Rationale/ Development
It is often difficult for students to understand how the small everyday tasks that are part of their international work-based placements fit within the bigger picture of community development. This is particularly the case for those students placed in office environments and might be involved in desk-based activities such as financial audits, preparing reports or painting walls. This very simple activity was co-created with Catherine Scerri from Bahay Tuluyan, a child rights organisation based in the Philippines. It aims to help students make sense of their own role within organisations and how their work fits within the organisation’s goals. The examples that follow, were supplied by a number of CoMC partner organisations and are for illustrative purposes only.
It is an activity recommended to be completed in-country. Students could complete this activity alone as a reflection task but will possibly find it more affective if they have the opportunity to work with a supervisor, student partner or as a student group.
Time
30 minutes
Materials
Paper and pen
Process
- Ask the student to identify a small task they have completed this week eg. Writing a promotional brochure, painting a wall etc. Write this task in the centre of the paper.
- They then ask the question, “So what?” (eg. What does this mean for the organisation? What happened as a result?) There will be multiple answers and each should be recorded on the paper, radiating from the original task.
- For each of these answers the student should ask again, “So what?”, recording the answers. Again, students should look for multiple answers and record these.
- The result should be a mind map of ‘so what’ questions and answers, that illustrates the complex impact of seemingly simple tasks.
Examples
Mapping activity – projects to goals
Example activities could include:
- Preparing an annual report
- Tutoring
- Preparing a module
- Conducting an audit
From Bahay Tuluyan, Philippines
From KOTO, Vietnam
Sometimes students who work in the finance team do not get the same ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling as those who work in the training centre and interact with KOTO trainees on a daily basis. As a result, these students sometimes feel that their contribution is not as valuable.
Task = Writing a post event evaluation
So what?
So we can run a better event next time
So what?
So we can attract further funding
So what?
So that we can ensure the
sustainability of the program
So we can pay for an extra trainee
to study
So what?
So what?
So what?
We are one step closer
to eliminating the cycle of poverty
in Vietnam
So that one more child is able to
gain the skills to get employment
So what?
We are one step closer
to eliminating the cycle of poverty
in Vietnam