Talking Stick
Page Summary
This activity includes using a “talking stick” that can be passed around the group as an aid for sharing ideas and opinions.
You Will Require
- Object (talking stick, talking stone, talking book etc.)
- Method of recording opinions
What To Do
Have an object that is to be your “talking stick” that can be passed around the group as an aid for sharing ideas and opinions. It can be any object to encourage and enthuse your group of children / young people to speak. Whoever has the “talking stick” will be the only person who can speak. When they have finished giving their ideas and opinions they pass the stick to whoever would like to speak next.
Never just pass the “talking stick” around the circle, as it can be intimidating for some children / young people. It is better to let it pass naturally to those who want to speak, whilst those who want to just listen, then can. If it does become dominated by a few individuals, throw in a simple question that everyone can answer.
It is useful to record or write down ideas as they are spoken so that nothing is lost. You can identify common treads, significant issues or things that stand out. These can be fed back to the PCC and other stakeholder