Ripples of change

• Flipchart sheets and marker pens.
• Post-it notes or cards in three different colours.

• Stick two flipchart sheets together and draw the ‘ripples of change’ model below.
• Prepare some simple illustrative examples of how a human rights training might contribute to change at each level, relating these to the training session the participants attended and the organisation and local context.
• Prepare flipchart sheets with the two sets of guiding questions written up (see below).

Explain that participants are going to take part in an exercise to help evaluate whether the training they attended has made a difference in any way. Display the ‘ripple of change’ model and explain the following:

• When we gently throw a stone into a pond, ripples spread out across the water. Today we are going to use this image to help us think about change. In this case, our ‘stone’ is the human rights training event we took part in.
• The first ‘ripple’ or level of change is individual. How have I changed as a result of the training, in terms of my attitudes, skills, thinking and doing? Give an illustrative example that is relevant to the training and the local context.
• The second ‘ripple’ or level of change is at the organisational or group level. What has changed in terms of organisational/group values, thinking, priorities and activities? Provide an illustrative example that is relevant to the training, the organisation/group and the local context. For example, increased attention/changed approaches to working for freedom of religion or belief, increased use of participatory approaches, improved capacity to train others, etc.
• The third ‘ripple’ or level of change is at the community level. Have changes at the individual and organisational levels had any effects on the wider community? Give an illustrative example relevant to the training, the organisation/group and the local context. For example, changes in the level or nature of contact/dialogue between groups/communities, changes in the attitudes/behaviour of other actors, increased collaboration on freedom of religion or belief advocacy.
• In this exercise, we’re going to work together to create a visual representation of change that we can link back to the training and analyse the results.

INDIVIDUAL REFLECTION (20 MIN)

Give each participant three sets of differently coloured post-it notes (e.g., blue, yellow and orange) on which to write their reflections – one reflection per post-it. Point to the following guiding questions:

• Individual-level changes: What changes can you observe in the way you work, in your attitudes, your skills and your knowledge that can be associated with the training you attended last year?
• Organisation/group-level changes: What changes have been made to the work of your organisation/group that may be associated with your participation in the training? Write your reflections on the yellow cards.
• Community level changes: What changes can you observe in the broader community that you can reasonably connect to the work of your organisation and your participation in the training? This could be among the direct target audiences for your work or indirectly in the community more widely. Changes could relate to knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours or to systems and rules or life situations more generally. Write your reflections on the orange cards.

PLENARY FEEDBACK (40 MIN)

One at a time, invite participants up to stick their post-it notes on the ‘ripple of change’ model and ask them to share their most important reflections with the group. Allow 2 min per participant for this.
Reflect on any commonalities and differences within the group.

GROUPWORK (30 MIN)

Divide participants into small groups to discuss the following questions. Ask the groups to develop a common list of their findings and to appoint a spokesperson to present these back to the plenary.

• Discuss changes at the organisational level – do you have a common understanding of what has changed within your organisation? To what extent are the changes identified a result of the training? What other factors have contributed to them?
• Discuss changes at the community level, thinking about the people your organisation works directly with and about the wider community. Do you have a common understanding of if and how the training has contributed to change at this level? Are there plausible connections between the changes identified and the training session? What other significant factors have contributed to the changes?

PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSION (45 MIN)
Invite each spokesperson to present their group’s findings to the plenary (5 min/group). Discuss the findings.

TIP! Record all the findings, which can be used to complement other data collected about longer-term results from the training.

Conclude the exercise by thanking everyone for their thoughts and engagement in the discussion, celebrating positive changes that have been identified and encouraging everyone to keep working for change.