Community Strength

Time: 60 Minutes

Source:

Purpose: To help participants realize the strength they have as a community and why we all must do our part.

We are all connected in some way and communities are made up of all these connections. Prior to this activity, discuss some ways the participants in the group may be connected.

Directions: Have the participants stand/sit in a large circle, shoulder to shoulder. Hand a large ball of yarn to one participant. Have this person hold the ball in one handand the end of the yarn in the other. This participant should state why or how he or sheis “connected” to another participant (or the facilitators) in the group and then toss the yarn to that person.

Examples of “connected”: (Get silly—have fun!)

a. Same color hair/eyes/shirt/shoes

b. Short/long hair

c. Male/female

d. Same age

e. Go to the same school/club/work

f. Ride the same public transportation

g. Like the same things/same animal

Every time someone gets the yarn/rope, the person holds on to that section (i.e., clasps the yard next to the ball) before tossing it to someone else. This process continues until everyone in the circle has been tossed the ball and is holding a piece of yarn. (People may receive the yarn more than once.) A web will form in the middle of the circle. It is important to keep the activity going until enough yarn/rope is distributed to hold up a stuffed animal!

Stress how this web illustrates their community and that participants are resources and supports for each other. Toss a stuffed animal onto the center of the web. Tell the participants how the web (the community) supports the animal and keeps it from falling.

Remove the animal and ask a few group members to let go of their yarn and stand back. Toss the animal again. Explain that the animal fell because a part of the “community” did not have strong connections and was not providing support.