In the framework of the Bilbao Anti-Rumour Strategy, a handbook with anti-rumour tools and exercises has been designed for working in classrooms with young people. Young people represent a priority target group of intervention in this project. However, it is necessary to have specific working tools for young people because general strategy materials are designed for adults (arguments against rumours amongst others) are often inadequate.
This handbook is the result of a work process developed with educators of youth centres in Bilbao and with different professionals who work on the anti-rumour strategy.
The key requirements of the handbook are the following:
- The need to include some ideas about the phenomenon of the construction and deconstruction of rumours in a relaxed way and with a closed language;
- Following the work of reflection, to conclude with a product which can be shared with the rest of the young people of the municipality, namely a manual with activities that can be deployed in youth resources.
- Each of these activities should include a clear description of what needs to be implemented;
- To have a fun and bright material to help the reader to increase their skills in conversations in which unfounded rumours against people and groups arise. It also serves as teaching material but, above all, invites the reader to role-play, learn and experience in a personal or collective way;
- To include activities and methodologies that can be used without the mediation of a facilitator. They can be self-managed exercises;
- To incorporate activities that help the reader to think, including spaces for the management of emotions and action;
- To have a handbook that can be offered to other municipalities and anti-rumour initiatives. The handbook should be a flexible, adaptable and living resource that can take into consideration the new concerns, activities and proposals from educators and young people.
The handbook includes a compilation of tools and exercises to be self-managed by teaching staff and educators of the centres which are classified according to the following criteria:
1) Depth: Classification that serves to understand the level of reflection about ideas
- Heating
- Reflection
- Deepening
2) Center: refers to the place from which the activity appealed with each exercise
- Reason
- Emotion
- Action
3) Level: responds to the intended scope from the activity
- Single
- Collective
- Context
4) Skills: competencies that you want to train
- Personal and context awareness
- Assertive communication and strategies for group pressure management
- Sincere listening
- Critical thinking
- Positive conflict resolution
The handbook includes an evaluation system that incorporates a general questionnaire for young people and a technical questionnaire for educators and teachers who have implemented the activities with young people.
This handbook is the result of a work process developed with educators from eight youth centres in Bilbao and with other professionals who work on the anti-rumour strategy at local level.
