Tool Description
An introductory activity to the topic of social impact assessment, in order to get to a common understanding of what it means and implies.
Aims
It helps to introduce participants to the topic, allow exchange of knowledge and opinions in small groups first and then within the larger group, and ultimately obtain in a collective way a series of concepts related to Social Impact Assessment.
It works as a scrabble, but it focuses on the given topic.
Prepare the big sheet of paper, on which you must spell an initial word or combination of words, that expresses the chosen topic (for example social-impact, or just assessment, depending on where you want to focus) using coloured post-it notes. Divide participants in small teams, each of them receives the scrabble tiles.
Each of the groups should come up with a list of words that come to their mind when thinking of the key topic. The group needs to be able to define each word.
When ready, invite groups one by one to share their words. First, the word is proposed by the group and its definition is given. Next, if the rest of the big group agrees that the vocabulary item is indeed related to Social Impact Assessment, it is then written on little papers and glued down, linking to the word first worked or other vocabulary that is already there.
As final debriefing, summarize what came out from the activity and ask what they learnt.
Recommended for
Groups that are learning about social impact assessment, in order to deepen into a topic first in little teams and then in plenary: why we have chosen this word or concept for this specific topic, how does it relate to it, what does it mean concretely for each of us etc.
Duration
1 hour, depending on the size of the group
Background and where it has been employed
This variation is based on the activity Entrepreneurial scrabble of the training manual developed within “ISSE - Community Works” Erasmus+ project. It has been used during a local event in Athens with a mixed group, some experts on SSE, some total beginners, on the general topic of what does SSE mean and include. It was enriching for all participants, no matter their level of experience in SSE.
Material needed
A4 papers (coloured), cut into little squares, the size of post-it notes (these will become scrabble squares / tiles). Big sheet of paper (e.g. 4 flipcharts put together) to stick the scrabble squares to. Glue-stick for each group.
Links and downloads
Download the full ISSE Training Manual: the description of the activity is at p. 35.
Created by
Original version created by the partnership of “ISSE:Community Works” project funded by Erasmus+ (activity proposed by Consilium from UK)