When I see the Ten Most Wanted Lists… I always have this thought: If we’d made them feel wanted earlier, they wouldn’t be wanted now.
Eddie Cantor (1892–1964) American actor and comedian
Ever seen yourself on a Wanted Poster? Then, it’s high time to do so — with all the relevant information. Get the feeling of being special and wanted. So, you won’t end up on a real wanted poster.
This is an icebreaker activity to familiarize participants with each other. The form of the wanted poster reduces information to the relevant and the time needed.
As workshop leader you can oberserve during the preparation time the participants’ skills in working with workshop material like posters, boards, markers etc. and their time discipline.
Objective of Wanted Poster
When I see the Ten Most Wanted Lists… I always have this thought: If we’d made them feel wanted earlier, they wouldn’t be wanted now. Eddie Cantor, American Actor and Comedian
Presentation of participants.
Resources
Markers and flip chart sheets.
Time
2 x 8 minutes interviews plus sketching time, plus 3 mins per participant presentation.
Task
Make teams of two who interview each other and draw a Wanted Poster. It’s recommended to mix gender, organisation, and age groups. After 5—8 minutes give a signal to switch the direction of the interview. After 15—16 minutes, the team of two presents each other to the rest of the group.
As in a real Wanted Poster they should reveal important points:
A picture — let’s sketch it!
A reason why the police are searching for him or her.
A description including age, height, weight, sex, eye colour.
A distinctive feature: e.g. scar on cheek, permanently using his mobile phone.
A warning: e.g. dangerous as very charming and friendly.
A reward.
Experience shows that it is very helpful to attach the posters to the wall of the workshop room. Thus, you can remember or refer to single participants, while new incoming facilitators get an idea of their target audience.
Newspaper Interview is an ice-breaker activity to familiarize your participants with each other. Create teams of two participants who interview each other. It’s advisable to mix gender, organisation, and age groups.
Participants will learn and remember the other participants’ name. It’s also very energising and great fun.Present yourself with name plus animal name, e.g. I am Anita and I am a cat because I love the independence and self-reliance of cats.
Icons are visual symbols, which are very important in our everyday lives. We are all familiar with symbols for toilets, exits, or restaurant logos etc. But have you ever thought of symbolising yourself in a single sign? Icon - I can!
Write the name of each participant on the back of the cards and let each participant pick one. Now, they have to find their ‘invisible friend’, i.e. ask around which person belongs to the name of the card.
Alliteration means using the same starting letter of words as a rhetorical tool. Here, we use alliterative epithets together with participants’ names, e.g. Ali the Attractive, Laila the Lunatic, or Jim the Jealous.
There is a treasure in each workshop participant. Find it and let find the participants in each other. This game sets a positive atmosphere when everybody is new - and perhaps a little insecure - in the workshop. It builds confidence and relationships.
