a “Bad Secret”. Further; it intends to educate them on best conduct should they encounter a situation involving a “Bad Secret”. Preliminary Activity “What I like and what I Do not Like” Tools and Instruments There are no specific tools or instrument needed to complete this activity. Implementation Steps 1. The children’s seating is arranged so they can see each other. Examples: a circle or half a circle. 2. The trainer explains “In this activity each child will share with the group something he likes and something he does not like”. The child is of liberty to choose a quality; an object or a person, there is no need to form a correlation between the two. For example a child can state “ I like honesty but I do not like lies” or “ I like the color green but I do not like rats” or “ I like kind people but I don’t like science” or … 3. The trainer insures that no one statement is being mocked or ridiculed even if it seemed unrelated. Additionally, she maintains a fun and enjoyable atmosphere in order to begin the session on a positive note. 4. The trainer is of liberty to exercise any system she deems appropriate in order to rotate the children as they take turns in this activity. Here are some methods used by trainers: a) Alphabetical Order: A child whose name begins with the letter “A” starts followed by a child whose name begins with the letter “B” and so forth. Example: Ahmed , Ayman , Basem , Thamer , … b) Seating Order: A child begins followed by the rest of the children in order (from right to left or from left to right). c) By Numbers: The trainer distributes small pieces of paper; each carrying a number. Number one begins, followed by number two and so forth. d) The trainer ensures that all the children have participated, and that the activity is executed in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. ***~~~*** Main Activity “Expressing Secrets” Objectives of the Activity a. For the child to fully comprehend the concept of a secret. b. For the child to be able to differentiate between a “Good Secret” and a “Bad Secret”. c. For the child to identify the feelings associated with a “Good Secret” and those associated with a “Bad Secret”. Tools and Instruments Papers for drawing. Color pencils. Pencils. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer poses the following question “What does a secret mean?” , she hears from the children and builds on their answers in order to arrive at the definition of a secret which can be at its simplest form “For a person to say something to another or do something and ask them no to tell anyone about it” 2. The trainer divides the children into groups of three. 3. She gives a paper, coloring pencils and pencils to each group. 4. The trainer requests that each group forms a story involving a secret. She states “The story can be real or purely/partly a product of your collective imagination” She further adds “The story can contain pleasant or unpleasant events” 5. The trainer donates several examples of “Good Secrets” and others of “Bad Secrets” in order to assist the children in forming their stories. She explains that they can use the discussed examples in their stories or alternatively generate new ones on their own. The following are examples of “Good Secrets”: a) When a person informs us that he will through our friend a surprise party and requests that we do not share this with anyone. b) When a person tells us that he will purchase a present for our colleague to acknowledge and celebrate his success and requests that we do not share this with anyone. c) When we purchase a present for our mother to celebrate “Mother’s Day” and want to keep it as a surprise. The following are examples of “Bad Secrets”: a) When a person asks that we accompany him to a place and requests that we do not tell our parents. b) When a person gives us money and requests that we do not tell our parents. c) When a person touches us inappropriately and requests that we do not tell our parents. d) When a person gives us presents or sweets and requests that we do not tell our parents. 6. The trainer encourages each group to work together in order to produce a collective story and then select one child to stand before the children and read the story. She further encourages them to present their story using creative means such as drawing or acting. 7. The trainer specifies the time allocated for this step. Further; she provides assistance to children who need help formulating the main idea of the story or are faced with challenges expressing it. 8. Upon the termination of all the presentations, the trainer uses examples donated in the stories to communicate the concept of a “Good Secret” and a “Bad Secret”. 9.The trainer concludes that “Good secrets” make us happy and joyful. On the other hand, “Bad secrets” make us scared, distressed and uncomfortable. 10. The trainer repeats the slogan “I Do Not Allow Bad Secrets in My Heart” along with the children. She emphasizes that children should tell any “Bad Secret” they know off to a parent, a teacher, an older sibling or any adult they trust. She further stresses that they should continue telling them even if they were not believed or taken on serious account. Evaluation Activity Upon termination of the workshop, the trainer obtains feed back by facilitating an expression by molding clay activity. The trainer insures that all the children are executing this activity in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. She also makes certain that all the children leave the workshop with feelings of confidence and content. ***~~~*** The Third Concept “Say NO to Strangers” This concept concentrates on preventing children from responding to strangers attempting to communicate with them. It stresses that children should never walk with strangers, accept rides or presents from them regardless of how tempting the offerings may be. Preliminary Activity “What I want to see happen in the world when I am 18 is” Tools and Instruments a. Pieces of paper with the following statement printed on them “What I want to see happen in the world when I am 18 is” followed by space to allow the child to write one line as a continuation of this statement. If unavailable, the trainer can distribute white papers among the children and ask them to write “What I want to see happen in the world when I am 18 is” on them during the session. b. Pens. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer gives each child a paper with the statement “What I want to see happen in the world when I am 18 is” printed on it. 2.The trainer explains “Imagine that you are now 18 years old. What would you like to see happen in the world at that time?” She discusses few examples in order to widen the children’s horizon. The following are examples that can be used at this step: “For everyone to be happy” or “For every child to own a bike” or “To have new game inventions available” or perhaps “For each city in the world to have a Zoo”. 3. The trainer allocates sufficient time for the completion of this activity. 4. Upon the termination of the allocated time, the trainer requests that each child switches his paper with the child seated next to him. In the case were the total number of children is odd, the trainer joins in; in which case she should also write a statement in a similar paper. An alternative action is placing the remaining child in a group of two to form the only group of three; in which case each child will read his colleges paper. 5. The trainer requests that each child reads his colleagues paper and add something he wishes to see happen in the world, provided it is in the same field. For example, if the paper in his hand reads “For each child to own a bike” he can add “For each child to own sneakers” or if the paper in his hand reads “To have new game inventions available” he can add “To have new sweet inventions available” or if the paper in his hand reads “For each city in the world to have a Zoo” he can add “For all the animals to be happy in Zoo”. 6. The trainer makes certain that all the children took part in this activity, that no one child is being mocked or ridiculed and that the activity is executed in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. ***~~~*** Main Activity “The Stranger, the Close Person and Role Playing” Objectives of the Activity a. For the child to be able to distinguish between strangers and individuals close to his family. b. For the child to understand that he should by no means leave with a stranger, ride in his car or respond to his attempts to initiate a conversation. Tools and Instruments There are no specific tools or instrument needed to complete this activity. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer joins the children in a circle. 2. The trainer explains the concept of a stranger “A person whom we are not related to, and did not previously speak to in the presence of our parents or an adult from our family”. 3. The trainer divides the children into groups of three, in the case were the total number of children is odd, she assigns the remaining child to a group of three and together they will form the only groups of four. 4. The trainer requests that the children draw a face of a smart child on a paper and write “I am a strong, smart and safe child” and on a different paper a face of child and write “We will teach you how to be smart”. 5. The trainer explains “ I will state different situations and give you time to discuss them within your groups and determine whether the child in these situations took smart action or otherwise ” 6. The trainer further explains “If you decide that the child took smart action, please raise the paper that reads “I am a strong, smart and safe child”, if you believe that the child did not take smart action please raise the paper that reads “We will teach you how to be smart””. 7. The trainer begins with three or four stories illustrating situations in which the child took smart action, followed by stories illustrating situations in which the child did not take smart action. The following are examples of smart actions: a) A child is waiting at the school door; a stranger stops his car and offers the child a ride. The child does not accept, screams “No! No! No!” and inform his parents immediately. b) A child is looking for his lost cat in the park; he encounters a stranger who tells him that he knows where his cat is and asks him to accompany him to get it. The child does not accept, says “No!” runs towards home and inform his parents immediately. c) A child is in a bakery to buy sweets, the sales man asks him to accompany him home to give him the sweets he keeps there. The child does not accept, says “No!” leaves the shop and inform his parents. 8. The trainer then proceeds to tell stories illustrating children taking actions that are deemed not smart. She pauses after each story to allow time for the children to discuss them among themselves, arrive at a conclusion and express it by raising one of the drawings stating “I am a strong, smart and safe child” or “We will teach you how to be smart”. a) In case the children raise the wrong paper, for instance; one that reads “I am a strong, smart and safe child” when discussing an action that is not considered smart, the trainer refrains from saying it was incorrect , instead she open discussions and help the children identify the mistakes that took place in the story. The trainer can further enhance the discussion by asking “What would the alternative smart action be” She chooses one of the options donated by the children, if none were presented she can toss some ideas in the shape of situations for the children to build upon and subsequently decide whether they are smart actions or not. The following are examples of situations that are considered not smart: a) A person asks a child to accompany him to the grocery store to buy him ice cream, the child accepts and goes with the stranger because he likes Ice cream a lot. b) A person says to a child “I want you to help me find something I lost in my house” the child asks the person where his house is, what he had lost and whether or not he lived alone. The child asks few questions and then goes with the man to his house. c) A child is waiting at the school door to be picked up. A man approaches him and say “your mother asked me to give you a ride home” he rides with him even though his mother did not tell him that she will have a man of certain features pick him up. 9. The trainer emphasizes on immediately cutting conversations with strangers, not walking or riding with them and never accepting gifts from them regardless of how alluring they may appear. 10. The trainer insures that the children are learning the concept in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. 11. The trainer repeats the slogan “Say NO to Strangers” along with the children. ***~~~*** Evaluation Activity Upon termination of the workshop, the trainer obtains feed back by facilitating an expression by drawing activity. The trainer insures that all the children are executing this activity in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. She also makes certain that all the children leave the workshop with feelings of confidence and content. ***~~~*** The Fourth Concept “My Body Belongs to Me” This concept stresses the actuality that a child’s body belongs only to him. It also highlights the fact that nobody holds the right to touch or look at a child’s body in a way that makes him uncomfortable, scared of distressed. Preliminary Activity “The Mermaid” Tools and Instruments Papers. Color pencils. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer divides the children into groups of two. In case the total number of children was odd, she assigns the remaining child to a group of two forming the only groups of three. 2 The trainer distributes the papers among the groups, giving each group one paper and color pencils. 3. The trainer explains “I will tell you an imaginary story and I would like you to use your imagination as well”. 4. The trainer tells the following story “Once upon a time, there were two little boys setting on the beach. Suddenly , a mermaid swam to the surface and said “there are beautiful things in the bottom of the sea” The mermaid added “ Some of which you have never heard of , I can go back down there and bring you three items””. 5. The children are requested to think together and come up with three items that the children in the story may request. The trainer also requests that they specify the reason of requesting such items. I.e. why are they important to the children in the story. 6. The trainer encourages the children to write or draw the three items in the given papers in a creative and fun way. 7. The trainer allocates sufficient time for the completion of this step and encourages the children to use their imagination. 8. Upon the termination of the allocated time, the trainer asks the groups to raise their papers to allow their peers to look at their work (taking turns) and then read the three chosen items. 9. The trainer makes certain that all the groups have participated in this activity. She insures that no one group is being mocked, ridiculed or undervalued. 10. The trainer concludes that every child’s imagination is his own, nobody can enter ones imagination and force them to imagine things they do not want. She further adds “So is your body, it is strictly yours”. Main activity “I Recognize My Ownership over My Body” Objectives of the Activity a. For the child to be completely aware of the fact that all parts of his body belong exclusively to him. b. For the child to realize the importance of safeguarding his body. Tools and Instruments There are no specific tools or instrument needed to complete this activity. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer joins the children in a circle. 2. The trainer raises her hand and asks “What is this?” She listens to the children’s answers and then raises her hand once more and asks “whose hand is this?” and allows the children to answer. 3. The trainer lifts the hand of the child next to her and asks “Whose hand is this?” The children subsequently answer “ It is Younes’s hand” ( The children will state the name of the child whose hand had been lifted) 4. The trainer asks “Can I say that Younes’s hand is mine?” 5. The trainer rephrases the question “Can I take Younes’s hand for me?” or “ Is this Younes’s hand or Ali’s” ( The trainer can choose the name of any other child within the circle) 6. The trainer listens to the children’s responses and then progresses to other parts of the body such as; head, foot or stomach. This activity is designed to emphasize the concept of ownership over one’s body. 7. The trainer concludes “Your body belongs to you; nobody has the right to see or touch parts of it in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, specially the areas that we always cover and do not show to anybody” she adds “If anything happened to make you feel uncomfortable, you should always inform an older person like a parent a teacher or an older sibling”. 8. The trainer repeats the slogan “My Body Belongs to Me” along with the children. ***~~~*** Evaluation Activity Upon termination of the workshop, the trainer obtains feed back by facilitating one of the following activities: Expression by drawing or expression by molding clay. The trainer insures that all the children are executing this activity in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. She also makes certain that all the children leave the workshop with feelings of confidence and content. The Fifth Concept “I Tell the Difference between a Good Touch and a Bad Touch” This concept intends to educate children on the different kinds of touches they might encounter. It also attempts to help them identify each one by the feelings associated with it. A “Good Touch” brings happiness and joy, whereas a “Bad Touch” inflects distress, fear and discomfort. It also places great emphasis on the correct conduct when faced with a “Bad Touch” which is to immediately inform an older person such as a parent, a teacher or an older sibling. Preliminary Activity “My Card” Tools and Instruments Small cards (if possible size of 7 cm x 5 cm) Ribbons or thirds of wool to link the card. Paper punch. Color pencils. Lamination machine (If available). Implementation Steps 1. The trainer distributes the cards and the color pencils among the children. 2. The trainer explains the activity as follows “Each child works on his card separately, he writes down positive qualities that he believe he possesses and others he would like to see in himself” The trainer encourages the children to be creative and accessories their cards. 3. The trainer allocates sufficient time for the completion of this step. She then, asks each child to raise his card and tell everyone something about it in addition to his feeling while creating it. 4. The trainer makes sure that all the children have participated in the activity and that the activity was executed in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. Further; she insures that no one child’s card is being mocked or ridiculed. 5. If the lamination machine was available, the trainer laminates all the cards. 6. The trainer uses the paper punch to create wholes in each card; she gives each child a ribbon or a woolen third to create an attachment which can be used to hang the card on the child’s nick (It is recommended that the trainer executes one item before the children to ensure that the idea is correctly communicated). 7. The trainer requests the children to hang the cards on their nicks and keep them until the end of the workshop. ***~~~*** Main Activity “The Confused Hassan” Objectives of the Activity a. To familiarize the child with the concept of a “Good Touch” and a “Bad Touch”. b. To help the child distinguish between a “Good Touch” and a “Bad Touch”. Tools and Instruments Two puppets representing two people, Hassan and Ali for example. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer introduces the two puppets by their names, Hassan and Ali for example. 2. The trainer explains that Hassan met his friend Ali and the following conversation took place: (The trainer pauses after each question to allow the children to discusses their opinions) Hassan: My friend Ali, is it good for us to be touched or not? Ali: Why do you ask this question Hassan? Hassan: Because I like some touches and I do not like some other ones. Ali: Let us talk about the touches you like first, how do you feel when someone touches you in a way you like? Hassan: I have a good feeling, I feel happy and safe. Ali: Tell me Hassan, who touches you like this? Hassan: Let us ask the children, do you know who touches us in a way that makes us feel happy and safe? The trainer: Come on children! Let us tell Hassan, who touches us in a way that makes us feel happy and safe (the trainer listens to the answers given by the children and does not comment on them) Hassan: Ali, when my mother hugs me and when my grandfather touches me, he hugs me and kisses me on the forehead. Ali: Yes Hassan, this is a good touch. Any touch that makes you feel happy and safe is a good touch. Hassan: Thank you Ali, now I know what a good touch is, but there are touches that make me feel scared, distressed and uncomfortable, why? Ali: Because they are bad touches. Any touch that makes us feel scared, distressed or uncomfortable is a bad touch and we should never accept it. Hassan: What do you mean “We should never accept it”? Ali: Let us ask the children, how can we not accept a bad touch? For example, if someone touched our body and we knew it was a bad touch because we felt scared, distressed and uncomfortable, what do we do then? (The trainer listens to the answers given by children and does not comment on them) Hassan: Because you are a Strong, Smart and Safe child and all the children here are Strong, Smart and Safe. You should act smart and inform someone immediately. Ali: How do I act smart? Hassan: You remove yourself from that place. For example you walk out of the room and say “Do not touch me!” or call somebody to pick you up. Ali (talking to the children): Tell me children, what els can a child do to be a Strong, Smart and Safe child? (The trainer listens to the children’s answers and builds on what they say if it was not correct) Hassan: Thank you Ali. You said to inform someone, who shall I inform and what do I tell them? Ali: What do you think children, who should we inform? (The trainer listens to the answers given by children and does not comment on them) Ali (continues): You should inform one of your parents or an adult that you trust and believe can help you. Hassan: What shall I tell them? Ali: You can tell them how you felt when that person touched you and how you feel now. Hassan: What if they do not believe me? Ali: Even if they did not believe you, you are a strong and safe child. If they did not believe you should try to tell another person. For example; if your father did not believe you tell your mother or an older sibling (The trainer can use names mentioned by the children when “Ali” asked “who should we tell?” if they were correct choices). Hassan: Thank you Ali, Thank you children, you helped me understand. Now repeat with me “I Tell the Difference between a Good Touch and a Bad Touch”. I understand that I should never remain in a situation where I feel a “Bad touch” and I should always inform a parent, a teacher or an adult I trust. ***~~~*** Evaluation Activity Upon termination of the workshop, the trainer obtains feed back by facilitating one of the following activities: Expression by drawing or expression by molding clay. The trainer insures that all the children are executing this activity in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. She also makes certain that all the children leave the workshop with feelings of confidence and content. The Sixth Concept “I Think With a Smile” This concept attempts to familiarize children with their thinking process. It further highlights methods for children to endorse positive thinking. Preliminary Activity “Alone in the Green Jungle” Objectives of the Activity: a. For the child to understand that people process thoughts differently in attempts to find solutions. b. For the child to learn to appreciate others, the way he would like to be appreciated. Tools and Instruments Papers. Color pencils. Implementation Steps 1.The trainer divides the children into groups of three. 2.The trainer gives each group a paper and color pencils. 3.The trainer writes twelve words on the board or a prepared paper board in an easily readable way. The following words can be used: Mirror, Bottle of Water, Radio, Stick , Map, Lamp, Axe, Wooden Boards, Matches, Money , Donkey, Tent, chair. 4. The trainer chooses two names Salma and Lila for example (in case the group consisted of boys only, she can choose two boys names such as Hassan and Ali). She tells the following story: “Salma and Lila were on a school trip to the jungle; they were walking and have drifted far from their friends and teachers. They only have the items listed on the board, from which they are allowed to use only five to go back to their friends and teachers as soon as possible”. 5.The trainer explains “ Each group should choose five items from the given list and think how can Lila and Salma use them to go back to their friends and teachers as soon as possible” 6.The trainer allocates sufficient time for this step, in case a child asks a question not mentioned in the story, she encourages him to imagine the situation and choose the items based on that. 7.Upon the termination of the allocated time the trainer requests that all groups present their choices and their plans. 8.The trainer makes certain that this activity is executed in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. She encourages the children to form a positive and creative view on their peer’s suggestion no matter how irrelevant or unrelated they may seem. 9.Upon the completion of the previous step, the trainer concludes that “Everyone acts differently in different situations because they process thoughts differently”. ***~~~*** Main Activity “My Smile in My Story” Objectives of the Activity a. For the child to focus on the topic of “Thinking”. b. For the child to be introduced to positive alternatives within negative situations. c. For the child to understand that he can be happy and content through positive thinking. Tools and Instruments There are no specific tools or instrument needed to complete this activity. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer divides the children into two groups and seats them opposite of each other (The children of groups A set facing the children of group B). 2. She explains that “we all go through hard situations in life , we have the choice to either become sad or to think with a smile” .She further explains “when we choose to be sad nothing will change and the difficult situation will remain the same , but when we choose to think with a smile , we will feel better and we will give ourselves the option to improve the situation” 3. The trainer explains that group A will state a situation that can be hard for a child and group B should think about it and say how will the child act if he was to think with a smile. 4. The trainer begins by saying different statement illustrating hard situations; she asks the children to think with a smile and try to figure out what are the positive alternatives that they could opt for. To illustrate: “when our scores in the science exam come back poorly, one of the choices that we have would be to cry and resent class”, she adds “it is good to acknowledge that our grades were not good and be sad for that, but it is important not to stay sad, instead; think with a smile and study hard to arrive at better grades in the next test”. 5. The trainer asks group A to state a situation that can be hard for a child and then requests group B to think about it and say how the child will act if he was to think with a smile. The trainer emphasizes on the importance of thinking as a group before donating an answer. 6. The trainer allocates sufficient time for this step ( One minute per group is recommended) 7. The trainer makes sure that both groups alternate. If group A was to state the hard situation, group B will subsequently suggest a form of action should the child think with a smile Afterwards, Group B will state a hard situation and group A will then suggest a form of action should the child think with a smile. 8. The trainer continues this exercise for as long as time permits. If the children were unable to generate hard situations or positive alternatives, she can proceed as follows: She requests that group A state a hard situation and group B to generate positive alternatives for it. Afterwards, she states hard situations and requests both groups to generate positive alternatives for it (separately) and finally, Group B states a hard situation and group A generates positive alternatives for it. 9. The followings are examples of hard situations : When something I like breaks, When my friend stops talking to me, When I am not well, When I lose in a game, When my parents forbid me from playing with my friends, When I make a mistake and may parents scold me, When I score poorly in an exam. 10. The trainer makes certain that all the children participated within their groups. 11. •The trainer encourages the children to think about hard situations in their own lives and how they can think about them with a smile. ***~~~*** Evaluation Activity Upon termination of the workshop, the trainer obtains feed back by facilitating one of the following activities: Expression by drawing or expression by molding clay. The trainer insures that all the children are executing this activity in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. She also makes certain that all the children leave the workshop with feelings of confidence and content. The Seventh Concept “I Add Beauty to the World” This concept intends to bring to the child’s awareness the important role he plays in the world. It stresses that God has created him because he is capable of making beautiful and unique contributions to the world. Preliminary Activity “My Favorite Animal” Tools and Instruments There are no specific tools or instrument needed to complete this activity. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer joins the children in a circle. 2. She explains the activity “Each one of you will choose an animal that he believes is the most beautiful and share with us why he believes so” 3. The trainer stresses that all the children should listen with respect to their peer’s opinions. She further adds that through this activity they can discover new dimensions in these animals, ones they might not have paid attention to in the past. 4. The trainer allocates a short period of time for the children to select an animal. 5. The trainer begins with the child on her right/left and makes sure that all the children have participated. The children give each child around of applause upon the completion of his participation. The trainer makes sure that the activity is executed in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. 6. The trainer concludes as follows “There is beauty in everything around us , but sometimes we need to pay closer attention to be able to see them” ***~~~*** Main Activity “The Beautiful Jungle” Objectives of the Activity: a. For the child to realize that a beautiful work cannot be completed without him. Tools and Instruments A big white paper. Colored or white papers. Scissors (one per child if possible). Color pencils or crayons. Glue. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer hangs the big paper in a place easily accessible to children. 2. She explains that they will all turn this paper into a beautiful jungle portrait. 3. The trainer asks the children to draw whatever they see fit in the jungle; things that are visible and always present in the jungle like trees or different animals and other things that are not odd but less visible like warms and other things. 4. She asks the children to draw, paint and cut two or three items and write their first name on them (depending on the size of the group). 5. When the children are finished with their art work the trainer asks that they paste each item in the correct place. 6. When all the children have pasted their items, the trainer concludes that this portrait is beautiful because of all the different pieces in it, the differences of the pieces is what made this portrait unique and beautiful. She adds “Each one of you focused on a different side of the jungle” this difference is what enhanced the beauty of this portrait. 7. The trainer asks the following questions and discusses the answers with the children. What will happen if all the pieces were identical? Would the portrait be as beautiful as it is now? 8. The trainer concludes “you are all important people and you add beauty to the world just like these pieces. Should any one of these pieces be removed, it will not be as beautiful and as complete as it is now. The same applies to our lives, we are all important. Even though we look different, we come from different families and we have very distinct capabilities, we all make a beautiful contribution to the world and it can never be complete without each and every one of us”. 9. The trainer repeats the slogan “I Add Beauty to the World” along with the children. ***~~~*** Evaluation Activity The trainer asks each child “How do you feel when you see your contribution in this beautiful portrait?” The trainer maintains the discussion in a positive frame and stresses that all the contributions are special and unique. She further emphasizes that the portrait would not be as beautiful and as complete as it is now if any one drawing was removed. ***~~~*** Appendix 1 Artistic Activity1 The Paper Crown This activity attempts to reinforce children’s self esteem in support of the seven concepts that had been discussed during the course of this workshop. It also serves as a symbolic medal which the child can take home to be reminded that he is indeed a “Strong, Smart and Safe Child” Implementation Steps 1. The trainer cuts colored papers in the shape of a crown (in the size of a child’s head). 2. The trainer joins both ends together. 3. The trainer prepares pieces of papers with the slogan “I am a Strong, Smart and Safe Child” printed on them, she insures that their size fits the front of the crown. 4. The slogan “I am a Strong, Smart and Safe Child” is pasted on the front of the crown. 5. The trainer places the crown on each child’s head, while the other children cheer the slogan “I am a Strong, Smart and Safe Child”. Artistic Activity 2 Poster of the Concept’s Slogans The trainer prints the seven slogans in addition to the main theme of the workshop “I am a Strong, Smart and Safe Child” on a beautifully designed A4, laminate it and hands a copy to each child. ***~~~*** Supplementary Activity I choose my Quality This activity is very much liked by children. The trainer can facilitate this activity before the commencement of the workshop, when there is surplice time or as a replacement to one of the preliminary activities. Tools and Instruments A number of empty name cards on which children’s names will be written. The cards will then be attached to the child’s cloths or hanged on his nick. Alternatively they can be placed in any other way as long as they are visible and easily readable to all the children. Implementation Steps 1. The trainer joins the children in a circle. 2. The trainer begins by introducing herself; stating her name and one positive quality; for instance “I am the Happy Sarah”, she follows that by a simple explanation sharing the reason she chose this quality; for example “I chose this quality because I love being happy”. 3. The trainer requests that each child introduces himself by his name and a quality of his choice. The trainer can assist the children by suggesting few qualities similar to: Brave, smart, strong, etc. This activity brings to the child’s awareness the positive and well received qualities he may possess and validate them in the presence of others. 4. The trainer begins with the child on her left or right side. The children introduce themselves using their names and a quality of their choice, for instance “I am the unique Miriam” or “I am the smart Ahmed”. In case a child was faced with difficulties choosing a quality, the trainer can provide assistance by proposing several positive qualities for him to choose from. The trainer has to be absolutely certain that no one child is left without being introduced. 5. Once the child states his name and quality, the trainer writes them down on the name card and attaches it to the child’s cloths positioning it in a clear and visible manner. 6. Upon the end of this activity; the trainer concludes that all the children in this workshop are smart, strong and safe. ### Discover other titles by Be-Free Program: * A Training Guide on the Fundamental Protection Skills for Children with Visual Impairment. * A Training Guide on the Fundamental Protection Skills for Children with speech Impairment. * A Training Guide on the Fundamental Protection Skills for Children with Mild Mental Disability. 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