POWER BRAINSTORMING

To encourage creativity and to break the traditional cooperation boundaries of institutions. Also to find different ways to initiate cooperation and its improvement.

TIME REQUIRED

90 minutes.

RESOURCES

Table, large paper sheets, markers (as many as participants), music.

ACTION

Tables are aligned in a big shape or a line, large paper sheets are placed on the tables. Participants surround the tables and stand at opposite sides of the sheets. Each participant receives a marker. They are given 90 – 120 seconds to think about the questions written in front of them on the big sheets of paper. Loud and intense music is played in the background, this ensures that the participants will not disturb each other. Afterwards, the participants switch. There must be twice as many participants as there are questions.

Possible questions:

1. In which areas would you like to collaborate with other institutions?
2. Which youth-related issue you/ your organization could not solve alone?
3. Elections are due next month, and you want to receive more support for youth projects. How do you put pressure on the municipality?
4. You collect signatures for a petition on youth involvement in decision-making. Where would you go first?
5. You need to meet the City Mayor and discuss certain issues. Where would you search for him/her?
6. What are the strengths of your institution? What insights could you share with others?
7. You want local media coverage of young people? What would you do?
8. You participate in an open Municipal Council meeting. How would you present youth opinions, interests, points of view, and their suggestions, without voicing your comments out loud during the meeting?
9. How can you find out young people’s views and opinions, needs and suggestions?
10. If you want to encourage a Municipal Youth Council to be more active and transparent, what will you do?

DISCUSSION

• Which ideas have surprised you the most?
• Which ideas can you realize?
• Who should take the initiative in order to improve cooperation among institutions?

COMMENTS

The brainstorming session can take up to 30 minutes. Afterwards, the group would require some time to get to know the results better, walk around, relax and read of the results. Best suited for 14-28 people.Depending on time, there are two alternatives:

1. Participants walk around and read the results. On each of the paper sheets they can mark up to two ideas that they find the most appealing. Afterwards, they come back to the paper where they finished the brainstorming session. They review the results and identify which ideas were the most popular. They prepare to present the 7 most popular ideas to their group. Afterwards, a presentation takes place and each listed question is briefly discussed, and numerous alternatives are revealed.
2. Right away start work in pairs. The pairs, without “voting”, select the most appealing suggestions.