My Rights...My Relationship




Objective(s) & Context

  1. Explore friendship and family relationships and discuss what participants want and need from them.

  2. Explore romantic and/or sexual relationships and discuss what participants want and need from them.

  3. Explore how self-assertiveness and awareness of one’s rights leads to nourishing and positive relationships.

 

Creating a relationship pillow is an exploration of what is important in a friendship, romantic or sexual relationship. The finished pillows will be a reminder of what is wanted and needed in relationships.

 

Duration

2½ hours

 

Group Size

15–30

 

Age Group

10 +

 

Skills

Communication, reflection and analytical skills

 

Format(s) & Technique(s)

Large group discussion, guided discussion, and arts-based work

 

Materials

Flip chart paper

Markers

Patterns for pillows

Scissors

Glue guns

A variety of coloured fabrics

Cotton batting

String or wool

Camera for taking group photo

Thread

Fabric markers and/or paints

Buttons

Pens

Cardboard or coloured paper

Rights in a Friendship, Romance, or Sexual Relationship: Reference Sheet

 

Facilitation Tips

  • This workshops requires that participants bring items from home in order to do the workshop

  • It may trigger memories of experiences that have been or are hurtful. Ensure that you have time to debrief with participants (either as a group or one on one) if this arises.

  • Having resources like pamphlets on healthy relationships, websites, or the contact of the school or community counsellor is a good idea.

 

Popular Education Prompts

  • This activity will surface relational experiences that the girls in the group have or are experiencing.

  • You may want to take note of the themes that arise in the conversation in order to follow-up with another workshop that responds more directly to the needs that emerge. These themes are important in facilitating the next steps in healthy relationships and helping the group decide how they want to take action.

  • You may need to bring in additional information to respond to themes or questions raised in the group.

 

Leading the Activity: Steps to Take

Preparation:

  1. Participants should be told in advance to bring in any artefacts, stories, images, etc. that represent their ideas of a healthy and meaningful friendship, romance or sexual relationship.

  2. Create “meta cards” (half pieces of coloured papers) with the word “Right” written on each piece.

  3. Using the rights listed in the Rights in a Friendship, Romance, or Sexual Relationship: Reference Sheet, write one right on each meta card.

  4. Stick the meta cards to a piece of flip chart paper to prepare for Part 1.

  5. Write “My Rights… My Relationship” on a piece of flipchart paper.

  6. Cut fabric into pillow-sized pieces. Make sure there are at least 2 pieces per participant so that they can make pillows in Part 2.

 

Workshop:

There are two parts to this workshop.

 

Part 1 (approximately 1 hour)

  1. Present the prepared Rights meta cards to participants on the piece of flip chart paper.

  2. Explain to them that each right relates to their right to have relationships, whether it is a friendship or a romantic or sexual relationship.

  3. Lead a brief brainstorm (10 minutes) with participants. Ask them: ”Are there any rights that you can suggest that you don’t see on this list?”

  4. Once the list is complete, write each new Right on a meta card. Spread all of the meta cards on a table or on the floor face up.

  5. Ask participants to each select one Right that they feel is important to their relationships. Tell them that they will use this Right as the basis of the story they will create to add to their relationship pillow.

  6. After each participant has made their selection, invite her to share with the group why she selected this Right and how it is important to her in the relationship that she is thinking about.

  7. After each participant has spoken, ask her to stick her meta card to the flip chart entitled “My Rights… My Relationship.”

  8. To close, summarize the discussion and explain to the group that there are many rights that apply to a relationship. Remind them that this list is just a representation of many of the rights, and not an exhaustive list. Ask the participants if they have any closing questions or comments.

 

Part 2 (approximately 1½ hours)

1. Explain to participants why the workshop is important:

Creating a relationship pillow is an exploration of what is important in a friendship, romantic or sexual relationship. The finished pillows will be a reminder of what is wanted and needed in relationships. Each participant should be encouraged to put into the pillow any objects, words, stories, images, etc. that they feel serve as a reminder or definition of what it means to her.

2. Hand out two pieces of pre-cut fabric to each participant.

3. Explain to participants how to create the base of their relationship pillow:

  1. Apply glue to the edges of one piece of fabric and press it against the edges of the other piece. Leave enough room at the centre (3 inches square diameter for pillow stuffing). If sewing is an option, participants can sew the two pieces of fabric together using the same diameters.

  2. Stuff the pillow. Participants can include their writings or artefacts inside the pillow or they can create pockets on the outside.

  3. Decorate the pillows.

4. Ask participants to design their pillows, keeping in mind the right they chose in Part 1.

5. Once the pillows are complete, ask participants to exhibit their pillows against the walls or on the table.

6. Tell participants they can walk around to admire the other pillows if they would like to do so.

7. Ask participants to sit in a circle and return the meta card (with the right they chose) to the bowl at the centre of the circle.

8. Invite participants to then share one thing they learned from creating their relationship pillow.

 

Debrief

Questions to ask the group:

  • What was your favourite part of the activity? Why?

  • Did you learn anything new or were you reminded or something important?

  • Is there anything you are still wondering about or would like to know more about?

 

Success Indicators

Participants are:

  • Able to comfortably discuss their rights in a relationship

  • Able to identify and explain their rights in a relationship to others