Introduction
To work in a group, everybody needs to be accepted by others. This exercise is called “Titanic” or “The boat is sinking”. It shows the importance of accepting other group members and the importance of following the command of the leader.
Objectives
- To demonstrate the need of accepting others in a group
- To show the importance of following a good leader
Duration
- 30 minutes
Materials
- None
Methodology
- Explain to the participants that they are on a ship (the Titanic) in the middle of the ocean.
- One person (a facilitator or a volunteer) should serve as the captain of the ship.
- The captain calls out: “The boat is sinking! Go to the lifeboats in groups of X persons”. (The X is a number which the captain can select before he/she calls out)
- As a number is called out, the participants quickly group themselves accordingly (they form a circle holding each other). Persons who did not find a group of the right size to join are eliminated, because they could not find a place in the lifeboats.
- The game will be continued and ends when there are only one or two people left.
Some guidelines for discussion
- Did you enjoy the game?
- How did you feel when you could not be accommodated in any group?
- Did anybody take the lead in forming the groups?
- What is the significance of following commands of the leader?
- Do you think farmers will want to come back to the FFS if they do not feel accepted?
- How can we make farmers feel that they are accepted in the FFS?
