ACTIVITY SIX: BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS!
What does WAGGGS want to know?
We would like to hear from girls their ideas on what changes they want to see, to make access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and jobs equal.
What you need
- String etc still set up from Activity 5
- Pens
- Scissors
What to do
- Keep the string and barrier notes up from Activity 5. Ask the small groups to look at each of their ideas in turn, and on the back of their note, add one or more ideas of changes they think could be made to break the barrier.
- For example, if the barrier is "Girls encouraged by teachers to study arts subjects rather than Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)", the idea could be "Governments ask schools to increase girls' participation in secondary level Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects".
- Share all the ideas together as a group - give girls the chance to comment on each other's ideas and add thoughts.
- Break down the barrier! Give girls each (or as small groups) a pair of scissors. Explain that with their ideas, they will break the barrier between them and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers. When you say "GO!" they cut the string, put the scissors down on a table or hand them to you, then run towards the list of careers on the opposite wall (make sure they don't cut the notes they have written). Collect all the notes up from the string for your record.
Online option:
Either of the following methods:
- Discussions in break-out room or plenary, depending on group size. Leader/facilitator types their ideas they share under each barrier shared in Activity 5. After the discussion, leader/facilitator can share screen and draw a large "X" on top of the barriers. Share that the barriers can be broken by all the ideas they have shared just now.
- Use applications like Padlet, Miro board, Google Jamboard Google Sheet, Google Document or other interactive online engagement/collaborative applications. Continue with the same "board/sheet" as Activity 5.
If using Padlet:
- Ask participants to comment "how to break the barrier" under each "barrier" posted by participants in Activity 5.
- Share screen of the Padlet, use "Annotate" or any drawing functions of the virtual platform you are using, and draw a large "X" on top of the barriers. Share that the barriers can be broken by all the ideas they have shared just now.
If using Miro board or Google Jamboard:
- Ask participants to use sticky notes of another colour and paste their ideas on "how to break the barrier" under the sticky notes of each barrier. You can put one barrier in one page of Google Jamboard so there is more space to add sticky notes.
- Share screen of the board, use the drawing function of the board you are using and draw a large "X" on top of the barriers. Alternatively, use "Annotate" or any drawing functions of the virtual platform you are using, and draw a large "X" on top of the barriers. Share that the barriers can be broken by all the ideas they have shared just now.
If using Google Sheet:
- Ask particpants to type their ideas on "how to break the barrier" in the rows under each barrier (barriers are listed in the columns of the sheet).
If using Google Document:
- Ask participants to type their ideas on "how to break the barrier" using bullet points under each barrier (if not in table format) OR under/next to each barrier if using "table" format.
RECORDING THE RESPONSES:
Collect the notes the girls have written and compile them into a table like the format below.
| Barriers | Ideas to break barriers |
