Give out copies of the How to Resolve Conflict sheets.
Ask the participants to describe and share a variety of conflicts that commonly occur at the group, at home or at school. List these on a flip chart sheet.
Select two or three of these ideas and discuss how the steps for resolving conflicts could be applied to each situation.
Split the Pioneers into groups of 2 or 3 and ask them to choose and role play one of the conflict situations from the board, either as themselves or with puppets.
Perform each of the role plays for the whole group (or just choose a few if you are short of time) and have a group discussion to evaluate the outcome of each.
After discussing each performance, introduce the concept of using words to express feelings instead of blaming someone else or using physical force.
Explain that Using a “why” message to state what’s bothering you and why, for example: “It really bothers me that you aren’t willing to work this out together instead of arguing all the time.”
A “blaming” message says what’s wrong with the other person.
Example: “You are ruining our project. You’re an idiot. You never do anything right.”
A “why” message is constructive and points to a solution. A “blaming” message puts the other person on the defensive and leads to more conflict. “Why” messages usually work better.
Ask the Pioneers to try out their role plays again, replacing any “blaming” messages with “why” messages. The revised role plays can be performed again for the group if you have time.
Then get back into a circle and discuss:
- Did the conflict get resolved in a different way?
- Is the outcome the same?